Today's Telecom Pulse
EE fast‑tracks UK 5G+ rollout, leveraging $51 bn BT network upgrade
EE, owned by BT, is accelerating its 5G+ deployment across the UK, using Advanced RAN Coordination to boost download speeds by up to 20% without adding new masts. The rollout will activate 5G+ at more than 25 major events and 30 tourist destinations, extending coverage to 75% of the population, and is part of BT’s roughly $51 bn network‑upgrade programme.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Optimum raises $300M in preferred equity
Extreme Connect 26: Agent ONE Takes Forward Network AI
Extreme Networks launched Agent ONE at its Connect 26 conference, introducing a four‑layer AI stack that embeds reasoning, context, procedures and execution directly into enterprise networks. The first product, Agent ONE Coworker, arrives in July 2026 and provides proactive, ambient assistance to IT teams, while the upcoming Agent ONE Operator will run continuously to automate tasks. An accompanying Extreme Exchange marketplace lets customers add industry‑specific AI skills. Analysts say the move shifts networking from AI copilots to truly autonomous infrastructure, reshaping the market.
GCI to Acquire Quintillion, Adding 3,300 Miles of Fiber in $300 Million Deal
Alaska's largest telecom operator, GCI, announced a purchase of fiber‑network developer Quintillion for more than $300 million. The transaction brings roughly 3,300 miles of subsea and land‑based fiber into GCI’s statewide system, creating a ringed backbone that can reroute traffic during...
Zayo Completes $8.5 B Crown Castle Fiber Deal, Adding 90,000 Route Miles
Digital infrastructure provider Zayo closed an $8.5 billion acquisition of Crown Castle’s fiber assets, expanding its network by 90,000 route miles and 40,000 on‑net enterprise locations. The deal positions Zayo as the largest metro‑focused fiber operator in the United States, intensifying...
Reliance Eyes LEO Satellites to Build India's Answer to Starlink
Reliance Industries is exploring a multi‑billion‑dollar entry into low‑Earth‑orbit (LEO) satellite communications, to be housed within its Jio Platforms unit. Six internal teams are already working on satellite design, launch logistics, payloads and user terminals, while senior executives steer the...
Bharti Airtel Explores 5G Network Slicing for Premium Plans
Bharti Airtel is piloting 5G network slicing to launch premium voice and data plans, aiming to capture higher average revenue per user. The move follows industry data suggesting slicing can boost ARPU by 20‑30%, a gap Indian telcos lag behind...
FCC Proposes Tougher KYC and Upstream Rules to Crack Down on Robocalls
The Federal Communications Commission released a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would tighten Know‑Your‑Customer (KYC) verification for voice service providers and add a Know‑Your‑Upstream‑Provider (KYUP) framework tied to STIR/SHAKEN. The moves aim to block illegal robocall traffic before it...
Policy, Politics and Profit
FCC Chairman Jessica Carr abruptly ordered an early review of ABC’s broadcast licenses, compressing filings due in 2028‑2031 into a month‑end deadline. The move follows President Trump’s public demand that ABC fire Jimmy Kimmel after a controversial joke, marking the...
Eighth Circuit Reverses FCC’s Digital Discrimination Rules
The U.S. Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated the Federal Communications Commission’s digital discrimination rules, which were adopted under Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel to curb broadband inequities tied to race, income and ethnicity. The court held that the FCC exceeded its statutory...
Vero Fiber Announces Completion of Hamlin, Texas Network
Vero Fiber announced the completion of its fiber‑to‑the‑home network in Hamlin, Texas, bringing high‑speed connectivity to more than 1,200 homes and businesses. The new infrastructure delivers symmetrical speeds up to 2.3 Gbps, a substantial upgrade over legacy broadband options. The rollout...
Megaport Launches Built-In DDoS Protection Enabling On-Demand Network Resilience
Megaport Limited announced Megaport DDoS Protection, a built‑in security layer that filters malicious traffic directly within its global network fabric. The service eliminates the need for external scrubbing centers, reducing latency and simplifying routing for enterprise cloud environments. Customers can...
North Dakota Signs All BEAD Contracts
North Dakota has signed all of its Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) grant agreements, covering 279 eligible locations—277 slated for fiber and two for cable. The state allocated just $6.1 million of its $130 million BEAD funding to two providers, Midco...
