All Openreach articles – Page 20
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Premium
Elsewhere in BT Enterprise: small-cell deployments flagged
Infobip partnered for RCS enterprise marketing; BT among the backers for Microsoft Teams product launch.
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Strategy & Change
Openreach cites No 10 lack of clarity as key early COVID test
Initial uncertain status of Openreach workforce deemed biggest challenge when ensuring UK connectivity and worker safety through lockdown. Strong chains of command, coupled with responsiveness to staff concerns, said to frame management response. Fears on return to offices and on-premises work may prove the biggest challenge.
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Public Affairs
Ofcom gives BT fibre pricing freedom, but adds burdens
Openreach not to face caps or controls on national ultrafast pricing until 2031, as long as it is “fair and reasonable”. Locally-targeted pricing from Openreach prohibited as Ofcom seeks to protect emerging altnets. BT Consumer may lose some edge from 90 day notice period for new propositions from Openreach. ...
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Network & Infrastructure
BT explores optical options after Moore, Shannon
Lord keen to leverage lower-cost data centre technologies for network deployment. Floats idea of ripping out ROADMs in core network and replacing them with routers and ZR optics pluggables. Lower prices through photonic integration seen as key. Promising trials with hollow-core and multi-core fibre.
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Public Affairs
Threat of BT national strike intensifies
CWU calls on BT member base to back strike action, with further details on proposed ballot in “coming weeks”. Group transformation continues to exacerbate already disaffected BT-union relations. Mass walkouts from ‘late-spring’ a possibility. Union and BT share very different relationship perspectives.
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Public Affairs
BT braces as Ofcom fibre ruling looms
Ofcom to set out its fibre vision this week, and while BT may get pricing freedom, it may not get the longer-term clarity it craves. Regulator’s steps to open up infrastructure competition may also disrupt the incumbent’s plans.
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People
BT denies right royal dust-up at the top
Group moved to issue a denial of Jansen ultimatum as speculation swirls on du Plessis’ surprise departure decision. Two camps emerging, with some discontent at Jansen power moves, but CEO’s position appears safe for now. Beyond rumours and gossip, BT board looks starved of experience needed for Group transformation ...
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Network & Infrastructure
DT lends experience as Openreach preps for all-IP surge
Openreach drawing on minority owner’s learnings as it corrals the UK’s CPs towards digital voice services. Migration closely linked to fibre rollout, but timing may be dependent on CP retail plans as market joins BT in favouring IP voice services.
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Premium
Openreach NI fibre plan stirs up Project Stratum
Openreach Northern Ireland on track to exceed FY20–21 full-fibre target. Overlap emerges with Openreach plan and publicly funded project. NI leads UK with highest full-fibre availability.
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Premium
BT people moves: Chairman du Plessis steps down from post
Jan du Plessis relinquishes chairmanship after four years, Ian Cheshire emerges as potential successor. Former Chairman Michael Rake also seeks a change after stepping down from his Huawei UK posting. Sherman understudy Johanna Lim leaves for Amazon.
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Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in Openreach: ADTRAN switched on
ADTRAN kit up and running; Ofcom Connected Nations report shows full-fibre progress; Gigabit Vouchers start showing worth.
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Public Affairs
Openreach strike action goes ahead
Strike underway in row over engineer pay grade restructuring. Industrial action described as a ‘wake-up call’ for the whole of BT amidst wider unrest.
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Interview
Openreach pushes ahead in journey to agile
CTIO Colin Lees discusses three-year transformation project across IT, network, and processes to support FTTP rollout. Independent Openreach Technology division treads in parent’s tech footsteps. Adopts agile development where it can and organises into Tribes and Squads. Data strategy seeks “single source of truth”. Takes pragmatic approach to cloud ...
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Network & Infrastructure
Virgin Media preps Lightning for post-JV world
Liberty Global confident of JV clearance, and anticipates Telefónica talks on ambitious and aggressive fixed-line rollout. Liberty’s Sky relationship appears key, with prospects for collaboration heightened by a friendly face at the helm. Meanwhile, Virgin Media appears to be finally embracing PIA from Openreach for cheaper fibre rollout.
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Network & Infrastructure
Openreach hops on AWS cloud for data analytics and ML
Customer experience data project becomes a cloud strategy. Openreach expands data science and ML to more business processes.
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Public Affairs
Openreach strike ballot puts BT on notice
Statutory vote by small group of Openreach workers described as a ‘wake-up call’ for the whole of BT amidst wider unrest.
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Premium
BT Q3 FY20–21 results: gone today, (hopefully) here tomorrow
Nobody obviously interested in Q3, but shares down sharply. Calendar of optimism around pandemic bounce back and fresh starts. Jansen despairingly concedes transformation will take at least five years. BT doing best to railroad Ofcom on fibre-critical WFTMR.
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Network & Infrastructure
DCMS preps Gigabit UK as MPs growl and BT looks ahead
Government finally picking up on election promises of Gigabit connectivity and consulting on how best to spend a more limited budget. Age-old questions remain over how to connect the unconnected, however.