All articles by Richard Agnew
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Analyst BriefingDeutsche Telekomwatch: SoftBank on M&A manoeuvres
Analyst Briefing: Past week’s developments include more M&A machinations around DT’s infra partner ecosystem, as reports suggest SoftBank and DigitalBridge could come together on a deal that would bring the Japanese conglomerate into DT’s home-market tower space. Telekom Deutschland, meanwhile, makes a rare foray into fibre M&A with a ‘buy over build’ deal in Essen.
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PeoplewatchTelefónica Peoplewatch: Vivo’s fintech platforms set for AI refit
The latest strategic and senior changes at Telefónica, as Vivo hands out task of infusing its growing portfolio of fintech platforms with AI capabilities, and Telefónica assigns Cellnex exec responsibility for guiding under-pressure German business back to growth.
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Strategy & ChangeTelefónica aims slap bang in middle in bid for revival
FY25–FY30 Transform & Grow strategy deep dive: Group’s new leadership goes more aggressive and old school with new five-year agenda, targeting corporate centre for billions of euros of savings.
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M&AEurope towers: Telcos’ urge to merge remains turn-off for SBA
US wireless infra group remains watchful on M&A opportunities across the Atlantic, citing the latest wave of regional MNO mergers as a dampener on the business case for deals. CFO says SBA is “not going to step in front of a consolidating market”.
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Analyst BriefingDeutsche Telekomwatch: German spectrum own-goal
Analyst Briefing: In past week’s developments, a forced rethink on 2019 5G rights auction adds to the complicated regulatory and macro picture backdropping Germany’s telecoms sector; DT looks to Rheinmetall as a future partner on sovereign/security tech push; Congstar fills its CEO vacancy with internal promotion; and more…
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Financial & PerformanceIn-depth: German headwinds grab the headlines
Q3 FY25: T-Mobile US, Europe, and T-Systems continue to perform strongly, but German slowdown yet to be addressed.
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Financial & PerformanceGuidance: jitters fail to jolt
Q3 FY25: DT looks set to end the FY with another set of record-breaking top-level financial numbers.
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Financial & PerformanceDT firms up the foundations after jittery 2025
Q3 FY25: While DT remains on track to hit all headline targets, its latest quarterly results were backdropped by unease over competitive intensity in the Group’s two largest markets. Execs seek to calm fears by highlighting US strength, German strategy rework, B2B/B2G gains, and AI’s growing potential as reason for optimism into FY26.
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PeoplewatchDT names new boss of €1bn side-business Congstar
Head of Commercial Management Daniel Mirovsky credited with helping drive recent expansion of business, and handed CEO job recently vacated by Axel Orbach.
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Partnerships & AlliancesEuropean telcos’ call to arms: DT in defence collab talks with Rheinmetall
In depth exclusive: Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger envisions his firm as the “Deutsche Telekom of defence”, but a real-world alliance with the telco giant is also now in play, targeting Germany’s €35bn space-defence allocation. The move signals broader trend of European telcos pivoting toward military-grade connectivity and national resilience to capture new spend…
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Analyst BriefingDeutsche Telekomwatch: Germany’s roadmap to recovery
Analyst Briefing: Telekom Deutschland’s new management switches tactics on broadband after customer trends remain in reverse; Group continues to aim high on AI; European tech harmonisation push accelerates.
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Venturing & InvestmentsDT backs AI image generation specialist Black Forest Labs
DT’s corporate venturing arm T.Capital continues to expand its AI investment portfolio, highlighting it has added AI image generation tech specialist Black Forest Labs to its stable. Move comes as part of ongoing, aggressive ramp-up of AI deployments within the operator’s internal operations, driven by CEO Tim Höttges…
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Network & InfraGreece: Energy group PPC targets top spot on fibre
State-owned utility expands ambitious and disruptive fibre expansion plan that would see it overtake incumbent telco on footprint in next two-to-three years.
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PeoplewatchDeutsche Telekom Peoplewatch: Group extracts EU execs to push IT meld
The latest strategic and senior changes at Deutsche Telekom see systems consolidation-focused operator looking to build up its central, Europe technology function with the extraction of multiple senior execs from Hrvatski Telekom and Magyar Telekom. Elsewhere, DT appoints a new Chief Networks Officer and former senior technology figures Claudia Nemat and Kim Kyllesbech Larsen take on new jobs.
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Network & InfraGermany: DT targets Vodafone as it reboots fibre tactics
Deep dive: German incumbent devises twin-track plan to arrest slide in broadband user numbers and address weakness on monetising multi-billion-euro fibre buildout programme. Tactical shift includes accelerated incursion into rival’s urban cable network MDU heartland…
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PeoplewatchDT tech changes continue with Croatian CTIO switch
Hrvatski Telekom changes tech leadership, as CTIO Boris Drilo heads out to take on a central B2B transformation role within parent Deutsche Telekom.
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M&ADigi confirms mulling part-sale of Spanish unit
Romanian group confirms recent reports that it has appointed advisors to explore an IPO of its fast-growing, disruptive Spanish unit.
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Partnerships & AlliancesDT seeks ‘strong partners’ for German AI mega-hub pitch
Co-investors sought to add financial and strategic firepower behind bid for EC-led AI Gigafactory in Germany. Execs keen to spread (and play down) risk of what would be a major new strategic direction for the operator…
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Network & InfraGreece’s OTE pushes out fibre build ambition
Deutsche Telekom’s Greek business re-mixes its FTTH rollout targets to reflect recent rival takeover and — ostensibly — the more challenging environment for fibre projects. Rethink includes an expanded footprint goal (3.5 million homes) but an extra three years to hit it…
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PeoplewatchFreenet bosses ‘not unhappy’ over rival O2’s CEO swap-out
After Telefónica Deutschland announces a change of CEO and partner business leadership, execs at service provider major Freenet express hope that the changes will usher in a new (and less high-octane) period of competition in Europe’s largest telecoms market.