The watchdog stated the BT issue occurred between 24 July and 25 July, with the company informing it of a software issue resulting in UK-wide disruption to mobile call services interconnecting to and from its EE network.

The problem resulted in customers being unable to make or receive calls to other networks and emergency services.

A similar incident occurred for 3 UK, resulting in a UK-wide disruption on 25 June.

Ofcom explained operators are required to take appropriate and proportionate measures to identify and reduce the risks and prepare for the “occurrence of anything that compromises the availability, performance or functionality of their network or service”.

It added: “Our investigations will seek to establish the facts surrounding these incidents and assess whether there are reasonable grounds to believe that BT and Three have failed to comply with regulatory obligations.”

BT stated it will fully cooperate with Ofcom throughout its investigation.

Ofcom hit BT with a £17.5 million fine in July 2024 for what it described as a “catastrophic failure” of its emergency call handling services.

3 UK was last hit with an Ofcom fine in 2017, when it was ordered to pay £1.9 million over a network issue.

The operator has merged with Vodafone UK, with a deal between the pair completing at the end of May. However, Vodafone was not mentioned in Ofcom’s statement.

The post Ofcom opens probe into BT, 3 UK outages appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The operator stated its network infrastructure is already geared to handle and protect information, a base it is building on with its sovereign set-up.

“Sovereignty isn’t simply a matter of compliance or risk management”, BT Business CEO Jon James said.

He argued the concept is “key to unleashing the potential of AI and ensuring resilient operations”.

BT explained its sovereign platform builds on its credentials as a provider of sensitive customer data management and broader infrastructure.

James said there is growing demand from organisations for sovereign systems and the company separately quoted a Gartner forecast stating 65 per cent of governments would set dominion requirements by 2028.

BT’s platform spans connectivity, security, cloud, AI and unified communications.

It stated the level of control afforded would boost organisations’ ability to employ AI by ensuring data protection and abiding by ethical standards.

BT plans to make the platform the foundation of fresh voice, cloud and AI services scheduled to launch over the coming months.

The move is also set to enable its Business unit to add sovereign options to existing core products and services beginning in the opening half of 2026.

The post BT makes data sovereignty play appeared first on Mobile World Live.

During our Digital Unwrapped week Sasha spoke to Reza Rahnama, MD – Mobile Networks, BT Group about enabling advanced 5G consumer services.

The post Unwrapped Keynote: BT Group appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Starting with BT, Reza Rahnama, MD of Mobile Networks (pictured) discussed the UK operator’s target to deploy SA 5G across 99 per cent of the population by the end 2030, with the figure currently at 60 per cent.

On the consumer side, Rahnama said the key differentiator with SA 5G was the ability to offer service differentiation and programmability of the network. He pointed to gamers and remote workers as examples, giving users a better experience as more of its network moves to standalone and it is able to create a larger ecosystem.

By ultimately cracking the streaming market, Rahnama believes the network then has excellent potential for potential future AI workloads, essential for the enterprise.

“The consumer market will drive some of it, but I think the true promise of 5G standalone comes from the enterprise. Not only from SMEs but very large enterprises”

He pointed to automation, autonomous vehicle and manufacturing use cases, as well as providing dedicated slicing for companies.

Dynamic slicing
Telstra executive, technology development and innovation, Channa Seneviratne, agreed with Rahnama on the importance of SA 5G, stating the company was aiming to have all of Australia’s major cities covered with the technology by the end of 2025.

For Seneviratne, one of the main benefits of SA 5G lies in slicing, again with enterprise a major focus. He explained the operator rolled out its first product in the area in June, aimed at providing a priority slice for enterprises in congested environments. This will be extended to allow for two slices, with one for priority traffic.

Moving forward, Seneviratne said the company has a clear focus to move towards handset slicing, offering the capabilities in stadiums, arenas and campuses.

“When we think about slicing, we want this to be a dynamic product. We think about dynamic slicing as opposed to a static slice somewhere. To do that, it’s not just about the network, it’s about the orchestration that goes with being able to create a dynamic slice in real time if necessary.”

The post BT, Telstra spell out critical need for standalone 5G appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The operator stated the landmark agreement with Elon Musk’s Starlink would ensure satellite connectivity for BT and EE consumer broadband customers, complementing fibre and mobile networks.

It will specifically target customers in rural and remote areas where traditional infrastructure is economically unviable or geographically challenging to build.

Services are set to be available in the latter half of 2026. VMO2 said at the end of October it had signed up Starlink to deliver direct-to-device satellite services, with plans to launch in the first half of next year.

BT CEO Allison Kirkby said the agreement with Starlink “is a giant leap for rural connectivity”.

Revenue dip
In its fiscal H1 2025 (ending September), BT reported a 3 per cent year-on-year dip in revenue to £9.8 billion, put down to declines in legacy voice, lower mobile handset trading volumes and declines from its International business.

Pre-tax profit was also down, declining 11 per cent to £862 million, while net debt increased 3 per cent to £20.9 billion.

There was however cause for cheer from its Openreach division, with the company connecting 1.1 million homes to its fibre network in the six-month period, giving it a fibre-to-the premise footprint of 20.3 million.

