Delving into the realm of advanced AI, SK Telecom elevates its AI service ‘A.’, boasting features crafted around user preferences. The upgraded version introduces AI agents with unique personalities, promising each user a personalized experience. Working hand in hand with Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI, SKT’s AI capabilities now consist of a Large Language Model, designed to comprehend intricate conversation details for insightful dialogues.
Virgin Media O2 Plans Job Cuts Virgin Media O2 is reportedly planning job cuts, with anywhere between 800 and 2,000 jobs at risk of elimination. The company has rescheduled an imminent pay rise for staff to avoid including it in redundancy packages. This news disappoints staff who were led to believe they would have the opportunity to transfer to different departments, but anonymous sources suggest suitable alternative roles may not be available. The job cuts are part of the ongoing integration process between O2 and Virgin Media, following their merger in 2021, and are expected due to real estate consolidation and eliminating overlapping roles, common methods in mergers. Read the full article T-Mobile and Bellevue Pilot Road Safety Tech T-Mobile US and the city of Bellevue, Washington, are partnering to pilot Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X) technology, aimed at enhancing road and pedestrian safety through real-time information. T-Mobile will provide 5G connectivity,…
Industry expert Jonny Parkinson illuminates the landscape of telecommunications mergers and acquisitions amidst economic shake-ups and global tensions. Despite a dip in deal-making activity, recent predictions suggest a strategic surge in the back half of 2023. Drawing upon the resilience of telecom firms in the face of change, Parkinson underscores the potential offered by technologies like AI and cloud computing to maintain competitiveness, even encouraging alternative structuring concepts and careful due diligence for prospective M&A targets.
Dutch company Budget Thuis partners with Future Connections for a three-year contract, enhancing network performance and customer experience with MAx, the Field Service Automation solution. This collaboration promises high-quality, efficient services, reshaping the Netherlands’ telecom landscape.
Virgin Media O2 faces potential job cuts amid ongoing integration, despite previous assurances of alternative roles for at-risk employees, sparking concerns about future opportunities in the telecommunications sector.
European Commission’s concerns over the Orange-MasMovil merger in Spain may hinder the deal, potentially affecting competition within the country’s telecommunications market. Remedies, such as wholesale access to virtual players, could be proposed to address objections and prevent price increases for consumers.
GSMA welcomes China Mobile, China Telecom, and China Unicom to the Open Gateway initiative, aiming to enhance services and boost 5G connectivity through API-driven single access points. Collaboration between operators, developers, and cloud providers promises new opportunities and transformative benefits.
Elon Musk’s ambitious plans to bring Starlink to India face challenges amidst spectrum policy clashes with local telecom operators. As the competition heats up in India’s satellite communication space, the sector’s future remains a hot topic.
Cisco to Acquire Accedian, Enhancing Service Assurance Cisco has announced its plan to acquire Accedian, a Canadian network optimization specialist, in order to improve its service assurance offerings and enhance the Cisco Networking Cloud. Accedian, known for its SaaS-first service assurance platform, has extensive experience in complex networks and will bring valuable capabilities to Cisco. The CEO of Accedian emphasized the importance of performance visibility and its role in automation, telco cloud environments, and 5G services. Cisco’s General Manager praised Accedian’s expertise and collaboration, and the acquisition is expected to be finalized in the first quarter of Cisco’s FY 2024, with potential benefits for Cisco’s service assurance portfolio and networking solutions. Read the full article BT and British Army Partner for Wide-Scale Wi-Fi Deployment BT and the British Army have entered into a multi-million-pound agreement to deploy managed Wi-Fi services, called MOD Wi-Fi, across 162 sites in the UK. The…
KPN’s acquisition of Youfone expands its customer base, positioning it to potentially overtake T-Mobile Netherlands as the largest mobile operator, while boosting its fiber coverage with Primevest’s Dutch assets. Discuss these market shifts at this year’s Total Telecom Congress.
