All articles by Joseph Purnell – Page 62
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PremiumVodafone people moves: European towercos get new leadership
Three new managing directors at European infrastructure spin-offs in Germany, Ireland, and Spain. VfUK CEO Nick Jeffery joins COVID-19 Recovery Commission. Vodacom and Safaricom find temporary replacements for outgoing execs.
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Network & InfrastructureVivo launching 5G DSS in Brazil, semi-committing to Huawei infra
Telefónica’s NatCo to launch 5G network on refarmed spectrum this week, as COVID-19 holds up frequency auctions. DSS employed but workaround deemed“not ideal”. Vivo VP gives tentative green light to Huawei, despite increasing regulatory threat to Chinese-backed networks. Host of new digital ...
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PremiumTelefónica people moves: New UK leads; ElevenPaths CFO installed
Cybersecurity unit ElevenPaths looks ready to continue ambitious expansion. Former Chief Commercial Digital Officer Mariano de Beer takes on Independent Director role at Ribbon. Swaps at Wayra’s HispAm divisions.
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Venturing & InvestmentsDTCP joins Auth0 investor pool
Deutsche Telekom’s venture fund joins $120m seventh investment round led by Salesforce. Authentication and authorisation platform Auth0 unicorn-class, with near-$2bn implied valuation.
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AnalysisElsewhere in Hispanoamérica: Telefónica Argentina taps Gilat for network and builds for Pecom
In Colombia, Movistar makes a mark in the mobile market and Telxius bags an infrastructure contract worth €60m. Telefónica’s Internet para Todos hits its coverage targets in Peru.
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PremiumDT People Moves: TMUS CCO Gardner heads off; DT IoT builds from T-Sys deck…
T-Systems gets raided by newly-independent Deutsche Telekom IoT, with Bauss as CFO. Post-merger TMUS continues to slot roles into place. Content lead Lindsay Gardner preps for departure.
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Network & InfrastructureTelefónica looks to cash in a dozen more data centres
Telefónica reportedly eyeing up €150m sale of twelve more DCs to Asterion. Also said to be angling for a stake in interrelated DC manager Nabiax. Same VC fund bought eleven Telefónica DCs in 2019, aiding Group efforts to alleviate debt and monetise assets.
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Venturing & InvestmentsDTCP, Goldman Sachs in $80m LeanIX Series-D round
Enterprise architect SaaS provider LeanIX reaches a total of $120m in funding after four rounds, with DTCP participating in the last three. Goldman Sachs leads the latest.
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Financial & PerformanceONS data errors reshape UK telecoms landscape
The Office for National Statistics new methods marks change for the past 20 years’ price decline, but promise more accurate inflation and GDP readings. Change backs telcos’ claims that they are meeting demands of ‘more for less’ in tougher circumstances than assumed.
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PeopleDeutsche Telekom Group people movements, July 2020
Höttges continues internationalisation of management by shifting Gopalan to head Telekom Deutschland.
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Content & TVTelefónica nets UEFA tournament hat-trick
Movistar+ to air Champions League, Europa League, and newcomer Europa Conference. Winning €975m bid a relative steal as COVID-19 topples Telefónica’s competitors.
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Public AffairsRegulatory questions posed over DT’s Romanian exit plan
Possibility of regulatory pushback to a deal raised by national competition head. European Commission would also want to have a close look.
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PeopleParisse bids adieu to Vodafone
Products & Services Director Stefano Parisse leaves the Group. Replaced by Vodacom and M-PESA hand Phil Patel. Fond farewells, including flypast from ex-CEO Colao. Further shift from Colao Italian technocrat to Read international axis?
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Innovation (R&D)BT opens DigiTech doors
BT and longstanding partner the University of Suffolk launched the DigiTech Centre, to train 145 apprentices and 500 students.
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Network & InfrastructureGermany makes Huawei wait
A decision on Chinese vendors’ involvement in German 5G deployment sees another delay, and is now (tentatively) expected for September 2020. Huawei security concerns remain central to opposition, with operators forced to make hedge their bets in the meantime.
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Network & InfrastructureVodafone escorts Ford into 5G manufacturing
Vodafone UK leads government-funded 5GEM project to bring 5G networks to Ford’s R&D facility. Ericsson to provide hardware.
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Partnerships & AlliancesVodafone Idea to trial drone-based food delivery
VfI joins ClearSky consortium to test BVLOS drone operations with Airmap, Curl Analytics, TechEagle, and Zomato. Indian regulator targets commercialisation of drone flights with 13 POCs from cross-industry consortia.
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Network & InfrastructureVodafone pushes ahead with tower IPO
Vodafone has invited pitches for an IPO of its European towers, to be listed by 2021. €10bn–€20bn valuation, with €2bn+ targeted for minority stake.
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Partnerships & AlliancesKenyan waterco taps Safaricom for IoT data stream
Safaricom provided network connectivity for Kenyan utilities provider, monitoring water flow with IoT devices to improve efficiency and management.
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Network & InfrastructureSafaricom continues to eye Ethiopian expansion
Kenyan operator continues to edge towards its northern neighbour for next expansive step, with Ethiopia opening its markets to two new mobile competitors. Vodafone and associates reaching out to investment groups to back bid.