Vodafonewatch
Vodafonewatch is the go-to resource for all insight and analysis on Vodafone Group, including all OpCos, divisions, functions, geographies and its entire ecosystem.
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Digital EditionVodafonewatch Report #199 – September 2021
Key stories include: Group reboots digital growth strategy | Vodafone Business absorbs Partner Markets | VPC puts buying on autopilot | Cornerstone owners prep another rejig | Vodacom pushes button on tower separation.
- M&A
Vodafone Group’s Dutch and British tower partners look to cash in
Liberty CFO says group “not in love with” tower ownership and keen to unlock value in Belgium, Netherlands, and UK. Telefónica hands Goldman Sachs reins to examine prospective Cornerstone share sale.
- Financial & Performance
Vodafone Q1 FY21–22: ‘Phase two’ relaunched with M&A sweetener
Some hints of compromise with City overseers as Vodafone re-seeds post-pandemic, digital-led growth plan. New Chairman van Boxmeer appears to be lighting a fire under Group mindset and strategy. M&A talked up as a lever to help Vodafone in the push to revive growth. Another chunk of Vantage could ...
- Financial & Performance
Vodafone Q1 FY21-22 Headlines: pandemic snags unwind, gradually
Group bounces out of pandemic slump, helped by lapping and increased business confidence. Cautious CEO warns of further “bumps in the road”. In Spain, another large-scale downsizing move made under cover of Digital Telco transformation, and as fodder for Group’s centralisation-led efficiency plans.
- Financial & Performance
Vodafone Q1 FY21-22 Guidance: all quiet on capex front
Group unsurprisingly “firmly on track” to meet heavily caveated free cash flow target. Plan for spend “step-up”, highlighted in May 2021, appears yet to be firmed up after causing City consternation.
- Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in Vodafone Partner Markets: MTS acquires Factorin
Developments from around Vodafone’s softpower network. MTS acquires control of Factorin. SoftBank continues satellite broadband endeavours. Musical chairs at Tele2.
- Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in Vodafone Europe: partnerships secured to showcase 5G
Vodafone OpCos secure partnerships to showcase 5G use-cases in Germany, Greece, and Italy.
- Suppliers & SCM
Vodafone Business taps Oracle for IoT billing
Existing supplier Oracle gets a bigger billing role at enterprise division. Scalable, cloud-based billing system to support Internet of Things growth.
- Partnerships & Alliances
Vodafone and Amdocs go again on CX improvement
Group-wide partner tapped to deliver CRM upgrade for Spanish OpCo. Tie-up marks an expansion of previous CX-oriented arrangement. Focus on helping facilitate Vodafone Spain’s “TechCo” transition and cost reductions.
- Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in Vodafone Associates & JVs: Indus tidies IT up
Indus tidies IT up; India becomes potential early target for Vodafone’s sat venture with AST.
- Partnerships & Alliances
Vodafone, Nokia partner on mobile network maintenance
Cloud-based collaboration on new system to “autonomously” detect mobile network anomalies before they impact customers. Roll out of service across all European markets slated for early-2022.
- M&A
United Group agrees to buy Wind Hellas
Wind Hellas to be combined with broadband and pay-TV provider Nova. Deal creates emboldened converged rival for Vodafone Greece. A new owner for Vodafone’s mobile and fibre network-sharing partner. United Group’s telecoms buying spree continues across Southeast Europe.
- Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in Vodafone Group: Microsoft CEO namechecks Vodafone
Vodafone leans in to European cloud initiative; Microsoft’s Nadella highlights 365 tieup upgrade.
- Network & Infrastructure
Vodacom talks up Dialog network upgrade
OpCo “enjoying the benefits” from ST Engineering’s Newtec Dialog VSAT migration. Installation completed under lockdown, with remote support key.
- Network & Infrastructure
Vodafone’s broadcasting gets smarter
Vodafone Germany launches upgraded transcoding platform at two of its five broadcasting centres, notching improved energy efficiency and reduced reliance on hardware.
- Network & Infrastructure
Vodafone Turkey makes next-gen network improvements
5G prep accelerated as Turkish OpCo “future-proofs” backbone network. 400Gbps-capable SuperCore solution deployed, but vendor partner(s) undisclosed. Telco continues march towards 2025 ambition.
- Suppliers & SCM
Greek TowerCo ramps up tenancies with Sigfox deal
Sigfox taps Vantage’s Greek business for infra support in “nationwide” IoT deployment programme. Ten-year strategic agreement to increase mast tenancies by more than 250 over next three financial years.
- Network & Infrastructure
TPG Telecom pre-assembles 5G units to speed rollout
TPG accelerates 5G drive with new processes, spectrum, and research partnerships. Aims to cover 85% of population in six cities with 5G by the end of 2021.
- Network & Infrastructure
Vodafone IoT powers Westenergie’s renewable grid
Westenergie is a case study for digitalisation and IoT.
- Products & Services
IoT.nxt takes sports performance platform on tour
Rugby team the first to leverage IoT.nxt’s PLAYER.Connect real-time sports performance platform. Vodacom-owned IoT specialist targets fresh industry segment, drawing on breadth of Vodafone partnerships.
