Today's Telecom Pulse
Broadband markets in Australia, NZ, and Canada set for 2026 fiber and gigabit expansion
Australia’s broadband sector is projected to undergo major upgrades by 2026, with ISPs expanding fiber networks, gigabit speeds, and NBN enhancements. Parallel analyses highlight similar fiber and 5G‑driven competition in New Zealand and Canada, reshaping consumer internet experiences across the region.
How Heavy Traffic Could Hinder the Autonomous Cars of Tomorrow
Researchers at the University of Glasgow and Heriot‑Watt used a digital‑twin of a 160‑metre urban road to examine how traffic density affects 5G connectivity for connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs). The simulation showed that heavy congestion can degrade the primary 5G link by roughly 20%, potentially forcing cars to fall back on slower 4G networks. Raising roadside unit antennas to about 11 metres eliminated most blockages, while overly high placement weakened the signal. The findings give network planners concrete parameters for robust V2X communication.
Truecaller Pivots with South Africa Travel eSim Launch
Truecaller, the Stockholm‑listed caller ID and spam‑blocking app, has introduced a travel eSim service in South Africa, marking the first phase of a 29‑country rollout. The offering lets travelers purchase data bundles ranging from 1 GB for seven days up to...
NEC XON Strengthens Africa Wireless Portfolio
NEC XON has entered a strategic distribution partnership with Mimosa Networks to deliver carrier‑grade fixed wireless access and backhaul across Africa. The alliance gives NEC XON exclusive rights to sell Mimosa’s high‑performance, unlicensed‑spectrum solutions to operators, enterprises and service providers....
BSNL Stabilises Indigenous 4G Network, Technology Brings India to 4th Rank Worldwide: Pemmasani
India’s state‑run BSNL has stabilized its indigenous 4G network, positioning the country as the fourth globally to develop telecom radio equipment in‑house. A consortium led by TCS, Tejas Networks and C‑DoT rolled out 100,000 sites, boosting network uptime above 95%....
Jio, OPPO Partner to Deliver 5G Advanced with Find X9s, Find X9 Ultra
Reliance Jio and OPPO have teamed up to roll out 5G Advanced (5GA) on the newly launched Find X9s and Find X9 Ultra smartphones in India. Jio’s nationwide 5G SA (standalone) network powers the service, allowing devices that display a “5GA” badge...
Airtel Priority 5G Slicing Under Government Review
Bharti Airtel has launched a Priority Postpaid 5G slicing service that promises a premium experience for postpaid customers, prompting a government review over potential net‑neutrality breaches. The Indian telecom ministry and regulator are examining whether the slicing could degrade service...
Telekom Malaysia Q1 2026 Capex Falls to RM212 Mn as Fibre Expansion and 5G Backhaul Investments Continue
Telekom Malaysia reported Q1 2026 capital expenditure of RM212 million (≈ $46.5 million), or 7.2% of its RM2.93 billion revenue, marking a 66.5% quarter‑over‑quarter and 24.3% year‑over‑year decline. The cut reflects the transition of data‑centre projects to commercial operation, but the firm kept its full‑year...
Oman Airports Achieves Global First with Airport-Wide Wi-Fi 7 Deployment in Partnership with Huawei
Oman Airports, in partnership with Huawei, has become the world’s first airport operator to roll out a full‑scale Wi‑Fi 7 network across its four facilities – Muscat, Salalah, Duqm and Sohar. The deployment blankets more than 1 million square metres and offers peak...
Congress Presses AT&T, Verizon and T‑Mobile to Cut Surge in Scam Calls and Texts
The Joint Economic Committee sent a formal request to AT&T, Verizon and T‑Mobile demanding detailed data on how they detect, block and disrupt scam communications. Lawmakers cite over 45 billion scam calls and 55 billion spam texts blocked in 2024, warning that...
Australian Regulator Sets AU$7.32 Bn Spectrum Renewal Fee, Telcos Warn of Price Hikes
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) announced a AU$7.32 bn (US$5.22 bn) fee to renew spectrum licences for Telstra, Optus, TPG Telecom and NBN Co. Industry leaders say the cost will force higher mobile‑plan prices and could curb future network investment.
FCC Proposes Overhaul of Rural Broadband Fund, Maps and Robocall Rules
The Federal Communications Commission unanimously adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to revamp the Universal Service high‑cost fund, streamline the National Broadband Map, and tighten robocall defenses. Chair Brendan Carr and Commissioner Anna Gomez highlighted the need to align funding...
