Deutsche Telekom and Softbank in a share-swap deal In a significant shake-up that reinforces the German group’s transatlantic emphasis, Deutsche Telekom has reached a $7 billion share-swap agreement with SoftBank Group to raise its stake in T-Mobile US. In addition, Deutsche Telekom has sold its Dutch subsidiary. As a consequence of the two transactions, Deutsche Telekom’s share in T-Mobile US will increase to 48.4 percent, moving it closer to its aim of gaining direct control of the $170 billion US telecoms operator. In exchange, SoftBank will receive cash and a 4.5 percent interest in Deutsche Telekom, creating a direct shareholding link. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/32tvyn46 NEC expands its partnership with AWS NEC has stated that it will broaden its relationship with AWS to include 5G and digital governance. NEC aims to create an “end-to-end 5G offering” by integrating their cloud-native open 5G core with AWS’ cloud and edge services. According…
AT&T has established a Connected Climate Initiative (CCI), which aims to bring together partners and academics to further cut carbon emissions. The firm has set an industry-leading goal of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 1 billion metric tons by 2035. A gigaton is equivalent to roughly 15% of US greenhouse gas emissions and nearly 3% of worldwide energy-related emissions, or 1.6 billion flights from Los Angeles to New York. The company intends to convene the brightest minds from leading technology companies, AT&T Business customers, universities, and nonprofits through the newly formed Connected Climate Initiative to identify best practices, develop innovative new products and use cases, and scale the innovations of startup partners building future’s 5G- and other broadband-enabled climate solutions. At the heart of this initiative is a push to persuade business IT firms to use more renewable energy sources, as well as to move more application…
Telefónica, Aerial launch Remote Care project pilot The first pilot project regarding “Remote Care” for elders was initiated by Telefónica, the Canadian firm Aerial and the municipality of Luciana. This solution does not require new devices nor wearable equipment, but includes a movement detector interface for the home WiFi, which utilizes existing wireless signals combined with artificial intelligence and contextual analysis to detect presence and motion. The cloud-based AI engine is intended to share data about a senior’s behaviors with their family members. In order to facilitate remote monitoring of elders, this technology also compares the data to normal behavioral patterns. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/4ae6w5j9 T-Mobile experiences data breach In a recent cyber assault on T-Mobile, over 40 million individuals’ information was exposed, including names, birthdays and social security numbers. The business claimed that the stolen files contained data from over 7.8 million current T-Mobile accounts as well as data…
Google to use its own chips for the new Pixel phones Google has announced that its next Pixel smartphones will be available in the fall, powered for the first time by an in-house developed chip. Tensor, Google’s first mobile system on a chip, will be used in the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. Tensor is a single chip that integrates a set of processing units and enhances computational capacity in an energy-efficient manner. Google has not revealed who will manufacture the chips for the new Pixel phones. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/xsprb7ap Lumen to sell its ILEC assets Lumen Technologies announced that it has entered an agreement to sell its Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier (ILEC) business in 20 states, including its consumers, small business, wholesale, and mostly copper-served enterprise customers and assets, to funds managed by Apollo Global Management affiliates for $7.5 billion. Lumen will maintain its ILEC assets in…
Dish and AT&T strike a $5 billion network deal Dish has signed a mobile network services agreement with AT&T worth more than $5 billion over the next ten years. In accordance with the MVNO and the national roaming agreement, Dish’s mobile phone brands will use the AT&T network. When the operator’s 5G service commences, the mobile brands will use AT&T’s infrastructure for roaming in areas where it does not currently have coverage. With this deal, Dish replaces T-Mobile US as a partner in the wholesale network, and it is likely that the network operator will not suffer significant financial losses due to one of its competitors. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/3fuxje7k Cox Business launches Net Assurance to help small businesses Cox Business has released Net Assurance, a new service aimed at small businesses to protect them from losing their Internet connection during outages. If the Internet loses its wired and private…
