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
Polish Municipal Wi-Fi Market Stable in 2025
Poland’s national telecom regulator UKE reports that municipal Wi‑Fi hotspots reached 6,337 by the end of 2025, matching the 2023 level and edging up slightly from 6,277 in 2022. The market has essentially plateaued over the past two years. UKE attributes the stagnation to the rapid diffusion of mobile‑internet services and widespread smartphone ownership. No new large‑scale municipal deployments are expected until policy incentives shift.
Charlotte Douglas Airport Deploys Airspan MobileAccess 6000 Platform
Airspan Networks and Wireless Services have installed the Airspan MobileAccess 6000 Digital DAS platform throughout Charlotte Douglas International Airport. The system supports every sub‑6 GHz cellular band and the C‑band, delivering consistent, high‑speed in‑building wireless connectivity. This deployment is a key component...
Mexico's Telcel and AT&T Disconnect 1 Mln Mobile Lines in Year to Date
Mexico's two largest mobile carriers, Telcel and AT&T, have disconnected more than 1 million prepaid lines in the first quarter of 2026. AT&T alone deactivated 577,000 numbers, while Telcel cut 483,000. The mass disconnections stem from a new regulatory mandate that...
Meo Tests Network Slicing on 5G SA Network
Portuguese operator Meo has begun testing network slicing on its standalone 5G network, branded 5G+. The trial, called Meo Priority Pass powered by 5G+, gives select private and business customers pre‑access to sliced connectivity. Slicing enables the operator to allocate...
Basalt Space and Bay Area Rivals Aim to End Starlink’s Constellation Monopoly
San Francisco‑based Basalt Space and other Bay Area startups are launching a "Constellations‑as‑a‑Service" model that lets governments and enterprises task their own small satellite swarms without relying on Starlink or traditional providers. The pitch emphasizes sovereign control over orbital capacity,...
Global Fiber Deployment 2026: AT&T’s $250 Bn Push, Verizon’s Frontier Deal, and Jio’s 43% Market Surge
In 2026 the global telecom sector is pouring record capital into fiber, with AT&T announcing a $250 bn connectivity program that will extend service to 40 million homes in the United States. Verizon, after acquiring Frontier, is committing $16‑$16.5 bn in capex and...
ARP Issues in EVPN Centralized Routing Design
The article dissects ARP failures in a centralized EVPN routing design that uses IRB (integrated routing and bridging) with MAC‑VRFs. It shows that the spine must advertise its VLAN MAC/IP as an EVPN MAC‑IP route, otherwise traffic floods across the...
Questioning the IPv8 Proposal
The IPv8 draft attempts to combine routing, address management, authentication and service configuration into a single Layer 3 protocol, but it falls short of a production‑ready design. It proposes a single global route per ASN and uses OAuth2 JWT tokens, DHCP8,...
Telecom News: IFC, Samsung–ZTE Patent Battle, Huawei
Guinea is negotiating a strategic partnership with the International Finance Corporation to fund telecom network expansion and broader digital infrastructure, aiming to accelerate its digital economy. In the UK, a High Court ordered Samsung to pay $392 million to ZTE for...
Telecom News: Airspan, Huawei, ZTE, HFCL
Airspan, together with Wireless Services, has installed its MobileAccess 6000 digital DAS at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, delivering high‑capacity 4G and 5G coverage for thousands of simultaneous users. The European Commission has urged EU members to steer clear of Huawei and...
Telecom News: SOLiD, Comcast, Xfinity Network, Clearfield
SOLiD unveiled its fourth‑generation nGENESIS digital DAS, a neutral‑host platform that delivers up to 25 Gbps fiber capacity while slashing head‑end power consumption by more than 50 percent. Comcast’s Xfinity is extending multi‑gigabit broadband to rural Nassau County, Florida, targeting an additional...
More Consultations on Data Rollover Bills Pushed
CitizenWatch Philippines has asked lawmakers to suspend deliberations on proposed data‑rollover legislation until broader stakeholder consultations are held. The group warns that the current drafts could clash with the Philippines’ promo‑driven prepaid mobile market, which relies on low‑cost, short‑term bundles....
