All COVID-19 articles – Page 4
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Strategy & Change
Álvarez-Pallete gets political as challenges grow
Quiet support for a boardroom coup at Prisa indicates Telefónica’s political muscles as business priorities coincide with larger social challenges. Telefónica supporting government recovery goals, but lobbying for a more favourable investment environment as 5G auction looms. Group emphasising its Europe role as Latin America retreat sees grumbling.
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Premium
Deutsche Telekom Group ties Nextcloud for Euro-centric cloud apps
Managed Nextcloud offer taps into a rising data sovereignty sentiment in Europe, but are efforts to combat the might of US hyperscalers futile? DT said to be market leader among European cloud providers with a 2% market share.
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Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in Systems Solutions: Corona-Warn-App hits 25 million downloads
SAP talks up Corona-Warn-App agility as downloads pass 25 million.
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Premium
BT Q3 FY20–21 results: gone today, (hopefully) here tomorrow
Nobody obviously interested in Q3, but shares down sharply. Calendar of optimism around pandemic bounce back and fresh starts. Jansen despairingly concedes transformation will take at least five years. BT doing best to railroad Ofcom on fibre-critical WFTMR.
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M&A
Germany mulls selling stake in Deutsche Telekom
Coalition government considers “scaling back” state holdings in various companies, including Deutsche Telekom. Pandemic-induced financial pressures taking their toll.
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Enterprise (B2B)
Deutsche Telekom takes Corona-Warn-App into B2B space
New T-Systems offering takes flagship track and trace app’s functionality onto a local level, to give business customers an early warning system for coronavirus infections.
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Operations
Vodafone’s Read: “pre-COVID office concept is gone”
Future Ready office pilots taking place in UK, Czechia, and Hungary. Nick Read outlines long-term policy changes implemented in response to the pandemic, with norms changed to support a “hybrid” work future. Distributed, regional model to promote diversity and inclusion.
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Elsewhere in Systems Solutions: T-Sys covid app spreads to enterprise
Corona-Warn-App goes B2B.
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Network & Infrastructure
Vodafone spectrum auctions to watch, 2021
Markets across Vodafone’s footprint have spectrum auctions planned in 2021. UK, India, Australia among the key bids to watch — though 2020 set a precedent for delays.
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Elsewhere in BT Consumer: EE waives roaming
EE waives EU roaming charges, broadband guarantees personalised, lockdown learning backed.
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Network & Infrastructure
Openreach requests COVID vaccine relief
Direct talks between Openreach and government officials confirmed. COVID-19 surge halts operations. Openreach seeks to highlight public importance of connectivity.
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People
BT’s Ainley takes Ericsson UK&I top-spot
Former Ventures MD Katherine Ainley will be CEO for the vendor’s UK and Ireland operations from February. BT Ventures dismantlement nears completion. Ainley to lead Ericsson through key 5G rollouts.
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M&A
Viasat buys out T-Mobile partner RigNet
Maritime connectivity provider RigNet acquired by satellite specialist Viasat in $222m deal. T-Mobile US partnered with RigNet in July 2019, but COVID-related issues have pegged back progress.
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Consumer (B2C)
Movistar steps up smart-home drive
Longstanding partner and stakeholder CaixaBank namechecked as partner on TV-based payment solution. Group’s smart-home play given potential leg up by pandemic, with expanded Living Apps catalogue.
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Vodafone Q2 FY20–21
Cost-cutting props up performance during COVID-19-hit quarter and CFO indicates she is preparing to step up efficiency plans further. Lag in delivery of leadership’s “Phase Two” plans, including Tech 2025, muddying attempts to assure stakeholders of a brighter future. Lots of talk of “underlying” strength as Group’s leadership seeks ...
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Premium
Headline numbers: weathering the storm, for now
Key numbers relatively solid, reflecting telecoms sector’s cushioning from worst of pandemic disruption. Cost-cutting props up earnings, offsetting top-line weakness. Results preceded latest coronavirus response measures, which will have exacerbated drag on roaming revenue. Government support measures and resumption of international travel cited as key to maintaining solidity.
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Innovation (R&D)
Vodafone supports drone inspection trial led by Sees.ai
Multimillion-pound drone project ready for deployment, with VfUK a key enabler. Drones to work as surveillance system for construction sites — just one of its many potential use-cases, according to Group CTO. Another addition to Group’s expanding portfolio of drone tech collaborations.