All Strategy & Change articles – Page 110
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M&A
MiNODES brought in house as Telefónica NEXT shuts up shop
Data analytics acquisition MiNODES brought closer to O2’s core business. Telefónica NEXT now fully disbanded, with Germany Business Sales in its place.
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Network & Infra
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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People
BT denies right royal dust-up at the top
Group moved to issue a denial of Jansen ultimatum as speculation swirls on du Plessis’ surprise departure decision. Two camps emerging, with some discontent at Jansen power moves, but CEO’s position appears safe for now. Beyond rumours and gossip, BT board looks starved of experience needed for Group transformation ...
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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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Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in Vodafone Associates & JVs
Teoh junior faces TPG ire after assault conviction; INWIT’s Ferigo bemoans 5G rollout barriers.
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Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in Vodafone Africa
Vodafone launches Africa.Connected campaign to bridge the digital divide, while Joosub clears things up regarding Ghana in Q3 results.
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Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in Vodafone Europe: Italian 3G sunset
End of road for Italian 3G network; 5G used to combat COVID-19 in Spain; Turkey enterprise unit digitises cement mix.
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Financial & Performance
Budget 2021: BT benefits but won’t move investment dial
Chancellor Sunak eyes investment-backed build-back. Short term tax break to bolster BT infrastructure expansion. However, gains will be “offset in later years”, and no movement on BT’s number one priority — business rates relief.
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People
BT’s HR chief admits bumps in Better Workplace plan
Pandemic holds up plan to concertina down to 30 regional hubs, although some movement is expected in 2021. HR Director recognises the need to maintain hybrid working practices even after the pandemic has subsided.
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Network & Infra
Vivo taps CDPQ for fibre spin out, as KKR invests in Chile
Telefónica|Vivo signs a 50:50 deal with Quebec-based investor to launch FiBrasil. Wholesale fibre provider will expand Vivo’s geographic reach, while the OB focuses on upgrading its existing fixed-network footprint. Long-heralded $1bn Chilean InfraCo plans culminate with KKR taking 60% stake.
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Network & Infra
Magyar Telekom CEO rules out tower tie-ups
Tibor Rékasi anticipates no strategic activity in the “near future”. 5G coverage target met in Budapest.
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Operations
OTE hails completion of organisational revamp
Extraction of field and customer ops wrapped up as OTE seeks to bolster efficiency following challenging FY20. Early retirement programme continues to deliver savings.
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Premium
Elsewhere in BT Group: BT Sourced gets hiring
New procurement team hiring; revamp of Plymouth office by 2022; BT hoping to go greener through PPAs.
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Network & Infra
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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Financial & Performance
Telefónica wobbles over 2020 finish line, targets stability
Revenue and OIBDA drop 11% as double-whammy of COVID-19 and currency fluctuations hit. Guidance on cash flow just about achieved, while FY21 focus will be on stabilisation. Dividend reduced by 25% as COVID-19 challenges continue, and 5G auctions loom. Telefónica Infra picking up minority stakes in Group infrastructure as ...
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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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Interview
Openreach pushes ahead in journey to agile
CTIO Colin Lees discusses three-year transformation project across IT, network, and processes to support FTTP rollout. Independent Openreach Technology division treads in parent’s tech footsteps. Adopts agile development where it can and organises into Tribes and Squads. Data strategy seeks “single source of truth”. Takes pragmatic approach to cloud ...
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M&A
Vodafone readies cheque for Egyptian fintech players
Vodafone Egypt signs MoU for minority stakes in digital payment players Bee and Masary. New Vodafone Egypt CEO Abdallah seeks to paint deal as part of “promising” strategic investment plan, following Group’s failed exit.
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Strategy & Change
Vodafone CZ confirms strategic talks with ČEZ
Czech OpCo declines to divulge what the talks are about, after a local news report suggests a possible sale of the business is on the table.
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Strategy & Change
As past nightmares recede, BT’s Jansen eyes health sector growth
Jansen optimistic on prospect of digital solutions reviving BT fortunes with the NHS. BT recruiting to support its NHS win back activity, as hundreds of millions of pounds are made available for health service IT upgrades, with increased focus on security.