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Intel and telcos left in virtual RAN limbo by rise of AI RAN
A multitude of general-purpose and specialist silicon options now confronts the world's 5G community, while Intel's future in telecom remains uncertain.
Also in today's EMEA regional roundup: BT's rivals get onto Ofcom; Netflix sued in France; T-Systems orchestrates data from the cloud.
Also in today's EMEA regional roundup: BT's rivals get onto Ofcom; Netflix sued in France; T-Systems orchestrates data from the cloud.
BT Group plc (NYSE: BT; London: BTA) has confirmed that it is in preliminary talks about a possible acquisition of Telefónica UK Ltd. (O2), Telefónica's UK subsidiary, reports Bloomberg. BT also admitted it was talking to another, unnamed operator about a similar deal and the Financial Times has been told that this operator was EE , the Orange (NYSE: FTE)/T-Mobile (UK) joint venture. If BT did buy O2, it would be reversing a 2001 demerger, when it spun off its mobile business, then known as BT Cellnet, in what has become labelled as one of the biggest strategic mistakes in corporate history. BT intends to return to the mobile fray in 2015, as it sees its future as a quad-play provider in an increasingly converged market. (See Euronews: BT's Back in Wireless and BT Embraces Small Cells for Mobile Push.)
Elsewhere on the BT front, the UK Competitive Telecommunications Association (UKCTA) has called on regulator Ofcom to open up BT's passive infrastructure to all providers so that enterprise users get a better broadband service. UKCTA members include Vodafone Group plc (NYSE: VOD), Sky , Virgin Media Inc. (Nasdaq: VMED) and TalkTalk .
OTT streaming giant Netflix Inc. (Nasdaq: NFLX) is being sued in France for not complying with French consumer law, reports Broadband TV News. The CLVC says its case rests on what it describes as "malicious and illegal clauses" contained in Netflix contracts. (See Eurobites: Could Netflix Crash Europe's Networks?)
T-Systems International GmbH , Deutsche Telekom AG (NYSE: DT)'s enterprise IT subsidiary, has joined forces with Informatica Corp. (Nasdaq: INFA) to offer cloud-based data orchestration in Germany. The service, says the company, enables customers to integrate data and applications from all sources, including those in public or private clouds or in "on-premise environments". Sadly though, this means another addition to the out-of-control lexicon of cloud-based buzz-phrases: Readers, say hello to DOaaS (data orchestration-as-a service).
— Paul Rainford, Assistant Editor, Europe, Light Reading
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