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
Mobiuz Offers Annual Fixed-Wireless Plan with Unlimited Data, 5G Router
Uzbek telecom operator Mobiuz has rolled out a new annual fixed‑wireless service called Mobi Home. For a one‑time connection fee of UZS 1.190 million (about $104), customers receive unlimited data for a full year. The offering bundles a ZTE G5C router that supports 5G connectivity, turning any home into a high‑speed broadband hub. Mobi Home aims to capture residential users seeking reliable, high‑capacity internet without traditional fiber deployment.
5G-Advanced Deployment Tracker Added to PolicyTracker Spectrum Research Service
PolicyTracker has launched a 5G‑Advanced deployment tracker as part of its Spectrum Research Service. The tool maps global and regional progress of mobile operators moving from trials to commercial roll‑out of 5G‑Advanced (Release 18) and later releases. It includes an overview...
Here Comes Starlink, the Next Telecom Giant
Starlink, five years into commercial service, is now reshaping the telecom landscape by offering ultra‑low latency broadband that rivals traditional GEO and MEO satellites. Its partnership with MVNO US Mobile marks a foray into fixed‑line bundling, while Asian markets see incumbents...
LMT's Security System Blocks over 2 Mln Spam Calls in First 2 Months
Latvian telecom operator LMT reported that its Call Firewall solution blocked more than 2.3 million spam calls in the first two months since rollout. The system, part of a broader industry initiative to curb fraudulent calls, saw a sharp spike in...
Ooredoo Oman Wins Award for Best 5G Gaming Experience
Ooredoo Oman was awarded Ookla’s Speedtest Award for the Best 5G Gaming Experience in Oman for Q3‑Q4 2025. The accolade is based on analysis of more than 76,000 Speedtest results from over 15,000 local users. Metrics such as latency and jitter...
Ask Your Questions on SGP.32 – Live AMA with Emnify
The upcoming live AMA on May 12 will dive into SGP.32, a new software‑defined IoT connectivity model that replaces static SIM management with programmable control. emnify will demonstrate how it implements SGP.32, enabling instant‑on connectivity, operator independence, and global scalability....
A Year Later: Examining Google Media CDN’s Evolution in Scale, Monitoring, and Architecture
Google’s Media CDN has dramatically expanded over the past year, tripling delivery capacity by leveraging both its own infrastructure and YouTube’s network. New features such as Flexible Shielding provide regional caching in South Africa, the Middle East, and the U.S.,...
Cloudflare Launches Mesh to Secure the AI Agent Lifecycle
Cloudflare announced Mesh, a private networking solution built for AI agents that unifies agents, humans, and multicloud infrastructure into a single secure fabric. The service replaces legacy VPNs and manual tunnels, letting developers provision private connectivity in minutes while keeping...
AI Is Driving Network Energy Costs Up. Here’s How to Control Them
Communications service providers are confronting soaring energy costs as AI workloads become integral to 5G and future 6G networks. A new whitepaper by TNS and Kaleido Intelligence warns that data‑center capacity could grow two‑to‑six‑fold by 2030, turning energy efficiency into...
FCC Unveils FY 2025 Performance Report, Sets New Broadband Build‑Out Targets
The Federal Communications Commission released its FY 2025 Annual Performance Report, detailing updated broadband deployment goals and funding allocations. The report signals the regulator’s continued focus on closing the digital divide and outlines performance metrics for the next fiscal year.
Lidl Retail MVNO: A 50 Million Subscribers Play?
Schwarz Group, the owner of Lidl, has poured $80 million into a near‑10 % stake in eSIM platform 1Global, aiming to expand its Lidl Connect mobile virtual network operator across 30 European markets. The retailer plans to leverage its 150 million unique store...
Indus Towers: Jefferies Cuts Rating to Underperform, Gives Reasons for Bear Outlook
Jefferies downgraded Indus Towers to "underperform" and lowered its price target to Rs 375 (about $4.5) amid renewal risk for roughly 10 % of sites built in 2016‑17. The broker warns that contract expirations in late 2026‑early 2027 could force the company...