CK Hutchison Sells 49% VodafoneThree Stake for £4.3bn
CK Hutchison has agreed to sell its 49% stake in VodafoneThree to majority shareholder Vodafone for £4.3 billion (HK$45.494 billion), subject to regulatory approval. HKEX Announcement: https://www1.hkexnews.hk/listedco/listconews/sehk/2026/0505/2026050500405.pdf
Vodafone Buys Remaining 49% For
#VOD paying CK Hutchison £4.3bn to acquire the 49% of VodafoneThree it didn't already own, and to now have 100% ownership. Will increase debt by 0.4 times Net Debt to Adjusted Earnings.
ADB Commits $70 B to Power‑Grid and Broadband Projects Across Asia‑Pacific by 2035
The Asian Development Bank announced a $70 billion financing plan to build cross‑border power grids and expand broadband access across the Asia‑Pacific region by 2035. The package includes $50 billion for the Pan‑Asia Power Grid Initiative and a substantial, yet undisclosed, share...
Vodafone UK Acquires Three, Ending Its Independence
Three is no longer the magic number as Vodafone UK buys it out. End of the road: https://t.co/8ULJaHmhdC
Radiant Mobile Launches First U.S. Carrier‑Level Filtered Christian 5G Network
Radiant Mobile began offering a Christian‑focused 5G plan on May 5, 2026, charging $29.99 a month for unlimited talk, text and data while permanently blocking pornography and gender‑related material at the network level. The service runs on T‑Mobile’s 5G infrastructure and uses...
Satellite Broadband Outperforms D2D; Shift Investment Focus
This thesis implicitly assumes that D2D is a good business that justifies further investment in mobile. But all the evidence points to satellite broadband being a better business. Why not focus on that instead?
FCC Updates Starlink Spectrum Rules, Targeting Up to Seven‑Fold Capacity Boost
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission announced on May 4, 2026 that it is revising its spectrum rules for SpaceX’s Starlink satellites, a change that could raise the system’s capacity by as much as seven‑fold. The policy shift is the latest...
Charter’s California Settlement Details
Charter reached a settlement with California regulators that obligates the company to provide three fixed‑price residential broadband plans – $70 for 1,000/35 Mbps, $50 for 500/20 Mbps, and $30 for 100/20 Mbps – for three years. The deal also includes low‑income offerings, a...
Spectrum Offers Two Mobile Lines on One Phone
Charter’s Spectrum Mobile has launched a new add‑on called Second Line, letting customers attach a second unlimited voice and text line to their existing handset for $10 per month. The extra line shares the primary data allowance and can use...
Lumentum Holdings Inc (LITE) Q3 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
Lumentum Holdings posted a record $665.5 million revenue for Q2 FY2026, up more than 65% year‑over‑year, driven by strong components sales and rapid growth in cloud transceivers, optical circuit switches (OCS) and co‑packaged optics (CPO). Non‑GAAP operating margin surged to 25.2%,...
D2D
The article revisits the early failure of Iridium’s $5 billion satellite phone venture, attributing its collapse to regulatory pushback and high handset costs. It then outlines how falling launch prices, improved digital signal processing, and new business models have revived interest...
Starlink Gains Speed
Ookla’s latest Speedtest data shows Starlink now delivers median download speeds of 100 Mbps or higher in 49 states, up from 23 states a year earlier. The service also achieved median upload speeds of 22 Mbps in 22 states, crossing the FCC’s...
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Moment Partners with SCAT Airlines to Deliver Wireless IFE Across Fleet
Moment announced a partnership with Kazakhstan‑based SCAT Airlines to install its wireless inflight entertainment (IFE) system across the carrier’s fleet. The deal, signed on March 4, makes SCAT the first Central Asian airline to adopt Moment’s Flymingo Box, a compact, autonomous...
