Strategy – Page 2
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Network & InfraOpenreach’s fibre roll slows to 2021 levels
Q1 FY26–27: rollout pace declines sharply as 25 million threshold nears, while customer adds ramp up to become primary Openreach preoccupation, as BT keeps post-2026 build playbook hidden…
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Strategy & ChangeKPN may rethink fibre ambition after Delta buy blocked
Dutch incumbent’s Chief Executive Joost Farwerck calls watchdog’s decision to thwart bolt-on purchase of fibre assets from rival Delta “very strange”, and warns it may prompt a rejig of its footprint expansion goal for 2030.
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Network & InfraVM O2 advances Giga Site rollout amidst UK network upgrade race
Operator reaches the halfway mark in its rollout of new, high throughput Giga Sites, contributing to broader, £1.4bn mobile upgrade programme. Achievement highlights ongoing race between operators to improve network quality, with VM O2 and VodafoneThree seeking to catch up to BT…
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Products & ServicesUK fibre: TiVo’s Freely momentum unlocks altnet multiplay
Interview: As customer retention becomes paramount, UK fibre service providers are re-evaluating the strategic value of multiplay. Several altnets are at contract stage with streaming TV platform provider TiVo as sell-out success of the Freely-enabled Aero puck helps make the case for convergence…
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Financial & PerformanceEutelsat/OneWeb: UK’s £500m LEO satellite bet loses two-thirds of value in six years
As now-parent Eutelsat painfully pivots from geostationary to low Earth orbit infrastructure, the UK’s £342m loss on its controversial OneWeb rescue faces fresh scrutiny. Despite the substantial loss of value, government officials maintain that LEO commitment remains crucial to the nation.
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AnalysisReality check: assessing telco claims of Europe’s High-Risk Supplier crackdown cost — Strand Consult
Guest analysis: with 30% EU exposure remaining, concentrated on 5G RAN, specific countries and three big telcos, John Strand considers media and industry warnings of HRS rip-and-replace costs overstated, evidencing Denmark, the UK and other European markets as showing transition can be managed without derailing 5G rollout. In an age of national security, he also deems it essential for securing future mission-critical contracts.
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Financial & PerformanceEricsson chief signs off, claims network revival nearing
Amid continuing growth challenges, Ericsson President & CEO Börje Ekholm is pinning hopes on physical AI and defence comms, and claims vendor is fully primed to exploit opportunities for a top-line revival.
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Analyst BriefingUK Infrawatch: CMA weighs nexfibre–Netomnia options; CityFibre strengthens Vodafone ties
Analyst Briefing: Latest from the digital infra scene in the UK, including CMA priorities for Netomnia/nexfibre review, competition growing from multiservice propositions, CityFibre spins out a new wholesale aggregator, and plenty more…
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Public AffairsEU’s DNA faces pushback, with MVNOs wary of spectrum rule changes
MVNOs World: With the upcoming Digital Networks Act, the EC aims to create a fresh start for the region’s telecoms industry and provide a much-needed boost to the bloc’s competitiveness. But it seems few see the norms, as proposed, as likely to deliver the galvanising force the Commission intends, with challenger players remaining concerned they will have to take one for the team as the EU bids to shore up their incumbent network operator rivals.
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Network & InfraUK gov plots £330m boost to subsea cable protections
UK government’s long-awaited Defence Investment Plan includes fresh funding to improve subsea infrastructure resilience, including new public-private partnerships and upgraded defence fleets.
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M&ARocket Lab to become end-to-end satellite player with Iridium buy
Rocket Lab seeks to move beyond launch services and become vertically integrated satellite player through Iridium acquisition. Challenger eyes opportunities for operational efficiencies and new services, as well as plans for forays into the defence and direct-to-device segments…
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Strategy & ChangeUtility Warehouse eyes broadband and mobile opportunities as it chases convergence
In depth: Multi-play broadband and utilities provider unveils a five-year plan to drive up mobile, broadband, and insurance, while tapping an AI commercial opportunity. UW may be a litmus test as UK altnets develop retail strategies to go beyond connectivity…
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Financial & PerformanceVodafone Spain progresses dramatic, private equity-led turnaround
Spain’s number three telco has more than doubled margin in the two years since being sold by Vodafone to investment group Zegona Communications, again raising a question mark over strategy under its previous owner. Having proved its buy-fix-sell transformation model, Zegona is now eyeing other acquisition targets…
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M&ALiberty Blume bulks up with rights management acquisition as it expands UK infra horizons
Liberty’s Blume is stepping into energy, water, and construction to add to its telecoms heartlands with CLM takeover, positioning itself to capture a larger share of the UK’s infrastructure investment boom.
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Network & InfraOoredoo advances wireless infra carve-out with Qatari towerco launch
Ooredoo goes live with Al Abraj to manage Qatari wireless infra, progressing its wider initiative to separate MENA masts. Launch comes after other Middle Eastern telcos have established regional tower operators in hunt for efficiency creation and asset monetisation…
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Network & InfraEQT raises infrastructure investment stakes amid soaring demand for power and data centres
Swedish private equity behemoth sets target for new infra fund after reiterating strategy to invest in the data centres and power underpinning the AI boom. Ambition comes with European fibrecos under pressure to deliver returns on investment and seen to have lost prominence to data centres in the global infra growth story.
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Strategy & ChangeTelenor targets growth from digital infra in strategic reorg
The operator has performed a major reset of the group management team, with broader roles and a flatter structure.
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Partnerships & AlliancesOpen Dutch Fiber outsources infra management in strategy shift
Dutch altnet offloads responsibility for passive infra management in north of the country to services group Circet. The deal is the provider’s second outsourcing deal in 2026, as it seeks ways to deliver fibre more efficiently and direct freed resource towards go-to-market…
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Financial & PerformanceThree cheers for London: Community Fibre achieves cash-positivity, returns to rollout, adds mobile multiplay
FY25/Analyst Briefing: upbeat and staunchly local altnet resumes build-out and ups ambitions, now partly self-funding as possibly first UK-fibreco to turn cash-positive following strong FY25. Also debuting highly-competitive mobile bolt-on bolstering fixed-mobile convergence challenge…
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Network & InfraMagyar Telekom to expand Budapest data centre amid ‘tightening’ capacity
Operator initiates two-year programme to upgrade Budapest site capacity by 20%, as CEO Tibor Rékasi says demand for compute continues to “accelerate”. Project adds to parent DT’s broader aggression on regional expansion in data centres…