All United Kingdom (UK) articles – Page 23
-
Financial & Performance
UK’s Digital 9 reshapes boardroom, weighs Arqiva options as wind-down progresses
Former Bank of Scotland exec Eric Sanderson named Chair to lead wind-down process, with one or more other Non-Execs to be added in near future. Steps made in asset sale but future of Arqiva stake not yet decided.
-
Analyst Briefings
BTwatch Weekly: BT adds to concerns about Vodafone−Three UK merger, EE Finance gets Patterson’s Glow
Latest from BT and its ecosystem of partners and suppliers in a week where the UK’s competition authority revealed the level of concern it has about Vodafone UK’s proposed merger with Three — with BT’s networks found to be one potential flashpoint. EE continues retail revamp; Etc. ignites EV charging trial; and Business advances its Portfolio makeover…
-
Interview
Brace for ‘AI tidal wave’: Kao Data urges UK data centre step change
Next-gen specialist discusses Manchester Data Centre of the North investment sweetspot, need to prep for AI-fuelled tsunami of demand (nowhere in Europe ready). Read more…
-
Financial & Performance
Infra investors line up for stake in Virgin Media O2’s new NetCo
Q1 FY24: Liberty Global CEO Mike Fries says Boston Consultancy Group and Deloitte hired for financial and project planning, as investors appear interested in fibre spin-out plans. Despite confidence in fibre growth opportunity, VM O2’s fixed customer base declined in an overall uneasy quarter for the operator…
-
Consumer (B2C)
EE’s £6m bricks-and-mortar retail investment brings more customers, better connections
EE’s newest Experience store opened in Bristol, with nine more to follow in the next year as part of £6m retail investment.
-
M&A
Merged Vodafone−Three ‘incentivised and able’ to ‘frustrate’, ‘harm’ BT — CMA
Merger-critical Competition & Markets Authority investigation is damning on logic and impact of combination, dubious of benefits. Network-sharing joint venture MBNL is at heart of concerns and may become a focus for any forthcoming ‘remedies’. Read more…
-
Network & Infra
Openreach targets 30m full-fibre premises, nexfibre calls for altnet ramp-up
At Connected North in Manchester, Openreach optimism was juxtaposed by altnet consternation about the state of the UK fibre market.
-
Network & Infra
Job done on Scottish rural 4G initiative
Scottish 4G Infill programme wraps up after seven years.
-
Analyst Briefings
BTwatch Weekly: Watson calls for discipline, Openreach eyes fibre mega-contracts
Latest from BT and its ecosystem as CSNO Howard Watson calls for patient investors and looks ahead to rewards at the end of the networks upgrade tunnel; Openreach licks lips at prospect of Project Gigabit mega-contracts; and more SRN updates as EE charges on…
-
Network & Infra
25G/50G slow-go: Openreach may hold out till 2030s on next-gen fibre tech
In depth report — two of the UK’s biggest fibre wholesalers have dampened expectations of imminent 25G and 50G PON upgrades, despite prep-work. Virgin Media O2-backed nexfibre sees no “imminent” case for commercial launch. Openreach also wants greater energy efficiency and to maximise older-gen GPON value extraction, with point-to-point eyed for enterprise. Read more…
-
Financial & Performance
Lightning Fibre’s quick insolvency switch could show the way for struggling altnets
Lightning Fibre’s £40m pre-pack sale out of administration and back into the hands of the investment fund that had supported its initial build may prove a template for struggling UK altnets as expectations on performance levels rise, but at what cost for suppliers and partners? Read more…
-
M&A
BT revives Ireland sale talks as Kirkby picks up where Jansen left off — report
BT said to be considering BT Ireland sale as new CEO Allison Kirkby attempts what Philip Jansen could not. A sale would extend the asset-light strategy taken on at BT Business…
-
People
BT’s Howard Watson dedicates lifetime achievement award to Networks ‘obsession’
FutureNet World: BT Chief Security & Networks Officer Howard Watson thanks 7,300 BT Networks staff for contribution to BT prowess as he was named Technology Leader of the Year. Other award winners include Amdocs, Celfocus, Netcracker, Nokia, Huawei, Vodafone, more…
-
Network & Infra
Virgin Media O2 turns to Starlink for UK rural boost
Operator to use low-Earth orbit backhaul in an effort to bolster its rural connectivity, as progress on meeting Shared Rural Network deadlines has lagged…
-
Network & Infra
BT, Vodafone seek fast cash and stricter discipline as sector adjusts to new digital reality
FutureNet World: Vodafone’s Andrea Donà and BT’s Howard Watson issue a call for more cash, patient investors, and industry collaboration as network technologies evolve and a light emerges at the end of the investments tunnel. Watson heralds success of fixed, but wants the next mobile ‘G’ to be held back…
-
Analyst Briefings
Infrawatch Weekly: CTOs to the fore as industry reshuffles, DT disses 1&1, BDUK springs forward
Latest from the digital infra scene in the UK and beyond, including big Project Gigabit wins for Quickline, Wessex Internet, and Wildanet; a first appearance in the wild of a DSIT-funded 4G mast; DT taking a swipe at its newest mobile rival; people moves, and plenty more…
-
Network & Infra
Major players in the frame as Project Gigabit mega-deals come into play
Altnets including Quickline, Wessex and Wildanet pick up BDUK contracts to reach rural homes, but the prospect of cross-regional deals for Openreach and VM O2 appears increasingly likely as another agreed deal is abandoned…
-
Network & Infra
DSIT-funded masts go live as UK’s SRN plugs eco-credentials
The Shared Rural Network is gathering steam and tooting its horn as government cash finally begins to flow to remote 4G sites. SRN management are pushing an environmentally friendly purpose, and operators EE and VM O2 are vying to be seen as programme stars.
-
Analyst Briefings
BTwatch Weekly: SME bizmodel shake-up; cybersec gets another partner boost
Latest from BT and beyond, including major changes to the Group’s regional SME IT services model, with more activity brought in-house in latest evolution; BT Business continues to put cybersecurity on the agenda with fresh commercial deal; and Phones 4u imbroglio rolls on with EE not out of the spotlight yet…
-
B2B
BT evolves Local Business with more activity brought in-house
Changes afoot across BT’s SME IT services portfolio as some regional partners step up and others fall away. Pattern emerges of fewer partners holding expanded remits, and BT is not shying away from bringing some regions in-house “where we need to”…