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
UK Releases Upper 6 GHz Band to Bolster 5G Capacity and Seed 6G
The UK government announced today that the upper 6 GHz band (6425‑7125 MHz) will be split between Wi‑Fi and mobile use, giving operators an extra 540 MHz of spectrum for 5G and future 6G deployments. The plan balances growing urban data demand with protection for radio astronomy, satellite links and broadcast services.
EU and Morocco Sign AI Cooperation Deals at GITEX Marrakech, Launch Digital Dialogue
At GITEX Marrakech, the European Union and Morocco signed multiple AI and digital‑infrastructure agreements, launching the EU‑Morocco Digital Dialogue. The pact ties four EU supercomputing centres to Morocco’s Mohammed VI University and advances the Medusa optical‑fibre cable, positioning both sides as...
Arista Networks Jumps 3% on Analyst Upgrade and AI‑Sector Outlook
Arista Networks (ANET) closed up 3.13% on April 13, spurred by a recent upgrade to "Buy" from a leading investment firm and growing confidence in its AI‑focused networking strategy. The rally reflects broader enthusiasm for hardware players positioned to serve...
Algeria Is Offering Two Licences To Operate Non-Geostationary Orbit (NGSO) Satellite Networks
Algeria's Regulatory Authority of Posts and Electronic Communications (ARPCE) announced the issuance of two licences for operating Non‑Geostationary Orbit (NGSO) satellite networks. The licences grant holders the right to both operate and provide services linked to NGSO satellites within Algerian...
ZTE Redraws Growth Strategy Beyond Telecoms as AI Demand Builds
Chinese telecom operators plan 2026 capex of $38.4 bn, an 8% decline, with computing infrastructure becoming the top priority at $11.8 bn and double‑digit growth. ZTE is reshaping its business model, moving from a pure connectivity focus to a full‑stack AI strategy...
Ericsson Unveils 6G ‘Intelligent Fabric’ Blueprint at MWC Barcelona
Ericsson announced a 6G architecture described as an “intelligent fabric” at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, embedding artificial intelligence into every network layer. The plan builds on 5G Standalone and 5G Advanced, with collaborations spanning Intel, NVIDIA, Qualcomm and MediaTek...
Amazon Unveils Leo Aviation Antenna, Promising Gigabit In‑Flight Connectivity
Amazon announced the Leo Aviation Antenna, a low‑profile phased‑array terminal that can deliver up to 1 Gbps download and 400 Mbps upload to commercial aircraft. The hardware is slated for service in mid‑2026, positioning Amazon against SpaceX’s Starlink in the fast‑growing inflight...
Videotron Launches 2 Gbps Internet in Select Areas of Quebec
Videotron has rolled out its new 2 GIGA home internet service, delivering up to 2 Gbps download and 200 Mbps upload speeds, in select neighborhoods of Montreal, Laval and Quebec City. The tier doubles the download speed and quadruples the upload speed of...
Questioning SpaceX, Starlink Subscriber Numbers for BEAD Program
Aren't @SpaceX and @Starklink behind trend in reporting new subscriber totals, @elonmusk ? Asking for @NTIAgov's BEAD program. https://t.co/mqR6fUsklF
Nokia Poised for Growth via Hyperscalers, 800G, Nvidia AI‑RAN
"Analyst Oliver Wong and his team are positive on Nokia $NOK due to hyperscaler-driven growth in optical systems, inflection in pluggable revenues on shift to 800G... a potential advantage in AI-RAN with an Nvidia (NVDA) partnership." https://t.co/rQSQErgiEK
Google Shoehorned Rust Into Pixel 10 Modem to Make Legacy Code Safer
Google’s Project Zero uncovered a remote code‑execution flaw in Pixel phone modems, prompting the company to bolster baseband security. Instead of rewriting the entire firmware, Google inserted a Rust‑based component into the Pixel 10 modem’s legacy C/C++ stack. The Rust module...
