Europe Telecoms News
Network & Infrastructure
O2 Germany heralds start of 5G era, rules in Huawei
O2 Germany sees next decade as a growth phase following years of network build and integration. Outlines plans to start building 5G in five cities during 2020. Huawei and Nokia selected to build the 5G RAN, although the China‑based vendor remains a political hot potato in Germany.
Network & InfrastructureO2 Germany heralds start of 5G era, rules in Huawei
O2 Germany sees next decade as a growth phase following years of network build and integration. Outlines plans to start building 5G in five cities during 2020. Huawei and Nokia selected to build the 5G RAN, although the China‑based vendor remains a political hot potato in Germany.
- Partnerships & Alliances
O2 bristles at EE price for rural sharing
BT’s pricing of access to networks under SRN a blow to tight deadline. O2’s Evans urges MNOs and government to cooperate on rural network developments post‑Brexit.
- Venturing & Investments
Open Future developments
Round‑up of recent activity among Telefónica-backed startup and venturing ecosystems.
- Innovation (R&D)
Beefing up blockchain
Telefónica accelerates its blockchain activity with launch of TrustOS platform, the Blockchain Activation Programme, and membership of the Hyperledger community.
- Network & Infrastructure
O2 UK joins open RAN party
UK operating business following the party line with increased enthusiasm for greater flexibility in the access network. Mavenir a key early partner, with DenseAir and WaveMobile also flagged.
- Innovation (R&D)
Telefónica Alpha taps NHS for patient data
O2 UK catches heat for a Group‑led project, with negative press coverage underlining the PR risks associated with data‑driven projects in sensitive sectors.
- Enterprise (B2B)
Telefónica Empresas adds BMC Helix to cloud offer
Partnership with IT support management specialist expected to bolster Telefónica’s portfolio of cloud‑based scalable solutions for the enterprise market.
- Network & Infrastructure
Telefónica role in network-sharing coalition to be limited
Telefónica attempts to muscle in on Orange‑Vodafone sharing deal prompts a revision of plans to protect synergies while minimising risk of regulatory interference.
- Partnerships & Alliances
O2 and Ericsson partner Northumbrian Water for 5G trials
Previously-flagged 5G testing for new utility sector solutions underway, building on Ericsson technology.
- Network & Infrastructure
Telefónica fails to meet 2015 licence obligations
Operator cites a variety of reasons for delays as it falls short of the progress of its rivals in meeting targets for households and transport infrastructure across the nation. O2 promises to fulfil obligations by end‑2020. Coverage obligations are part of ongoing 5G legal wrangles.
- Public Affairs
New emission-reduction programme launched by Telefónica
Sustainability strategy flagged at UN’s COP25, including energy consumption requirements.
- Products & Services
O2 UK working on iPhone issue
Telefónica UK (O2 UK) reportedly confirmed it was in the process of resolving an “intermittent issue” affecting some of its customers using Apple’s iPhone XR handset.
- Network & Infrastructure
O2 UK joins TfL Underground LTE project
Telefónica UK (O2 UK) is to join peers EE and Vodafone UK in trials of 4G on the London Underground being undertaken by Transport for London
- Network & Infrastructure
O2 UK hits 5G 2020 target
Telefónica UK (O2 UK) achieved its target of reaching 20 5G locations by 2020, despite its comparatively slow start on launching commercial 5G in the country.
- Partnerships & Alliances
Telefónica España renews Euskaltel deal
Telefónica España renewed its wholesale mobile agreement with Euskaltel Group, parent of regional quad‑player Telecable.
- Corporate
Telefónica updates its CTIL oversight team
In January 2020, Telefónica Group refreshed its representation on its UK infrastructure-sharing joint venture (JV) with Vodafone UK, Cornerstone Telecommunication Infrastructure Limited (CTIL).
- Innovation (R&D)
Telefónica España opens DEKRA V2X lab
Telefónica España, the Andalusian local government, and vehicle testing and inspection expert DEKRA opened the doors to a new research and development laboratory for 5G vehicle‑to-everything (V2X) technology.
- Enterprise (B2B)
Telefónica España wins EUIPO contract
Telefónica España will provide fixed telephony services to the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) after it won a contract worth €2m.
- Innovation (R&D)
5TONIC presents 5G-enabled emergency response solutions
5TONIC, the research and development laboratory co‑germinated by Telefónica Group and IMDEA Networks Institute, presented a 5G‑enabled emergency services solution that aims to reduce incident response times to increase the chances of survival.
- M&A
European Commission slows Telefónica España’s Prosegur acquisition
Telefónica España’s planned acquisition of a 50% stake in Prosegur, the Spanish security alarm business, has slowed ahead of regulatory approval from the European Commission (EC).
- Public Affairs
Telefónica Deutschland commits to sustainability loan
Telefónica Deutschland claimed to be the first German telecoms company to have signed a “sustainability-linked loan”, in an effort to link financing costs with its environment, social, and governance (ESG) rating.