Kirkby said the operator’s transformation was delivering ahead of plan, with its UK focus and modernisation efforts helping “to offset declines from our International and legacy business and higher labour-related costs”.

The post BT boss claims giant rural leap with Starlink tie-up appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Financial Times stated BT bosses are exploring options including the launch of a budget MNO or an acquisition of a virtual player to brace itself for an expected bump in competition from online banks Revolut and Monzo.

The newspaper reports the banks are readying MVNO plays and analysts expect a larger slice of the UK mobile market to be taken by virtual operations in future.

BT ditched a plan to make EE its sole consumer brand earlier this year, reportedly because of concerns about an adverse reaction by older customers.

FT noted a low-cost move by BT would alter its current premium-tier approach, though highlighted the operator offers budget broadband through its Plusnet brand.

The move might prove a tough sell for consumers given EE’s higher-end stance. In a blog published in August, MD of Sales and Service Operations Nick Lane argued lower-priced services often sacrifice quality and so could prove a false economy.

If the online banks mentioned by FT do make an MVNO move, they would join a busy market involving big-name UK retailers; long-established players including Lycamobile and Lebara; and operator sub-brands including Giffgaff.

The post BT tipped for budget brand move appeared first on Mobile World Live.

McCall is currently chief networks officer, a role held for three years, and was previously COO of television and content at the company.

In a statement, BT credited McCall with “spearheading the UK’s first 5G network” alongside delivering the UK’s Emergency Services Network and leading the “rapid launch of BT Sport”.  

Watson is set to retire in March 2026, bringing the curtain down on almost 15 years at the operator and more than 40 years in the telecoms industry.

Since joining BT in 2011, the executive held various positions including CTIO, and MD for architecture and global IT platforms.

BT stated Watson “leaves behind a remarkable legacy”, adding “under his leadership, BT has positioned itself at the forefront of AI and quantum research and has been responsible for the security and operational resilience that keeps our customers and the country safe”.

CEO Allison Kirkby said the appointment of McCall highlights the “strength we have within BT, having contributed over many years to our network leadership position” and noting the network is “in strong hands”.

“We are also all incredibly grateful for Howard’s dedication, deep technical expertise and the lasting impact he’s made not just on BT, but on the industry over many years, and wish him well in his retirement,” she added.

Watson said he is leaving with “immense pride and gratitude”, backing his successor and asserting his team had “built our position as the UK’s leading network, led critical research that positions us for an AI and quantum future, and driven BT’s security and operational resilience for our customers and the UK”.

The post Long-serving BT tech guru heads for exit appeared first on Mobile World Live.

EE, VMO2 and VodafoneThree lined up the purchase of 800MHz of spectrum in the 26GHz band each, along with 1GHz in the 40GHz band during the principal stage of Ofcom’s auction.

The operators committed £13 million apiece to the spectrum, which Ofcom stated would boost mobile services in 68 towns and cities, stadiums, transport hubs and other crowded areas.

Ofcom group director for spectrum David Willis said the UK is on the path to “better, faster 5G”.

“The large amount of spectrum we’ve released will help support innovation, open doors to new applications and growth, and can bring noticeable improvements to mobile services in busier places”.

Having effectively expressed interest in the spectrum on offer, operators will now be asked to bid for specific frequency positions.

Ofcom noted mmWave spectrum is well-suited to improving capacity in crowded areas.

Reaction
In a related statement, VMO2 CEO Lutz Schuler branded the outcome of the initial phase of the auction a “strong result” and pledged to deploy the additional frequencies “at the right moment”.

The operator noted it achieved data rates of 4Gb/s on a single device during testing of mmWave spectrum.

VMO2 indicated “limited” stocks of compatible devices may hinder initial commercial services using mmWave, but noted the spectrum would sit well in the more than 2,000 sites where it has deployed small cells to-date.

A representative for EE parent BT Group told Mobile World Live the auction result is good news for all customers, but could be a particular benefit to industrial players by enabling “new services and applications, such as ultra-reliable high performance private networks”.

VodafoneThree also highlighted the potential of the spectrum for private networks.

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On a panel which also featured representatives from Google Cloud, AWS and event host Ericsson, Vodafone digital and OSS engineering director Simon Norton (pictured, third from left) highlighted its first agentic AI use case was for energy cost recovery.

This application he described as “quite mundane”, but added it is “super valuable, it’s relatively straightforward to implement and it acts as one of those lighthouse projects that shows that we can do it: we can deliver value” with agentic AI, “it’s not vague promises about productivity”.

He explained “energy is a huge operational expense for our industry and it is very complex, especially when you’re working in a multi-market environment”.

The agent is able to compare bills line-by-line, and identify anomalies on tariffs and general errors.

BT senior leader AI Data and Automation in Mobile Girish Mahajan (pictured, second from left) said “success comes from well defined, well scoped use cases with clear boundaries defined. The failure often came from the overestimating of autonomous AI without having a clear role”.

He noted the outcomes from agentic AI systems can be “unpredictable”, adding in his experience “we need a reflection-based architecture and better AI-human collaboration”.

