Telefonica reached a deal to buy back rural backhaul provider LineoX after selling the business to investment group Asterion Industrial Partners more than six years ago.

Telefonica stated LineoX operates one of Spain’s leading rural microwave link networks, providing critical backhauling infrastructure for mobile connectivity, particularly in rural and less densely populated areas.

Asterion acquired the “underlying portfolio” of microwave radio links from Telefonica in 2020 through a carve out transaction and has operated the business as an independent infrastructure platform.

It has also been integrated within a broader wholesale telecoms group alongside Axion, spanning radio links, towers, broadcasting and fibre transport.

Telefonica, which did not reveal the value of the transaction, stated it has remained a partner and anchor client of LineoX since the sale, reflecting a commitment to network performance, service continuity and reliability.

Borja Ochoa, CEO of Telefonica Spain added the deal to acquire the unit is fully aligned with its strategy.

“Our focus is to rigorously strengthen control over the capabilities that are critical to our network, our resilience and our long-term leadership, so that we can provide more and better services to our customer.”

He added LineoX is a highly relevant platform for rural connectivity in Spain, and its integration will reinforce its ability to continue investing in the evolution of its infrastructure.

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Telstra teamed up with Google to bolster digital infrastructure across Australia and Asia-Pacific, using a combination of fibre and subsea network integration to tap into growing demands for AI technology.

The partnership will see Google work with Telstra on its fibre backbone Aura network, securing inter-city dark fibre capacity, and target new opportunities “along some of Australia’s key connectivity corridors”. The increase in capacity is intended to give more Australian businesses and households the opportunity to connect faster and more securely to the rest of the world.

The Aura network is described by Telstra as the “backbone of Australia’s digital future”, run by its InfraCo division, providing ultrafast connectivity between cities and remote regions. The operator has already laid 8,000km of the network, which will increase to 14,000km when complete.

Connectivity hub
On the subsea side, Telstra will join Google’s Pacific Connect and Australia Connect initiatives to use subsea fibre pairs on the Tabua, Proa and Bulikula subsea systems, which provide the country with links to Japan, the Pacific Islands and the US, reinforcing the nation’s potential as a connectivity hub.

Through the integration of terrestrial and subsea, the duo touted benefits to security and resilience, as they can remove single points of network failure.

Telstra said it partnered with Google to further advance the technology giant’s AI capabilities in Australia, while enabling the operator to deliver “diverse and secure subsea pathways” to ensure networks are equipped to handle the growing demands of AI applications and workloads.

Telstra added underlying infrastructure must evolve to securely and reliably support data flows not only within Australia but across key international corridors.

Steve Worrall, CEO of Telstra Digital Infrastructure said “the partnership is about enhancing our national capability and ensuring that Australia remains seamlessly connected to the global economy”. 

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Liberty Global appointed Stephen van Rooyen (pictured) to take charge of its newly formed telecoms company Ziggo Group, which will combine VodafoneZiggo in the Netherlands with Telenet in Belgium.

Liberty Global stated van Rooyen, who is the current CEO of VodafoneZiggo, will take control of the joint entity on 1 September, ahead of planned listing of the company in Amsterdam in 2027.

The executive was credited by Liberty Global for leading “a turnaround at VodafoneZiggo over the past 18 months”, leaning on extensive European telecoms and media leadership experience.

He previously spent more than 17 years at Sky, serving as CEO of Sky UK & Ireland and CCO of Sky Group.

As part of preparations for the new entity, Liberty Global also named Jany Fruytier from its Swiss operator Sunrise as CFO. Fruytier has held the equivalent position at Sunrise since 2020, playing a key role in the growth and listing of listing of the business.

Liberty Global struck a deal to buy the 50% stake in VodafoneZiggo it did not own from Vodafone Group earlier this year.

It then declared it would set up Ziggo Group, which would own 100% of VodafoneZiggo and Telenet. As part of the buyout transaction, Vodafone took a 10% stake in Ziggo Group.

The joint entity will have 13 million customers, generating €6.6 billion in revenue.

Expertise and experience
Alongside his responsibilities at Ziggo Group, van Rooyen will retain his role at VodafoneZiggo.

Mike Fries, Liberty Global chairman and CEO said van Rooyen’s experience and Fruytier’s expertise gives it the right platform to deliver on the planned listing.

