All Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) articles
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Weekly Briefings
Infrawatch Weekly: Community Fibre wins backing, Spring Fibre loses; data centres dominate
Latest from the digital infra scene in the UK and beyond, including Community Fibre’s latest funding; the UK National Wealth Fund’s capital cut; SpaceMobile’s role in satellite war games; and plenty more…
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Public Affairs
Phones 4u: Antitrust “enforcer” CMA to weigh in on UK MNO collusion claims
For the first time ever, the Competition and Markets Authority is to intervene in an antitrust Court of Appeal hearing, homing in on alleged collusion between O2 UK and EE CEOs at 2012’s infamous Landmark Hotel meeting. It does not appear to be dwelling on 4G collusion or poor record-keeping smoking guns. Read more from TelcoTitans’ in-depth ongoing coverage…
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Weekly Briefings
Vodafonewatch Weekly: Group taps mega-deals with Accenture, Google, e&, more
Latest from Vodafone and its ecosystem, including an extended deal with Google for GenAI deployment; Accenture-backed reset for shared services operation VOIS; e& tie-up feeds into UAE IoT contract…
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Weekly Briefings
BTwatch Weekly: BT takes aim at competitors
Latest from BT and its ecosystem as the Group takes flak for advertising practices, puts more effort into its anti-Vodafone–Three merger campaign, and cools talk of Deutsche Telekom’s latest API play…
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M&A
BT, Sky urge CMA to block Vodafone-Three merger
BT and Sky make last-ditch arguments to prevent the merger of Vodafone and Three that would combine the UK’s third and fourth mobile operators.
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Weekly Briefings
Vodafonewatch Weekly: fierce MVNO competition in Vodafone’s largest markets
Latest from Vodafone and its ecosystem as the latest UK merger concessions include MVNO compromise; O2 poaches Lyca from Vodafone Germany; fibre sharing deals signed in Germany while Vodacom South Africa works to push its only fibre JV through antitrust red tape…
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M&A
Vodafone–Three offers new remedies to get UK deal done
Vodafone UK and Three UK have made retail and wholesale price pledges to win merger approval, even though they disagree with the Competition & Markets Authority’s initial findings.
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Weekly Briefings
BTwatch Weekly: gov’t reforms required as Openreach seeks fibre residencies
Latest from BT and its ecosystem as the Group makes fixed network demands, rolls out next-gen mobile, and works to surrender international outposts. More from Connected Britain, Secure Tomorrow Festival, and elsewhere in a busy week for BT, EE, and Openreach…
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People
BT adds ex-antitrust CEO to boardroom
Former Competition and Markets Authority CEO Alex Chrisholm joins BT board to lead Ofcom engagement, support Openreach separation compliance.
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M&A
Regulator still dubious on Vodafone–Three merger; wants further compromise
Proposed merger of two underpowered MNOs found to have negative ramifications for UK competitive landscape, but the antitrust body offers road to approval via series of behavioural and structural ‘remedies’.
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Weekly Briefings
BTwatch Weekly: Drahi out, Bharti in as CEO Kirkby claims BT strategy ‘vote of confidence’
Latest from BT and its ecosystem, including the Group’s new largest shareholder and the motivations behind the move; Openreach stepping into the Project Gigabit fray with a potential £800m windfall; BT Sourced hypes nnamu procure-tech; more around the Group…
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Weekly Briefings
Vodafonewatch Weekly: fibre sale, B2B investment, UK merger delay
Latest from Vodafone and its interests, including: quarterly and full-year results in India that show positive movement; B2B recovery work begins in Germany; TPG puts fibre assets back up for sale; and plenty more in Europe, Africa, Asia, beyond…
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Network & Infrastructure
Vodafone hands VM O2 a spectrum bonus to win merger support
Following more than a year of talks, Vodafone wins Virgin Media O2 round to its proposed Three merger with an extended network sharing agreement and approval-dependent spectrum transaction. Questions remain about MBNL future, BT response, and CMA viewpoint…
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M&A
BT outlines investment fears as Vodafone−Three merger tips spectrum scales
Operator overwhelmingly backs CMA’s decision to launch in-depth merger investigation and calls for closer attention to be paid to the unprecedented spectrum asymmetry that could follow. Ericsson, altnets, and trade unions also weigh in…
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Weekly Briefings
Vodafonewatch Weekly: nip and tuck all part of the plan, as CEO evinces optimism
In-depth analysis of FY23−24 results as Margherita Della Valle attempts to paint rosy picture of shrinking Group. Storm still to come in Germany, but Spanish exit secured, and confidence around UK merger prospects. Significant developments across (re-shaped) footprint include: changing leadership; strategic partnerships; and an M-PESA spin-off update…
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Weekly Briefings
BTwatch Weekly: Kirkby gathers transformation troops, but can she convince investors?
Latest from BT and its ecosystem the day before the Group’s FY23–24 results hit the screens. CEO Allison Kirkby is corralling a new squadron of incomers to drive forward her flavour of transformation for BT, but investors so far appear unconvinced. Spectrum auctions may be imminent, as real estate redevelopment nears completion, and a revitalised Corporate & Public Sector team boast a West Country win. Read more…
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M&A
Vodafone−Three welcome deal’s security clearance as focus turns to antitrust
UK government green-lights merger (with caveats) after conducting security review, but Vodafone−Three are far from celebrating as the CMA’s investigation steps up a gear and leaves consolidation in doubt…
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Weekly 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…
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Weekly Briefings
Vodafonewatch Weekly: ups and downs in Group’s network-sharing tie-ups and M&A; RAN mega-tender KO
Latest from Vodafone and its ecosystem, including: commencement of massive RAN tender; regional network-sharing in Australia; and UK merger with Three competition concerns mount. Elsewhere: Vodafone Business seeks role in edge compute innovation; Vodacom Tanzania facing legal action; and more consolidation prospects in the Netherlands and Spain explored…
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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…