5G Spending Wasted; Trust Now Drives Telecom Churn
.@ATT @Verizon @TMobile wasted $150B on 5G. Churn is rising. The network is no longer the product. Trust is. 📉🚨 #Telecom #5G
Starlink Poised to Eclipse Combined Windows, Netflix, Spotify Users
Starlink will be the largest subscription product ever created. Bigger than windows (400m) Netflix (300m) and Spotify (260m) — combined. @grok remind me of this is ten years @grok build a model that shows the path of a 1B...
Optus Strengthens Spectrum Strategy Expertise
Optus has hired Golnar Khomami, a former Telstra spectrum strategist, as senior director of network technology standardisation. Khomami will report to Kent Wu and lead Optus's engagement with international spectrum standards bodies. The move follows a series of senior tech...
Verizon’s mmWave Dominates Denver, Atlanta, Philly, Boston
Denver, Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Boston are top mmWave cities for Verizon. Roughly 60% of RootMetrics’ outdoor testing samples landed on Verizon’s mmWave in these cities in the second half of 2025. https://t.co/EWgcr9yWVs https://t.co/wyFUWfyn7U
Ultra-Broadband 200 W Solid-State Amplifier
Exodus Advanced Communications introduced a rugged ultra‑broadband solid‑state amplifier that operates from 6 to 10 GHz and delivers more than 200 W of saturated output. The unit provides 53 dB of gain using a Class A/AB architecture, offering excellent linearity for EMI/RFI, CW, pulse and communications...
Reliance Jio and Bank of Baroda Deploy Bob World Lite on Feature Phones to Boost Digital Inclusion
Reliance Jio and Bank of Baroda have launched bob World Lite, a lightweight banking app pre‑installed on JioPhone Prima 4G devices, targeting millions of feature‑phone users in semi‑urban and rural India. The partnership aligns with government goals for financial inclusion...
FCC Waiver Rule May Keep 71% of US Households Stuck with Outdated ISP Routers
The FCC’s new waiver requirement for non‑U.S.‑made routers could trap the 71% of American households that receive equipment from ISPs, leaving them with aging, less secure hardware. Analysts warn the rule may delay adoption of newer Wi‑Fi standards while the...
Better In‑Flight Wi‑Fi Will End Guilt‑Free Reading
starlink/leo competition is going to solve airline wifi and that means i will no longer be able to simply read a novel sans guilt while flying
Ookla Report: MmWave 5G Networks Are Growing
Ookla’s latest speed‑test report shows that Verizon and AT&T are expanding mmWave 5G deployments, especially in dense urban centers. Verizon’s mmWave footprint grew from 75 markets in 2024 to 91 in late 2025, while AT&T’s testing activity rose 20% in...
USB-Controlled Attenuators
JFW Industries announced three new USB‑controlled attenuator models that operate across a 400 MHz to 8.4 GHz spectrum. The units are offered in two‑, four‑ and eight‑channel configurations, catering to a range of test setups. Each attenuator ships with dedicated test software,...
AI Consumes 4.2% of US Wireless Traffic, Costing $3B
"WIA estimates that AI traffic on U.S. wireless networks accounts for at least 4.2 percent of total wireless traffic. ...this means that AI in 2025 accounts for just under $3 billion of wireless network operational expense and capital expenditure" https://t.co/QgFk7mLHrm
Senate Commerce Targets Satellite Security in Next Executive Session
On April 13, 2026, the Senate Commerce Committee scheduled a markup session to consider nine bills, including the Secure Space Act and the Satellite Cybersecurity Act, aimed at strengthening U.S. satellite communications security. The Secure Space Act would bar the...
Rogers Signs New Long-Term Agreement as Exclusive Telecom Partner of Toronto Pearson Airport
Rogers has secured a new multi‑year contract to remain the exclusive telecommunications partner at Toronto Pearson Airport, Canada’s busiest hub. The agreement, extending the relationship first forged in 2019, will introduce phased technology upgrades beginning later this year, including business...
