Public Affairs
All the latest public affairs news, analysis and insight, including legal, regulatory and political issues surrounding leading telecom and infra players.
CMA uprates Netomnia–nexfibre investigation to Phase 2 as altnets call for ‘urgency’
Altnet buyer nexfibre gets pragmatic and skips straight to the in-depth competition review, keeping hopes alive for completion before the end of the year. The UK’s fibre scene is set to change, but the CMA will now decide the extent.
Vodafone chases defence opportunity with centralised German hub
European B2B chief Hagen Rickmann heads a move to consolidate and ‘bundle’ defence-related operations in Düsseldorf to target the sector “more strongly”, meet growing demand, and go head-to-head with rival telcos.
UK Infrawatch: DSIT pictures satellite success as AI snags Ofcom attention
Analyst Briefing: nexfibre looks beyond ‘cornershop’ fibre; Ofcom rethinks AI, mobile quality, and spectrum policy; more altnet sale rumours; plenty more…
VodafoneThree networks chief: merger remedies more ‘asset’ than ‘burden’
Chief Network Officer Andrea Donà has framed strict regulatory remedies as an “engineer’s paradise” as the UK operator sets about its £7bn network integration programme.
BT joins exclusive telco cohort in Anthropic’s frontier AI security project
Telco is the first UK business to confirm Project Glasswing participation, and the first European telco on the list, gaining early access to a frontier AI model aimed at pre-empting next-gen cyber threats.
Dutch watchdog blocks Glaspoort’s proposed DELTA Fiber asset buy
Dutch competition authority draws a line in the sand after investigating whether deal adds to its concerns over KPN “bead stringing” to expand its fibre footprint. KPN questions whether response to “relatively small transaction” is warranted …
Orange takes big steps forward on French, Spanish M&A
Orange has advanced its European M&A agenda, completing the full acquisition of MásOrange in Spain and moving forward a complex three-way deal to dismantle SFR in France. The competitive dynamics of both markets are being reshaped…
French telco trio finally secures €20.35bn deal to buy rival SFR
Following weeks of complex negotiations, Bouygues Telecom, Iliad, and Orange make a final push over the weekend and wrap up an agreement with SFR owner Altice France.
nexfibre’s Datta: ‘corner shop fibre’ is dead, the UK needs an infra megamart
Interview: proposed £2bn acquisition of Netomnia is sparking fierce debate across the UK broadband sector. With industry heavyweights trading blows over duopoly fears and infrastructure overlap, discover why CEO Rajiv Datta believes this consolidation is crucial to challenging Openreach.
Viasat sees inflight comms ties with DT as ticket to EC spectrum extension
Satco’s CEO suggests European Aviation Network clientele and partnerships could back up its bid to retain expiring 2GHz spectrum rights in region, as European Commission prepares sovereignty-flavoured contest. Inflight broadband platform could be modernised if frequencies are secured, Viasat suggests.
DT strikes ‘balanced’ wage deal with trade union
Operator says new collective bargaining agreement with German union reps still leaves enough in the Group pot for network investment, despite acquiescence to wage rises and protection from dismissal for certain employees. HR chief Birgit Bohle describes deal as “balanced”, after DT execs have indicated previous framework was “too generous”…