“AI agents should learn from their actions and work along with humans”.

Mahajan also argued the need for a focus on “data management and governance”, along with core automation.

Ericsson head of Product Domain Data and Analytics Hassan Iftikhar (pictured, third from right) recommended operators “focus on low risk, high impact use cases”, which he said build confidence with business owners along with “people who are actually using it”.

However, he emphasised there is also a need to prepare for a “multi-agent environment” covering policies for governance, protections, sovereignty and data itself.

On top of this, Iftikhar pointed to an interoperability requirement, stating “you can’t have a BSS agent pushing a promotion and an OSS agent pulling the network in another direction”.

Big picture
Unsurprisingly, representatives from hyperscale companies were bullish on the prospects of agentic AI.

Aeneas Dodd-Noble, field CTO and telco cloud architect at Google Cloud (pictured, second from right), pointed to the work being done on complex multi-agent systems solving “really hard problems”, but emphasised a need for flexibility.

“Have something really big to get inspired but don’t die on that hill,” he said, adding if a project “is not going to make it, learn from it”.

Dodd-Noble said there is a need to make employees “culturally aware of how to use these agents as they are going to be our new way of working and the more people get used to it the better”.

The requirement for cultural changes to embrace the emerging technology was also raised by AWS head of Operations Simplified Antonello Arpino (pictured, far right).

Experience of the technology at AWS suggests it should not “be the problem”, with a more likely challenge the cultural shift within organisation and a requirement for “champions” and the “right vision” to build success.

The post Operators, vendors reflect on early agentic AI moves appeared first on Mobile World Live.

In a statement, BT explained it has already begun work to support the expansion, with mobile arm EE apparently becoming the first European operator to activate Ericsson’s AIR 3284 radios, which have built-in antennas to maximise network performance and provide up to four times more uplink capacity. The operator has two live sites in Leeds and hundreds more planned by 2030.

In total, the upgraded network will offer up to 100 times the capacity of 4G, positioning it to better handle dense usage in busy areas and major events. In the announcement, BT cited research suggesting that enhanced mobile connectivity could unlock up to £230 billion in economic value for the UK.

BT has also ramped up its small cell rollout, with more than 1,500 now live across the UK. In the past year alone, 500 were added in cities including Belfast, Bristol and Oxford. In addition, EE launched an Advanced RAN Coordination (ARC) system last month, which allows nearby mobile sites to share capacity and enhance performance, claiming a global first for a commercial network.

While BT is expecting to surpass competitors, rival VMO2 last month claimed it is the current SA 5G pace-setter in the UK. It stated it had the largest deployment of the infrastructure to date after rolling out the network in 500 towns and cities across the country. The operator claims its SA 5G network now reaches more than 70 per cent of the population, covering 49 million people.

Targeted action
In its statement, BT urged policymakers to help accelerate its deployment, stating that “government support is essential”. It called on the UK government to consider planning reforms, improve spectrum access and reconsider spectrum licence fees.

BT’s chief security and networks officer, Howard Watson, noted that reaching 99 per cent population coverage for SA 5G, “while an important milestone, will not by itself resolve every challenge around mobile coverage and capacity”, explaining that targeted action will still be needed to improve connectivity in specific areas such as rail corridors.

The post BT sets out 2030 plan to outpace SA 5G rivals appeared first on Mobile World Live.

“We pay in business rates, energy levies and other costs associated with regulation and compliance 10 times the amount our peers pay in countries like Germany and the Netherlands,” said Kirkby at the Connected Britain digital economy event in London, the Guardian reported.

With the UK’s next budget expected in November, Kirkby also warned it could be “very difficult” for UK chancellor Rachel Reeves to address a reported £20 billion shortfall in public finances.

£3B opportunity
The remarks come as BT Group released fresh research pointing to billions in potential gains by migrating the UK’s critical national infrastructure (CNI) sectors from outdated analogue networks to modern digital networks. The study, conducted with Assembly Research, estimates that the transition could deliver £3 billion in net economic benefits by 2040 across key sectors.

In the public service sector, up to 750,000 ambulance trips could be avoided, 12 million council staff hours freed and more than 3.4 megatonnes of carbon emissions cut, equivalent to powering all homes in Birmingham for a year. In the country’s National Health Service, more than 600,000 staff hours could be freed up through better call handling and more efficient emergency responses.

Digital migration could also deliver £1.4 billion in savings for the energy sector alone, driven by better resilience and demand forecasting. In addition, water utilities, local governments and emergency services would benefit from reduced costs, fewer false alarms and improved operational efficiency.

With the UK’s legacy Public Switched Telephone Network set to shut down by January 2027, the operator urged public bodies to complete digital migration by the end of 2025 to avoid disruptions, pointing out that several European peers, including Germany and Spain, are nearly closing out the transition and leaving the UK at risk of losing ground.

Jon James, CEO of BT Business, warned that delaying the migration carries a steep price to the economy. “Legacy systems are becoming increasingly unreliable, and the case for action is urgent.”

