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
One NZ Commences DoC Sensor Pilot
One NZ is partnering with New Zealand’s Department of Conservation to pilot 50 smart sensors in remote toilets, huts and wastewater systems, using satellite connectivity. The DoC manages about 2,000 toilets and currently relies on costly helicopter and vehicle inspections. Early estimates show the pilot could save over NZ$1 million (≈US$587k) in six years and cut roughly 30 tonnes of CO₂. The initiative also aims to expand sensor use to trail cameras, pest‑control traps and broader conservation monitoring.
Customer Reactions to Outages
On January 14, Verizon suffered a ten‑hour cellular network outage that affected more than 1.5 million wireless users. Recon Analytics surveyed 1,702 Verizon business customers across small, medium and large firms to gauge reactions. The outage impacted 44% of large enterprises,...
Reliance Jio Launches Youth and Gaming Plan Rs 459 Bundled with Snapchat+
Reliance Jio has introduced a 28‑day Youth and Gaming Plan priced at Rs 459 (about $5.5). The bundle delivers 61 GB of data—2 GB per day plus a 5 GB high‑speed boost—unlimited voice calls and 100 SMS daily. It also includes premium subscriptions to Snapchat+,...
Rakuten, Celona Plot Open RAN Private 5G
Rakuten Symphony and Celona are teaming up to offer an almost-as-a-service private 5G solution that blends Rakuten's cloud‑native open RAN platform with Celona's enterprise‑focused LAN. The partnership promises to lower cost and complexity, allowing businesses of any size to deploy...
AstaZero Test Ground in Sweden Hosts 5GAA Connected Mobility Service Demonstrations
At the AstaZero proving ground near Gothenburg, the 5G Automotive Association conducted live demonstrations of connected mobility services. The showcases featured satellite‑based vehicle connectivity, safe‑road applications, and cooperative perception technologies operating in real traffic conditions. By testing across borders, the...
Verizon CEO Warns of More Job Cuts After 13,000-Layoff Wave
Verizon CEO Dan Schulman told investors the carrier may need to trim more jobs after a November layoff of 13,000 employees. He linked the pressure to a shift toward an "AI‑first" model, a $20 million retraining fund, and a 0.98% post‑paid...
Malatsi Still Awaiting ICASA Feedback on EEIPs
South Africa’s communications minister Solly Malatsi said the Independent Communications Authority (ICASA) is still reviewing his policy directive that would allow equity‑equivalent investment programmes (EEIPs) to satisfy the 30% historically‑disadvantaged ownership rule for telecom licences. The directive, issued in December,...
Chile Court Rules in Favour of Wom in Competition Lawsuit Against Claro
Chile's 24th Civil Court of Santiago has again ruled in favor of mobile operator Wom in its unfair competition lawsuit against rival Claro VTR, owned by América Móvil. The court upheld a November decision that found Claro engaged in practices intended...
Eseye Boosts Global IoT Resilience with SGP.32 eSIM Orchestration
Eseye has integrated the GSMA‑defined SGP.32 remote SIM provisioning standard into its AnyNet+ eSIM and Infinity Connectivity Management platforms. The upgrade enables hands‑off, large‑scale management of eSIM profiles for IoT devices lacking user interfaces, adding multi‑IMSI support, intelligent network fallback...
Centre Aims to Maximise Spectrum Use, Says India’s Wireless Advisor NK Bhola
India’s Department of Telecommunications appointed Naresh Kumar Bhola as its new wireless advisor on April 1 2026, pledging to maximize spectrum availability for all operators. He emphasized that efficient spectrum planning is critical to scaling connectivity and supporting the rollout of 5G, 5G‑Advanced...
TRAI Recommendations on 600MHz Band to Ease Device Ecosystem Challenges: AK Lahoti
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has recommended extending the validity of the 600 MHz spectrum to 24 years and delaying rollout obligations for four years to ease early‑stage device‑ecosystem development. The move is part of a broader spectrum strategy...
Amazon Leo Enters Live Sport as DP World Tour Rolls Out Satellite Internet Across Events
The DP World Tour has partnered with Amazon to roll out its low‑Earth‑orbit satellite network, Amazon Leo, across more than 40 tournaments starting in 2026. This makes the golf circuit the first professional sport to deploy LEO satellite internet at...