Extreme Moves Toward Autonomous Networking with Advanced AI Agent, Management Tools
Extreme Networks announced its second‑generation AI agent, Extreme Agent ONE, at Extreme Connect 2026, promising proactive, autonomous detection and remediation of network issues. The company also rolled out a major update to its Platform ONE management suite, adding third‑party device...
Spectrum Names New SVP of Connectivity Products
Charter Communications' broadband arm Spectrum announced that Dave Rodrian has been promoted to senior vice president of connectivity products. In his new role he will head a newly created connectivity organization that merges the company’s internet, Wi‑Fi and voice product...
EU Reissues Formal Recommendation to Bar Huawei, ZTE From Connectivity Infrastructure
The European Commission on May 4, 2026 formally recommended that all 27 EU member states keep Huawei and ZTE out of any connectivity infrastructure. The move follows a failed voluntary phase and precedes a draft cybersecurity law that could make...
What Amazon’s Globalstar Acquisition Means for MSS Spectrum and D2D Market: Analyst Roundtable
Amazon agreed to buy Globalstar for roughly $10.8 billion, securing the satellite operator’s mobile‑satellite‑services (MSS) spectrum licenses and an active network. The deal includes a continuation of Apple’s satellite service partnership, giving Amazon immediate access to millions of iPhone users. By...
ReConnect Rural Broadband Grant Program Appears to Be Saved
The U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture restored $40 million to the USDA’s ReConnect Loan and Grant Program for fiscal year 2027, reversing a proposed 19 percent cut that would have eliminated the initiative. The funding approval came as part of the...
AT&T’s On-Net Business Fiber Dominance Continues
AT&T has retained the top position on Vertical Systems Group’s 2025 U.S. Fiber‑Lit Buildings leaderboard for a decade, underscoring its expansive on‑net fiber footprint built through organic growth and strategic acquisitions. In Q1, the company’s Business Fiber and advanced connectivity...
California PUC Issues $3.29 Million In Digital Literacy Grants
California’s Public Utilities Commission approved $3.29 million in grants to expand digital‑literacy training and public broadband access across the state. The funding supports 18 new digital‑literacy projects and three expanded broadband‑access initiatives, reaching over 16,000 Californians. Programs will deliver at least...
FCC Designates Broadcast Auxiliary Service Frequency Coordinator for FIFA World Cup 2026
The FCC has named Louis Libin, Sinclair’s vice‑president of spectrum policy, as the special frequency coordinator for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The designation gives him sole authority to manage Broadcast Auxiliary Service (BAS) spectrum across 11 U.S. host cities and...
Telesat Confirms Fully Funded 2028 Lightspeed Timeline Following Q1 Design Reviews
Telesat reported Q1 2026 results, investing roughly $125 million USD in its Lightspeed LEO constellation, bringing total spend to about $2 billion USD. The company confirmed it is fully funded to launch global commercial service by the first quarter of 2028. A $800 million...
Grand Jury: Monterey County, Calif., Needs Better Emergency Radios
A civil grand jury report reveals that 42% of Monterey County lacks digital radio coverage and another 18% is without any reliable signal, exposing residents and responders to communication failures during emergencies. The county’s rugged terrain and a patchwork of...
FCC Revocation Misjudged: Starlink Meets Speed Targets
Under President Biden, the FCC revoked an $885 million award that Starlink won to provide high-speed Internet to millions of Americans. Back then, the agency claimed that it was revoking the award because it was unlikely that Starlink could provide 100/20...
Lumen to Acquire Alkira, Establishing the Control Plane for Cloud Connectivity
Lumen Technologies announced a deal to acquire Alkira, a cloud‑native networking platform that provides a programmable control plane for enterprise connectivity. The integration will marry Alkira’s software‑defined orchestration with Lumen’s extensive fiber backbone, accelerating Lumen’s digital platform roadmap. The combined...
Nomad Made an Ultra-Rugged Starlink Mini Power Cable, Available Starting Today
Nomad has launched a rugged, 50‑foot power cable designed specifically for the Starlink Mini satellite internet system. The cable features a Kevlar‑29 aramid fiber and nylon weave, an aluminum adapter compatible with 12V or 25V vehicle sockets, and built‑in temperature...
