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
Ericsson Q1 Profit Plunges 79% as 5G Demand Wanes, Revenue Down 10%
Ericsson posted a first‑quarter profit of SEK888 million ($89 million), down 79% from a year earlier, while revenue fell 10.3% to SEK49.332 billion ($4.9 billion). The decline reflects weaker demand for 5G equipment and broader uncertainty in telecom infrastructure spending.
Safaricom Penalizes Diaspora Users After My
This is what @safaricom does to their diasporan customers after forcing them to move to their new Myoneapp. Wueh. https://t.co/syTE56DLno
7 Devices in Your Home that Really Shouldn’t Be on Wi-Fi
The article argues that seven common home devices—TVs and streaming boxes, PCs and game consoles, printers, storage servers, and mesh router nodes—should be connected via Ethernet instead of Wi‑Fi whenever possible. While Wi‑Fi 7 promises up to 46 Gbps, real‑world constraints keep...
North America Ranks Among World’s Most Expensive Regions for Broadband
A new global study finds North America is the second‑most expensive region for fixed‑line broadband, with an average monthly price of $98.40. The United States ranks 167th worldwide, paying about $80 per month, trailing several European economies. By contrast, Eastern...
Apple and Amazon Partner on Satellite Deal
Amazon announced it will acquire Globalstar, bolstering its Leo low‑Earth‑orbit satellite initiative. The deal also formalizes a partnership with Apple, allowing iPhone and Apple Watch models to tap Globalstar’s existing and planned LEO constellations for connectivity. Apple will continue to...
Bouygues, Free‑Iliad and Orange in Exclusive Talks to Buy SFR for €20.35bn
Bouygues Telecom, the Free‑Iliad group and Orange have submitted a €20.35 billion ($23.97 billion) offer for Altice France’s SFR and are now in an exclusive negotiation window until May 15. The consortium would split SFR’s assets 42‑31‑27 percent, excluding several fibre and overseas...
Support Spectrum Sharing; Reject Rule Changes Favoring Exclusivity
Evolution of spectrum-sharing models like US #CBRS is a good thing. But using rule-revisions to try to bias mechanisms back towards quasi-exclusive models is not. https://t.co/S2RI3pijYQ
Oracle and AWS Launch Direct Managed Connection to Streamline Multicloud Data Pipelines
Oracle and Amazon Web Services have unveiled a jointly managed interconnect that links Oracle Cloud Infrastructure with AWS Interconnect, promising faster, more private data transfers for enterprises. The service, slated for release in the US East (N. Virginia) region later...
Iran Internet Blackout Now in Its 50th Day: NetBlocks
Iran's authorities have kept the nation offline for 50 days, the longest nationwide internet shutdown on record. The blackout began after the Feb 28 US‑Israel attacks and has already logged 1,176 hours of isolation, according to NetBlocks. While a state‑run intranet...
Ericsson Q1 2026: Where To Go From Here?
Ericsson reported a 6% organic growth rate in Q1 2026, a notable feat in a stagnant global RAN market. However, reported sales slipped 10% due to harsh foreign‑exchange headwinds. The company’s supply chain is strained as AI‑driven data centers compete...
Airtel Starts Warning Users During Calls for OTP Fraud
Bharti Airtel has rolled out a real‑time on‑screen alert that triggers during live calls whenever a bank one‑time password (OTP) is detected. The feature nudges users to pause and reconsider sharing sensitive information, rather than blocking the call. By intervening...
Advantech and NETINT Team Up to Power 384‑Stream 1U Video Servers
Advantech announced a strategic partnership with ASIC video‑accelerator maker NETINT to deliver VPU‑enabled 1U servers that scale to 384 simultaneous 1080p streams. The joint solution promises dramatic cost and power savings for telecom carriers, broadcasters and edge‑computing customers.
Kongsberg Satellite Services Licensed to Operate 42 Chinese Military Satellites
Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT), owned by NATO contractor Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, secured Norwegian licences to communicate with 42 Chang Guang Satellite Technology (CGSTL) satellites, a company linked to China’s military. The move raises questions about dual‑use space services amid...