Network Quality No Longer Secures Telecom Customer Loyalty
Networks are finally "good enough" and have stopped driving customer loyalty. Here is the hard data on why your current telecom strategy is failing. 🧵📉
Robert Corn-Revere: Fact Checking Without Facts
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr is using the public‑interest licensing standard to threaten broadcasters that he labels as spreading "fake news," a stance that departs from decades‑old FCC precedent. Over the past year he has posted on social media that stations...
A Practical Guide to Fiber Optic Equipment and Its Uses
Fiber optic networks underpin modern data, video, and mission‑critical communications, making a reliable toolkit essential for technicians. The guide breaks down equipment by lifecycle stage—from cable jacket strippers and precision cleavers for preparation, to core‑alignment fusion splicers that deliver sub‑0.05 dB...
Amazon's Faster, Single-Dish Wi‑Fi Wins Delta over Starlink
This may explain why Delta went with Amazon instead of Starlink. 3X the download speed and only a single dish required for each aircraft. $AMZN $DAL
T‑Mobile to Deploy 4,000 New CDC Cell Sites in 2026
T-Mobile plans to build roughly 4,000 new cell sites in 2026 using its customer-driven coverage (CDC). Via @FierceNetwork_ https://t.co/OehQlRtcXQ
House Bill to Offset Data Centers' Impact on Energy Costs Introduced
Rep. Paul Tonko introduced the Power for the People Act, a House bill that would require data‑center developers to pay for the transmission upgrades their power demand triggers. The legislation follows a Senate counterpart introduced by Sen. Chris Van Hollen...
Russia Covertly Sabotaged Subsea Cables Amid Middle East Distraction
Russia launched a covert operation to sabotage subsea cables while the world was distracted by the Middle East. https://t.co/9Hvq1fhjhY
Supreme Court Revives Grande ISP Copyright Fight for Fresh Fifth Circuit Review
The U.S. Supreme Court vacated the Fifth Circuit’s ruling that upheld a copyright verdict against Grande Communications and remanded the case for reconsideration under a newly‑narrowed liability framework. The high court’s action follows its recent decision that limits when internet...
Campuses Ready Their Wireless Infrastructure for the Future
Colleges and universities are shifting their view of campus Wi‑Fi from a cost center to a strategic infrastructure investment. To support AI‑driven tools, hybrid learning, and the surge of BYOD devices, institutions are launching multi‑year, campus‑wide wireless modernizations. Cisco’s new...
Missiles Are Hitting Data Centers. Now What?
On April 1 a missile struck Batelco’s Hamala headquarters in Bahrain, destroying an AWS‑hosted data center, following March drone attacks that knocked out three AWS sites across the UAE and Bahrain and halted banking, ride‑hailing and payment apps. These events constitute...
Amazon Mulls $9 B Offer for Globalstar to Accelerate Satellite Broadband
Amazon is exploring a bid valued around $9 billion for Globalstar, a satellite communications firm with valuable spectrum licenses in more than 120 countries. The move would speed Amazon’s plan to expand its Project Kuiper constellation, which currently trails rivals like...
WGC2026 Kicks Off with WiFi HaLow and UWB
Kicking off @wifinowevents #WGC2026 in Mountain View with @HettingClaus on stage Today is the kickoff day, with a focus on WiFi HaLow today, and UWB this afternoon https://t.co/VHNowhNdbR
Hughes Readies Satellite Antenna Combo for Airlines
Hughes Network Systems announced a new electronically steerable antenna (ESA) that merges Ka‑band and Ku‑band capabilities, aiming to free airlines from reliance on a single satellite network. The solution pairs the existing HL1520 Ku‑band ESA with a newly developed Ka‑band...
SpaceX Deploys 25 Starlink V2 Mini Satellites on Falcon 9 From Vandenberg
SpaceX lifted 25 Starlink V2 Mini Optimized satellites aboard a Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, using booster B1100 on its fourth flight. The launch highlights the company's push to treat orbit as a manufacturing line, accelerating global broadband...
