Openreach – Page 11
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Premium
BT soothes relations with disgruntled CWU
BT finds common ground with workers’ union by making series of job security assurances. CWU’s Count Me In campaign bears fruit, with 2022 pay rise in pipeline for staff. Group transformation roadmap unaffected.
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Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in Openreach; expanded FTTP rollout
Openreach expands FTTP rollout, and expands cablelaying contracts to support the plans.
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M&A
DT interest Community Fibre subsumes rival
FTTP altnet backed by BT shareholder absorbs assets of smaller fibre builder. Business now looking “beyond London” as it continues to accelerate growth. Community Fibre’s FTTP footprint stands at 300,000 premises. Acquisition not impacting commercial operations or leadership structure of “independent” merger partner.
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Network & Infrastructure
Jansen now sees BT chasing 30 million premises with full-fibre
Extra five million presented as ‘infill’ and presumably more rural. Immediate competitive riposte to news of Virgin Media O2 FTTP retrofit, which it neatly doubles. Jansen says BT not concerned, but challenger altnets should be. No rush for fibre JV partner, but Jansen reveals a UK compatriot would be ...
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Partnerships & Alliances
Sky “fundamental” to BT Sport strategic partnerships
As BT’s sports broadcasting division hunts for minority investors or strategic partners, CEO Jansen puts Sky tie-up front and centre. ITV backs away from chipping in, but remains keen on partnership.
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Premium
BT people moves: procurement revamp sees high profile exits
Changes for BT’s procurement leads past and present as Joshi and Lord make tracks. Maniar named CEO at now-wholly-owned converged offering OnePhone. BT’s Enterprise operation on the Iberian peninsula readies for high-profile changes, with CEO Ronda on the way out. Altnet challengers draw former BT and Openreach talent.
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Network & Infrastructure
DT cash flows to Community Fibre amid altnet boom
Urban fibre outfitter backed by BT stakeholder Deutsche Telekom accelerates growth, as challenge to Openreach builds.
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Suppliers & SCM
Openreach enlists CommScope for full-fibre support
CommScope’s NOVUX platform to enable Openreach to hit FTTP deployment goals. US-based vendor added to a growing list of rollout programme partners.
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Strategy & Change
Elsewhere in Openreach: fibre rollout crosses Forth Road Bridge
Altice impact on Openreach future yet to be seen; full-fibre rollout crosses the Forth Road Bridge.
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Premium
BT people moves: BT Sourced adds procurement expertise
Rogers’ Barberis joins BT’s Dublin buying function as B2B VP. Openreach names new leads for partner management and fibre build as FTTP targets grow. BT Global Director Ladha heads for the door. HR rotations at Group and Enterprise.
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Premium
Q4 FY20–21 — Consumer’s sporting chances
Pandemic is serialising Consumer’s A Tale of Three Brands in quarterly instalments. Two steps backward: premium vision at odds with painful realities of ARPU and competitive reality. 2021 bounce (and digitalisation progress) cannot come soon enough, but growth seen backloaded. Latest FTTP chapter set to see retail rivals hitting ...
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Premium
Q4 FY20–21 — Hot property Openreach unruffled as ever
Smoothly navigating fibre, pandemic and all-IP. Gearing up to steamroll the fibre landscape. Altnets seen taking great share of Openreach fibre.
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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.
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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.
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Network & Infrastructure
Openreach doubles rural fibre targets
Infrastructure business targets six million premises passed with full-fibre by 2025, aided by recruitment drive and enhanced investment. 4.8 million total premises passed so far, but no word on rural progress. Collaboration with government and fellow builders key to hitting goals.
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Premium
BT people moves: new Director of Healthcare to lead NHS drive
Sultan Mahmud brought in to lead on NHS partnership and estate digitalisation, drawing on experience as innovation guru in NHS Trusts. Strategy & Transformation team appointments at Consumer. Ex-Vodafone exec appointed Group Treasury Director.
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Interview
Openreach Tech team powers UK fibre build
CTIO Colin Lees shares impact of tech overhaul on network build. More effort on provisioning and repair in three-year transformation project. Openreach owns IT and Network strategy decisions; BT Digital and BT Networks are key suppliers. Three-supplier strategy for FTTP advances with Adtran, Huawei and Nokia.
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Premium
Destination: new BT; ETA 2026
Jansen again evangelising glorious digital future: five-year timescale reiterated, with promises of peak fibre investment passing and financial nirvana arriving. Stability predicted for FY21–22. Investors more interested in gruel on today’s menu rather than jam promised tomorrow. The court of public opinion may ultimately rule on five-year tax dodge. ...
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Network & Infrastructure
Openreach offers a hand in all-IP migration
InfraCo launches Call Waiting List as part of analogue shutdown educational campaign. Customers encouraged to sign up for guidance and advice on digital migration, in bid to hang up analogue lines by the end of 2025.
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Premium
Elsewhere in BT Group: Better Workplace updates
4-3-3 update; Belfast office set for refurbishment; and Ofcom chair position remains open.