PSA Singapore Taps Motorola Solutions to Drive Safety and Efficiency
PSA Singapore has selected Motorola Solutions’ TETRA digital radio system to boost safety and operational efficiency as it expands the Tuas Mega Port. The network currently supports more than 4,000 users and handles roughly 540,000 voice calls daily, coordinating 24/7...
Uganda’s Taxation of Smartphones, Mobile Money Dents Financial Inclusion Quest
Uganda’s drive toward a digital economy is being hampered by taxes on mobile‑money withdrawals and entry‑level smartphones. A 0.5% excise duty on the full value of withdrawals and combined 10% import duty plus 18% VAT on low‑cost phones raise device...
Qualcomm Urges Shareholders to Reject $150 per Share Mini‑tender Offer
Qualcomm on Friday asked shareholders to turn down an unsolicited mini‑tender from Delaware‑based Tutanota that proposes to buy up to 500,000 shares at $150 each, above the market price but still below fair value. The chipmaker warned the offer could...
Verizon CEO Calls Out Unsustainable Price‑Hike Strategy in Q3 2025 Earnings Call
Verizon chief Daniel Schulman told investors during the Q3 2025 earnings call that the company’s growth built on price hikes is not sustainable. He warned that raising rates without adding value irritates customers and signaled a pivot toward simpler plans...
Blue Origin Sets Sunday New Glenn Launch with AST SpaceMobile Broadband Satellite
Blue Origin will launch its New Glenn heavy‑lift rocket Sunday from Launch Complex 36, carrying AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird 7 broadband satellite. The mission also aims to recover the first‑stage booster, a key step toward routine reusability.
How Proximus Is Delivering Sovereign Cloud Services for European Institutions
Proximus has been selected in the European Commission’s Cloud III tender as one of four suppliers for a six‑year framework delivering sovereign cloud services to EU institutions. The contract covers the European Commission, Parliament, Council, EEAS and roughly 70 agencies, providing...
SpaceX to Attempt 600th Falcon Booster Landing Amid West Coast Starlink Mission
SpaceX is set to attempt its 600th Falcon 9 booster landing during the Starlink 17-22 mission scheduled for Sunday, April 19, from Vandenberg Space Force Base. The flight will use booster B1097, now on its seventh flight, to deploy 25...
Rogers Expands Satellite-to-Mobile Coverage to the US
Rogers announced that its satellite‑to‑mobile service now extends an additional 1.3 million square kilometres into the United States, thanks to a partnership with T‑Mobile’s T‑Satellite network. The expansion lets Canadian subscribers roaming in the U.S. stay connected in areas without traditional...
Starlink Unable to Get Signal for India Liftoff; Faces FDI Hurdles Amid Security Concerns
Starlink’s plan to launch satellite broadband in India has hit a regulatory roadblock as the government holds its foreign direct investment (FDI) application and awaits security clearance. Concerns focus on cross‑holding ties with parent SpaceX and the risk of misuse...
Spacemobile’s 2,731% Revenue Surge Narrows Gap with Iridium’s Stable Earnings
Ast Spacemobile posted a 2,731% year‑over‑year revenue increase for Q4 2025, while Iridium Communications recorded flat revenue and $25 million net income for the same period. The contrast underscores Spacemobile’s rapid scaling against Iridium’s steady earnings, a dynamic that is reshaping...
NextNav Cleared for More Coexistence Tests
NextNav received FCC clearance to conduct a second round of field trials in Pueblo, Colorado, evaluating how its proposed 5G‑based GPS backup can coexist with railroad automatic equipment identification (AEI) systems. The tests, which run through October 1, 2026, follow a similar...
Congress to Take Up Broadband, Public Safety Bills Under Suspension-of-Rules
Congress will consider a slate of broadband and public‑safety bills under suspension of the rules during the week of April 20, 2026. House measures aim to speed federal permitting, improve emergency‑communication tracking, and reauthorize FirstNet through fiscal year 2037. The Senate will debate...
