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Telecommunications

This Month

Apple chief executive Tim Cook greets developers at WWDC on Tuesday.

Apple execs held internal talks about buying AI start-up Perplexity

Following an underwhelming AI offering at their Worldwide Developer’s Conference, Apple is making moves to strengthen their AI capabilities.

Campana builds and owns network communication infrastructure, including its flagship SIGMAR subsea cable that stretches more than 2000 kilometres, connecting Singapore and Myanmar

ASX listing candidate Campana puts itself back on the agenda

While it is still early days, listing adviser CLSA Australia did a check-in with potential backers last month.

A SpaceX rocket carrying 23 Starlink satellites pictured in Florida last year.

Telstra beats Optus, TPG in launching satellite text messaging

The telecommunications group says its customers can now send texts in areas that have no mobile reception.

May

Telstra goes all in on five-year plan to ride AI infrastructure wave

The telco’s CEO Vicki Brady says an “unrelenting” demand for data would help fuel growth, and investment was needed to keep up with rivals.

Vicki Brady is trying to solve the telco sector’s biggest problem.

How Telstra will make Australia pay up for the AI boom

Vicki Brady’s new five-year plan at Telstra is designed to try to solve the problem that’s been plaguing the telco sector for more than two decades.

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Optus CEO Stephen Rue says he will invest in artificial intelligence but will not follow Telstra’s lead and form a big joint venture

Optus CEO focused on costs as profit rebounds

Optus boss Stephen Rue says the telco’s sports streaming platform remains important to customers, amid speculation it could be up for sale.

Telstra chief executive Vicki Brady will outline the company’s strategy to improve returns at investor day in Sydney on May 27.

Telstra CEO Brady to face investor grilling on plan to boost returns

Big shareholders get to interrogate the company’s top brass next week and will be looking for detail on how they will make the core businesses more profitable.

Telstra CEO Vicki Brady is cracking the whip, and has assembled a team of external corporate advisers to help reset the enterprise business.

Private equity, trade buyers line up for Telstra IT Services

Macquarie Capital’s technology, media and telecommunications bankers had been retained to find a buyer for Telstra’s IT services unit.

Telstra wants boots on the ground in Silicon Valley so it can absorb the region’s AI research and development

Telstra opens Silicon Valley hub in race to build AI

The telco is putting boots on the ground in Silicon Valley to speed up its adoption of artificial intelligence and embrace the region’s can-do attitude.

Linfox is one of MTData’s foundational and largest customers, using its system for real-time vehicle tracking and live fatigue management.

Telstra seeks buyer for MTData subsidiary; hires corporate adviser

The IM talked up the opportunity present in the global fleet telematics market, which is projected to grow at 9 per cent compounded over the next eight years to $US170 billion.

Microsoft Australia boss Steven Worrall will join Telstra in September to run InfraCo

Telstra swoops on Microsoft boss to steer AI push

Steven Worrall will join the telco group in September and run its infrastructure arm, including data centres, as Telstra invests heavily in AI.

Telstra’s group executive of product and technology, Kim Kreogh Andersen in New York, says the telco group wants to be an “AI leader.”

‘It’s like a marriage’: Inside Telstra and Accenture’s AI reinvention

The telco’s $700 million partnership with the consulting group to develop artificial intelligence is no ordinary joint venture.

Peter Dutton looking classy in defeat, according to Telstra’s marketing boss.

Telstra marketing boss deletes anti-Dutton loathing

The marketer apparently forgot LinkedIn is a safe space only for humble brags.

Spark NZ boss Jolie Hodson is widely expected to use the sale proceeds to pay down debt.

Project Bumblebee: Spark NZ talks up big growth amid data centre sale

The dual-listed company is the biggest NZ telco and has told shareholders it would seek to sell a slice of its data centres, ahead of a $1 billion-plus development bill.

Students are getting free trials of AI services like ChatGPT and using it heavily.

ChatGPT: Gen Z’s lifestyle subsidy, or its biggest rival?

Uni students are getting free trials of AI services and using them heavily, but then discover AI is taking away their opportunities once they have graduated.

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April

GigaComm CEO Sophearom En started the company when he became frustrated by the slow internet speeds in suburban Melbourne.

Ultra-fast internet provider GigaComm seeks $150m-plus; Rothschild on ticket

The six-year-old NBN challenger is seeking a deep-pocketed backer to help it build a broadband internet offering for apartment residents.

Aussie Broadband will create its own mobile phone plans rather than simply resell Optus plans.

Aussie Broadband launches ‘aggressive’ push into mobile services

The challenger telco will use cheap plans to lure Telstra customers as it plots its most ambitious move into the $20 billion mobile market.

March

New Optus boss Stephen Rue.

Optus considers bundling sports streaming with mobile plans

The Singaporean-owned group has been weighing up whether to sell off its streaming business, which holds the broadcast rights to English Premier League matches.

New chief Stephen Rue says making sure the Optus network is resilient and secure will be a priority.

Optus has had some horror years, but its new CEO is taking on Telstra

From overhauling the books at Melbourne Storm to war gaming the impact of COVID-19 on the NBN, Stephen Rue is a solutions guy. Optus is his next big challenge.

February

TPG Telecom CEO Iñaki Berroeta

TPG Telecom says regional push is growing customer numbers

The country’s third-largest telco, which owns Vodafone and iiNet, is sharing a network with Optus, and hopes this will increase its mobile market share.

Optus executive Maurice McCarthy, who was in charge of customer success, is leaving the telco group in June.

Optus customer executive the first to leave under new CEO Stephen Rue

Maurice McCarthy’s resignation marks the first big executive departure under new boss Stephen Rue as he tries to restore the embattled telco group’s reputation.

SpaceX’s mega rocket Starship launches for a test flight from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas.

Labor says it will back high-tech bush mobile phone satellite network

The proposed law would oblige and support companies like Telstra, Optus and TPG Telecom to extend coverage across the country even where there are no towers.

Aussie Broadband’s outgoing chief executive Phillip Britt.

Aussie Broadband fights for share in ‘hot’ market

The company’s AI-powered budget brand Buddy Telco is not gaining as many new customers as expected because competitors have been cutting prices.

Superloop boss Paul Tyler is confident the so-called “challenger” brand will keep winning new internet broadband customers

Superloop net loss halves as challenger brands take market share

CEO Paul Tyler says customers are ditching the big three telcos after Superloop’s loss dropped to $7.8 million.

Telstra CEO Vicki Brady

‘Cement and extend’ dominance: Telstra spends $800m on mobile network

Shares rose after the telecoms giant said it will return $750 million to investors and posted a higher profit for the first half of the financial year.

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/companies/telecommunications