Jio Hits 268 Million 5G Users, Expands AirFiber to 27 Million Homes
Reliance Jio announced 268 million 5G subscribers and 27 million fixed broadband connections as of March 2026, with 5G traffic now accounting for nearly 55% of its mobile data. The growth fuels a $4.72 billion revenue quarter and underscores India's rapid digital adoption.
Ekinops Q1 Revenue up 8% on Strong SASE, Software Growth
Ekinops reported Q1 revenue of $32.3 million, an 8% sequential increase driven by strong performance in its SASE and software divisions. Software and Services now represent 20% of total sales, with annual recurring revenue climbing 5% to $18.3 million. Connectivity and SASE...
High ARPU Does Not Mean Better Network Performance – Analyst
Ookla’s new study reveals that Europe’s most congested mobile markets during evening peak hours are Spain, Ireland and Switzerland, with Spain scoring the worst at 62 out of 100. Despite Switzerland’s record‑high mobile ARPU of €50.90 (≈$55) and 74% 5G...
SmallSat Europe Speaker Focus: Olaf Eckart, BMW Group
BMW Group’s Non‑Terrestrial Network (NTN) team, led by senior expert Olaf Eckart, is driving the convergence of automotive and satellite communications. The 5G Automotive Association’s NTN Roadmap, released in September 2024, outlines phased deployment of narrowband, wideband and broadband satellite links...
Three Ireland Delivers €1.2m of High-Capacity Mobile Upgrades at Ireland’s Largest Venues and High-Footfall Locations
Three Ireland has finished a €1.2 million (≈$1.3 million) 4G/5G upgrade programme at Ireland’s busiest venues, including Croke Park, Aviva Stadium, 3Arena, Dublin Airport and Dundrum Town Centre. The enhancements cut video‑upload times at a sold‑out 3Arena concert from six seconds to about...
Meter’s New $100M Partner Fund: What You Need To Know
Meter announced a $100 million partner fund to increase partner margins on its Network-as-a-Service platform. The fund delivers a 50‑75% margin boost through customer credits, rebates and MDF, on top of the usual 3‑4× advantage over legacy providers. Meter also offers...
IQ Fiber Launches Fiber Internet Service in Pinellas County
IQ Fiber, a Jacksonville‑based fiber‑optic ISP, launched its 100% fiber internet service in Pinellas County, covering St. Petersburg, Clearwater and Largo. The rollout is part of a more than $100 million investment that will span 18‑24 months and generate over 50...
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Sierra Leone Invests $400M in Telecom, 60% Usage Gap Remains
Sierra Leone has poured $400 million into telecom infrastructure, expanding its national fibre backbone to 14 of 16 districts. Despite the rollout, a 60 % usage gap persists, with only 20.8 % of the 8.86 million population online at the end of 2025. Minister...
Broadband Landscape Shifts: Performance Gains, Legal Battles, Expansion
Policyband Headlines ■ @Ookla: @Starlink Broadband Performance Surged in 2025 ■ @ALLO_Brad Moline Stepping Down as CEO of @AlloFiber ■ @BrendanCarrFCC: ‘Operation Clean Carts’ Drives 3M Banned Devices from Online Retail Sites ■ @NXSTMediaGroup Asks Supreme Court to Overturn Antitrust Ruling Won by...
Bundling Still Dominates: Refusers Are a Tiny Segment
The "bundling is dead" narrative is completely false. My latest research reveals the segment of customers refusing to bundle is shockingly tiny, proving convergence is the only game in town. 🧵📉
Global Telecom CTO 2026: AI, Open RAN, and Cloud Leadership Reshape Network Strategies
In 2026 telecom operators are transitioning from hardware‑centric networks to AI‑native, software‑defined ecosystems, elevating the CTO to a strategic innovation driver. Leaders at Vodafone, KT, Telefonica, Verizon, AT&T, Telkomsel, STC, Deutsche Telekom and Rakuten are championing Open RAN, sovereign cloud,...
Dual 5G‑Starlink Network Delivers Built‑In Internet Resilience
Most business internet still relies on single-path setups. SuperBroadband takes a different approach: 5G + Starlink, working together in real time for built-in resilience. A more durable model, built from the ground to the sky.