Flawed Cisco Update Threatens to Stop APs From Getting Further Patches
Cisco's recent IOS XE update for over 200 wireless access point models adds a log that grows about 5 MB per day, eventually exhausting flash memory and blocking further patches or bricking devices. Affected models include Catalyst 9130AX, 91361, 9162x, 9164x, IW9167...
How Mobile Data Can Replace Third-Party Cookies
Third‑party cookies are being phased out, prompting advertisers to seek deterministic alternatives. Telecom‑based identification leverages mobile network data to match users, achieving 70% coverage of a 300,000‑user dataset within three days and delivering roughly 50% audience reach versus under 20%...
T‑Mobile Rolls Out Hilton Discounts and Hertz Status to Curb Post‑paid Churn
T‑Mobile introduced a suite of new loyalty perks—including 15% off Hilton hotels and complimentary Hertz Five Star status through 2027—to retain post‑paid subscribers as its churn climbed to 0.93% in Q4 2025. The benefits accompany a broader sweepstakes and fee...
Netgear Secures FCC Exemption, Keeps Wi‑Fi 6E Routers on U.S. Enterprise Market
Netgear has been granted a conditional exemption from the FCC’s ban on foreign‑made routers, letting the company sell its Wi‑Fi 6E Nighthawk and Orbi models to enterprise customers through Oct. 1 2027. The decision preserves a key supply line for businesses and telecom...
Why MTN and Airtel Temporarily Suspended Airtime Lending in Nigeria
Nigeria’s two largest telecoms, MTN and Airtel, have temporarily halted their airtime‑and‑data credit services—MTN’s Xtratime and Airtel’s similar offering—to align with the Digital, Electronic, Online or Non‑Traditional Consumer Lending Regulations introduced by the FCCPC in 2025. The regulator clarified it...
IFC News Roundup From AIX
At the Aircraft Interiors Expo, satellite operators announced a wave of in‑flight connectivity contracts targeting major airlines. SES won a multi‑orbit antenna deal with Japan Airlines for 41 long‑haul Airbus and Boeing jets, while Hughes was chosen by Air India...
Airlines See IFC as Way to Build Relationships With Customers
Airlines are treating in‑flight connectivity (IFC) as a hospitality tool to forge emotional bonds with passengers. flydubai, after a lackluster Ku‑band rollout in 2016, is now installing SpaceX’s Starlink LEO satellites to deliver reliable broadband and curated brand‑aligned content. Ethiopian...
Education Groups Opposed to E-Rate Bidding Portal
The FCC is set to vote on a draft order that would create a USAC‑run E‑Rate competitive‑bidding portal, slated to launch on July 1 2027 for the 2028 funding cycle. Recipient groups, including the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition, argue the...
Safaricom Fails to Auto‑activate Ethiopia Roaming on Arrival
Weird thing that @SafaricomPLC doesn’t automatically connect you to Safaricom Ethiopia as soon as you land in Ethiopia, letting you immediately surf and call at home rates. One would think that the first thing you get as a message as soon...
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Analysts Call for Public Broadband as Thousands Remain Offline in NYC
Analysts Suzi Ragheb and Katherine Jin argue New York City should stop subsidizing private ISPs and build a publicly owned broadband network. The city currently spends roughly $38 million a year to provide subsidized service to 330,000 public‑housing residents, yet private...
Priority 5G & Satellite Keeps Transplant Teams Connected
Organ recovery can’t wait for congestion to clear. T-Mobile 5G priority access and satellite-enabled connectivity keep transplant coordinators connected. In healthcare and public safety, keeping voice and data connected under load saves lives. @T_Priority Partner https://t.co/ERwgYj7N0x
T‑Mobile Unifies Metro Prepaid with Main Brand
T-Mobile revamps prepaid brand to spruce up image: "This makes Metro and T-Mobile more of a continuum rather than two distinct brands." @Sheila_Dang https://t.co/Pq7lr8tUwW
IPv6 May Briefly Have Accounted for More than Half of Internet Traffic
IPv6 briefly surpassed the 50 % threshold of global internet traffic on March 28, according to Google data, marking a historic moment for the protocol. Cloudflare’s adoption radar recorded a high of 43 % IPv6 traffic, while APNIC Labs reported 43.13 % of worldwide...