Rural Broadband Institute Launches for Disadvantaged Communities
Communities Unlimited (CU) announced the launch of the Rural Broadband Institute (RBI), a new center dedicated to closing the connectivity gap in rural America. RBI will provide memberships for broadband advocates and deliver technical assistance, training, research, and policy support...
AT&T Sues California, Pledges $19 B to Retire Copper Lines and Expand Fiber/5G
AT&T has filed a federal lawsuit in California and a petition with the FCC to shut down up to 60% of its copper wire centers, while simultaneously announcing a $19 billion investment to accelerate fiber‑optic and 5G deployment statewide. The move...
Chinese State‑Sponsored Hackers Deploy Showboat and JMFBackdoor Malware Against Telecom Operators
China‑aligned Calypso (also known as Red Lamassu) has been actively compromising telecommunications providers with two new implants—Showboat for Linux and JMFBackdoor for Windows—since mid‑2022. The campaign, uncovered by Lumen’s Black Lotus Labs and PwC Threat Intelligence, leverages modular persistence, SOCKS5 proxying,...
Join pSemi at IMS2026
pSemi will exhibit its newest RF innovations at the International Microwave Symposium 2026, booth #17090. The showcase covers a broad portfolio, including mobility, cable broadband, high‑power and broadband switches, wireless infrastructure, LMR, satcom, and test‑and‑measurement solutions. Attendees can meet pSemi...
California Assembly Passes Amendment to Strip Telecom From CPUC’s Oversight
The California Assembly approved Assembly Constitutional Amendment 9, a 67‑1 vote, to strip telecommunications from the California Public Utilities Commission’s (CPUC) constitutional authority. The amendment would expand the CPUC to nine members, shift telecom and broadband oversight to a new...
Ericsson Goes Large on India 5G Training
Ericsson has launched the Ericsson ITI Labs Project in partnership with India’s Telecom Sector Skill Council, aiming to train 10,000 students on 5G and fiber infrastructure. The initiative will roll out 100 ITI facilities, each delivering a 60‑hour, hands‑on curriculum...
Network‑Native AI Powers Real‑Time Multilingual Conversations
A strong example of network-native AI in action: @TMobile’s Live Translation beta enables context-aware and real-time conversations across 80+ languages directly through our network. https://t.co/jzkzom6WmS https://t.co/SCW2b3N4iU
UK Altnet Community Fibre to Launch eSIM Services
Community Fibre, a UK alternative network provider, will launch an unlimited mobile eSIM next month, priced at £15 ($20) per month for its broadband customers and £17 ($23) for non‑broadband users. The service is built with Gamma Communications and app...
TELUS to Invest $8 Bn in Quebec as Part of $66 Bn Canada-Wide Network and AI Expansion
TELUS announced a CAD $8 billion (~US $5.9 billion) five‑year investment in Quebec, part of a broader CAD $66 billion (~US $48.8 billion) network and AI rollout across Canada by 2030. The plan adds over 60 new cell towers, upgrades 300 sites, expands PureFibre, and boosts its Sovereign...
Nigeria Reviews 26-Year Telecom Policy as Networks Face Mounting Pressure
Nigeria’s regulator, the NCC, has launched a review of its 26‑year‑old telecommunications policy, proposing 15 reforms that target mobile tariffs, competition, 5G spectrum efficiency, and consumer protection. The overhaul seeks to curb rising data costs, frequent fibre‑optic cuts – over...
Truecaller Launches eSIM Data Plans in 29 Countries, Targeting Travelers with up to 20 GB
Truecaller has entered the mobile connectivity market, debuting eSIM data plans for travelers in 29 countries with packages ranging from 1 GB for 7 days to 20 GB for 30 days. The move aims to diversify revenue after a 27% drop in...
Nokia Wants to Invent the Future of AI Networking Tech
Nokia has opened an AI Networking Innovation Lab in Sunnyvale to speed development of networking solutions for AI training and inference. The lab brings together partners such as AMD, Lenovo, Supermicro, Keysight and Weka to co‑create new protocols, silicon and...
Vodafone Idea Expands 5G Footprint in West Bengal, Eyes Rollout Across 10 Cities by June
Vodafone Idea (Vi) has accelerated its 5G rollout in West Bengal, adding live service to Malda, Haldia and Berhampur and announcing plans to launch in ten additional cities—including Durgapur, Asansol and the tourism hubs of Darjeeling and Gangtok—by June 2026....
Does Our Spectrum System Need to Be Revamped?