The post BT CEO slams UK costs as report flags £3B digital potential appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The GSMA CAMARA APIs standardise access to mobile network capabilities, giving developers secure tools to build safe and compliant digital services. BT and EE, CK Hutchison Group Telecom, Virgin Media O2, and Vodafone Group launched the Age Verify and KYC Tenure APIs, offering developers secure access to mobile network data to support identity checks and regulatory compliance. A more advanced KYC Match API to cross-check customer information is also due to rollout by the end of the year.

Speaking at global API conference API Days held in London this week, operators positioned the new offerings as key tools in the fight against fraud, which cost UK consumers £11.4 billion last year. The APIs allow platforms to confirm user age and phone number history without sharing personal data, reducing friction while meeting legal requirements.

The move comes weeks after the UK’s controversial Online Safety Act came into force, ordering age verification for user-generated content across digital platforms. According to the Age Verification Providers Association, five million additional age checks are now taking place daily.

Henry Calvert, head of networks at the GSMA, noted that age assurance is just one application of mobile networks’ capabilities. “By giving developers easier, secure access to the rich network functionality of mobile networks, we can also use network intelligence in the fight against fraud and scams,” he said.

Looking ahead, the operators plan to expand their network API offerings in 2026 with a focus on identity, fraud protection and enhanced network performance using 5G infrastructure. The GSMA stated the Open Gateway programme now includes 79 operator groups representing nearly 80 per cent of global mobile connections.

The post UK telcos launch anti-fraud APIs through Open Gateway appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Mittal is founder and chair of Bharti Enterprises, while Vittal is vice chair and MD of Bharti Airtel, as well as being chair of the GSMA, among other roles.

In a statement, BT revealed the companies also signed a business relationship agreement connected with Bharti Global’s shareholding.

Under the terms of the share deal, Bharti Global is able to nominate two people to BT’s board as long as it or its affiliates own more than a 20 per cent stake.

If it falls to between 10 per cent and 20 per cent, Bharti’s right reduces to one director.

Bharti Global inked a deal to buy a 24.5 per cent stake in BT from Altice in 2024.

BT chair Adam Crozier said the board additions bring “significant experience and global perspectives in the telecoms industry”.

Vittal noted BT has “unique assets” and offers “valuable opportunities for growth”, adding “Airtel and BT have much to learn from and contribute to each other”.

The post Bharti executives Mittal, Vittal join BT board appeared first on Mobile World Live.

EE described ARC as a “groundbreaking technology” which allows mobile sites near to each other to remotely pair up and share capacity to boost network performance.

It claimed the be first operator globally to roll out inter-site 5G downlink carrier aggregation within its distributed RAN, meaning it can combine spare capacity from multiple independent cell sites to increase downlink data performance by 20 per cent on average, and more than doubling performance “under ideal conditions”.

It also pointed to improved performance across video streaming and increased reliability in busy areas.

The offering is already live on EE’s network in major cities including Manchester and Edinburgh, providing faster 5G coverage in busy locations including train stations, high streets and city centres.

Greg McCall, chief networks officer at BT Group said EE customers are the first in the world to benefit from this technology, and it served as a “real game-changer” for the 5G connectivity experience.

Standalone progress
Throughout the next year, EE said it will deploy the technology across more cities, including London, with customers using the latest 5G standalone compatible devices set to experience the “biggest performance gains”.

It plans to rollout 5G standalone capability to a further 17 towns by the end of 2025, with an ambition to make the service available to more than 41 million people by April next year.

McCall added the company was building its 5G standalone network at “unprecedented pace”.

The post EE claims world first with Ericsson tech deployment appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Radianz supplies information exchange networks used by financial professionals and institutions. It was bought by the operator in 2005 from Thomson Reuters for $175 million and had been the subject of media speculation about its future.

Buyer TNS supplies trading infrastructure and market services for the financial industry.

BT noted the deal aligned with its ongoing strategy to “become a UK-focused national champion while exploring options to optimise its international business”.

CEO of BT International Bas Burger added the move is “another key milestone in focusing our international business on what it does best: providing secure multi-cloud connectivity to large organisations globally”.

The deal is expected to close during the first half of 2026.

BT’s announcement it is set to offload the unit comes days after it finalised the sale of its wholesale and enterprise unit in the Republic of Ireland, another part of the ongoing reduction of operations outside of its home market.

The post BT continues refocus with Radianz deal appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The transaction, which received approval from Ireland’s competition authority in April, transfers BT Communications Ireland Limited (BTCIL) to Speed Fibre Group, an Ireland-based fibre infrastructure provider.

Assets acquired comprise BTCIL’s domestic fibre infrastructure, co-location facilities and portfolio of wholesale and enterprise customers.

Speed Fibre Group, which owns network providers Enet and Magnet+, said the move will significantly expand its reach by bringing its fibre footprint to nearly 10,000km and connecting more than 6,000 buildings across 94 towns and cities, including more than 2,500 in Dublin.

It added the deal positions Enet as Ireland’s second-largest wholesale telecoms operator, enabling it to offer enhanced service delivery and increased competition.