Light‑Touch FCC Rules Fuel Starlink Consumer Boom
Light-touch regulation embraced by @BrendanCarrFCC keeps yielding massive consumer upside benefits as a result of the rapid commercialization of Low Earth Orbit space by @SpaceX ... @Ookla: '@Starlink Hits New Highs in the U.S.' https://t.co/Jv3YIKA1g4
Amazon Leo Prepares To Bring Satellite Internet Service To Kenya
Amazon’s Kuiper Kenya subsidiary has submitted a Network Facilities Provider Tier 2 licence application to the Communications Authority of Kenya, seeking regulatory clearance to launch its Leo satellite‑internet service. Kenya, which gained Starlink coverage in 2023, could soon host a second...
Nokia and Lockheed Martin Unite 5G for Defense
"combining Nokia’s commercial 5G technologies with Lockheed Martin’s https://t.co/VgtFKZz5d6® solutions" https://t.co/ri3ZJyKZVd Big news in the 5G/military space
Skepticism Over AI Data Traffic Forecast's Broad Scope
I’m not entirely convinced by this prediction from @WIAorg about AI data traffic going to 10% on wireless, unless it’s a “kitchen sink” figure including any data that is AI created, modified or recommended (eg timelines) https://t.co/6UoCVNyH72
FCC Overhauls Satellite Spectrum Rules
The FCC announced it will scrap the decades‑old equivalent power flux density (EPFD) rules that capped interference from non‑geostationary satellites. Instead, operators will negotiate interference protections through voluntary, good‑faith agreements, a move the commission says could lift LEO satellite throughput...
Skepticism Grows Over Selling Spare Compute Capacity in RAN
Listening to panel on #AIRAN with @SoftBank @Northeastern @deepsignl & @MobileExperts1 Really not convinced by some of the narrative about selling “spare compute capacity” in the RAN Unclear how it’s sold, exposed, managed, interconnected, secured etc My own panel is next...
Top U.S. Metros for Internet Connectivity & Speed
Roughly 90% of U.S. households now have broadband, with most major metros exceeding a 95% subscription rate, but the real differentiator is connection quality. Kansas City leads the nation with a median fixed‑line speed of 410 Mbps, while Texas boasts three...
Vodafone to Buy CK Hutchison’s Stake in VodafoneThree for $5.5 Bn, Gaining Full UK Control
Vodafone Group announced a £4.3 bn ($5.5 bn) deal to buy CK Hutchison’s 49% stake in VodafoneThree, taking 100% ownership of the UK’s largest mobile operator. The transaction values the joint venture at an implied £13.85 bn ($17.6 bn) and is slated to close...
Vodafone to Buy CK Hutchison’s 49% VodafoneThree Stake for £4.3bn
Vodafone has agreed to buy CK Hutchison’s 49% stake in the UK VodafoneThree joint venture for £4.3 bn (about $5.5 bn), valuing the combined business at roughly £13.85 bn ($17.7 bn). The transaction is slated to close in the second half of 2026, pending...
The Aramid Shield: Snare Drones for an Active Undersea Defense Capability
The article proposes an "Aramid Shield"—autonomous drones equipped with aramid‑fiber snares—to actively protect undersea internet cables from gray‑zone sabotage by Chinese and Russian maritime militia. Recent incidents in Taiwan and the Baltic illustrate how traditional naval vessels and coast‑guard fleets...
EuNetworks Launches New Frankfurt-Strasbourg Fibre Route
euNetworks has completed a new 247‑km long‑haul fibre route linking Frankfurt and Strasbourg, the latest addition to its Super Highway network. The line provides direct, low‑latency connectivity to more than 76 data centres in the Frankfurt metro area and integrates...
Vodafone Named Best Mobile Network in London by Net Check
Vodafone UK topped Net Check’s latest London mobile network benchmark with a score of 957.73 out of 1,000. The study measured network quality, connection stability, service availability and data/voice performance across more than 1,109 km on 24 routes, with tests run...
Anritsu Deploys Wireless Test Infrastructure at CERT Tunisia to Support Device Certification
Anritsu has installed a comprehensive wireless test infrastructure at Tunisia’s national testing authority, CERT. The solution spans 2G through 5G NR, including IoT and WLAN, enabling full‑spectrum device validation. With this platform, CERT can certify all wireless equipment entering the...
BSNL to Raise Tariffs in FY27
State‑run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) plans to lift prepaid tariffs in FY27, aiming to boost its average revenue per user (ARPU) from Rs 101 (≈ $1.22) to Rs 150 (≈ $1.81), a 50% jump. The operator traditionally avoids headline price hikes, instead trimming...