Vodafone Group – Page 48
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Network & InfrastructureVantage states ‘clear interest’ in Cornerstone buyout
Vodafone’s European TowerCo eyes opportunities in Netherlands and UK as partners Liberty and Telefónica look to cash in on wireless infrastructure assets. Strategic tie-up between Vantage and another MNO TowerCo also remains a possibility.
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Partnerships & AlliancesVodacom in talks over rural wireless alliance
Operator scoping out partners to share investment in thousands of extra sites across its sub-Saharan African footprint. Venture adds to wider technology and business model experimentation by Vodacom, to fund network expansion.
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M&AINWIT continues to fill M&A kitty
Growing Italian TowerCo building up a €1bn platform for deal-making at end of its latest strategic cycle, in FY23. Expansion plans could give co-parent Vodafone another runner in European TowerCo race, beyond main vehicle Vantage Towers.
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Financial & PerformanceSafaricom confident on Ethiopia despite ‘staff evacuation’
Staff safety and security a priority in Ethiopia, says Safaricom’s Peter Ndegwa, but progress remains on track despite distractions. Break-even forecasts braced for impact of conflict. Employees evacuated from Addis Ababa, according to reports.
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Partnerships & AlliancesVodafone ‘doubles up’ in Serbia
Group’s Partner Markets federation adds Telekom Srbija to its line-up. Deal, which comes amid an attempted revamp of Partner Markets, encroaches on territory already covered by Vodafone’s long relationship with A1 Telekom Austria.
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Venturing & InvestmentsVodafone veterans steer mimik to $14m funding
mimik Technology, founded and led by former Vodafone venturing executives, to use Series-A investment round to develop go-to-market strategy. T-Mobile-backed 5G OI Lab graduate picks up funding from multiple US VCs.
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Strategy & ChangeVodafone Technology embeds ‘build over buy’ mentality
Vodafone Global Digital Engineering head Ahmed El Sayed updates on Netcracker-backed transformation pilot in Hungary. Software engineering “the future” for Vodafone, as Group looks internally for revamped tech stack under ‘build not buy’ vision.
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Suppliers & SCMVodafone Supplier Awards 2021: winners
Winners announced across nine categories for the second – and, COVID-permitting, final – digital edition. Ciena headlines as ‘Supplier of the Year’, doubles up with ‘Outstanding Technology Performance’. Ericsson and Huawei return to form after absence in 2020.
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Strategy & ChangeTMF’s Willetts: maintaining vendor status quo “dangerous”
Speaking to TelcoTitans, Nik Willetts, CEO of industry body TM Forum, outlined his perceptions of the state of digital transformation in the telecoms sector. Procurement-led vendor management needs to evolve towards partnership for digital acceleration. Hyperscalers can remain more friend than foe as operators seek new ways to differentiate ...
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Network & InfrastructurePortugal 5G spectrum auction finally ends after 200 days
Vodafone Portugal is second-biggest spender after NOS. Auction ushers in Dixarobil and Nowo as new entrants.
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OperationsUnions eke out concessions on Vodafone Spain cuts
Operator firms up yet another business overhaul. Deal made to outsource remaining retail outlets rather than close them as part of job cull. Terms agreed for voluntary redundancies and retirements.
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Public AffairsUK government defends Ethiopian mobile investment
Vodafone and CDC investment in Ethiopian mobile operator crops up in parliamentary debate on Tigray humanitarian crisis. Investment deemed to be “right” and long term. CDC emphasises role as impact investor with a lot of patience. Vodacom agrees to fund Safaricom Telecommunications Ethiopia.
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Public AffairsVodafone pursues UK government over lost contract
Vodafone loses Foreign Office contract to Fujitsu, claims process breached procurement rules. Preliminary issue trial set for January 2022.
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Partnerships & AlliancesVodafone sees sales dip from international tie-ups
Revenue from Group’s Partner Markets federation falls back amid pandemic and footprint reduction. Vodafone’s flow of cash from Africa takes a drop following rework of M-PESA business.
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Network & InfrastructureStarlink a potential suitor in Vodafone’s 28GHz lease deal
Vodafone in conversation with satellite operators to lease 28GHz spectrum in the UK. Elon Musk’s Starlink touted as an option
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Partnerships & AlliancesVodafone Oman opens new HQ
Partner Markets’ greenfield operator expected to launch services “very soon”. Taps Ericsson for network and Netcracker for BSS.
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Strategy & ChangeVodafone Spain CEO talks up transformation
Vodafone hones in-house IT skills and organises into squads. Share progress on building up platforms and scale. As transformation continues at pace, Vodafone Spain downsizes.
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Strategy & ChangeVodafone to overhaul supply chain ops
Warehouse consolidation and digitisation intended to bring greater transparency and control of purchases from China and other key marketplaces. New, digitised stock management facility planned for “small country in the middle of Europe”. Move comes with supply chain resilience and predictability at top of news agenda.
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Products & ServicesVodafone commences Group wide roll out of ‘Eco-SIMs’
Group ups ante on waste reduction with launch of recycled SIM chips. ‘Eco-SIMs’ to be rolled out in 15 territories. Available in UK from spring next year.
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Network & InfrastructureVodafone takes Ofcom to task over proposed 2100MHz fees
Vodafone warns that rise in licence fees risks being passed onto end users. New annual licence fees for 2100MHz set to come into force from January 2022. Group calculates significantly lower fee compared with Ofcom’s proposal.