VCC Live partners with DIDWW VCC Live, a provider of innovative cloud-based contact center software for inbound, outbound and cross-channel contact centers, has announced a strategic partnership with global telecommunications operator DIDWW, which provides high quality VoIP and SIP trunking services to businesses and telecommunications operators around the world. As part of the partnership, VCC Live will take advantage of DIDWW’s extensive virtual telephone number coverage, which will allow VCC Lives’s contact center business to grow effectively in all geographic areas. DIDWW’s vast inventory of virtual phone numbers allows VCC Live to continue the rapid growth of their global business. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/xhu9xheb Microsoft collaborates with O2 UK Microsoft and O2 are developing a proof-of-concept investigation to determine the benefits of on-premises Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) inside a private 5G network, focusing on security and low latency. The possible benefits of this proposed architecture are noteworthy, combining secure, high-bandwidth…
The US giant AT&T and Discovery have announced a deal to merge WarnerMedia’s entertainment, sports and news assets with Discovery’s international entertainment and sports companies to create a unique, high-end global entertainment company. In accordance with the agreement, AT&T will receive a total of $43 billion of cash, debt and the retention of certain debts of WarnerMedia. If approved by regulators, AT&T shareholders will receive 71% of the shares in the new company, while Discovery shareholders will own 29%. It is expected that the deal will deliver significant value to both AT&T and Discovery shareholders. This merger will bring together the strongest teams of media business leaders and content creators, and include industry-leading libraries of films and series. The merger will create a new business that could be valued $150 billion, including debt. This transaction gives AT&T and its shareholders the opportunity to leverage the value of…
Orange considers buying infrastructure assets it sold almost two decades ago Orange is considering a probable purchase of the former telecommunications infrastructure unit TDF. The company sold TDF nearly two decades ago to lessen its debt. Orange is considering combining TDF with the recently established European mast company TOTEM, as infrastructure appraisals have recently increased with interest from investors such as the US private equity firm KKR and Spain’s Cellnex. TDF, previously known as Télédiffusion de France, operates TV and radio towers, mobile sites, as well as fiber infrastructure and related services through around 19,000 sites, of which 7,300 are active. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/2etpjpjn AT&T to modernize U.S. DOT’s network AT&T and the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) have signed a 12-year, $175 million deal to assist DOT in upgrading its IP and voice infrastructure. AT&T will supply DOT with virtual private networking and secure cloud technology, together…
DIDWW joins GSMA DIDWW, a global cloud communications service provider, has announced that it has become an associate member of the GSMA, an industry organization that represents the interests of mobile operators around the world. The GSMA supports the latest technological innovations and the development of the mobile ecosystem to promote digital transformation and industrial growth. GSMA membership allows DIDWW to actively take part in technical working groups, establish new business relationships, and develop strategies that will greatly contribute to the wider adoption of hosted VoIP services. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/4urtcbtz Mediacom to expansion broadband to 500K locations The US operator Mediacom has revealed its plan to provide high-speed broadband to another 500,000 under-serviced homes and businesses over the next three years. This scaling-up will include a combination of new facilities supported by state and federal broadband grants, line extensions and the development of fixed wireless access (FWA) using recently…
Telefonica reveals a new rebrand Telefonica has announced its new rebrand at the company’s annual general meeting. The company also reelected its Chairman and CEO Jose Maria Alvarez-Pallete to its board for a further four-year term with increased backing from shareholders. The newly refurbished design will be used in the company’s brands under the Telefonica name, but will not replace the Telefonica-owned consumer-facing identities O2 and Movistar. According to the company, the new logo reflects extensive restructuring efforts started in 2019 and is reminiscent of the 1984 logo that also resembled the letter T made-up of small circles. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/34hwm3ve AT&T gifts boost in fiber speed to its customers AT&T has announced that it is giving its customers a free increase in fiber speeds. The company is increasing its access speeds from 100 Mbps to 300 Mbps, and 300 Mbps to 500 Mbps respectively. The company will continue…