Next-Level Sport Experiences with 5G
Private 5G networks are reshaping live‑sports production by delivering bidirectional, low‑latency video feeds and supporting thousands of on‑site devices. Neutral Wireless showcased the technology at the Paris 2024 Olympics, deploying multi‑cell networks on riverboats, stadiums and even catamarans to capture...
Mozambique Launches National Roaming Pilot to Improve Coverage
Mozambique’s communications regulator, INCM, has launched a pilot national roaming scheme that allows subscribers of Tmcel, Vodacom and Movitel to access each other’s network infrastructure. The program targets the country’s persistent “shadow zones,” where existing operators provide little or no...
Sierratel to Start MVNO on Africell Infrastructure
The Sierra Leone government approved a partnership that lets state‑owned Sierratel launch as a mobile‑virtual network operator (MVNO) using Africell’s existing tower infrastructure. The deal keeps Sierratel 100 percent government‑controlled while tapping Africell’s network to deliver mobile and digital services nationwide....
MTN Nigeria Deploys Massive MIMO in Low Bands with Huawei Set-Up
MTN Nigeria and Huawei have launched a commercial massive MIMO solution on sub‑1 GHz spectrum. The upgrade lifted low‑band LTE traffic by 104 percent and boosted average user download speeds 28 percent. Physical resource block utilization fell 8 percent, indicating higher network efficiency. The...
Satellite Startup Univity Raises €27m to Throw Its Hat Into the Ring
French satellite startup Univity announced a €27 million ($29 M) Series A round to develop its VLEO‑based 5G constellation, uniSky. The funding, led by Blast and backed by Expansion Capital and Bpifrance’s Deeptech 2030, will finance the uniShape demonstrator – two low‑orbit satellites that...
Malatsi Runs Out of Patience with Icasa on BEE Reform
Communications minister Solly Malatsi has publicly pressed the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) to act on his BEE policy direction, which calls for the regulator to recognise equity‑equivalent investment programmes (EEIPs) as an alternative to the 30% black‑ownership...
UK Telcos Deny Plans to Throttle Mobile Networks over Energy Costs
UK mobile operators, led by BT and Virgin Media O2, publicly denied any plans to throttle network speeds or introduce surge pricing despite rising energy costs. The Telegraph had suggested operators might ration access to curb power expenses, but the...
Quectel Expands IoT Reach in Brazil with Vermont Partnership
Quectel Wireless Solutions has signed a partnership with Vermont Brasil to serve as its regional representative for the full range of wireless and antenna products in Brazil. The deal leverages Vermont's nationwide footprint and technical know‑how to provide design‑in assistance...
Grameenphone's Q1 Revenue Dips 2% Amid Macroeconomic Pressure
Grameenphone reported first‑quarter 2026 revenue of BDT 37.6 billion (about $350 million), a 2 percent year‑on‑year decline. The dip reflects a tougher macro‑economic backdrop in Bangladesh, including high inflation and currency pressure. Voice service revenues fell, while data usage continued to grow, partially offsetting...
Telecom News: TDIP Scheme for 6G, TRAI, SoftBank, Ericsson, Freshwave
India’s telecom market added 9.28 million new subscribers in March, taking the total to roughly 1.33 billion users and pushing broadband connections past 1.06 billion. The government unveiled a revamped ₹203 crore (≈$24.5 million) TDIP scheme to accelerate indigenous 6G and 5G‑Advanced research, targeting startups,...
Telecom News: Deutsche Telekom, T-Mobile US, TE Connectivity, MTN Nigeria, Airtel
Deutsche Telekom’s shares fell after reports it is weighing a full merger with its U.S. unit, T‑Mobile, which could create a $300 billion telecom giant serving over 200 million customers. TE Connectivity beat profit forecasts but missed revenue, citing higher input costs...
Telecom News: AST SpaceMobile, Xfinity, AT&T
AST SpaceMobile received FCC commercial authorization to launch a 248‑satellite low‑Earth‑orbit network that will deliver direct‑to‑device cellular broadband across the United States. Xfinity Mobile introduced two new plans—Mobile Plus at $45 per line with lifetime device protection and Mobile Select...
