UK – Page 12
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Network & Infrastructure
BT lands 5G role in UK film and tech scheme
BT wins million-pound deal to provide 5G private network to support national labs for virtual production R&D.
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People
Ex-BT CEO Philip Jansen named WPP chair
Advertising giant WPP appoints Jansen to Non-Exec Chair role, amidst rumours of Rentokil buyout…
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Network & Infrastructure
Project Gigabit future: UK FibreCos say yes to expansion, but with caveats
Mooted bundling of Project Gigabit mega-contracts gets firm ‘no’ from altnet INCA gathering, but most on board for programme extension. New Labour government urged to protect and evolve rural fibre build to reach final few per cent of rural premises, learn from ‘zany’ Scotland, or risk missing FTTP targets. And then there’s that Type C elephant (not) in the room, Openreach…
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Financial & Performance
Virgin Media O2 scopes out investment partners for 2025 NetCo launch
Liberty Global CEO Mike Fries says it is looking to finalise financing details this year to bring VM O2’s NetCo online. NetCo progress and fibre build-out puts a cheery note on VM O2’s further weakened performance in Q2, which prompted tweak to financial forecast…
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People
Tesco Mobile draws new finance chief from parent Virgin Media O2
Matt Ward takes up the mantle as Tesco Mobile’s CFO.
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Venturing & Investments
Infracapital: UK FibreCo fundraisers must graft to overcome global ‘bad rep’, new gov showing ‘green shoots’
INCA event provides platform for investors and altnets including Octopus and Netomnia to review early weeks of Labour government, with broad optimism on show despite still rocky funding environment. The capital exists, but what will Downing Street do to bring it to the UK? Read more…
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Financial & Performance
Openreach hits halfway mark in UK fibre mega-project
15 million premises now sit within the Openreach FTTP footprint, on track for 30 million by 2030, but a productivity boost is needed if it is to hit its 2026 interim target…
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People
BT tech veterans reunite at M&S
BT’s Chief Architect Josie Smith has started a new role as CTO for food and fashion retailer Marks & Spencer.
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Venturing & Investments
Gov-backed UK Infrastructure Bank provides funding to another rural FibreCo
Cornish Wildanet attracts £35m investment from UKIB, days after the bank ploughed £150m into Hyperoptic.
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M&A
G.Network: London FibreCo being prepped for trade sale?
Sky News reported anonymous sources claiming the sizeable London fibre provider has hired bankers after being approached by potential buyers. Investors USS and Cube recently rejigging. Potential compatible buyers identified…
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Venturing & Investments
Hyperoptic crosses £1bn funding milestone with fresh UK investment
Altnet focused on plugging connectivity gaps in urban areas says £150m in UK Infrastructure Bank money will particularly benefit social housing residents.
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Weekly Briefings
Telefónicawatch Weekly: UK mobile coverage expanded with net-sharing, rural rollout
Virgin Media O2 extends network-sharing deal with Vodafone UK, and meets first-phase Shared Rural Network coverage commitments.
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Network & Infrastructure
BT takes carrier aggregation one step further in 5G SA launch prep
Nokia and Qualcomm partnered again for latest 5CC carrier aggregation trial, laying foundations for 5G SA launch later this year.
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Weekly Briefings
Infrawatch Weekly: innovation fuelling investment, data centres bringing in cash
Latest from the digital infra scene in the UK and beyond, including billions of dollars flood into data centres, race for satellite mobility drives innovation, ongoing UK efforts to make infrastructure-sharing a viable option; people moves, and plenty more…
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Network & Infrastructure
Vodafone hands VM O2 a spectrum bonus to win merger support
Following more than a year of talks, Vodafone wins Virgin Media O2 round to its proposed Three merger with an extended network sharing agreement and approval-dependent spectrum transaction. Questions remain about MBNL future, BT response, and CMA viewpoint…
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Network & Infrastructure
Virgin Media O2 scrapes past Shared Rural Network waymark… hard work begins now
VM O2 manages to reach interim 4G rural coverage target on deadline day. BT already ahead, Vodafone UK on track, but Three UK yet to confirm progress, with potential penalties from Ofcom looming. Read more…
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Network & Infrastructure
Openreach initiates infra-sharing crackdown as altnets told to get compliant
So-called ‘whereabouts’ compliance must reach 90% for altnets to avoid potential eviction from Openreach networks, with three-month grace period before any action taken. Altnets also unhappy with current failings, and investors wary of compliance weakness. Read more…
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Financial & Performance
Fleet manager Rivus folds and sells up after losing BT contract
Rivus, BT’s former fleet services provider and 2019 divestment, brings in administrators before selling up to new largest customer.
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Public Affairs
nexfibre joins calls to tighten Openreach infra choker, ensure lasting UK fibre competition
UK fibre wholesaler calls for new and improved regulation to provide platform for altnet competition as attention turns to Ofcom’s next five-year framework. Echoes broad consensus among INCA members that more could be done to limit Openreach dominance, encourage altnet investment…
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People
Vodafone Peoplewatch: Business exec changes in Africa, Europe
30+ senior/strategic changes, including: new B2B chiefs in Africa and Europe; new CFO in Greece creates opening in Czechia; and Partner Markets changes reflecting deals in central Asia and the Middle East. Plus lots more significant changes at European OpCos, Investments companies, and Group HQ…