All articles by Richard Agnew – Page 37
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Strategy & Change
Q4 FY20: Group thinks out of the box
DT’s new Head of Europe argues that the bloc’s fragmented market is ripe for change. Romania and Netherlands remain in DT’s M&A spotlight. FY20 results show Europe holding steady for DT, despite pandemic. Share buybacks increase holdings in Hrvatski Telekom, Magyar Telekom, and OTE.
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Strategy & Change
Q4 FY20: T-Sys not for sale despite another FY of drag
Höttges wants to keep T-Sys in the DT family despite ongoing wait for the enterprise division to meet positive cash flow ambition. Pandemic-induced order entry and revenue drops laid out in FY20 results. Impact of crisis cushioned by efficiency measures and majorly tightened capex.
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Strategy & Change
Q4 FY20: TMUS highlights DT’s ‘positive headache’
Group leadership relaxed on quandary of when to push button on re-acquisition of majority control in powerhouse NatCo. TMUS on track with Sprint integration, emphasising huge cash flow potential DT could tap into for expansion across Group.
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M&A
Telefónica’s Cerdán has more M&A deals up sleeve
Medium-scale buyouts remain on radar for Telefónica Tech CEO. Bold talk on deal-making forming route to growth goals. Reported souring of Govertis transaction hasn’t put Telefónica off.
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Partnerships & Alliances
Vodafone boosts takings from Partner Markets allies
Soft-power federation increases contribution to the Group, amid footprint expansion. Relationship formed upon exit from New Zealand appears one significant driver. Africa and Americas gaps cloud Vodafone’s ‘global’ credentials.
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Public Affairs
Telefónica sacks security execs in fraud probe: reports
ElevenPaths’ partner relationships under scrutiny as Group looks into dealings within managed security services unit. Report ties investigation with Govertis takeover in 2020, and senior executive reshuffle flagged in February.
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Products & Services
Vodafone remote access re-platforming delivers flexibility-on-demand
Supporting 100,000+ primarily Europe desktop and application users. Microsoft and Nutanix facilitate GDC’s “journey to hybrid cloud scenario”. Pandemic pressure-tests wisdom and capability of 2019 refit.
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People
Co-founder of Vodacom’s IoT.nxt resigns
CEO of South African IoT startup steps down in what appears abrupt decision. Move comes despite repeated talking-up of IoT.nxt’s progress and potential by parents Vodacom and Vodafone. Statement highlights new leadership will steer IoT.nxt’s “journey of globalisation” under Vodacom’s stewardship.
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Network & Infrastructure
Liberty: VodafoneZiggo tower sale is ‘work-in-progress’
CEO Mike Fries sees Dutch joint venture’s assets as undervalued. Partner appears aligned with Vodafone’s eagerness to extract cash from site networks across Europe. Broader discussions over VodafoneZiggo collaboration may be tied in with tower question.
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Network & Infrastructure
DT quietly setting up new fibre company in Germany
GlasfaserPlus comes into being amid accelerating fibre drive by Srini Gopalan.
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Premium
Q3 FY20–21: Top team turn bullish as growth returns, just
Nick Read and Margherita Della Valle claim Group set for acceleration after sneaking back into growth territory during quarter. European macro and M&A questions continue to overhang claims of confidence in regional prospects, however. Amid continued talk of yet more in-country consolidation, “pragmatic” Vodafone will “always examine opportunities to ...
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Strategy & Change
Deutsche Telekom blockchain spinout beamed back to mothership
trust2core’s work on enterprise blockchain application development to continue from within T-Labs. Group said to be expanding focus on blockchain services.
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Partnerships & Alliances
‘Techmaker’: DT’s South Korean 5G JV surfaces
New venture’s executive team to build 5G innovation pipeline from South Korea to Europe. JV initially aims to build go-to-market around 5G in-building solutions, and then spread to import and development of other systems. Working name chimes with mandate to commercialise Asian 5G tech in western markets.
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People
DT’s tech and M&A chiefs earn contract extensions
Thorsten Langheim (USA & Group Development) and Claudia Nemat (Technology & Innovation) both pick up new five-year deals. CEO Höttges underlines stability and momentum for the Group.
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Network & Infrastructure
DT moves goalposts on German infrastructure mega-projects
Headline FTTH and cell site expansion roadmaps reworked. COVID-19 disruption, regulatory barriers, and bad weather cited as contributors. First signs emerge of the Group’s new, pandemic-influenced medium-term planning, due to be laid out later in 2021.
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Partnerships & Alliances
Vodafone NZ pivots to improve post-sale performance
Former Vodafone OpCo jumps on CX/digital transformation train in a big way, in bid to raise profitability. Quadruple IT stack legacy of time in Vodafone Group one area of inefficiency to be removed. Two of top team shuffled out amid commercial reset, including long-time Vodafone exec Antony Welton.
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People
Enterprise CTIO Karonis to exit BT
Former EE technology boss signs off after decade-long stint spanning mobile operator’s 2016 integration into BT. Exit adds to list of executive changes at Enterprise and within BT’s broader tech and innovation functions.
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Network & Infrastructure
Deutsche Telekom wraps up Austrian tower spinout
Another building-block added to multi-layered platform Group is bringing together in European tower space.
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Network & Infrastructure
EE ploughs ahead on Scottish rural 4G plan
Operator’s backing for S4GI not-spot scheme shows through in latest on-the-ground progress. ESN involvement appears to have created efficiencies, helping EE to build case for expanded involvement. Middleman challenges evident in slow pace of S4GI roll out.
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Content & TV
Deutsche Telekom preps move into edge-based TV
Group putting connectivity and cloud together with plan for rollout of personalised, low latency-reliant TV services layer. Another sign of rampup of capabilities for a big Magenta commercial push ahead of Euro 2024.