EMEA Telco Leaders – Page 194
-
Premium
Elsewhere in BT Global: Egypt license renewed
Egyptian licences get a refresh; Global turns to IR to help tie together virtual rooms.
-
Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in Openreach: Ciena flags optical kit win
Ciena gains an optical kit win; progress update on USO; copper stop-sell orders issued in further 77 exchanges.
-
Products & Services
Safaricom unveils in-house VOD platform
Kenyan operator launches Baze to support local creative industry. “One-shop entertainment platform” seen as successor to recently dissolved Songa by Safaricom.
-
Premium
Rejigged tie-up could find Vodafone Egypt a home
Vodafone secures route to in-Group transfer of Egypt stake in quid pro quo deal with local partner. Kenya-esque Vodacom hand-off of Egyptian interest one possibility.
-
Premium
Mixed Huawei 5G RAN messages remain in Europe
Vodafone Italy reportedly gets conditional approval to use Huawei 5G RAN equipment. Huawei’s position in Germany looks more vulnerable after IT Security 2.0 Bill becomes law.
-
Premium
Vodafone steers Sony 5G test drives
Vodafone Germany is providing the 5G network for Sony’s connected-car trials. “Database on wheels” the ambition, with constant communication required over stable, high-speed network.
-
Premium
Elsewhere in Africa: Vodacom pairs with Microsoft
Vodacom pairs with Microsoft for Mozambique SMEs; Safaricom adds digital menus to M-PESA ecosystem.
-
Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in Vodafone Partner Markets: Altice rolls into BT
MTS surfs tower spin-out wave; SoftBank boosted by digital shift and gets strategic with LEO satellite venture OneWeb.
-
Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in Vodafone Group: Vodafone Business goes digital
Vodafone Business goes digital on customer experience; SD-WAN adoption hits bumps; telcos team up on handset eco-ratings.
-
Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in Vodafone Europe: Unitymedia nearly integrated
German Unitymedia integration near completion; VfUK continues to target SME market with cybersecurity and data packages.
-
Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in Vodafone Associates and JVs: Vi and Vantage on 5G
Vi and Vantage Towers Greece get involved in 5G trials.
-
M&A
BT’s uninvited new co-pilot: what’s Drahi’s mission?
Altice buys minority stake but claims no intention of full-fledged takeover. Seeks to support BT’s strategic fibre, for which Drahi has genuine zeal. BTwatch explores industrial logic and financial machinations behind move.
-
Profile
Which Drahi has BT got itself entangled with?
Altice empire expands into UK. Drahi: a fibre visionary or ruthless financer? Does BT investment represent change of tack by rapacious wheeler-dealer?
-
Venturing & Investments
Shopper tracking startup earns Wayra investment and O2 deal
Wayra UK dials up London-based startup’s already substantial financing. Investment sets the stage for a “multi-million-pound” retail partnership with the Group’s UK operator.
-
Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in Deutsche Telekom Europe: Services build-outs in Austria and Greece
Services build-outs in Austria and Greece; new data centre planned in Romania.
-
Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in Telefónica Group: Nextory acquires e-book JV; Group joins handset sustainability drive
Nextory subsumes e-book JV; Group joins handset sustainability drive; Wayra plants capital in transcription and shopper-tracking startups.
-
M&A
In detail: Liberty and Telefónica’s VM-O2 pre-nup
Three-year wait expected before a potential IPO of new joint venture, while both parties expected to remain involved in the business for at least five years. Telefónica reserving its right to go it alone in UK on IoT, cloud, and cybersecurity services. Liberty to get a board presence at ...
-
People
T-Systems CTO takes the helm on Gaia-X board
Maximilian Ahrens elected Chairman along with first board of directors. First Gaia-X services expected by end of 2021. Another sign of Deutsche Telekom’s support for the initiative.
-
Enterprise (B2B)
DT’s Antje Williams puts three year timeline on enterprise 5G
Enterprises initially focusing on private networks but they want to test all types of features. ‘Fear of missing out’ cited as a key driver of digitisation and 5G.
-
Strategy & Change
DT on standby for 5G European Aviation Network add-on
Group open to a 5G upgrade on flagship European Aviation Network system. Execs see user demand for faster connectivity on planes. Vendor partner SkyFive working on 5G system in China. Airwave-dependent European update could be “some time” away, however.