Venturing & Investments
All the latest insight, news and analysis on venturing and investment activity involving BT, Deutsche Telekom, Telefónica and Vodafone.
Telefónica eases load with Helium’s OpenWiFi hotspots
In-depth: Investment’s “open-source” network of decentralised hotspots leveraged for mobile data offload through homegrown management platform. Tie-up initially focused on Mexico, to expand across LatAm markets, extend to other virtual operators, hopes to cut infra costs further…
Euro data centres: infra crunch driving investors to new tier of hub cities — report
Consultancy Eight Advisory highlights rise of emerging challengers to Europe’s dominant ‘FLAP-D’ metros, aided by greater availability of power, land, and labour resource elsewhere. Learn more…
Brookfield keeps watch on digital M&A opportunities
Data centres, fibre, and towers are among sectors Brookfield is keeping a close eye on for potential acquisitions, according to President Connor Teskey.
Orange puts its weight behind AI drive in France and EU
The operator is set to play a key role in AI initiatives as the EU rises to meet the challenge posed by China and the USA.
Deutsche Telekom invests in voice AI startup ElevenLabs
Group’s corporate venture arm T.Capital splashes out on a strategic stake in UK-based artificial intelligence voice startup ElevenLabs with intentions to roll out the popular tech to customers.
BT Ireland grabs Cordiant’s attention for infra, wholesale sell-off — report
Operator reportedly looking to firm up sale of infrastructure and wholesale business units “in the coming weeks”, advancing Kirkby’s ‘asset-light’ strategy following recent sale of Irish data centres…
Telefónica brings Perplexity tie-up to Spanish customers
First fruits from Telefónica’s investment in and commercial agreement with Perplexity as operator offers premium Pro version for free for a year for all Movistar customers.
Telefónica adds Weecover to stable of insurtech startups
Telefónica bets on embedded insurance with investment in Spain-based startup Weecover, following service launch in Germany.
Brookfield picks long-time CEO Bruce Flatt as Chair
Canadian investment group selects Flatt as Chair after Mark Carney departs to pursue political ambitions. Flatt says the firm will continue driving current investment strategy, which includes focus on digital infra and energy transition…
Is UK’s AI Action Plan under-powered?
UK government unveils aspirational plan for growing the AI sector, with a partner sought for a new data centre in its first AI Growth Zone, but questions remain about the power capacity to underpin the impending data and AI explosion…
Global Fabric: BT’s ‘biggest bet’ will be ticket to ride AI wave
BT Business CTO Colin Bannon has positioned NaaS proposition Global Fabric as the Group’s route to benefiting from an incoming wave of AI RoI.
Vodafone backs AST SpaceMobile with commercial tie-up
Vodafone put a ring on its relationship with SatCo startup AST SpaceMobile with an exclusive, long-term commercial agreement for offering direct-to-device services.
Telefónica eyes insurtech expansion after Repihogar investment
Group claims contribution to €500,000 funding round for Argentine insurtech player, made through Íope Ventures unit, is part of ongoing investment in fintech space. Operator also seeks to enable commercial synergies between Repihogar and other portfolio businesses. Read more…