Peter McCarthy, CEO of Speed Fibre Group, explained the acquisition restores “badly needed competition” in the country’s telecoms sector, noting the combined platform will deliver “increased choice, better value, expanded reach and service excellence” across the country.  

In its statement on the deal, BT pointed to its continued presence in Ireland moving forward with more than 300 staff supporting multinational and large enterprise customers from regional offices and its Dublin base.

BT will also continue to operate the national Emergency Call Answering Service. More than 100 employees in its Dublin-based global procurement arm, BT Sourced, will also be unaffected by the transaction.

Bas Burger, CEO of BT International, stated the sale supports BT’s strategy to become a “more agile and focused business”, adding it “will continue to invest in this important market for our multinational customers to provide them with secure multi-cloud connectivity”.

The post BT wraps up Ireland unit sale appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The operator said the downloadable P.H.O.N.E. Contract, developed with the EE Youth Council, online safety group Internet Matters and a parent ambassador, will enable parents and children to jointly agree upon rules about screen time, curfews, usage monitoring and reporting inappropriate content.

The initiative also includes the P.H.O.N.E. Chat, an online hub created with Internet Matters that offers advice and resources to help parents start conversations about responsible phone use and adapt rules as children grow.

The launch coincides with EE’s new Safer SIMs plans for users under 18, offering three 30-day plans from £7 per month with varying levels of parental controls and data speeds, as well as scam call protection and data gifting.

EE cited research showing that 93 per cent of adults in the UK argue with their children over smartphone use, with 39 per cent of parents and 31 per cent of young people believing clearer rules would reduce conflict. Screen time was the most common point of contention, with more than half of families clashing on the issue at least once a month.

The BT-owned operator also noted its latest initiative coincides with the back-to-school period in the country, with 3.8 million families expected to discuss smartphone usage over the summer. Of those planning to buy a handset for a child, 43 per cent aim to do so between mid and late August.

Major drawback
Kester Mann, director of consumer and connectivity at CCS Insight, welcomed the operator’s push for online child safety as “each family’s situation is different and the thresholds at which they’re willing to allow technology into their lives can vary drastically”.

However, he cautioned that EE’s controls only work when connected to a mobile network, stating it remains a “major drawback” as children are more likely to spend the majority of their screen time at home. “EE does offer parental controls for broadband too, but it’s clear that only a combination of tools, guidance and advice will bring the most effective results,” he noted.

The post EE targets child safety with smartphone plan appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Cobain has been CFO of VMO2 since its formation from fixed operator Virgin Media and mobile operator O2 UK in 2021. Prior to that, she held the same role at O2 UK.  

BT expects the incoming executive to join its board in mid-2026, though did not provide a specific date for her appointment as CFO.

CEO Allison Kirkby said the incoming finance chief’s “leadership, deep industry experience and knowledge will be invaluable as we continue our once-in-a-generation upgrade of the UK’s digital infrastructure and accelerate BT’s modernisation”.

Results
The upcoming CFO change was announced alongside BT’s fiscal Q1 2026 trading update (the period to end-June), where it reported a revenue drop of 3 per cent year-on-year to £4.9 million. This was attributed to weaker handset sales in its consumer division and continued challenges in international trading.

BT’s pre-tax profit was down 10 per cent to £468 million due to “an increase in net finance costs and depreciation and amortisation”. It does not report net profit in its trading update for the period.

Rounding up its results, Kirkby noted the company had a “solid start to the year, with our full fibre broadband now reaching more than 19 million homes and businesses and our 5G network available to over 87 per cent of the UK population”.  

“We’re seeing strong customer demand for our next-generation broadband and mobile connectivity across all our brands,” she added, noting “we’re delivering on our transformation, as we radically simplify our business while improving customer experience”.

The post BT nabs CFO from UK rival VMO2, reports earnings drop appeared first on Mobile World Live.

As the official technology supplier for the event, held in Portsmouth on 19-20 July, BT will deliver two dedicated network slices to enable connectivity across key operations. Powered by subsidiary EE’s SA 5G infrastructure, the technology aims to ensure stable network performance during high traffic demand.

As part of the initiative, BT partnered with Nokia to deliver end-to-end network slicing across radio mast sites covering Portsmouth Harbour. The operator is also collaborating with Ericsson, SailGP’s global technology partner, to support use cases including real-time boat connectivity for voice, telemetry and onboard video across all 12 racing yachts, as well as point-of-sale transactions and media transmission.

Photographers will be able to use Sony’s connected camera system to upload high-resolution images in real time using BT’s SA 5G network. In addition, broadcast production will utilise Sony’s 5G live tools to transmit high-definition footage to 212 countries.

The event will also introduce a new 360-degree AR and VR experience, offering fans an immersive onboard view supported by low-latency, high-capacity 5G radios co-developed by BT and Ericsson.

BT Business COO Kerry Small stated the deployment demonstrates how SA 5G can “streamline event operations and bring fans closer to the action”.

Indeed, the operator’s latest project builds on previous slicing deployments, including at Belfast’s Christmas market last year. In a statement, the UK operator touted that EE’s SA 5G coverage now reaches more than 30 million people across over 50 UK cities.

