Strategy
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Financial & Performance
KPN still keen on deals to accelerate fibre build
Dutch telco continues to scope out M&A opportunities within country’s consolidating fibre scene, to propel build and reduce competitive threat.
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Network & Infrastructure
MásOrange eyes more Spanish fibre deals after Vodafone infra tie-up
Consolidation of pressured Spanish telco market continues, seeing recently-reworked operator duo team up to form a distinct fibre business, focused on “dense areas”.
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People
Vantage Towers’ finance boss exits
Chief Financial Officer Thomas Reisten departs wireless infra group at the end of busy, startup-focused four-year term.
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Public Affairs
nexfibre joins calls to tighten Openreach infra choker, ensure lasting UK fibre competition
UK fibre wholesaler calls for new and improved regulation to provide platform for altnet competition as attention turns to Ofcom’s next five-year framework. Echoes broad consensus among INCA members that more could be done to limit Openreach dominance, encourage altnet investment…
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M&A
UK fibre M&A ‘easy’ (compared to challenges of compatibility, integration, compliance)
Challenger leaders at INCA gathering call out lack of industry standards as key obstacle to more M&A. Integration and migration are costly and complex, making compatibility a consideration for prospective buyers. Compliance also increasingly important in valuations. More positive is XGS-PON embrace, deemed a “damn fine standard for a starting place”, but beware legacy tech. Learn more…
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Strategy & Change
Yorkshire challenger Connexin tag-teaming Calix to unlock SME as ‘experience provider’
’Value-add tops megabits’: ambitious regional fibre challenger and key partner open up on winning ways at Connected North. SME segment presented as golden opportunity to strike against incumbents through solutions tailored using network and service data insights. And much more…
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Financial & Performance
Openreach to invade Project Gigabit, snap up altnet misfires
FY23–24: Closing in on infill Project Gigabit contracts, also eyeing altnet misfires. Line loss the new reality despite strong fibre build and take-up momentum. TelcoTitans BTwatch predicts altnets will step up, not roll over. New CEO Kirkby makes clear Openreach not for sale (yet). Read more…
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Weekly Briefings
Infrawatch Weekly: land grabs, power-sharing, and an AI tidal wave
Latest from the digital infra scene in the UK and beyond, including: plans for InfraCos to both attack and defend against challenges in the market with new land acquisition and energy plays; data centre prep for building ‘AI tidal wave’; a busy time for vendors in the evolving German infrastructure market; people moves; and plenty more…
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Financial & Performance
Inwit boss hopes wave of Italian telco deals will halt sector decline
Wireless infra player’s General Manager Diego Galli sees prospective wave of Italian market consolidation as good news for operators’ suppliers, including TowerCos, by strengthening telcos’ cash position and arresting recent slump in spend.
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Financial & Performance
UK’s Digital 9 reshapes boardroom, weighs Arqiva options as wind-down progresses
Former Bank of Scotland exec Eric Sanderson named Chair to lead wind-down process, with one or more other Non-Execs to be added in near future. Steps made in asset sale but future of Arqiva stake not yet decided.
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Strategy & Change
American Tower eyes US expansion of Power as a Service in efficiencies pursuit amidst M&A hiatus
ATC looks to ship high ROI ‘Power as a Service’ learnings to US market, having proven benefits in Africa, and to transfer US automation credentials to other geographies. Hunt for global efficiencies may also lead to monetisation of sub-scale assets, with focus on operational excellence meaning “nothing compelling” to buy, for now…
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Interview
Brace for ‘AI tidal wave’: Kao Data urges UK data centre step change
Next-gen specialist discusses Manchester Data Centre of the North investment sweetspot, need to prep for AI-fuelled tsunami of demand (nowhere in Europe ready). Read more…
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Strategy & Change
TowerCos move to defend turf against ‘very aggressive’ land bankers
Real estate-poor European TowerCos brace for land bank predators. Not-a-TowerCo Cellnex taking initiative with creation of Celland LandCo. Yet another area where the US sets the pace. Read more…
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M&A
Cellnex wants in on MásOrange integration, Spanish tower consolidation
Chief Executive Marco Patuano considers American Tower and Cellnex as likely consolidators in fragmented Spanish tower infrastructure market, as number of MNO customers shrinks. Read more…
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M&A
Cellnex seeks co-investor to support Polish NetCo strategy
European tower group ‘actively working’ on plan for part-sale of Cellnex Poland, generating funds to fuel transformation of the business into a more fully-fledged NetCo, with both RAN assets and passive infra.
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M&A
Phoenix Tower remains ‘opportunistic’ on buyouts post-BlackRock deal
TowerXchange Meetup Europe: CEO of wireless infra group says it remains “ready to go” on Europe M&A despite many tower rivals looking cowed amid the tighter financing environment. March’s completion of fresh investment by asset management behemoth BlackRock has given confidence to pursue further deal-making opportunities. Claims edge on “carrier captive” rivals. Read more…
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Network & Infrastructure
25G/50G slow-go: Openreach may hold out till 2030s on next-gen fibre tech
In depth report — two of the UK’s biggest fibre wholesalers have dampened expectations of imminent 25G and 50G PON upgrades, despite prep-work. Virgin Media O2-backed nexfibre sees no “imminent” case for commercial launch. Openreach also wants greater energy efficiency and to maximise older-gen GPON value extraction, with point-to-point eyed for enterprise. Read more…
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Interview
Netomnia: capex inefficiency is blocking consolidation opportunity
Speaking to TelcoTitans, Netomnia founder and CEO Jeremy Chelot suggests too many altnets are banking on unachievable take-up goals, and that playing fast and loose with investor money has resulted in a block on viable valuations for consolidation.
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Financial & Performance
IHS Towers hires advisers to assess ‘strategic alternatives’
Tower group’s annual results this week sees chief executive highlight initiation of a strategic review of its business, amid share price slump.
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Financial & Performance
Telefónica Infra moves closer to 30m full-fibre target
Spanish group reaffirms aim to pass over 100 million homes with fibre networks by 2026, helped by growing portfolio of specialist side-businesses.