All United Kingdom (UK) articles
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Network & InfrastructureVodafone gets down to business with MEC
Scott Petty: UK needs four to eight multi-access edge compute sites. Vodafone is first in Europe with AWS Wavelength , but early days for services. Next distributed MEC target market will be Germany later in 2021. Vodafone Business blends edge into service portfolio.
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Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in Openreach: Ciena flags optical kit win
Ciena gains an optical kit win; progress update on USO; copper stop‑sell orders issued in further 77 exchanges.
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Network & Infrastructure
BT Ireland expands wholesale FTTH services
National Broadband Plan to add 544,000 premises to BT Ireland offers.
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Consumer (B2C)
Elsewhere in BT Consumer: Ofcom report sheet comes in
Ofcom highlights areas-for-improvement (and differentiation) in customer service; BT Sport continues search for innovative partners.
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Partnerships & Alliances
UK government hands WAN win to BT
Five‑year, £23m contract signed for network access services to the DWP. BT’s Strategic Supplier standing consolidated.
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Partnerships & Alliances
Amdocs’ BriteBill swings into BT action
Customer billing system up and running after four year implementation period. BriteBill platform designed to provide easier‑to‑understand bills, reduce call‑centre engagement, and offer scope for “ personalised ” service recommendations.
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Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in BT Group: VM-O2 challenge emerges
Virgin Media O2 challenge gets real; Dundee offices set to take 1,000 staff; government‑backed broadband schemes under the spotlight.
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M&A
BT’s uninvited new co-pilot: what’s Drahi’s mission?
Altice buys minority stake but claims no intention of full-fledged takeover. Seeks to support BT’s strategic fibre, for which Drahi has genuine zeal. BTwatch explores industrial logic and financial machinations behind move.
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Profile
Which Drahi has BT got itself entangled with?
Altice empire expands into UK. Drahi: a fibre visionary or ruthless financer? Does BT investment represent change of tack by rapacious wheeler-dealer?
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Venturing & Investments
Shopper tracking startup earns Wayra investment and O2 deal
Wayra UK dials up London-based startup’s already substantial financing. Investment sets the stage for a “ multi-million-pound ” retail partnership with the Group’s UK operator.
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M&A
In detail: Liberty and Telefónica’s VM-O2 pre-nup
Three-year wait expected before a potential IPO of new joint venture, while both parties expected to remain involved in the business for at least five years. Telefónica reserving its right to go it alone in UK on IoT, cloud, and cybersecurity services. Liberty to get a board ...
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Operations
AST SpaceMobile sets up UK arm
High-profile US startup establishing tech team in Leicester space hub. Move eases collaboration with Vodafone ahead of joint launch in Africa.
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Enterprise (B2B)
Sims to head up new BT SoHo unit
Enterprise launches new iteration of Halo for Business with added support for micro‑businesses. One of first major moves by Enterprise division following entrance of new CEO Rob Shuter in February.
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Network & Infrastructure
O2 deal with Vodafone to supplement spectrum gains
Ofcom closes assignment stage of UK spectrum auction with O2 trading blocks with Vodafone, while BT opts to buy preferable positions outright. O2–Vodafone trade ensures contiguous spectrum blocks in 5G‑ready bands.
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Financial & Performance
Q1 FY21: final coronavirus quarter packs a punch
Spain and Germany OBs stabilise as first wave of coronavirus shocks works its way through results. Vivo displaying underlying strength, but currency fluctuations continue to turn positives to negative. With strong returns on falling revenue O2 UK bows out as a ‘core four’ market Hispam edges back ...
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Network & Infrastructure
Openreach doubles rural fibre targets
Infrastructure business targets six million premises passed with full-fibre by 2025, aided by recruitment drive and enhanced investment. 4.8 million total premises passed so far, but no word on rural progress. Collaboration with government and fellow builders key to hitting goals.
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Innovation (R&D)
Wayra widens scope of blockchain tech programme
Innovation unit’s Activation Programme blockchain stream now welcoming proposals from startups in “ any sector ”.
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People
Ex-Vodafone UK CEO talks up turnaround cred at Frontier
Nick Jeffery claims five-year stint as Vodafone UK CEO was unmitigated success. Top brass at Frontier Communications seem to agree and want Jeffery to work his magic at the US broadband service provider.
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M&A
VM-O2 sets sights on BT as merger gets final clearance
CMA’s final approval should see deal completed by 1 June. Owners trumpeting investment opportunities with fibre InfraCo potential coming to the fore.
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Partnerships & Alliances
BT heads to the quantum cloud with Arqit
Group backs QuantumCloud developed by UK startup, which purports to provide QKD security protection to end‑point devices over the cloud. BT named exclusive reseller of Arqit’s products in the UK.