Coalition Urges FCC to Reverse Ligado-AST SpaceMobile L‑Band Approval
A coalition of aerospace, aviation and weather groups sent a letter to President Donald Trump urging the FCC to rescind its 2020 approval of Ligado Networks' L‑band partnership with AST SpaceMobile. The letter cites Ligado's failure to meet a commercial‑service...
Future-Proofing Satellite Networks With ST Engineering iDirect Sales SVP Brian Jakins
Brian Jakins, senior vice‑president of sales at ST Engineering iDirect, discussed how satellite operators can future‑proof their networks amid rapid advances in 5G, non‑terrestrial networks, multi‑orbit architectures, and AI‑driven services. He highlighted the paradox of abundant technology choices creating decision...
Space/Satellite Market
The global satellite market is expanding at a 16.9% CAGR, propelled by rapid deployment of low‑Earth‑orbit constellations for broadband, Earth observation and defense communications. Operators are investing heavily in inter‑satellite laser links, compact optical terminals and advanced propulsion to overcome...
Encrypted RCS Between Android and iPhone Launching with iOS 26.5
Apple announced that iOS 26.5 will support end‑to‑end encrypted RCS messaging with Android devices via Google Messages. The feature is available in the iOS 26.5 release candidate and will roll out to users once the final OS ships, displaying a lock icon...
Cornelis Expands Partner Ecosystem for AI and HPC Networking
Cornelis announced an expansion of its global partner ecosystem, adding ASI Corp., CTG Federal and TVAR Solutions to distribute its CN5000 400‑Gbps scale‑out networking family. The new partners will broaden reach into North American, public‑sector and federal markets, positioning CN5000...
Amazon Leo’s Satellite Total Surpasses 300
Amazon’s Project Kuiper subsidiary, Amazon Leo, successfully launched 32 satellites on April 30, bringing its low‑Earth‑orbit constellation to a total of 302 satellites. The deployment used an Atlas V rocket from the Guiana Space Center, marking the second launch in a week...
APTelecom Backs American Samoa Cable Extension
APTelecom announced it will extend the Central Pacific Cable subsea system into American Samoa, partnering with the American Samoa Telecommunications Authority (ASTCA). The project receives Department of War funding and endorsement from U.S. Indo‑Pacific Command, underscoring its strategic value. The...
Unused Fibre Optic Capacity Can Boost Quantum Security Networks
Researchers at the Technical University of Munich have introduced an opportunistic quantum key distribution (QKD) framework that taps idle spectral capacity in existing 80‑channel wavelength‑division multiplexing (WDM) fiber. Monte‑Carlo simulations reveal that 45‑65% of unused spectrum can be repurposed for...
Supreme Court Signals Doubt About Challenge to FCC’s In-House Penalty Process
The U.S. Supreme Court signaled reluctance to overturn the FCC’s internal penalty process during oral arguments brought by AT&T and Verizon, who challenge privacy‑related fines exceeding $100 million. The dispute centers on whether agencies must provide greater judicial review before imposing...
AI's Real Impact: Scaling Core Networks, Not Consumer Speed
How AI Is Changing the Network(s) As is always the case, this started with a simple question: Will AI change how networks work? Will it impact the speeds we need at home and on our phones? My assumption was that AI would...
FCC Mandates Stricter Vetting for All New Robocall Providers
The FCC is expanding our crackdown on illegal robocalls. We just voted on a proposal that would require enhanced vetting before any provider can onboard new callers. These enhaced “Know-Your-Customer” regulations are part of a broader FCC effort to combat illegal calls....
Inside Amazon Web Services' Plan to Make Networking Disappear
Amazon Web Services is engineering a self‑contained networking stack that makes the network virtually invisible to customers. By consolidating all switching functions onto a single ASIC and running a custom Linux‑based NetOS, AWS can scale its infrastructure while keeping hardware...
