Infra-Tech – Page 19
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Strategy & Change
Telefónica Tech readies for formation
Group brings in specialists to finalise Tech unit creation, with three-pronged subsidiaries beginning to take shape. Formal structure steadily catching up with well-established tech intent.
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Premium
Telefónica people moves: Global Solutions settles; Open Future rings the changes
Spanish Open Future leadership rotates with Global and Madrid Heads named. Telefónica Global Solutions beds in. Leadership named for Vivo’s personal finance endeavour.
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Partnerships & Alliances
O2 e-health partner Visionable ramps up operations
Startup enabling prompt treatment lands NHS contract on the back of successful Telefónica-backed pilot. Group renewing interest in ICT health sector.
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M&A
Cellnex open to Telxius grab
TowerCo CEO cheerfully talks up prospect of acquiring stake in Group’s infrastructure business. Idea of Telefónica-Cellnex tie mooted previously — and never totally quashed. Telefónica’s weakening debt profile may prompt inorganic action around infrastructure.
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Partnerships & Alliances
Three-tier cloud for Vértice platform
Telefónica Empresas and in-house cloud specialist acens partner for digital content distribution platform. Cloud services, hosting, infrastructure, and management provided in the deal.
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M&A
Telxius prepares subsea business for sale — report
Telefónica TowerCo Telxius reportedly poking investors to see who bites. €2bn valuation for 100,000km-long submarine cable arm. Telxius’s terrestrial portion has seen continued growth, potentially readying for a pivot.
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Venturing & Investments
Innovation in the crosshairs: Wayra X and Wayra Builder launched
Wayra marks tenth birthday with launch of all-digital hub Wayra X. Innovation arm looking beyond Telefónica footprint. Wayra Builder released to target tie-ups with external investors for internal tech spin-outs.
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Premium
Headline data: Another quarter of belt-tightening and falling revenue for Telefónica
Telefónica’s narrative of core market strength yet to fully win over doubters. Restructuring remains work-in-progress in Hispam, Tech, and Infra.
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Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in Telefónica Hispanoamérica: spectrum plans firm up
Novator challenge builds; Telcel Mexican dominance resisted; Peruvian fines upheld.
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Venturing & Investments
New Wayra investment targeting AI at self-checkout snags
Longstanding Group partner leads investment round in AI-powered checkout solution player Proppos. Food tech-focused startup has designs on international expansion.
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Network & Infrastructure
Orange CEO open to pan-European TowerCo idea
Stéphane Richard sees “interesting opportunity” in possible tie-up with Deutsche Telekom or Vodafone. CEO wants to do “something smarter” with tower assets than selling masts to accumulator Cellnex.
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Innovation (R&D)
Telefónica-backed vehicle-testing lab flags new intake
V2X lab being put to use, with startups testing LiDAR, AI, and blockchain-based solutions in the hope of accelerating path to market. Telco affiliation part of five-strong cohort.
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Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in Telefónica Group: Prisa stake options mooted
Prisa stake potentially in play; Cisco trumpets Telefónica sell-with relationship; next stop USA for content?
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Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in Telefónica Infra-Tech: Cisco partnered for Galician 5G
ElevenPaths ups game in Galician region; Telefónica flags renewed connected-car focus.
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Venturing & Investments
Wayra helping UK government target LatAm tech scaleups
Entrepreneurs in Wayra’s Hispam footprint to compete in the Scaleup to UK 2021 programme. Doors opened to UK authorities and Wayra specialists to kickstart UK expansion.
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Venturing & Investments
Wayra joins €2.5m ticket for rural Wi-Fi partner
Wi-Fi solution startup Galgus closes Series-A funding round led by Conexo Ventures, with Wayra investing too. Galgus is a Telefónica partner on public Wi-Fi in under-served areas.
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Strategy & Change
Telefónica bulks up cybersecurity unit with Brazilian assets
Group further sharpens its focus on security services. ElevenPaths adds Peru to its local operations.
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Premium
UK 5G innovation: EU 5G PPP
A joint initiative between the EC and European industry. In its third wave of projects after launching in June 2018. Telefónica present via its R&D entity Telefónica I&D. Deutsche Telekom also involved in several projects via Group and Greek subsidiary; BT present in UK-focused projects.
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Venturing & Investments
Wayra UK’s Moraes: startup maturity needed
UK Country Manager highlights shift in focus for Wayra: scale-ups that can better take advantage of Telefónica opportunities. UK strategy outlined: B2C a priority; 5G development encouraged. 5G to be deployed across all European Wayra hubs.
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Interview
Gawendo strategy to “move the needle” at Telefónica
Telefónica honing a venture strategy that aligns with current Group priorities and brings in new technology partners without dulling their edge. Gawendo paints picture of the telco ventures sector as collegial and collaborative as co-opetition reigns. Chema Alonso’s influence seen nudging Telefónica investment portfolio towards consumer propositions.