The post BT slices 5G for SailGP UK event appeared first on Mobile World Live.

In a report dubbed Driving Growth: The £230bn Opportunity of Improved Mobile Networks, BT argued that improved mobile connectivity, particularly through the nationwide deployment of 5G standalone (SA), could contribute more than £88 billion to economic growth by enabling the wider adoption of advanced technologies such as machine learning and AI.

The report, developed alongside Assembly Research, outlined the wide-reaching economic impact that improved mobile connectivity could have across key UK sectors. In transport, expanding mobile coverage to 80 per cent of the rail network could generate £12 billion in additional productivity by 2035, while achieving full mobile coverage across the road network could unlock £45 billion by enabling autonomous vehicle deployment. In rural regions, investment in advanced 4G and 5G SA infrastructure could inject up to £3 billion into local economies.

In addition to the £88 billion already projected, better 5G SA coverage could drive another £26 billion in economic value through faster adoption of drone technologies. A further £9.5 billion in added value could be unlocked across the media, broadcasting and digital advertising sectors.

BT also pointed to £37 billion in potential gains through modernising the energy grid and £7.9 billion in productivity from reduced business downtime as more reliable mobile networks make backup connectivity options more viable for businesses.

However, Howard Watson, chief security and networks officer at BT argued that with growing demand for network capacity alongside low retail prices, the investment must be matched by policy support. “To deliver the networks the nation needs for the future, we need greater collaboration with the government and regulator, as well as support from local communities and councils,” he stated.

The post BT warns of £230B UK loss without 5G reform appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Trump Mobile goes for gold with 5G service launch

What happened: US President Donald Trump lifted the lid on Trump Mobile, a flashy gold-finish smartphone set to arrive later this year, alongside a 5G service backed by MVNO agreements with major US carriers.

Why it matters: The Android 15 powered smartphone will retail at $499, featuring a fingerprint sensor and AI-based face unlock. The mobile service will be powered by the country’s three major cellular carriers – AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile US. During the announcement, Donald Trump Jr. positioned the offering as an all-American alternative; “We’re building on the movement to put America first,” he said. However, analysts have challenged claims that the smartphone will be entirely US manufactured. Leo Gebbie, principal analyst and director, Americas at CCS Insight, told BBC that the US “simply does not have the high-tech supply chain” required for domestic smartphone assembly at the moment, particularly considering the projected September release. The mobile play adds to a growing portfolio of Trump-branded products which brought in more than $600 million in revenue according to a recent financial disclosure. Meghan Faulkner, communications director of non-profit organisation Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, told the news outlet: “It’s unbelievable that the Trump family has created yet another way for President Trump to personally profit while in office.”

Mavenir inks debt recapitalisation deal

What happened: Mavenir struck a recapitalisation deal with private equity company Siris Capital and its existing lenders to erase more than $1.3 billion in debt, while securing $300 million in fresh funding to improve its balance sheet.

Why it matters: CEO Pardeep Kohli explained the deal enables the company to home in on software and AI-driven telecoms solutions. “With a stronger balance sheet and lower leverage, we can double down on delivering an end-to-end, AI-native telco stack,” Kohli explained, adding that this positions Mavenir for profitable growth across both core and open RAN segments. Additionally, a spokesperson for the company told MWL that Mavenir is already integrating AI capabilities into its mobile core and RAN platforms in collaboration with tech players including Intel, Nvidia, and Microsoft. The latest move comes hot on the heels of a $75 million investment in May and a $100 million fundraising round in 2023 led by Siris. It also follows concerns raised by ratings company S&P Global in late last year about Mavenir’s ability to repay a $133 million long-term loan maturing in January 2025. Chris DePuy, analyst at 650 Group said Mavenir decision to “double down on software makes sense” as it aligns with longer-term trends including a shift in roaming and revenue contribution in the 6G era.

BT CEO hints at more job cuts on AI impact

What happened: BT Group CEO Allison Kirkby flagged the possibility of deeper job reductions than previously forecast as AI reshapes the operator’s overhaul strategy, Financial Times reported.

Why it matters: In an interview, Kirkby revealed that BT’s current cost-cutting roadmap which targets more than 40,000 job cuts and £3 billion in savings by 2030, may fall short of AI’s eventual impact. “Depending on what we learn from AI… there may be an opportunity for BT to be even smaller by the end of the decade,” she stated. The operator’s original strategy, set in motion under former chief Philip Jansen in 2023, aimed to slash up to 55,000 roles. Since taking the reins in 2024, Kirkby has further pushed transformation with a sharper focus on the UK. Her latest remarks arguably spotlight the transformational role of AI in restructuring telecoms from the top down, from operations to the workforce. Although Kirkby’s leadership has remained popular amongst investors as BT shares have seen an upswing since she took the helm, her AI-first approach signals potentially precarious times ahead for employees at one of the UK’s largest telecom operators.

The post The Friday File: Trump Mobile; BT AI risk; Mavenir debt deal appeared first on Mobile World Live.

During a keynote session, BT chief security and networks officer Howard Watson (pictured, left) stated there is currently an “unprecedented” threat level across state and criminal actors.

