As it prepares to invest an extra £7 billion ($11.11 billion) in its fixed and mobile broadband networks and support systems in the coming few years, mobile networks giant Vodafone is revamping its top group technology team and is preparing to make an announcement in the coming weeks, Light Reading understands.

Group CTO Steve Pusey looks likely to retain his position, but the team that works with and reports to him is set for a shake-up. It's believed that current Group Networks Director Andy MacLeod will be taking up a new role within the Vodafone Group plc as head of technology for the Africa, Middle East, and Asia (AME) region, while his counterpart in Europe will be Alberto Ripepi, current CTO at Vodafone Italy .

Vodafone says it doesn't comment on staff "below the Board and Executive Committee levels."

The move comes as Vodafone puts its "Project Spring" capex plan, which includes investments in fixed broadband, enterprise services support, and customer experience management (CEM) systems as well as 3G and 4G mobile broadband technology, into action. (See Vodafone Ups 'Project Spring' Capex to $11B+.)

As part of its push to provide better quality mobile broadband services over more efficient 3G and 4G networks and prepare itself for the introduction of services such as VoLTE, MacLeod noted at a recent Huawei conference in London that Vodafone will be investing in a number of specialized and emerging technologies such as video optimization and distributed content management systems, advanced microwave backhaul technology, small cells, LTE-Advanced, and SON (self-organizing networks) systems that will become particularly important as large numbers of small cells are deployed.

— Ray Le Maistre, Editor-in-Chief, Light Reading