More on EMEA Telco Leaders – Page 234
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M&A
Vodafone UK’s partner puzzle remains unsolved
Could O2 + Virgin Media = Three for Vodafone UK? Fixed–mobile convergence is a riddle to be solved.
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Premium
Elsewhere in Vodafone’s Associates & JVs: Telenet-VodafoneZiggo merger raises concerns
New Greek towers JV cleared; VodafoneZiggo future remains in spotlight.
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Products & Services
Vodafone ready to kick off 5G real time stadium app
5G AR app is ready to launch as football fans return to stadiums. VfD to roll out 5G to more Bundesliga stadiums. Stadium tech in spotlight as Germany gears up to host Euro 2024. AR sports app takeup depends on device availability.
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Partnerships & Alliances
Government comes clean on SAP–T Systems corona app costs
Health Ministry reveals that some costs were lower than expected but encounters criticism in parliament over how the contracts were awarded to SAP and T-Sys.
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Premium
Indus Towers–Infratel merger finally moves forward
Rejigged agreement offers a safety net for TowerCo amid ongoing questions over Vi’s future.
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M&A
Vodafone gets India tax break from The Hague
International arbitration court rules against India in long-running tax dispute surrounding 2007 Hutchison Essar acquisition. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government reportedly mulling an appeal, pending legal advice. In separate tax news, India’s Supreme Court calls for ten-year payback period on outstanding AGR dues.
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Premium
Vodafone emerging as TIP’s most valuable player
Leads way in sourcing ‘open’ radio hardware suppliers. Targets DU/CU disaggregation and white-box base stations. Involved in raft of new TIP initiatives, including Solution Groups, OpenBNG, and MUST. Tenorio insists commercial deployments to date are “tip of the iceberg”.
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Premium
Elsewhere in Vodafone Group: marketing agency tweak; CSR brought to the fore
Social responsibility brought into supplier assessments; Equinix highlights Telco Cloud ties; agency roster tweaked.
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Public Affairs
Huawei on retreat as US dials up European pressure
German coalition cabinet reportedly approves measures in IT security bill that, if passed, will effectively ban Huawei from 5G RAN market. Revision looks set to hurt Vodafone’s planning in largest market. Vodafone Greece also looks set for disruption as Pompeo visit increases pressure for a local ban.
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Strategy & Change
BT moves house in Hungary
Group’s Better Workplace office revamp extends beyond UK. Hungarian shared services operations remain in expansion-mode.
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Premium
Elsewhere in BT Consumer: BT TV loses Disney, BT Sport battles lockdown
BT Sport offers helping hand to closed Scottish pubs; Disney’s strategy shift makes impact for BT TV customers; Allera says Apple’s entrance to the 5G device market has huge potential.
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Premium
BT people moves: strategy directors rotate
Anna Crawley takes corporate strategy lead. Openreach regional fibre top-spots filled.
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Partnerships & Alliances
Telefónica in the zone for high-flying HAPS partnership
SoftBank-backed comms-in-the-sky venture has piqued the interest of Telefónica, although the Group has yet to divulge any plans for its platform. Venture could be an overlay to ‘connecting the unconnected’ initiatives in Latin American markets.
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Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in Telefónica’s core markets: Nokia and Juniper pick up gigs
Vivo into loans; Juniper picked for 5G backhaul security; Nokia wins UK SDM.
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Suppliers & SCM
O2 evolves Darwin Project with new lab
Nokia and Hispasat are providing the technology to support 5G and satellite connectivity for CAVs.
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Network & Infrastructure
Ciena trumpets iFusión role in Germany
Ciena’s Blue Planet platform to aid move towards disaggregated, multi-vendor transport network.
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Strategy & Change
Telefónica gives OOPT some oomph in latest TIP update
Group closely involved in new OOPT transport initiatives, including OpenBNG and MUST. Telefónica champions Solution Groups, which aligns with Blanco’s focus on “end-to-end” virtualised architectures. Vodafone leads way, however, in sourcing ‘open’ radio hardware suppliers.
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Venturing & Investments
Drone player vHive creates a buzz with DT
$4m investment seen as vote of confidence in drone hive SaaS platform. DTCP investment follows Deutsche Funkturm partnership for asset surveying and data gathering missions.
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Products & Services
Telefónica adds cyber protection to insurance portfolio
The Group seeks to tap into new growth area to bolster its staid device insurance business.
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Partnerships & Alliances
BuyIn drafted to help Proximus–Orange RAN meld
Showcase outreach project for BuyIn JV. Operators looking at pooled buying as an antidote to Huawei clampdown, and resultant reduced vendor competition? Proximus now has foot in both Vodafone and Deutsche Telekom partner camps.