Telecom News: Truvista Fiber, GCI, Quintillion, Vodafone
Truvista Fiber announced the acquisition of the City of Commerce municipal telecommunications network, extending its fiber footprint into underserved areas. GCI agreed to purchase Alaska‑based fiber operator Quintillion for roughly $310 million, adding over 1,800 miles of subsea and terrestrial fiber...
Virgin Media O2 Warns of AI-Driven Scam Surge as Fake Customer Service Numbers Target Millions
Virgin Media O2 warns that AI‑powered fraud is driving a surge in fake customer‑service phone numbers, with 13 percent of Britons and 27 percent of 25‑34‑year‑olds encountering deceptive listings. Scammers exploit trust in top search results and AI‑generated contacts, leading many consumers...
Telecom News: Univity, Starlink, Eutelsat, MTN, Eutelsat
French space‑tech startup Univity secured a €27 million (≈$29 million) Series A round to launch a wholesale‑focused VLEO satellite network that will give European telecom operators an alternative to SpaceX’s Starlink. The company plans a large‑scale deployment starting in 2028, targeting low‑latency, high‑speed...
WindTre Reactivates Sub-EUR 5 Unlimited Data Offer
Italian carrier WindTre has re‑launched its Go Unlimited XXS 5G Digital plan, targeting customers who port their numbers from rival operators. The offering provides unlimited voice minutes, 100 SMS and truly unlimited 5G data for €4.99 per month (about $5.40). It is positioned as...
Telecom News: Orange, Bouygues, Iliad, SFR, Claro, TRAI, Bharti Airtel
Orange, Bouygues and Iliad have entered early regulatory talks for a joint €20.35 billion (≈ $22 billion) bid to acquire France’s SFR, a move that would shrink the French mobile market from four players to three. The consortium is preparing separate filings and...
Zong Launches Shop-in-Shop, Trade-In Offers with Samsung
Pakistani mobile operator Zong has sealed a partnership with Samsung to roll out a shop‑in‑shop concept and a dedicated trade‑in scheme. The initiative will showcase Samsung’s 5G‑enabled smartphones within Zong’s Customer Service Centers, beginning with locations in Islamabad and Lahore....
Multi-Tbps Quad Band Starlink Satellite Gateway
SpaceX has filed FCC application SES‑LIC‑20260306‑00745 for a next‑generation quad‑band gateway, dubbed “First of Its Name,” at its Starlink factory in Bastrop, Texas. The earth station will use 40 × 1.99‑meter parabolic antennas covering Ka, V, E, and W bands, vastly expanding...
State of Network Automation with Urs Baumann
Urs Baumann, guest on Software Gone Wild Episode 206, bluntly noted that the core slides he uses to discuss network automation are unchanged from a decade ago, underscoring the sector’s slow evolution. While the conversation highlighted the persistent reliance on...
Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani Urges Telcos to Enhance R&D Spending to Shape 6G, AI-RAN
India’s telecom sector generated roughly $45 billion in FY25, yet operators invest less than 1% of revenue in R&D, far below the 15‑25% benchmark of global equipment leaders. Minister of State for Communications Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani urged the industry to boost research...
New Zealand MVNOs Call for Investigation Into Satellite Texting Access
New Zealand’s Internet Service Providers Association (ISPANZ) has filed a formal complaint with the Commerce Commission alleging that One NZ is restricting mobile virtual network operators’ (MVNOs) access to satellite‑based text‑messaging services delivered via low‑Earth‑orbit (LEO) constellations. The complaint claims this...
LG Uplus Surpasses One Million USIM Updates and Replacements
South Korean telecom LG Uplus reported completing over one million USIM updates and free replacements within ten days of launching a nationwide security programme. The effort, which began on April 13, saw 427,385 updates and 581,094 replacements by April 22,...
KDDI Selected for Japan Government Project to Test Satellite-Connected Drones
KDDI has been chosen by Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications for a fiscal‑2026 digital transformation initiative that will pilot satellite‑direct communication to control drones in regions lacking mobile coverage. The program, part of the government’s regional DX promotion...
Nearly 47% of Indians Continue to Remain Offline: GSMA’s Julian Gorman
GSMA’s Asia‑Pacific head Julian Gorman warned that almost half of India’s 1.4 billion people—47 %—remain offline from mobile broadband, with women disproportionately excluded. He highlighted that the country’s digital economy is projected to hit $1 trillion by 2030, yet 5G adoption is still...
