Microsoft (Azure) News

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Products & Services
OpenAI eyes AI infra services play, taking on hyperscalers
Amidst estimates of a $50bn GPUaaS market accessible to telcos and Europe, and trillions in wider global AI investment, CFO Sarah Friar considers potential of OpenAI challenging hyperscalers from its own data centres, building infra experience, reducing reliance on third-parties, and retaining IP…
Strategy & Change
T-Systems bullish on sovereignty shift; untouched by tariff ‘turmoil’
Q2 FY25: Deutsche Telekom says enterprise IT business on track to meet FY25 guidance and longer-term targets.
B2B
Vodafone building SecOps platform with $1bn partner Google Cloud
Group cybersecurity architecture lead Emma Smith updates on the $1bn deal with Google Cloud as the pair work on security operations services for both internal and commercial users.
B2B
Deutsche Telekom’s T Cloud sharpens sovereignty focus
T Cloud is the new brand wrapper for Deutsche Telekom’s cloud activities and will be jointly marketed by T-Systems and Telekom Deutschland in Europe with more emphasis on digital sovereignty.
Network & Infra
Pragmatic Orange picks its way towards ‘high-value’ network autonomy
DTW Ignite 25: Sofrecom’s Roberto Kung highlights the need to assess the business case and ROI before investing in increased autonomy, noting that “we don’t want to be Level 4 everywhere”.
People
Microsoft and ex-Telefónica exec Pilar López named Vodafone CFO
Luka Mucic’s replacement named as Pilar López, who will join from Microsoft and bring 15 years of experience at Vodafone rival Telefónica.
Technology
Carla Penedo interview: Celfocus’s network AI evangelist charts path forward
Exclusive insights from network AI leader on navigating complexities of converging networks, integrating legacy systems, and leveraging network digital twins, Agentic AI, and AIOps for measurable impact. In-depth interview reveals strategies and partnerships redefining telco transformation in cloud-native, AI-enabled era. Humans included…
Network & Infra
Orange’s Javaid instils hyperscaler ethos to scale B2B service sales
FutureNet World: Orange Business has so far onboarded 13 vendors to its NaaS-based Evolution Platform to create a mix‑and‑match approach to services for enterprise customers…
Financial & Performance
What has the past week revealed about telecoms tariff exposure?
Analysis: Following the past week of international markets grappling with the USA’s now-paused ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs, TelcoTitans mined the global data for impact on top telcos, vendors and digital infra players…
Interview
Vodafone Business hoping 5G private networks on cusp of doubling, even trebling in 2026
As 5G MPNs move beyond hype, Jennifer Didoni shares Vodafone Business’ refined strategy on scaling deployments and targeting the right use cases.
Operations
25 years in the making: Celfocus primed for telco AI era
As Celfocus marks 25 years of bridging telco and tech, CEO Álvaro José Ferreira shares insights on AI’s transformative wave, including how the EMEA systems integrator empowers SPs through data-driven innovation, automation, and strategic partnerships with hyperscalers like AWS and Google.
Marketing
Deutsche Telekom retains title of most valuable telecoms brand
Latest ranking from Brand Finance shows Deutsche Telekom remains the most valuable telecoms brand in the world, while expansive rival e& is the fastest growing.
Innovation
Vodafone sees meaningful impact as AI hits CX and beyond
Operator’s AI director highlights significant improvements in CX for its chatbot users as multi-vendor AI raises standards and delivers consistency, also driving 20% lift in procurement efficiency. Ensuring usable and accessible data can be the biggest cost…
Analyst Briefings
Vodafonewatch Weekly: Italian deal done to kickstart 2025
Latest from Vodafone and its ecosystem, including the Italian divestment; more federal funding in Germany; a reprieve in India for embattled Vi; and a significant Chinese tie-up in Egypt…
Strategy & Change
Global Fabric: BT’s ‘biggest bet’ will be ticket to ride AI wave
BT Business CTO Colin Bannon has positioned NaaS proposition Global Fabric as the Group’s route to benefiting from an incoming wave of AI RoI.
Products & Services
Carved-out Vodafone IoT gets down to ‘hyperscaling’ business
Vodafone IoT product and marketing lead Marc Sauter relays ‘hyperscaled’ IoT aspirations as business settles as a Group spin-out…
Strategy & Change
Snowflake’s telco manifesto: Making the leap from TechCo to BizCo
Snowflake’s approach to telco focuses on enabling data-driven transformation, underpinning the collaboration, consistency and clarity that deliver measurable financial reward. From energy management to GenAI integration, the AI data cloud provider is partnering telcos to drive greater operational efficiency and unlock new enterprise opportunities in the digital era. Read more…
Network & Infra
T-Mobile ‘open’ to tech that could further flesh out FWA
As rivals ramp up broadband investments, CEO Mike Sievert says operator remains “on the hunt” for capacity-enabling tech that could enable it to widen reach of its 5G Home Internet and Small Business Internet fixed wireless services.
People
BT Peoplewatch: Group appoints two execs to manage Big Tech alliances
20+ senior and strategic moves in and around BT, including new faces to lead the Group’s Big Tech and hyperscaler alliances at Group level and in Business. Plus, all change for Consumer/EE exec team and transformation appointments at Consumer and Business. Plenty more…
Strategy & Change
Vodafone to close German IoT biz grandcentrix — report
German OpCo reportedly giving up on the IoT business it acquired five years ago, in apparent cost-cutting effort.
Products & Services
Orange brings GenAI out of the shadows with B2B offer
Orange packages its own GenAI experiences and innovation into a go‑to‑market offering for enterprises.