Public Affairs
All the latest public affairs news, analysis and insight, including legal, regulatory and political issues surrounding leading telecom and infra players.
UK telcos to face mass lawsuit over alleged overcharging
BT, Virgin Media O2, and VodafoneThree to fight legal challenge over alleged overcharging of customers, albeit with a reduced scope courtesy of the Competition Appeal Tribunal’s ruling on the case…
Greece looks to reboot rural fibre scheme with OTE-Terna takeover
Deutsche Telekom’s Greek business set to take over Terna Fiber, a venture that alongside OTE, took responsibility for supporting the government’s rural fibre build programme, but has been quiet on progress …
BT CEO snubs fibre M&A, doubling down on Openreach organic growth — despite accelerating line losses
Q2 FY25–26: Allison Kirkby showed little enthusiasm at thought of mopping up fibre altnets as part of much-anticipated consolidation, instead insisting Openreach is best focused on its own game, and set up to beat any incursion — notwithstanding line losses accelerating alarmingly…
Equity vs debt: who blinks first in UK fibre consolidation showdown?
In-depth: While sector consolidation presents complexity for altnets seeking to evolve, challenges faced by financial backers invested through equity and loan facilities should not be underestimated.
30 years down, 5+ to go before BT’s quantum vision comes to life
Capacity Europe 2025: Senior Research Manager Andrew Lord remains optimistic about quantum secure communications, but sought-after commercial use cases still five-to-ten years away. QKD a valid ‘stepping stone’, and satellite may boost momentum, but supply chain ‘fragility’ remains a stumbling block…
UK MNOs bag equal share of mmWave spectrum in £39m auction
BT, VodafoneThree, and Virgin Media O2 share the spoils in Ofcom’s delayed auction, each committing £13m for 26GHz and 40GHz spectrum, but not all MHz are equal…
Clearing the Eir: Irish operators criticise ‘excessively lax’ access rules
Industry body ALTO, representing operators such as BT, Vodafone, Enet, and Sky, calls for review into regulation of incumbent.
Telefónicawatch Analyst Briefing: Group vs Gloop as strategy unveil nears
With less than a month to go before Telefónica’s big strategy reveal, the Group continues to appear set for a battle to push through the new agenda, whether with unions and government on cost-cutting plans in Spain, or European decision-makers on consolidation. Exec Chair Marc Murtra has been in Brazil, meanwhile, to raise support for the new plan. Read more…
Telefónica Peoplewatch: new era dawns at O2; Innovation Digital goes ‘cutting edge’
The latest strategic and senior changes at Telefónica, including news that long-serving Germany chief Markus Haas is stepping down after nearly a decade in the job, and just months after signing a new deal…
India considers Vi reprieve to promote UK trade, foster relations — report
Vodafone-backed Indian operator Vi may benefit from UK-India trade negotiations as reports emerge that the New Delhi government may waive some debts.
Telefónica said to mull Spain job cuts ahead of Murtra’s strategy reset
Telefónica reportedly preparing an incentivised early-retirement plan to cut at least 6,000 jobs across Spanish subsidiaries. The operator is said to be aiming to present plans to unions following upcoming strategy reset…