SK Telecom Expands Roaming Promotions Ahead of Holidays
SK Telecom announced an expanded roaming promotion running from April 23 to August 21, targeting the early‑May holidays and summer travel surge. Subscribers of selected “baro” roaming plans will receive up to an extra 16 GB of data at no additional charge. Once...
The Auction that Changed Everything: How Nigeria’s 2001 GSM Licence Sale Built the Foundation of a Tech Economy
In January 2001 Nigeria held a groundbreaking ascending‑clock spectrum auction that sold five GSM licences for $285 million each, raising $855 million and ending NITEL’s monopoly. The auction’s transparent design, overseen by the NCC, produced three private winners—MTN, Econet and Communications Investment Limited—while...
Comcast Beats Q1 Estimates as Broadband Churn Plummets to 65,000
Comcast reported first‑quarter revenue of $31.5 billion and adjusted earnings of $0.79 per share, surpassing Wall Street forecasts. The cable giant highlighted a sharp drop in broadband customer losses to 65,000, down from 183,000 a year earlier, and added 435,000 new...
SpaceX Adds 24 Starlink Satellites, Nearing 9,000 in Orbit
SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 carrying 24 next‑generation Starlink satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base on April 22, 2026. The deployment brings the total constellation close to 9,000 satellites and highlights SpaceX’s high‑cadence, reusable launch model that keeps costs low while expanding...
FCC: D2C Is Set for Ubiquitous Connectivity
The FCC announced that direct‑to‑device (D2C) connectivity will be a pillar of U.S. communications leadership. It granted AST SpaceMobile full commercial authorization for a 248‑satellite constellation and supplemental coverage in two frequency bands, while dismissing its request for the Echostar...
T‑Mobile Teams with DoorDash for Same‑Day 5G Home Internet Delivery
T‑Mobile has begun offering same‑day delivery of its 5G Home Internet gateway through DoorDash, letting customers receive equipment within hours at no extra charge. The service, priced at $35 per month, targets users who prefer a quick, self‑install solution over...
United's Spotty Wi‑Fi Gets Starlink Upgrade Hope
Apparently @united upgrading WiFi to @Starlink @elonmusk - can’t happen soon enough bc service is spotty to the point of embarrassment; no idea how so many Bay Area tech folks (big users of united) put up with it.
FCC Throws Out Satellite Spectrum Challenges as D2D Dealmaking Heats Up
The FCC issued a sweeping order on April 23 that preserves incumbent rights to Mobile Satellite Service (MSS) spectrum and dismisses petitions from SpaceX, Iridium, Kepler and others seeking access to the coveted Big LEO and 2 GHz bands. The move comes...
FCC Grants Globalstar Exclusive LEO, Backs Starlink AWS‑4
This new FCC order is super complicated, but basically is telling everyone to stay in their lane: Globalstar gets exclusivity in its Big LEO spectrum, and Starlink gets FCC backing in AWS-4 (2000-20/2180-2200MHz) worldwide, but attempts to access Big LEO...
‘Beneficiary Pays’ Model Gains Traction With Lawmakers
Lawmakers at Data Center World urged Congress to adopt a “beneficiary pays” model, requiring companies that drive demand for new transmission lines—such as data centers—to foot the bill. Rep. Julie Fedorchak (R‑ND) and Rep. Scott Peters (D‑CA) highlighted cost allocation...
The FCC Announces 2 Big Rule Changes to Make Sure Your Cellphone Always Has A Signal
The FCC announced two pivotal actions to accelerate direct‑to‑device (D2D) satellite services. It granted AST SpaceMobile a permanent license for a 248‑satellite constellation that will operate with AT&T, Verizon and FirstNet, and it upheld existing exclusive spectrum rights to keep...
Little Talk of BEAD at Lutnick’s House Hearing
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick testified before the House appropriations subcommittee on the FY2027 budget, where the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program received limited discussion. Lutnick indicated that guidance for states on using the program’s non‑deployment funds is...
Mediacom’s Network Construction Ahead of Schedule in Minnesota
Mediacom Communications announced it completed twelve fiber broadband projects across Minnesota ahead of schedule, adding more than 400 miles of last‑mile fiber and connecting roughly 3,900 homes and businesses. The two‑year effort was a public‑private partnership with the Minnesota Department...