Investigating the annual telecom standings in the DACH region unveils significant enhancements. Deutsche Telekom leads in Germany, marked by its thirteenth victory in Mobile network systems, with an improvement in 15 points. Austria’s competition ended with Magenta taking the top spot, entering the global Top 5 Club. Swisscom claimed victory in Switzerland for the sixth time in a row.
In a strategic move to fortify the European Union’s standing in the global cloud computing sector, the European Commission has greenlit a substantial €1.2 billion state funding injection. The funding is earmarked for the Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI) Next Generation Cloud Infrastructure and Services (IPCEI CIS), a collaborative initiative involving seven member countries: France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, and Spain.
Cellnex, the infrastructure titan, is considering the sale of tower assets in Austria and Ireland in a push to offload financial burdens and deepen roots in the European market. This shift in focus, triggered by last year’s UK Hutch deal completion, aims for organic growth, investment-grade rating, and debt management via strategic divestments. CEO Patuano hints future cash generation post 2027 and potential interest in bidding for Deutsche Telekom’s GD Towers business, crafting a more efficient operational blueprint.
Magenta Telekom collaborates with Mavenir, deploying a Cloud-Native IMS solution for advanced voice services like VoLTE and VoWi-Fi, supporting 5G Voice and WebRTC. Snom introduces the C620 DECT conference phone, offering a cordless solution with HD audio quality, wireless microphones, and flexibility for varied environments. CallTrackingMetrics unveils LeadReactor for outbound calling and enhances Zoom integration, optimizing agent productivity. Apple surprises with plans for RCS support on iOS, aiming to improve interoperability between Android and iPhone users,
Greek telecommunications heavyweight OTE appears to be changing course, with whispers abuzz of pivotal shifts in its future business plans. The rumored centerpiece is the potential sale of its Romanian mobile operations, Telekom Romania Mobile, to Quantum Projects Group. This points towards a strategic refocusing on OTE’s extensive Greek operations, signaling a departure from the international stage.
Virgin Media O2’s decision to offload part of its Corneridge UK towers business to GLIL Infrastructure for £360 million marks a key shift in telecom infrastructure ownership. However, this move falls short of industry valuations, indicating price reductions in the investment market. Despite this, VMO2 retains operational and strategic control in this critical asset, striving to enhance 4G connectivity and intensify 5G rollout. This move aligns with the firm’s wider strategy, marking the start of a potentially transformative series of ambitious deals, lightening its footprint while driving growth.
Stepping into the spotlight, Ericsson unveils a software toolkit aimed at enhancing 5G connectivity services. Harnessing fresh algorithms to optimize performance, modifying RAN slicing for faster service, and promising superior low-latency capabilities, this toolkit is a game-changer. Despite the off-pulse struggle to unlock 5G potential, this toolkit is deemed as a catalyst for transitioning from ‘best-effort’ broadband to premium experience. Yet, the question remains: Will consumers bite? In this backdrop, Network X, a collaboration with the wireline and cloud industries, promises insightful stories and strategies, marking a critical date for telecom enthusiasts.
Telecom News | Week #44: T Challenge, End of Vodafone Spain, Nokia’s Technology Strategy 2030, Samsung and O2 testing vRAN.
SK Telecom’s collaboration with AI pioneer Mars Auto, brings forth a compelling vision for autonomous trucking, leveraging SKT’s 5G prowess and Mars Auto’s AI system. With Mars Auto’s AI armed with extensive roadway data from SKT, there’s a promise of safer, more efficient self-driving services. SKT’s continued strides in telecom, signified by the company’s alliance with Deutsche Telekom and massive investment in AI firm Anthropic, show signs of transformative potential for the telecom sector.
Luxembourg’s Prime Minister and SK Telecom have inked an agreement, initiating a strategic collaboration to advance the quantum tech ecosystem. Connexion between this MoU and an earlier South Korean – Luxembourg agreement hints towards a momentous ‘quantum Internet of Things’. Meanwhile, telecom operators globally look to leverage quantum technology’s disruptive potential towards traditional data security protocols. SK Telecom, recognized for its pioneering quantum work, also boosts its pursuit in the AI realm, underlined by a significant investment in AI firms.