Taara Expands Into Video Distribution, Sizes up Data Center Opportunity
Taara, the free‑space‑optics spin‑out of Google X, is entering remote video distribution through a partnership with production‑tech firm Cintegral. The collaboration will showcase 4K and 8K wireless feeds powered by Taara’s Lightbridge platform at the NAB Show, leveraging up to...
Asiacell and Al-Nahrain University Open 5G Lab
Iraqi mobile operator Asiacell has teamed with Al‑Nahrain University to launch Iraq’s first 5G laboratory, located in the university’s College of Information Engineering. The project is funded by the Communications and Media Commission, marking the country’s inaugural real‑world 5G test...
Eurobites: Deutsche Telekom Plugs Thüga Into 'Sovereign' AI
Deutsche Telekom announced a partnership with German utilities group Thüga to deploy its “sovereign” AI suite on the operator’s T‑Cloud Public, keeping all data processing within the EU legal framework. The deal highlights a broader European push for data‑sovereign cloud...
NAB Show: LiveU to Showcase LU900Q's 'Quantum Leap' In Intelligent Connectivity, Workflows
LiveU unveiled its LU900Q encoding platform at the 2026 NAB Show, positioning it as the company’s first AI‑powered, intelligent production unit. The compact device combines native LiveU IQ, eSIM, 5G modems and a MIMO antenna to deliver 4:2:2 encoding, dual‑camera...
From PSTN to SIP: The Cloud Communication Revolution
How did we move from traditional phone lines to today’s flexible, cloud-based communication? 📞➡️☁️ In our latest article from the Communications Then and Now series, we explore the shift from PSTN to SIP and why it changed everything. For over a century,...
Amazon Reaches Definitive Merger Deal with Globalstar with Support for Apple Devices
Amazon announced a definitive agreement to acquire Globalstar at $90 per share, a roughly 23% premium over the stock’s recent close of $72.89. The deal will integrate Globalstar’s low‑Earth‑orbit satellite network with Amazon Leo, enabling direct‑to‑device (D2D) services. Amazon also secured...
Amazon Leo to Enable Satellite Service on iPhone, Apple Watch
AMAZON X APPLE PARTNERSHIP Amazon $AMZN and Apple $AAPL just announced a new agreement for Amazon Leo to power satellite services for supported iPhone and Apple Watch models
Photon Bridge and PHIX Partner on DWDM External Laser Sources for Hyperscale AI Data Centers
Photon Bridge of Eindhoven and PHIX of Enschede have teamed up to commercialize a high‑performance DWDM external laser source transmit optical sub‑assembly (TOSA) aimed at co‑packaged optics in hyperscale AI data centers. Photon Bridge will supply end‑to‑end photonic chip design,...
Leftover Copper Customers
T‑Mobile is weighing a purchase of UNITI’s fiber assets, which include former Windstream lines, leaving the legacy copper customers behind. Lumen previously sold its fiber subscriber base to AT&T while retaining its copper‑based services, citing ongoing cash flow. The FCC...
Open Broadcast Systems Unlocks IP Distribution for BBC World Service TV
Open Broadcast Systems announced that its low‑latency IP decoders have been chosen by BBC World Service TV for global distribution. The compact units support major IP video protocols—including SRT, RIST and Zixi—allowing flexible, reliable, and cost‑effective delivery to rebroadcast partners...
Samsung Networks CEO and Orange CTO Warn Against Premature 6G Spending
At Mobile World Congress, Samsung Networks chief Woojune Kim told reporters he does not expect a 6G investment surge, while Orange’s chief technology officer warned that the industry’s obsession with the next "G" is premature. Both executives argue that telcos...
Police Tech Body Adds Six Months and £30m to Deal for Airwave Devices to Cover ESN Delays
The Police Digital Service (PDS) has extended its Airwave handset contract with Sepura and Motorola Solutions by six months, adding roughly $38 million to the deal. The agreement now runs until 30 June 2027, lifting the total contract value to about $114 million. The...
DePIN Infrastructure Scales, yet Monetization Remains Unclear
how profitable will depin networks actually get? hivemapper has 100,000+ user-funded dashcams mapping ~34% of world roads. geodnet has 20,500 user-funded RTK stations, now the largest precision GPS network on earth. helium mobile has 120K user-deployed hotspots with large carriers offloading...