He added the operator had changed its mentality from traditional security tactics to an outlook of “assume somebody’s in, find ways of detection” and act as quickly as possible, adding there is also a requirement to work across industry to stay ahead of criminals.

Vodafone CTO Scott Petty (pictured, right) added it is “hard to articulate just how skilful the attackers are, how well funded and resourced they are and how quickly they evolve their model”.

Watson pointed to use of information on the network combined with AI to “understand the threats”, crediting this alongside “work with organisations like the National Cyber Security Centre” and other operators for being the only way “we are able to keep slightly ahead of that threat”.

Petty noted Vodafone also used AI to “help us understand and track events”, adding attackers do not “use sophisticated tools, they use the tools that we use” to attempt to gain access.

“We need to evolve at a really fast pace to stay ahead of them because they use access points and exposure points incredibly well against us.”

Attacks
The Vodafone tech chief indicated as well as being part of the defence, AI also has the potential to cause issues of its own, referencing the risk of generative AI “in the area of social engineering of our employees”, noting a criminal’s “ability to look and act like internal organisations is massively enhanced” by the technology.

Petty stated among the things “we can do better as an industry” is talking about threats, voicing frustration with complaints from third parties about the length of time it takes to get through its “security by design” process.

He added the policy was “really deliberate because the people attacking us will find a way in a very short period of time” to use any gap.

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In an interview, Kirkby said the company’s current cost-cutting plan, which could see more than than 40,000 job cuts and result in £3 billion in savings by 2030, may not account for the full impact of AI.

“Depending on what we learn from AI… there may be an opportunity for BT to be even smaller by the end of the decade,” she explained.

The operator originally announced a plan in 2023 to cut up to 55,000 jobs under former chief Philip Jansen. Since taking the helm in 2024, Kirkby has pushed the strategy and led a renewed focus on the UK, offloading its Italian unit and wholesale and enterprise business in the Republic of Ireland.

Last month, BT carved out its global operations into a separate unit to bolster its non-UK enterprise business, with sources telling the FT that the company is open to offers for the entire division.

Kirkby’s efforts have been well received; BT’s stock climbed 65 per cent since she assumed leadership, boosted by support from key investors including Bharti Airtel-owner Sunil Mittal, who holds a 24.5 per cent stake.

Openreach
In the interview, Kirkby also teased a possible spin-off of Openreach, BT’s infrastructure arm once its full fibre build is complete. BT expects Openreach to reach 25 million homes by 2026, slowing to 1 million per year after that, with a target of reaching 30 million by 2030. However, the chief stated she would rather see the network’s value recognised in BT’s share price than separate it from the company.

To this end, the CEO plans to use market disruption from the recent VodafoneThree merger to strengthen BT’s retail brands, EE and Plusnet. She also outlined plans to explore partnerships with alternative networks in areas where Openreach rollout is not commercially viable.

Speaking on the wider UK business climate, Kirkby warned rising employer national insurance payments could cost the company more than £100 million, adding that “the last thing we all need is to be further taxed.”

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In a statement outlining his intent for the organisation, which formally launched today (2 June), former BT Business boss Burger predicted there would be a shift away from fragmented international enterprise networks towards modern platforms and fewer providers.

“We believe international networks will gravitate towards fewer, larger, telco platforms able to manage the demand generated by increased cloud and AI services,” he said, declaring the industry had reached a “pivotal moment”.

The executive added there was “an opportunity to move away from fragmented legacy international networks to a platform designed with the reality of AI, cyber and cloud at its core”.

Discussing its own offering to multinationals, Burger explained its platforms were designed to “reflect the trends we see in customer traffic crossing our networks” including data flows to and between cloud providers and the emergence of hybrid cloud.

Its challenge in the segment centres on products promoted as scalable and suitable for the era of multi-cloud and AI: Global Voice and Global Fabric.

The former combines Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) voice and a cloud focus meaning it was “perfectly poised to unlock the full potential of integrating voice with AI”, the executive said.

Global Fabric is a network-as-a-service platform which provides the means of choosing secure connectivity methods including cloud destinations “data goes to and the route it takes along the way”.

This quality, Burger stated, aided navigation of an “increasingly complex international regulatory environment.”

The formation of BT International comes during a focus by BT Group CEO Allison Kirkby to focus squarely on the UK market and follows intense media speculation on the future of its remaining assets elsewhere.

On announcing the switch of its Business CEO earlier this year BT described Burger’s change in role as allowing him to “devote all of his time to the optimisation of BT’s international operations and explore options for the unit”.   

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In its annual results statement, CEO Allison Kirkby (pictured) pointed to strong progress across its priority areas, advancing rollout of the latest generation of fixed and mobile infrastructure while pushing on with a business simplification drive.

On the latter, the executive said the pace accelerated, highlighting “asset sales” and “improving customer satisfaction across all of our brands and business segments”.

Within the savings, BT cut energy use in its networks by 4 per cent year-on-year, “labour resource” fell by 3 per cent to 116,000 and it reduced repair volumes at wholesale operation Openreach by 10 per cent.

