Strategy – Page 18
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M&A
INWIT continues to fill M&A kitty
Growing Italian TowerCo building up a €1bn platform for deal-making at end of its latest strategic cycle, in FY23. Expansion plans could give co-parent Vodafone another runner in European TowerCo race, beyond main vehicle Vantage Towers.
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Strategy & Change
Openreach off the table as BT drives fibre efficiency
Group ends talks on InfraCo JV as rising fibre demand and lower build costs dilute benefits of external funding. Virgin Media O2 firmly in BT sights as it aims to lock up wholesale market, and move fast on convergence. Future revenue growth anticipated, but greater efficiency and lower spending ...
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Strategy & Change
Telefónica cools on Spanish fibre sale (for now)
Vilá says domestic retail and wholesale FTTP operations “probably not reflected” in Group valuation. Repeats company line that Spanish fibre infrastructure is “strategic asset”, but doesn’t rule out monetisation in the future.
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Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in Vodafone Europe: VfD’s joy over Telekom Deutschland fibre ruling
VfD gets one up on rival Telekom Deutschland over FTTP; VfUK flags progress in trials with Ericsson on reducing massive MIMO energy consumption.
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Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in Vodafone Partner Markets: Proximus launches regional fibre JV
Developments from around Vodafone’s soft-power network: Get-go for Proximus’s regional fibre JV; MTS firms up tower spin out ambitions; NZ operator parts company with Vodafone Group’s Tobi.
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Network & Infrastructure
Citi said to be charged with Telefónica Spanish infra sale
Rumours continue to circulate around Telefónica’s fibre monetisation plans in Spain. Investment bank understood to have valued Spanish fibre infrastructure at €14bn. Sale speculation comes despite Telefónica classing its Spanish fibre infrastructure as a “strategic asset”. Report suggests Group is seeking resources to finance investments in 5G and digitisation. ...
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Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in Deutsche Telekom Group: Deutsche Funkturm flags mast deal
DT adds TripleA to tower-building team; real estate “right-sizing” takes effect.
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M&A
Telefónica mulling Spanish infra stake sale?
Rumours circulate that Group is discussing fibre monetisation in Spain. Between five and ten funding vehicles reportedly put hats in the ring, as Group sounds out market interest. Sale speculation comes despite Telefónica classing its Spanish fibre infrastructure as a “strategic asset”.
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Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in Telefónica Infra-Tech: smart services drive in Huelva
Cloudflare and Tableau deployments highlighted; Group at forefront of smart services drive in port city of Huelva.
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Network & Infrastructure
Vodafone Turkey CEO signals support for three-way FibreCo
Turkey’s President is said to be in favour of a joint infrastructure company. Recently appointed Vodafone Turkey CEO appears keen too, as part of new 2025 growth strategy.
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Network & Infrastructure
BT’s Watson highlights fibre’s central place in network ‘jigsaw’
CTO plays down fixed wireless’s role in meeting UK’s connectivity challenge. CityFibre and Hyperoptic welcome Ofcom’s WFTMR, but want Openreach to remain under strict scrutiny. Virgin Media O2 something of an elephant in the room as altnets pitch themselves as more agile rivals.
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Premium
Altnets object to Openreach FTTP price proposal
Regulatory spat over wholesale FTTP pricing spills out into the open. Openreach says new prices offer certainty and encourage FTTP take-up. Fibre rivals claim the cheaper wholesale pricing scheme will reduce infrastructure competition and deter investment. Ofcom provisionally says no action needed, but final decision is expected by the ...
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Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in Vodafone Associates & JVs: Indus tidies IT up
Indus tidies IT up; India becomes potential early target for Vodafone’s sat venture with AST.
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M&A
TPG puts feelers out for TowerCo deal
Australian JV conducting “preliminary market assessment” ahead of possible spin-off. Scope of monetisation would be limited by operator’s low level of site ownership. Competitors have already made moves.
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Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in Telefónica Infra-Tech: Mistral goes live
Mistral goes live; Telefónica Tech gets sporty.
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M&A
DT interest Community Fibre subsumes rival
FTTP altnet backed by BT shareholder absorbs assets of smaller fibre builder. Business now looking “beyond London” as it continues to accelerate growth. Community Fibre’s FTTP footprint stands at 300,000 premises. Acquisition not impacting commercial operations or leadership structure of “independent” merger partner.
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Network & Infrastructure
Jansen now sees BT chasing 30 million premises with full-fibre
Extra five million presented as ‘infill’ and presumably more rural. Immediate competitive riposte to news of Virgin Media O2 FTTP retrofit, which it neatly doubles. Jansen says BT not concerned, but challenger altnets should be. No rush for fibre JV partner, but Jansen reveals a UK compatriot would be ...
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Operations
Indus Towers said to firm up IT systems rework
TowerCo CEO flags progress in pursuit of post-merger synergies. “Indus team” completes IT systems integration, meaning management of 180,000+ site portfolio falls under one roof.
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M&A
Vodafone Italy hands highways infra to INWIT JV
OpCo’s divestment bulks-up INWIT portfolio, as TowerCo continues spending spree. INWIT to equip portion of new assets with IoT capabilities in “smart road” drive. Acquisition expected to be green-lighted before end-2021.
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Premium
VM O2 bites bullet and pledges fibre future
A future upgrade of VM O2 fixed infrastructure will see coaxial cable edged out and fibre deployed throughout the operator’s footprint. Switching to XGSPON instead of DOCSIS 4.0 pricy, but manageable within modest budgets and with multiple longer term benefits. Pragmatic approach to fibre is partly driven by the ...