ACT Abandons Home Affairs Identity Fees Lawsuit
The Association of Comms & Technology (ACT) has withdrawn its high‑court challenge to Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber’s steep identity‑verification fee increase, opting for members to negotiate directly with the department. The fee rose from 15 cents to R10 per query...
UK FWA Specialist Expands to US
Cambridge Broadband Networks Group (CBNG), a UK‑based fixed wireless access (FWA) equipment vendor, opened its first U.S. facility in Richardson, Texas. The site serves as a distribution hub, logistics centre, and engineering lab, providing on‑ground support for its 5G mmWave...
Auckland International Airport Picks Spark as Telecommunications Partner
Spark has secured an exclusive partnership to operate telecommunications stores in the duty‑free precinct of Auckland International Airport, giving it the sole provider status in the arrivals area. The deal places Spark in front of roughly 4.9 million international travelers each...
Openreach Take on North Shropshire and West Herefordshire Project Gigabit Contracts
Building Digital UK (BDUK) announced that Openreach will step in as the replacement provider for two Project Gigabit contracts after the original network builders withdrew. In North Shropshire, Openreach inherits a £24 million (≈$30.7 million) contract to connect 8,500 premises, while in...
The Firmware Fallacy: Why Bridging the NTN Gap in Massive IoT Still Requires a Hardware Reality Check
The article warns that adding Non‑Terrestrial Network (NTN) connectivity to massive IoT devices cannot be achieved through a simple firmware‑over‑the‑air update. While 3GPP Release 17 introduces native NTN support for NB‑IoT and LTE‑M, the physical differences in antenna patterns, RF front‑end...
EXCLUSIVE April 2026 Update on Openreach Full-Fibre Roll-Out
Openreach reported a record‑breaking rollout in April 2026, adding 608,354 new FTTP premises and averaging 19,634 connections per day. The cumulative footprint reached 22,360,468 premises as of 12 April, positioning the network to achieve roughly 25 million ready‑for‑service locations by October‑November 2026....
VodafoneZiggo Adds Low-Cost Broadband and TV Offer to Hollandsnieuwe
VodafoneZiggo is extending its budget mobile brand hollandsnieuwe into the Dutch fixed market, offering broadband and TV services over the Ziggo network. Customers can pick 100 Mbps or 1 Gbps speeds and a streaming‑based TV package with more than 50 channels. Introductory...
Local ISPs Lobby to Block Starlink, Echoing US Influence
Business HEAVILY influence Public Policy…. Rich people like @elonmusk hold sway over politicians in the United States…. But what the folks in the US forget is that there are also businesses in other countries & they influence policy there. Starlink...
Jay Monroe's Satellite WiFi Bet Made Him Billionaire
The big winner is Globalstar controlling shareholder Jay Monroe who has believed in satellite WiFi for years. When I first wrote about him 12 years ago, his kids had no idea he was already a billionaire from $GSAT
Airtel Expands Network Capacity in Latest Move to Close Gap with MTN
Airtel Nigeria has accelerated its network build, adding 1,561 sites to reach roughly 17,200 towers by December 2025 and committing $500 million to the effort. The expansion targets high‑traffic corridors where congestion threatens service quality as internet consumption hit 1.26 million terabytes...
Apple Skips C‑3 Services as Amazon Plans 2028 Constellation
This doesn't specifically say what's happening to the C-3 constellation, but Apple is not getting the more advanced services intended as part of that constellation and Amazon is building its own constellation in 2028. Looks to me like C-3 may...
Tanzania Urges More Spectrum for Satellite D2D, Cites Interference Concerns
.@GSMA @GSOA_SAT @Ofcom Tanzania #TCRA on @ITU proposal to release more terrestrial spectrum for satellite D2D at @ITU #WRC27. Cross-border signal interference remains an issue for many nations.https://t.co/8WrxIctTmQ https://t.co/s2CjjJDPSe
C-DoT to Commercialise Indigenously-Developed 5G Radio Network
India’s Centre for Development of Telematics (C‑DoT) has completed an indigenously developed 5G radio that operates in both non‑standalone and standalone modes, partnering with VVDN Technologies and WiSig Networks. The consortium is set to begin field trials in Ambala after...
