Crown Castle, focusing on a restructuring plan, intends to trim its workforce by 15% in response to telecom firms reducing investment. Alongside staff reduction, it will cease tower installation services while continuing to offer site development. Despite lowered earnings predictions, the second quarter of 2021 showed strong revenue growth, highlighting the company’s resilience in a challenging market.
Unveiling the turbulence in UK’s telecommunications landscape, Virgin Media O2 (VMO2) unfolds its significant workforce reduction strategy. This controversial move, intertwined with dwindling customer base and towering debts, sets a profound impact on the telecom titan’s ascension in the telecom market. Yet, amidst customer attrition, VMO2’s sturdy quarter reports defied setbacks leveraging raised prices, raising critical discussions within the industry.
Spain’s government is pumping €448 million into the upgrade of over 8,000 isolated 5G base stations, an initiative set to stimulate economic and civil activity while bridging the digital divide. Interestingly, the bulk of the funds are being allocated to lesser-known entities, including wholesale and retail fibre providers Lyntia and Avatel. The rollout is part of Spain’s broader mission of delivering ultrafast broadband coverage by 2025, concurrently ramping up public access to high-speed connections. Furthermore, a €10 million fund invites proposals for innovative 5G projects in sectors such as agriculture and connected vehicles.
Telecom alliance Alaian is partnering with chip manufacturer Qualcomm to empower start-ups specializing in Extended Reality (XR). The alliance, comprising of seven telecom giants along with towerco Cellnex, targets initiatives involving metaverse, virtual platforms, and various services or applications from all over the globe. Despite a lukewarm response to the metaverse and the disappearance of mixed reality from the limelight, the conglomerate remains optimistic. Future XR experiences can greatly benefit from the expertise and resources provided by co-operating with Qualcomm.
Ericsson plans a €155 million investment for a smart manufacturing hub in Tallinn, Estonia. BT will reduce its workforce by 1,100 at Adastral Park while investing in modernization. Cellnex acquires full control of OnTower Poland, expanding its tower portfolio. Unicon launches an enhanced partner program for resellers in end-user computing. NEC introduces a generative AI service to drive business transformation.
Deutsche Bahn, Ericsson, O2 Telefónica, and Vantage Towers collaborate on the Gigabit Innovation Track project, securing €6.4 million to provide gigabit 5G speeds for German train passengers and explore resource-efficient implementation methods. The trial aims to deliver reliable 5G by 2024, potentially impacting global connectivity improvements.
Spark reveals plans to trial satellite-to-mobile services, offering additional coverage and network resilience. Working with satellite provider Lynk, the initial trial focuses on text messaging before expanding to voice and data services, assessing the technology’s potential impact on telecommunications.
Germany’s Bundeskartellamt investigates Vodafone’s Vantage Towers for potentially obstructing 1&1’s 5G rollout, raising questions on fair competition and business practices in the telecommunications industry.
5G rollout challenges prompt MNOs to consider innovative collaboration with neutral host providers, enabling shared infrastructure and accelerated network expansion while navigating cost concerns and growing user demands.
New Zealand’s government collaborates with leading telcos Spark, 2degrees, and One to allocate 3.5-GHz spectrum for 5G services, improving mobile coverage nationwide. With funds supporting rural connectivity, both parties anticipate better service quality and seamless network access for users.