TIM Edges Closer to Sparkle Sale
Telecom Italia’s wholesale unit Sparkle is being sold to Italy’s Ministry of Economy and Finance and infrastructure specialist Retelit for roughly €700 million (about $756 million). The European Commission cleared the transaction, stating it poses limited competition risk in cable landing stations,...
Openreach Furthers Its Sustainability Effort with New Zyxel Fiber ONTs
Openreach has teamed with Zyxel to roll out Optical Network Terminals built from 95% recycled plastic, aiming to cut plastic waste in its UK fiber‑broadband expansion. Half a million of these sustainable ONTs are already installed, and the partnership supports...
US 5G $150B Spend Wasted as Brand Loyalty Drives Churn
Was the $150B US 5G build a colossal waste? Networks are "good enough" – carriers lost the only advantage they had. Now churn is rising because customers care about brands, not bars. 🧵⏬
MmWave Offers Gigabit Speeds Within 150‑meter Range
Most mmWave samples were obtained within 150 meters (about 500 feet) of a mmWave transmission site, reflecting the spectrum’s relatively diminutive coverage area. However, download speeds over mmWave connections reached beyond 1 Gbps in some markets. MORE: https://t.co/EWgcr9zuL0 https://t.co/KTRa0V1kfr
Branded Calling for Businesses Gets a Boost in US
Boost Mobile has partnered with First Orion to roll out branded calling, displaying a company’s name on outbound calls to improve consumer trust. The service joins a federated US solution that already reaches AT&T, T‑Mobile and Verizon, collectively branding about...
UK Police Spend £25m on Legacy Comms Network Waiting for New Emergency Network Service
UK police have allocated roughly $32 million to keep a legacy communications network running for six months, after a four‑year, $64 million contract for a new Emergency Network Service fell behind schedule. The original plan envisioned a seamless transition, but the new...
Wireless CPI Rebounds 0.6% After Recent Declines
After showing some serious declines in recent months, the Consumer Price Index for Wireless telephone services between Feb. 2026-Mar. 2026 rose 0.6%. https://t.co/jLkjJC61OX
Mercedes-Benz Accelerates Factory Automation Using Private Networks
Mercedes‑Benz is deploying dedicated mobile private networks (MPNs) to eliminate latency spikes that plague public 5G in its highly automated factories. The private 5G slices enable real‑time coordination of robotics, automated guided vehicles and edge‑compute quality‑control systems, treating the network...
TTK Reports Wi-Fi Traffic up 78% at Train Stations in Q1
Russian telecom operator TTK reported that public Wi‑Fi traffic in railway stations surged 78% year‑on‑year in Q1, reaching 1,717 TB of data. The networks, operated in partnership with Russian Railways since 2015, are seeing unprecedented usage as travelers increasingly rely on...
Africa Data Centres to Give Connectivity in South Africa a Boost
Africa Data Centres, the continent’s largest carrier‑neutral data‑centre platform, has partnered with Oni‑Tel Fibre Networks to upgrade connectivity at its Gauteng sites. The deal will link the Midrand and Samrand campuses to Oni‑Tel’s Infinity dark‑fibre interconnection platform, delivering high‑capacity, low‑latency...
HAPS Specialist Claims Record for Stratospheric Flight
US aerospace firm Sceye completed a 12‑day, 6,400‑mile stratospheric flight from New Mexico to Brazil, setting a record with 88 hours over the target area. The SE2 HAPS platform maintained power, position and pressure loops using solar energy and batteries,...
Verizon Leads mmWave 5G Rollout; AT&T and T‑Mobile Lag
MY LATEST Across all of RootMetrics’ testing in the second half of 2025, in both urban (metro) and rural (state) areas, mmWave 5G showed up in 2.2% of Verizon’s samples. For AT&T, that figure was 0.2%. For T-Mobile, that figure was...