Thomas Hazlett, former FCC chief economist, argues that the United States’ century‑old spectrum allocation system is outpaced by today’s wireless economy. He highlights the FCC’s lingering command‑and‑control approach, which creates costly delays and political bargaining over airwave rights. Hazlett champions...
KDDI Targets AI Infrastructure and 6G Readiness in New 3-Year Plan
KDDI unveiled its Power‑to‑Connect 2028 three‑year plan, allocating ¥1.2 trillion (about $8.8 billion) to build a nationwide low‑latency "digital belt" of AI data‑centers, subsea cable landings and satellite ground stations. The strategy embeds AI across services, operations and network automation, targeting a 5%...
BT Group Results for Year to End of 31st March 2026
BT Group posted FY26 revenue of £19.7 bn (≈$25 bn), down 3%, while profit after tax rose 2% to £1.08 bn (≈$1.37 bn). The company added 2.2 million full‑fibre connections, pushing Openreach’s footprint to over two‑thirds of UK premises and targeting 25 million by December 2026....
Dual-Stack SR-MPLS
The blog demonstrates a dual‑stack Segment Routing MPLS (SR‑MPLS) lab where node segment identifiers (SIDs) are assigned to both IPv4 and IPv6 loopback prefixes. Using the netlab tool, the three‑router topology configures IPv4 /32 and IPv6 /128 loopbacks, enabling IS‑IS...
Truecaller Gets Into the eSIM Business to Diversify Its Revenue Streams
Caller ID app Truecaller has entered the eSIM market, offering travel data packs from 1 GB for a week up to 20 GB for a month. The service launches in 29 countries, partnering with Telna and Telness Tech, but notably excludes India...
Open Fibre Data Standard and the Visibility Gap in Network Resilience
The Open Fibre Data Standard (OFDS) proposes a unified, machine‑readable schema to map terrestrial fibre routes, nodes, and ownership, addressing the chronic visibility gap that hampered resilience assessments after New Zealand’s Cyclone Gabrielle. Discussions at NZNOG 2026 highlighted how fragmented, outdated maps prevent...
Telecom News: Ericsson, Net Feasa, Nokia, Beacons, Huawei, TP-Link
Ericsson and Net Feasa have teamed up to deliver carrier‑grade 4G/5G and agentic AI to container ships, enabling real‑time cargo monitoring and safety analytics. Nokia secured conditional U.S. approval for its broadband Beacons and optical network terminal devices, bolstering its...
ISP Partners with Electric Co-Op to Deliver Fiber on the Gulf Coast
Conexon Connect, a rural fiber specialist, has teamed up with Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative to launch a new fiber‑to‑the‑home network on Florida’s Gulf Coast. The partnership aims to bring multigigabit internet to underserved northwest Florida communities, marking Conexon’s sixth FTTH...
Phone Carriers Offer eSIM Plans in the US for World Cup Travelers From Abroad
As the 2026 FIFA World Cup draws international visitors to the United States, AT&T, T‑Mobile and Visible have launched short‑term eSIM travel passes that can be activated on unlocked 5G phones. The plans range from a data‑only 30‑day AT&T option...
AT&T Earmarks $19B to Spur Program to Retire Copper in California
AT&T announced a $19 billion investment to expand fiber and wireless networks across California through 2030, part of a $35 billion ten‑year commitment. The plan includes bringing fiber to more than 4 million additional households and businesses, boosting total fiber sites to over...
Ceragon Q1 2026 Earnings Show Revenue Dip but Reaffirm Guidance Amid Headwinds
Ceragon Networks posted Q1 2026 revenue of $85 million, down 4.1% year‑over‑year, while non‑GAAP gross margin rose to 36%. The company reaffirmed its full‑year revenue target of $355‑$385 million despite currency swings, memory‑price inflation and a semiconductor supply‑chain delay.
The FCC Proposes More Specific Rules to Stop Robocalls
The Federal Communications Commission has unveiled a proposal that tightens accountability for voice service providers in the battle against illegal robocalls. Under the plan, carriers must gather and verify user data, continuously monitor call traffic, and terminate service for confirmed...
Shentel Completes Fiber Expansion in Campbell County, Virginia
Shentel completed a $20 million fiber buildout in Campbell County, Virginia, extending gigabit broadband to over 4,000 households. The project, financed in part by the Virginia Telecommunications Initiative and the county, marks the company’s latest rural expansion. The new network delivers...
