Operations & Transformation
All the latest news, insight and analysis regarding the operations and transformation of BT, Deutsche Telekom, Telefónica and Vodafone.
Staff prepare for exit as Telefónica redundancies tallied
Cost to the operator now said to be around €1.4bn. Number of applicants still not final as requests need to be approved.
BT considers use of AI to expose vendor malpractice
Operator considering application of video analytics software from partner Vyntelligence to identify “incorrect behaviours” in supplier plants. Idea reflective of operators’ concerns over hidden ESG and security nasties in their vast international supply chains.
Strategic rise of procurement redefines role of the CPO
Complex ecosystems, new technology, sustainability ambitions, and supply chain risk mitigation are driving change in the procurement function. BT Sourced and Vodafone Procurement Company weigh in on how their procurement lives are transforming. Chief procurement officers need new leadership skills to succeed, says study. Ideal procurement professionals are like ...
T-Systems resets India expansion target to support savings push
DT’s enterprise division re-commits to plan to hire thousands of new tech staff. Local digital boss Anant Padmanabhan promoted to lead services unit T‑Systems ICT India. India back in vogue for DT’s management as it seeks fresh talent for digital transformation.
Telefónica España shifts data analytics to cloud with Teradata-Google
Teradata’s Vantage said to have offered “fastest and lowest-risk” cloud analytics migration project. Extends long-term Teradata relationship to migrate from on-premise. Taps into Group’s Google Cloud data lake.
Safaricom Ethiopia splashes out $100m on first data centre
Located in capital city Addis Ababa, the installation accounts for one third of a total $300m investment pegged for first year of operations. Data centre, which will house “core network infrastructure”, was built in China and transported to Ethiopia. Rabacal indicates the same business model will be used for ...
Vantage drafts MOWEA for mast turbines
TowerCo indicates cleantech R&D tie‑up is ready for wider deployment. Deal initially focuses on a small subset of sites in main market Germany, but wider national and international rollout mooted if system checks out.
BT and TalkTalk footing the YouView bill as losses mount, Arqiva exits
Latest accounts show the TV platform’s shareholders now down to six, with the two operators keeping the venture afloat. R&D budget remains high at £16m, compared to revenue of just £9m. Telcos remain coy on paying subscribers for their TV services.
AI not ready for bot-to-bot negotiation — BT’s Brown
Director of Procurement Strategy & Transformation says AI needs more training, but bot-to-bot purchasing “will come”. BT already implements AI tech to help select prospective vendors and optimise supply chain monitoring.
DT’s Leroy backs Greek digitalisation plans
Head of Europe Dominique Leroy joins the campaign trail to promote Greek investment via OTE minority subsidiary. €3bn full‑fibre investment plan in action to support national digital transformation. Bureaucracy remains a sticking point.
Safaricom lauds TIBCO for service and network advances
Kipkirui says microservices and cloud-native APIs from longstanding partner is key in helping OpCo to become an “insights-led, tech-driven company”. Adds that Safaricom has been able to maintain “maximum value” from capex invested in TIBCO. OpCo aims to migrate entire TIBCO BPM stack from on-prem to public cloud by ...
BT’s new growth oriented Division X names leader
Former Sierra Wireless SVP Marc Overton appointed MD, Division X as BT Enterprise seeks solution‑selling in high‑growth verticals. Adjacent markets targeted by new unit, with Overton’s IoT specialism among the target technologies.
Vi selling majority stake to Indian government in bid to stay afloat
The state is set to receive a 35.8% stake in Vodafone Idea. Share prices drop around 20% in the wake of the news. Stake will be exchanged for easing of the struggling JV’s considerable debt. Government “do not want to run company”, insists Vi CEO
Álvarez‑Pallete warns of dangers of “digital slavery”
Telefónica Executive Chairman asserts that societal imbalance and data exploitation are risks that must be addressed as the world’s economies are digitised. Dire warnings of ‘slavery’ fit with Group commitments on creation of a digital rights framework that would see operators positioned as trusted partners.
DT’s Nemat puts focus on the human factor at heart of AI
Nemat suggests there should be a ‘Hippocratic Oath’ for AI software engineers. DT programmes in place to reduce energy consumption and bias when training machines.