It booked a 2 per cent drop in revenue to £20.4 billion, attributed to “continued challenging trading conditions” in non-UK operations and weaker handset sales in its domestic Consumer business.

Net profit was up 23 per cent to £1.1 billion, though its bottom-line figure in fiscal 2024 included a £488 million impairment in its Business unit.

Looking ahead, Kirkby said “with the leadership team now in place to take our strategy forward, I am confident that as we build and connect at pace, our transformation will accelerate and deliver a better BT”.

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When the deal creating the 50-50 JV which eventually became TNT Sports was signed in 2022, a clause was added giving Warner Bros. Discovery the option of buying BT out at specified points within the first four years of the partnership.

Once this option expires, BT is free to cash in its half through a sale to another party or an IPO, the US company’s statement released when the agreement was struck stipulates.

FT speculated the advanced state of the talks on BT’s exit could lead to an announcement later this week when the operator releases its annual results.

A sale would call time on BT’s sports broadcasting play, which kicked-off with the launch of BT Sport in 2013 and involved the company spending billions on broadcasting rights to high profile competitions.

It formed part of the operator’s multi-play strategy alongside communications services pursued under previous bosses. Customers were offered various special bundled deals over the years which included access to the channels.

After regular media speculation on a potential sale of BT Sport in the wake of the Covid-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, the operator announced it was joining forces with its current partner to combine rights and assets from the business with Warner Bros. Discovery’s Eurosport UK.

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The deal with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) runs for up to five years and is described by the operator as a multi-million-pound contract.

It covers connectivity for a range of devices, including water sensors and payment machines as well as those used by workers from the agency and affiliated organisations.

In terms of IoT, the operator indicated the deployment would support reliable reporting of potentially dangerous developments like poor water quality, extreme weather, food issues and disease related to crops and livestock.

BT added the move would increase safety for field workers in remote parts of England, Scotland and Wales, including those operating alone.

BT director of central government Andy Rowe highlighted the agency’s staff “perform critical work across the UK and it’s vital they are provided with reliable network coverage, especially in times of crisis.”

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The €22 million deal was announced in February and is being made through its Speed Fibre Group subsidiary.

While approval from the Republic of Ireland’s Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has been secured, Cordiant noted in an investor statement some closing conditions remain.

These include clearance under the Republic of Ireland’s foreign direct investment legislation as well as the transfer of retained businesses from BT Communications Ireland (BTCIL) back to BT.

After these conditions are met, the transaction is expected to close later this year.

The acquisition will see buyer Speed Fibre Group take control of BTCIL, including local network infrastructure, customer base and supporting teams.

As part of the deal, BT and Speed Fibre Group arranged a long-term supply agreement.

In its initial announcement, the UK-based operator explained it plans to maintain a strong foothold in the Republic of Ireland, continuing to offer connectivity, cloud, and security solutions to its multinational and large enterprise clients.

The move is part of BT’s ongoing efforts to reduce its global footprint and focus on its core UK market.

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In an interview with Mobile World Live, the executive, who took over at the operator in early 2024, said BT had a “fabulous opportunity” to be at the heart of authorities’ attempts to spur the UK economy using digital technologies and AI.      

However, despite progress in its new network rollouts, she noted the company had “a lot of modernisation to do” given its “180 years of legacy that needs to be radically modernised so we can be even better for our customers”.

The company’s plan under Kirkby includes a sharp focus on the UK market and “building the safest, most secure networks,” she added, noting the aim to enable “individuals, households and enterprises” to “thrive off of the back of these new digital networks”.

“Then it’s about accelerating BT towards a brighter future and being a much more modern digitally enabled telco,” the executive added.

Pointing to an ongoing upgrade of its fixed network, she asserted the company is “the fastest, most efficient fibre builder in Europe at the moment”.

Building on that, she noted it aimed to accelerate customer migration and use its modern networks to “cross-sell and offer up a broader range of digital and cloud-based services that perhaps we’ve not been doing a good enough job over in the past”.

To view the full interview, which includes a glimpse into the operator’s AI position and strategy, click here.

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UK newspaper The Telegraph asserted the company would retain both identities for the consumer market, going back on previous plans to “ditch” it. Discount brand Plusnet will continue to lead its play in the lower cost segment.

BT announced plans to prioritise EE for the consumer segment in 2022 under BT’s former CEO Philip Jansen.

Unveiling that move the operator’s consumer CEO Marc Allera, who heads for the exit at the end of March 2025, positioned the strategy as an evolution of its approach at the time where “both take centre stage”.

He added the rationale was having both in a “crowded consumer market” meant it had “two of everything, and that makes life harder for our customers and our people”.

The company always planned to retain the BT brand for some elements of its business.

In its 2023 annual report, covering the year to end-March 2023, it explained BT would be its “business brand in the UK and around the world,” with EE and Plusnet covering the consumer market.

During the event when the strategy was announced Allera indicated the BT name would also be maintained for some landline and standalone broadband users.

BT’s apparent reversal of policy for its consumer branding strategy comes during a drive by Kirkby to modernise the business and switch its focus squarely on the UK market. Measures so far include a series of cuts and unit divestments.

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