8x8 Posts $185.2M Q4 2026 Revenue, Highlights 70% Surge in Usage‑Based Services
8x8 announced Q4 2026 revenue of $185.2 million, driven by a 70% year‑over‑year jump in usage‑based offerings that now represent 23% of service revenue. The company posted GAAP operating income of $19.8 million and trimmed debt by 43% since 2022, while guiding...
FICER Unveils 800G/400G DWDM and DCO Gear at COMPUTEX 2026 to Power Enterprise Data‑Center Backbones
FICER Technology displayed its 800G/400G DWDM and Digital Coherent Optics (DCO) solutions at COMPUTEX 2026 in Taipei, positioning the hardware as a backbone for AI‑driven cloud and enterprise data centers. The showcase runs June 2‑5 and highlights modular, high‑density designs that...
SpaceX Launches 24 Starlink Satellites From Vandenberg, Pushing Constellation Past 10,500
SpaceX lifted off a Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base Tuesday night, deploying 24 new Starlink satellites and bringing the active constellation to roughly 10,500 units. The mission also saw booster B1103 land safely on the droneship “Of Course...
NTCA Calls on NTIA to Release BEAD Performance Tests
The Rural Broadband Association (NTCA) has formally asked the NTIA to make the performance test results of each BEAD grant subgrantee publicly available. In a May 19 letter, NTCA CEO Michael Romano urged the agency to post download/upload speeds, latency and...
Researchers Hit 112Gbps over Wireless in a Breakthrough that Could Shape 6G
Researchers from Tokushima University, the University of Tokyo and Gifu University have demonstrated a terahertz wireless link that transmits 112 Gbps in the 560 GHz band. The prototype uses a silicon‑nitride microcomb chip permanently bonded to an optical fiber, eliminating alignment drift...
Beeline Russia Deploys Private LTE Network for Mining Company in Krasnoyarsk Region
Beeline Russia has rolled out a private LTE network for the Olimpiadinsky mining company in the Krasnoyarsk region. The deployment builds on existing infrastructure installed by Infinet Wireless and was executed together with IT firm Polius. The new network provides...
After Town Bans Flock, Councilmember Crashes Out, Proposes Internet and Phone Ban
The Bandera, Texas city council voted 3-2 to terminate its contract with surveillance firm Flock, ending the deployment of eight AI‑powered license‑plate reader cameras funded by a state grant. Residents repeatedly protested, vandalizing camera poles and driving up replacement costs....
Ericsson CEO Says Bharti Airtel’s Network Slicing Can Support India’s AI-Ready 5G Future
Ericsson CEO Börje Ekholm highlighted Bharti Airtel's rollout of 5G Standalone network slicing for its postpaid customers, marking a new milestone for India’s mobile ecosystem. The slicing capability promises dedicated capacity and low‑latency performance, enabling AI‑driven applications to run reliably....
Searchlight Capital Sells Entire 1.2% Stake in Uniti Group, Valued Down $15.9M
Searchlight Capital Partners sold its full 2,273,504‑share, 1.20% stake in Uniti Group in Q1 2026, a transaction that lowered the holding’s quarter‑end value by $15.94 million. The exit underscores a broader reallocation of private‑equity capital away from telecom‑infrastructure REITs as Uniti...
TELUS Unveils $66 Billion Five‑Year Network Build, Triggers Major Financing Push
TELUS Corp. disclosed a $66 billion, five‑year capital program to expand its fiber and wireless infrastructure across Canada. The plan, which adds to a $2 billion PureFibre rollout in Ontario and Quebec, lifted the stock 0.69% and will require extensive debt, equity...
Canadian Telecommunications Association and GSMA Convene Industry Leaders at “Inflection Point” For Canada’s Connectivity Future
The Canadian Telecommunications Association and the GSMA are hosting a one‑day conference, “Connecting Canada: Performance, Pressures, and Policy Priorities for Canada’s Telecommunications Sector,” on May 20, 2026, to address policy, investment and security challenges shaping Canada’s digital future. Executives warned that the...
AT&T, T‑Mobile and Verizon Unite on Satellite Network Upgrade to Counter Starlink
AT&T, T‑Mobile and Verizon announced a joint satellite connectivity partnership aimed at upgrading their networks and slowing post‑paid churn. The move targets the rapid expansion of SpaceX's Starlink Mobile, which already serves over 10 million users and is projected to reach...
Vodafone Hails Nokia and AWS-Based IoT Services Trial
Vodafone announced the successful completion of a trial that runs Nokia’s IoT voice and data core functions on Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud infrastructure in Frankfurt, linking to its European data centres. The proof‑of‑concept showed that cloud‑native network functions can...