“Together, they will lead two highly complementary businesses, and we see significant opportunities in what these two strong brands can achieve together,” he said.

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Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa (pictured) believes Africa is no longer playing catch-up in global technologies, telling attendees of a key business conference in Kenya the continent is now holding its own in developing fresh business models and tapping emerging digitalisation trends.

In a string of posts on a popular micro-blogging site, the operator reported Ndegwa told the Academy of International Business (AIB) Conference nations are increasingly looking to Africa for fresh approaches to delivering growth and innovation.

Africa is now “co-creating new models” and its views are ever-more sought after, Ndegwa said.

The Safaricom boss noted Africa was not immune to global challenges, but argued “turbulence can also drive transformation”.

He pointed to the Covid-19 (coronavirus) pandemic as an example, explaining the operator group “had to navigate regulatory changes, currency pressure”, greater competition and cybersecurity challenges.

The challenges fuelled a shift from “telco to techco” as Safaricom recognised “adaptability is now a competitive advantage”.

He noted global uncertainties continue today due to “geopolitical tension, economic volatility” and various disruptive technology developments including AI, meaning the ability to swiftly adjust is still essential.

Ndegwa said the m-Pesa mobile money platform “remains the clearest example of African innovation” being used to address a local problem by looking to the bigger picture of what the system is for rather than focusing solely on technology.

He argued the platform shows what can be achieved in driving digital transformation when initiatives are backed by the right regulations and laws, along with “strong public-private collaborations”.

The three-day AIB event concluded today (29 May).

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Telefonica highlighted the concrete benefits of operator sustainability efforts by cutting costs through reduced network energy consumption.

The operator noted use in 2025 was 12% lower than in 2015 and was achieved in the face of a 1,200% rise in data traffic over the period.

Telefonica credited a focus on improving network efficiency through more advanced energy management techniques, which it stated resulted in consumption of 29MWh per petabyte of traffic by 2025, 92% lower than in 2015.

It officially focused more on the service implications of the sustainability drive than the financial savings made, preferring to talk-up how a “technological evolution” of its infrastructure and data management techniques are contributing to lower energy consumption.

But it noted the energy optimisation moves are increasingly important in offsetting “risks associated with rising energy prices”.

Maya Ormazabal, global director of sustainability, said Telefonica is “able to move huge volumes of data using only a fraction of the electricity we needed a decade ago”.

The executive reasoned the change shows how “digitalisation and sustainability can go hand-in-hand”.

Telefonica positioned itself as a European frontrunner in terms of sustainability efforts.

It hailed a 49% drop in total carbon emissions between 2015 and 2025, a figure spanning its whole value chain.

Scope 1 and Scope 2 operational emissions are down 91%, with Scope 3 lowered by 34% since 2016.

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Telenor detailed a structural shift, prioritising access to its customers and territories with a set-up focused on individual countries rather than its previous regional approach as it seeks a solid base for long-term growth.

The operator stated changes are in the works as part of goals detailed during a capital markets day in November 2025, where it outlined ambitions around pursuing top-line growth, better efficiency and general improvement of its operations.

It expects the fresh approach to cut administrative outlay and spur EBITDA growth, free cashflow and return on capital.

Telenor described the fresh structure as “simplified and sharpened”.

The CEOs of its current Nordics businesses are to join group management and the division removed, a strategy Telenor expects to bring “customer, market and financial perspectives” closer to home in its overall decision making.

It lined up changes to its group management team, all of which are to come into effect on 18 August.

Jon Omund Revhaug is named chief technology and transformation officer and Inger Gloersen Folkeson chief corporate development officer.

Group CEO Benedicte Schilbred Fasmer; CFO Torbjorn Wist; Norway CEO Birgitte Engebretsen; Sweden CEO Jonas Eden; Denmark CEO Lars Thomsen; and DNA CEO Jussi Tolvanen are all to remain in their current roles.

Elisabeth Melander Stene is taking on the role of acting chief people and organisation officer; Thomas Midteide chief corporate affairs officer; and Siri Birgitte Bang Berge a CEO advisory position.

Telenor Asia is to remain a distinct unit alongside its country-oriented operations, with recruitment of a division head underway.

Since the capital markets day there have been various moves for its IoT unit culminating in a recent deal to tweak ownership.

Telenor is also looking to establish a sovereign cloud operation in Norway.

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