Telefónica Germany Pushes IoT Beyond Terrestrial Limits
Telefónica Germany announced the integration of narrowband satellite links into its 5G IoT portfolio, positioning satellite as a natural extension rather than a threat. The hybrid connectivity model lets devices switch between cellular and satellite networks to cover gaps in...
Tetra-Networks-for-Mission-Critical-Voice-Communications
Motorola Solutions highlights TETRA private mobile radio (PMR) networks as essential for mission‑critical voice communications in public safety. Operating around 400 MHz, TETRA offers longer reach and better indoor penetration than 4G/5G, especially in reinforced concrete structures. Built‑in redundancy and direct‑mode...
Japan Airlines Taps SES to Expand Multi-Orbit Inflight Connectivity
Japan Airlines has partnered with satellite operator SES to equip its long‑haul fleet with multi‑orbit inflight connectivity. The deal covers 20 Airbus A350‑900s, 10 Boeing 787‑9s in line‑fit and 11 787‑9s as retrofits, with installations slated to begin in 2027‑2028....
Telecom Network Market Rebounds to $215.8 Bn in 2025 as AI and 5G Investments Accelerate
Global telecom network infrastructure revenues hit $215.8 bn in 2025, up 4.2% year‑over‑year, with Q4 alone reaching $61.8 bn, a 7.2% rise. The rebound follows a slowdown in 2023‑24 and is driven by operator spending on 5G upgrades, fiber expansion and AI‑enabled...
WiFi HaLow Emerges as Ideal Mid‑range IoT Solution
I’m increasingly a believer in the #WiFi #HaLow story for midrange #IoT connectivity, at least for integrated “solutions”, especially for industrial, commercial and smart-city applications. https://t.co/VtEhL1bJz8 https://t.co/euVaW697Ad
MachTen: A Mispriced Rural Fiber Infrastructure Play
MachTen Inc. (OTC:MACT) recently acquired AT&T’s wireline assets in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, expanding its network by thousands of miles. The company is executing a $100 million fiber build‑out in northern Michigan, with roughly 75% of the cost covered by federal subsidies...
Telecom News: Vodafone Idea, BSNL–Vodafone Idea, Capex Optimization
Vodafone Idea (Vi) is accelerating its network transformation by deploying over 117,000 new broadband sites to strengthen 4G coverage and lay the groundwork for a focused 5G rollout in high‑revenue urban circles. The operator is also modernizing legacy systems, which...
Telecom News: UCSAF, Orange, MasOrange, Turkcell, ZTE, Netas
Tanzania’s Universal Communications Service Access Fund has deployed 758 new telecom towers and expanded fibre, aiming to close the digital divide in rural areas. In Europe, Orange secured EU approval to acquire the remaining 50% of MasOrange in a €4.25 billion...
Telecom News: RUCKUS Networks, Nokia, Telecom Italia (TIM), Jio, Airtel, Vi, BSNL
RUCKUS Networks and Nokia have introduced an early‑access Wi‑Fi 7 solution paired with Nokia’s fiber optical LAN, managed via the AI‑driven RUCKUS One platform, targeting enterprises and service providers. The integrated offering promises multi‑gigabit speeds, low latency, and plug‑and‑play deployment, with...
Telecom News: CESNET, Ribbon Communications, Telit Cinterion, Lenovo, NVIDIA, Lidl, 1GLOBAL
CESNET and Ribbon Communications demonstrated a quantum‑secured optical network using Quantum Key Distribution, proving near‑zero latency encryption can be integrated into live fiber links. Telit Cinterion showcased its deviceWISE Industrial Active Intelligence platform at Hannover Messe 2026, leveraging Lenovo edge...
Amazon Nears Deal for Globalstar in Push to Rival Musk’s Starlink
Amazon.com Inc. is in advanced talks to acquire satellite operator Globalstar Inc., a move that would accelerate its Project Kuiper satellite broadband rollout. The deal, expected to be announced as early as Tuesday, would give Amazon access to Globalstar’s low‑Earth‑orbit...
FCC Names ioXt Alliance Lead Administrator for Cyber Trust Mark Program
The Federal Communications Commission appointed the non‑profit ioXt Alliance as lead administrator of its Cyber Trust Mark program, replacing UL Solutions, which stepped down after a probe into its Chinese ties. The move is intended to give consumers a clear...