AT&T Gains 500k Inside Fiber, Loses Outside
.@ATT 's convergence strategy works inside their fiber footprint. The data reveals a half million subscriber gain inside the fiber zone while bleeding customers outside of it. The market completely misunderstands this competitive reality. 📈🏢 #Telecom #Fiber #Broadband
Operation Clean Cart Eliminates 3 Million Illegal Device Listings
President Trump and the FCC are working to protect American consumers and our country’s communications networks. Operation Clean Cart Update: Over the last six months, more than 3 million listings for illegal or dangerous devices have been removed by leading e-commerce sites....
Charter Taps Rodrian to Lead New Connectivity Products Team
Charter Communications promoted Dave Rodrian to senior vice president of connectivity products, giving him oversight of internet, Wi‑Fi and voice offerings across both wireline and wireless. Rodrian, a Charter veteran since 2009, previously led Wi‑Fi product development and introduced innovations...
Future of Nebraska Broadband Office Unclear Following Reduction in Federal BEAD Funds
Nebraska’s Broadband Office, created in 2023 to manage a $405 million BEAD award, has only secured $44.5 million so far. The remaining $340 million sits in limbo as the NTIA delays guidance on non‑deployment uses. Interim director Vicki Kramer says no funds have...
Non-Cellular, 5G Wireless Standard Shows Interoperability for Smart Buildings
The DECT Forum showcased the world’s first New Radio (NR+) interoperability demonstration, featuring components from Legrand and Schneider Electric. NR+ is an open, non‑cellular 5G wireless standard that operates in the 1.9 GHz “golden frequency” band, targeting massive IoT deployments in...
IoT Connectivity Solutions for Enterprise: What Infrastructure Teams Must Evaluate Before Scaling
Enterprises scaling IoT fleets often rely on single‑carrier SIMs, which can cause coverage gaps when devices move across regions. Multi‑IMSI and eUICC SIMs let devices switch among dozens of operators, delivering continuous connectivity and remote profile updates. Dedicated IoT connectivity...
Fiber Footprints, Not Fixed Wireless, Win Broadband Profits
Fixed wireless is not the broadband endgame. Fiber footprints decide winners, and the earnings math proves it. 🧵📊 #Telecom #Broadband
New NTIA Cost Study Lowers 2018 Estimate for Nationwide NG911
The NTIA’s 2026 cost study estimates that completing the nationwide rollout of next‑generation 911 will require $5.8 billion to $9.27 billion, roughly 30‑40 percent less than the $9.5‑$12.7 billion projected in 2018. The reduction reflects more than $4.5 billion already spent by states and localities...
StarlingX 12.0 Is Right on Time for Mixed-Hardware Edge Deployments
OpenInfra Foundation released StarlingX 12.0, the first major 2026 update of its open‑source distributed cloud platform used by telecom operators such as Verizon and Vodafone. The release introduces Precision Time Protocol Partial Timing Support, enabling sub‑microsecond synchronization across mixed‑hardware edge...
Regulators Eye Rule Changes; Ookla Rates Brazil’s Small ISPs
MY LATEST As regulators contemplate changes to rules that fostered Brazil’s smaller internet providers, Ookla data appraises some of those players. https://t.co/lnOMv5iSr0
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East African Countries to Launch Regional Satellite
Kenya, South Sudan, Uganda and Rwanda announced a joint effort to design and launch a regional communication and broadcasting satellite under the Northern Corridor Regional Communication and Broadcasting Satellite Initiative (NCRCBSI). The ministers met on the sidelines of the Connected...
Nokia Bets Big on AI-Driven Network Infrastructure, Sees Double-Digit Growth
Nokia is pivoting from its mobile legacy to an AI‑driven network‑infrastructure business, forecasting double‑digit growth this year. The company unveiled its autonomous network fabric, a suite that blends AI, security and automation for rapid service rollout. In India, Nokia is...
Cisco Nerds Out: May the Fourth Be with Your AI Assistant
Cisco unveiled "Galaxy Mode" for its AI Assistant, a limited‑time Star Wars‑themed interface for Meraki and Thousand Eyes customers that runs through June 4. The release introduces Deep Reasoning, an AI‑driven analysis engine that interprets network events and offers security compliance...