Readiness for Physical AI, 6G Drives CTO Learning
CTO Learning Day is a chance to step back, learn and prepare for what’s next. With Physical AI, real-time AI services, Intent-based Networking, 6G on the horizon, readiness matters. Thanks to our guest presenters @ServeRobotics, @Qualcomm, @EricssonNA & @nokianetworks. Progress takes all...
Credo and Molex Shore up Their CPO Positions
Credo and Molex are strengthening their co‑packaged optics (CPO) capabilities through proposed transactions with DustPhotonics and Teraverse, respectively. The moves aim to broaden each company’s product portfolio and capture a larger share of the fast‑growing CPO market. In parallel, Openreach...
Tariff Hike 2026: Vodafone Idea Cuts Benefits and Raises Prices on Select Plans; New Plans Rolled Out
Vodafone Idea (Vi) has overhauled its prepaid portfolio, raising the Rs 670 (~$8) plan from Rs 649 and the Rs 1050 (~$13) plan from Rs 1020, while downgrading several NonStop Hero packs to limited‑data Hero bundles. The carrier also introduced a cheaper Rs 1005 (~$12)...
GSA: 5G Non Terrestrial Networks, 5G SA and 5G Advanced Gain Momentum
GSA data shows rapid growth in non‑terrestrial 5G networks, with 97 operators across 70 countries announcing investments in LEO satellite device‑to‑device (D2D) solutions and aligning with 3GPP Release 17 standards. Major players such as Skylo, Orange, Verizon, Vodafone IoT and Sateliot,...
NextNav, MxV Test 5G Coexistence with Railroad AEI
"The purpose of the experiment is for NextNav and MxV to validate coexistence between NextNav’s proposed 5G operations and the licensed operations of railroad AEI systems. Testing will be narrowly focused, geographically remote, and time limited." https://t.co/pz7mxfAY0P
AI Agents Will Flood Networks—New Strategies Needed
Given how much more Internet traffic AI Agents are going to create, we need new strategies to ensure the network can keep up. Here’s one…
TP-Link Debuts $180 Wi‑Fi 7 Mesh Kit, Undercutting Premium Competitors
TP-Link introduced the Deco BE23 Wi‑Fi 7 mesh kit at a $180 three‑pack price, delivering up to 2.9 Gbps throughput and covering up to 6,500 sq ft. The low‑cost offering challenges premium rivals like Netgear’s Orbi 370 and could accelerate consumer adoption of Wi‑Fi 7.
Yuanjie Semiconductor Tops Moutai as China’s Priciest Listed Stock at ¥1,439 ($200)
Yuanjie Semiconductor Technology Co. surged 9.6% to an all‑time high of ¥1,439 ($200) on Friday, eclipsing Kweichow Moutai and becoming the most expensive stock on China’s mainland exchanges. The jump reflects growing investor appetite for advanced photonic chip makers as...
Weekly Brief – 17th April 2026
Broadband operators reported several key developments this week. In Orkney, the repair ship Pierre de Fermat replaced 8 km of damaged subsea cable and plans to restore service by 18 April, while also rerouting the line to lower future risk. AST SpaceMobile...
TCI Aircraft Interiors, Türksat and Neo Space Group Establish Multi-Orbit IFC Partnership
TCI Aircraft Interiors, Turkey’s satellite operator Türksat, and Neo Space Group have signed a three‑party agreement to deliver next‑generation inflight connectivity (IFC) using a multi‑orbit architecture. The partnership combines GEO, MEO and future LEO satellite capacity with TCI’s cabin‑system integration...
Apple's Satellite Link Changes Hands, Prepares for Leo Integration
Apple devices’ satellite link is under new ownership: "This lays the foundation for when Leo comes online to expand and deepen that relationship." @Computerworld https://t.co/hLhYdyuYxS