All articles by Cameron Page – Page 13
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M&A
Telefónica|Vivo ‘in talks’ over potential Oi fibre unit buy
Potential 15%+ increase in already fast-growing Brazilian fibre reach, fuelling Spanish Group’s charge to 100 million worldwide…
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Premium
Latest Telefónica people moves: Hispam names new CX, transformation leaders
Hispam tweaks the roles of several directors, including in business development, customer care, digital transformation, and management control.
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People
Virgin Media O2 swaps commercial and ops execs
Ulrik Bengtsson and Gareth Turpin depart, with former strategic director Rob Orr taking the operational wheel, and Christian Hindennach filling in as commercial lead temporarily.
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M&A
Altice Portugal ‘enters stc’s European crosshairs'
Saudi Arabian operator said to be jostling with private equity firms targeting Patrick Drahi’s beleaguered outpost, as Middle Eastern telco shopping spree in Europe continues…
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Network & Infrastructure
Telefónica ‘preps’ sizeable tender for 5G SA core in Spain
Shaking out Huawei cobwebs, Telefónica said to be seeking supplier for user plane, with “tens of millions of euros” deal value. Further stacking the odds against still-beholden rivals…
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Network & Infrastructure
Digital Realty taps Blackstone for $7bn EU-US data centre hyper-build JV
Investment giant furthers digital infra interests, targeting 500MW in new IT load across four hyperscale DC campuses in EU and US from 2025.
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M&A
Telefónica ‘closes out’ digital-R&D merger, creating strategic digitalisation unit led by CDO
Hacker-in-chief Alonso to lead newly-formed Telefónica Innovación Digital, encompassing data, digital services and innovation functions. Part of Group-wide simplification drive, supporting strategic digital transformation. Learn more…
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Venturing & Investments
EC grants €1.2bn to fuel cloud computing push
4iG, Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Telefónica, and TIM among IT and telecoms players collaborating on IPCEI-CIS project, seeking to produce a common, open-source architecture for European cloud deployments. First phase of industrial rollout expected to complete by 2031, with goal creating 1,000 jobs and “positive spill-over effects” in the process.
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Strategy & Change
Telefónica puts O2 share-buying offer on the table
Shareholders able to tender their shares until mid-January 2024, with settlement expected before fiscal year dividend payment in May. Group has already upped its stake in German operating business, with full takeover and revised dividend policy intended to support new three-year strategic plan.
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Products & Services
O2 Germany pushes ahead with holo-comms VR bet; ‘targets’ 2026 debut
“Actively pushing ahead” to support mixed reality within 5G environment. First holographic call made from HQ, but obstacles to overcome…
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Premium
Telefónica|Vivo seeks B2B scale with merger of IT services units
Combination of IT units aimed at achieving scale efficiencies and helping drive growth of operator’s Brazilian B2B ecosystem.
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Products & Services
Telefónica promises speed boost by taking fibre in-house in Spain
Operator pledges to bring “contracted” speeds to every room with new Wi-Fi amplification solution. Commercial launch of FTTR continues push on fibre services signups as copper shutdown approaches, with potential to generate additional fixed-line revenue and user stickiness.
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Interview
Pulsant seeking altnets to ‘rebalance’ UK with regional edge computing
Interview: Tech Director Mike Hoy discusses edge data centre player’s ambition to help FibreCos and MNOs process data traffic locally, “rebalancing” UK digital infra by decreasing London-dependency.
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People
Telefónica Tech targets LatAm B2B growth with fresh hires
Operator’s B2B digital services arm brings in familiar faces to lead Brazilian and Mexican operations.
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M&A
Cellnex seals the deal on Nordics stake sale
TowerCo offloads 49% share in its Danish and Swedish units to Stonepeak, which operate around 4,600 towers. Proceeds to serve as fuel for its debt reduction drive.
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Products & Services
Brazil’s telco trio bring Open Gateway APIs online
Vivo, Claro, and TIM launch first three standardised open APIs through the GSMA’s initiative, with initial focus on strengthening anti-fraud and security for financial institutions.
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Public Affairs
Telefónica ‘switches gears’ on Spanish job cut scheme
Operator to implement ERE incentivised early-retirement plan for first time in eight years, with plan framed as necessary due to “functional excess” of workers. Unions already seeking protections for those affected. Move marks continuation of Spanish personnel cost-cutting drive.
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Venturing & Investments
IFM targets UK infra with £10bn capital injection
Australian investor plans to analyse “commercially viable” opportunities in collaboration with UK government, bolstering its existing commitments to fuel the nation’s infra expansion.
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Network & Infrastructure
Deutsche Funkturm, Vantage both lay claim to ‘first’ MIG tower deployment
MNO-affiliated TowerCos finish neck-and-neck in construction of first white spot towers funded by state-backed programme. Subsidy, collaboration deemed key to widening Germany’s rural coverage. Further projects in accelerating pipeline…
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Network & Infrastructure
VM O2 and Community Fibre net London school infra deals
Virgin Media O2 Business to provide and maintain dark fibre infrastructure for nearly 3,000 schools until 2038, via a tweak to LGfL deal. Education-focused broadband trust signs separate Community Fibre contract for added resilience.