All OTT (over-the-top) articles
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PeopleKirkby changes BT Digital guard: Mehta exits; Meakin earns cap badge
Latest Kirkby BT-Redefined trilogy: Departure of the Mehta, Rise of the Meakin, and Zen of the Watson. Read our analysis…
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Network & InfrastructureGreek fibre: OTE lines up wholesale deals with rivals Vodafone and Nova
Incumbent’s new CEO Kostas Nebis flags pair of strategically significant wholesale tie-ups are imminent, as OTE seeks to accelerate commercialisation of flagship, €3bn fibre investment programme.
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Public Affairs“Who the hell is giving these companies money?” — Höttges warns of investment crisis as big four unite
In a “historic” coming together of the heads of Europe’s four biggest operators, calls were made for changes in regulation, spectrum, and merger policy to support future investment. The EC appears open to change on all fronts, but not always as the operators wish.
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Network & InfrastructureETNO in existential crisis as Europe weighs response to global business threats
ETNO’s recent State of Digital Communications report portrayed the big beasts of European telecoms as open to change, but hamstrung by regulation and pondering long-term impact of letting infrastructure go.
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Content & TVTelekom Deutschland targets cableco churn with MagentaTV refresh
German NatCo steps up offensive to win more TV customers from cable providers, ahead of nebenkostenprivileg removal.
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Content & TVTelefónica forks out €1.3bn for La Liga streaming rights
Continuation of distribution deal with DAZN will see Movistar Plus+ customers retain access to all La Liga football matches until 2027.
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Strategy & ChangeFuture network will be massive, blockchain‑led computer
Telefónica’s Executive Chairman is urging operators to embrace the collaborative spirit that enabled roaming to create a new connectivity platform.
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PremiumDT tames “zoo” of TV products across Europe
Android TV platform is foundation for DT’s Europe-wide streaming offer.
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MarketingTelefónica has a change of plan on convergence
Fusión brand set to be replaced after a decade as totem for Group’s convergence strategy. Move comes with convergent ARPU and acquisition in stall. New service to draw on Group’s prolific recent recruitment of partners such as Microsoft, Prosegur, and Teladoc.
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Content & TVMovistar Plus+ signs €1.4bn DAZN deal for La Liga rights
Telefónica’s pay-TV platform to broadcast every Spanish top-flight match for five years from the 2022–23 season. DAZN retains production responsibilities, with Movistar Plus+ customers granted access to broadcasts. DAZN continues telco partnership strategy to ease rights costs.
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Products & ServicesMovistar to ‘reinforce’ Fusión bundles in defensive play
Spanish operator mulls adding adjacent services such as health and alarms to bundles. High-profile Fusión brand could be dropped.
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Content & TVTelefónica eyeing new industrial partners for Movistar+
Early-stage consideration reportedly underway on partnership that would see Telefónica bring in new investor for domestic pay-TV platform and international production interests. North American Spanish-language media merger may provide template for closer links between platforms and content. Movistar+ rebranding underway to further differentiate service from core offerings.
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Products & ServicesDT evangelises Polte to startup IoT device makers
IoT expert encourages hubraum community to test cellular-based location technology from US-based vendor. Maintains ‘OTT solution’ caters for many IoT use-cases. Polte survives DT’s rigorous testing process, which saw it preferred to cloud-based location technologies from Ericsson, Huawei, Nokia, and Skyhook.
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Products & ServicesMovistar+ sets stage for aggregator play in Spain
New CEO Cristina Burzako restructures and refocuses strategy. Focus tightening on partnerships and customer experience, but original content and exclusive sport remain important differentiators. Amidst Movistar+ revamp, Telefónica faces big decisions and bigger bills for content rights.
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Partnerships & AlliancesBT targets Amazon as key commercial partner
As Consumer embraces a platform strategy and seeks new partners to help boost customer value and enhance its billing relationships, a concerted effort is being made to woo internet giant Amazon. Relationship building reflects determination to achieve a “best for partnerships” strategic objective.
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Suppliers & SCMBT taps Blackbird for in-cloud video editing
Content operations team to adopt new editing software, with Group seemingly keen to retain some form of remote working model post-COVID-19. Blackbird CEO says BT’s green credentials chime with its own. Eleven Sports and Liverpool Football Club join BT in vendor’s expanding client ecosystem.
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Content & TVVodafone shoots for ‘world leadership’ as TV platform goes live in Germany
Sky’s the limit for Vodafone TV cloud platform ambition. Big step in TV platform consolidation across the Group. Migration underway in Germany.
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Venturing & InvestmentsDTCP debuts in South Korea with Catenoid investment
Fund joins Series-C round for online video platform provider that has ties with KT. The startup becomes DTCP’s first South Korean interest since landing in 2019.
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Strategy & ChangePlay axed from Telefónica Mexico’s content offering
OB opting to strengthen alliances with other OTT players instead of building out own video content platform. Movistar Play remains live in a host of other Latin American markets, but ambitious growth targets across LatAm far off realisation.
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Content & TVCloud-based Vodafone TV platform rolls into Germany
Platform launch is one of multiple moves in German TV revamp. Start of migration appears to be happening several months behind schedule. Rollout solidifies Group strategy for TV technology platform.