All United Kingdom (UK) articles – Page 60
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Premium
H1 FY21–22 Spend: efficiencies found to give BT an edge
Improved cost points for BT’s fibre rollout front and centre, make for positive viewing. Operating expenditure down across the board, and capex up at CFUs.
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Innovation
UK telcos getting back to the labs, with 4.5%-R&D rise
UK telecoms players laid out more than £1bn on innovation during 2020, the first time they have done so since 2011. Ostensibly led by spend patterns at BT, sector has been regaining some of the significant ground it has lost after tightening budgets during downturn.
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Premium
Telefónica Q3 FY21 Headlines: recovery gathers steam but jitters persist
Group describes results as “significant step towards economic and social recovery”. OBs put in a solid quarter, with Vivo and Telefónica Deutschland reporting gathering commercial momentum. First quarter for refashioned UK business. Telefónica Tech’s expansion still being significantly driven by M&A, obscuring ‘organic’ progress. Centralisation of Hispam progressing, and ...
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Public Affairs
Altnets gird for legal battle over Openreach FTTP pricing — report
CityFibre said to be heading up legal challenge to Ofcom’s Equinox decision. Rural fibre builder Gigaclear among altnets joining forces to fight back against Openreach’s lower FTTP pricing structure.
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Suppliers & SCM
VM O2 puts Samsung in RAN frame
Longstanding suppliers Nokia, Ericsson put on alert as JV explores “vendor diversity”. VM O2 will put Samsung’s 4G and 5G RAN equipment through its paces. South Korean supplier maintains kit is open RAN-compliant (after some configuration changes).
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Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in the UK: Ofcom looking at scam calls
Ofcom and operators team on scam calls, within limits; VM O2 IPTV launch draws nearer.
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Financial & Performance
Openreach accelerates provisioning to leave rivals in starting blocks
CEO Clive Selley on fibre build: phase one is “done”; now onto “selling and populating” stage. Bullish Business Briefing shows Openreach determined to establish its ‘fibre franchise’ as a marketplace while rivals strive for scale. Build process moving towards cruise control with Openreach cornering the market in skills.
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Partnerships & Alliances
UK telcos face missing out on Horizon Europe funding
Political brinkmanship between London and Brussels threatens access to €95.5bn R&D pot. UK preps Discovery Fund as alternative, but unlikely to match largesse of Horizon Europe.
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Public Affairs
Phones 4u saga continues with ‘burner’ phone allegation
Former Orange exec Benoit Scheen attempted to arrange untraceable call to collude with Vodafone, according to High Court claim. Illicit text messages uncovered as part of evidence discovery.
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Network & Infra
Colloms: DCMS must “crack on” with reform to back fibre
Openreach MD of Corporate Affairs confident on business’s ability to meet government goals on fibre deployment, but commercial programme will need support to maintain momentum. Physical access to sites potentially a huge obstacle to the rollout in both urban and rural areas, but “common sense” updates to legislation could ...
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Financial & Performance
Tesco Mobile results: JV shines positive light on challenging period
Mixed bag for joint venture throughout UK lockdowns. “Highly competitive” twelve months sees operating profit rise 20%.
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Network & Infra
EE says “delays elsewhere” have impacted ESN delivery
Mobile operator “committed to ESN contractual obligations” as Home Office announces revised timetable for the UK’s LTE-based emergency services network. Unveils ESN Coverage Extender prototype from Parallel Wireless as part of ongoing preparations for nationwide shutdown of Airwave.
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Operations
Restructuring and legacy write-down hurt T-Systems UK
Deutsche Telekom’s UK enterprise IT unit records a loss on revenue slowdown. Figures also blunted by impairment of Managed Infrastructure unit.
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Products & Services
Government considering BT’s emergency comms proposal
UK Home Office in discussions with BT over introduction of 888 emergency comms and tracking system. 888/Walk Me Home working titles for platform that could act as “deterrent to criminals”. £50m public funding required. Christmas 2021 launch possible.
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Public Affairs
UK government defends Ethiopian mobile investment
Vodafone and CDC investment in Ethiopian mobile operator crops up in parliamentary debate on Tigray humanitarian crisis. Investment deemed to be “right” and long term. CDC emphasises role as impact investor with a lot of patience. Vodacom agrees to fund Safaricom Telecommunications Ethiopia.
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Public Affairs
Vodafone pursues UK government over lost contract
Vodafone loses Foreign Office contract to Fujitsu, claims process breached procurement rules. Preliminary issue trial set for January 2022.
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Premium
BT’s McRae flags benefits of Tarana’s FWA solution
McRae says customer trials have been encouraging so far. BT’s Allera and Watson tending to play down FWA’s role.
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Network & Infra
Starlink a potential suitor in Vodafone’s 28GHz lease deal
Vodafone in conversation with satellite operators to lease 28GHz spectrum in the UK. Elon Musk’s Starlink touted as an option
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Premium
BT engages virtual twin(s) on infrastructure resiliency
Group one of three national infrastructure owners to pledge resources to project using simulation tech to overcome impact of climate change on UK’s built environment. Tranche of UK universities and research institutes involved too. Yet another example of BT dipping toes into ‘digital twin’ realm.
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Premium
BT helps Ericsson shrink massive MIMO radios
Operator and supplier team up on product development. Lighter weight and easier to handle means faster urban 5G deployment.