Today's Telecom Pulse
Australia's $5.25B spectrum fee sparks industry backlash
The Australian Communications and Media Authority announced a A$7.32 billion (≈US$5.25 billion) fee for renewing mobile spectrum licences held by the three major operators and NBN Co. Industry bodies AMTA and ATA denounced the charge as a "short‑sighted spectrum stealth tax" and warned it could force operators to curb investment.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Optimum raises $300M in preferred equity
The FCC Announces Plans to Speed Up The Internet & Fight Robocalls
The FCC set an agenda for its April 30, 2026 Open Commission Meeting that targets five priority areas: modernizing satellite spectrum sharing to expand rural broadband, tightening Know‑Your‑Customer rules to curb illegal robocalls, overhauling device‑authorization to secure communications equipment, launching a competitive‑bidding portal for the E‑Rate school‑library program, and revising the Audible Crawl Rule to improve emergency alerts for the visually impaired. Each proposal seeks to update decades‑old regulations to reflect rapid technological change. The commission will also consider broader national‑security safeguards that limit certain foreign entities from providing interstate telecom services. Drafts of the rules will be released for public comment ahead of the meeting.
Chunghwa Telecom Invests in Trans-Pacific E2A Cable
Chunghwa Telecom announced a multi‑carrier investment in the E2A submarine cable, a 12,500‑kilometer trans‑Pacific fiber‑optic system linking Taiwan, South Korea, Japan and California. The project, co‑developed with SK Broadband, SoftBank and Verizon, aims to meet surging demand from AI‑driven cloud...
FCC Proposes Sweeping Rules on Foreign Call Centers: Onshoring Mandates, Consumer Protections and Robocall Deterrence
On March 27, 2026 the FCC issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking targeting foreign call centers. The package proposes a 30% cap on calls handled abroad, English‑proficiency testing, mandatory disclosures, and a right for consumers to be transferred to U.S....
Intuition Foresight Enables Seamless LEO Integration in Multi‑Orbit Satcom
ST Engineering iDirect's launch of Intuition Foresight underscores the rapid changes occurring in satcom since LEO broadband came on the scene. With Foresight, ST uses standard APIs to integrate LEO into multi-orbit networks in a 'fundamental shift' https://t.co/evhgolvaok
Bangladesh SMW-5 Repairs Trigger 80-Hour Disruption
Bangladesh’s second submarine cable, SEA-ME-WE-5 (SMW-5), will undergo shunt‑fault repairs from 10 p.m. Thursday, April 9, until 6 a.m. Monday, April 13, causing an expected 80‑hour slowdown or partial outages. Traffic normally routed to Singapore will be diverted to the nation’s other cable, SEA‑ME‑WE‑4,...
TRAI Floats Satellite Spectrum Framework, Seeks Industry Views on Direct-to-Mobile Services
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) released a consultation paper proposing a Satellite Communication Network framework that would permit Direct‑to‑Device (D2D) satellite services using either Mobile Satellite Service (MSS) or International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) spectrum. The initiative aims to...
TP-Link Launches Extremely Low-Cost TL-7DR3600 Dual-Band Wi-Fi 7 Router
TP‑Link has launched the TL‑7DR3600, a dual‑band Wi‑Fi 7 router priced at $23, positioning it as the cheapest entry‑level model on the market. The device uses five AI‑driven “pixel” antennas and a Starlight chipset to deliver core Wi‑Fi 7 features such as...
TRAI Proposes Voice‑Only Packs to Slash Mobile Recharge Costs in India
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has released a consultation paper calling for mandatory voice‑only recharge packs with monthly to yearly validity, aiming to lower the cost of calling for millions of users. The regulator will collect stakeholder feedback...
ATT's OneConnect Shifts Focus From ARPU to Account Value
.@ATT is killing the ARPU metric. The new OneConnect plan prioritizes account value over per-line revenue. 📉🚀 #Telecom #Strategy #ARPU
Starlink Clears Security Hurdle, DCC Nod Likely Next Week
Starlink has satisfied India’s law‑enforcement security requirements, clearing the biggest regulatory hurdle for its commercial launch. The Digital Communications Commission is slated to meet next week, after which the proposal will move to the Union Cabinet for final approval. Executives...
India Takes a Step Closer to Direct-to-Device with Spectrum Consultation
India’s Telecom Regulatory Authority (TRAI) has launched a consultation on how to allocate spectrum for direct‑to‑device (D2D) satellite services. The regulator is weighing whether providers should use Mobile Satellite Services (MSS) spectrum or International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) spectrum, a decision...
SoundHound AI and Associated Carrier Group Partner to Bring Agentic AI to Telecom Customer Service and Employee Experience
SoundHound AI announced a strategic partnership with the Associated Carrier Group (ACG) to deliver its next‑generation agentic AI platform to ACG’s Tier 2 and Tier 3 telecom members. The solution enables end‑to‑end issue resolution across voice and digital channels, cutting call volume...
Wire 3 Lights up First Fiber Internet Customers in Lake County, Florida
Wire 3, a Florida‑based fiber provider, has begun connecting residents and businesses in Leesburg with its 10‑gigabit symmetrical service. The rollout is underpinned by a $50 million private investment and includes a five‑year price lock for early adopters. The company says...
Apply AI Sectoral Deep Dive - Electronic Communications
The European Commission will host a live webinar on April 30, 2026 to explore AI‑driven transformation of the EU’s electronic communications sector. Speakers from DG Connect will discuss real‑world use cases, edge‑AI technologies, and the development of a European Telco...
Openreach Exchange Closures Can Add to Financial Pressure on Altnets – Neos
Openreach plans to shut down most of its 5,600 exchanges, keeping only about 1,000 sites, with the bulk of closures scheduled after 2030. Alternative network providers such as Neos must either dig new fibre routes or lease alternative facilities, a...
Egypt Plans SIM Cards with Child Protection by June
Egypt’s National Telecommunications Regulatory Authority announced that child‑protection SIM cards will be launched within 60 days. The new SIMs, offered by Vodafone, Orange, WE and Etisalat, will let parents block adult or violent content and disable bypass tools. NTRA chairman...
Melon Digital Agrees eSIM Deal with Airalo in South Africa
Melon Digital, a mobile‑virtual network operator platform, has struck a partnership with global eSIM provider Airalo to serve international visitors in South Africa. The deal enables travelers to download a local data, voice and messaging profile instantly upon arrival, bypassing...
Preseem Launches Its First Proactive ISP Virtual Summit
Preseem, a network quality management firm for ISPs, announced its inaugural Proactive ISP Virtual Summit, scheduled for May 5‑6, 2026. The free, two‑day event will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern each day and centers on the theme “AI in Action,”...
Kore Group to Launch Kigen eSIM-Powered Connectivity Suite for Enterprise IoT
Kore Group has teamed with eSIM specialist Kigen to launch an enterprise IoT connectivity suite that complies with the GSMA’s SGP.32 standard. The product, slated for release later this year, will enable businesses to remotely provision eSIMs, manage device lifecycles,...
Amazon Leo's Claimed Speed Edge Lacks Clear Benchmark
.@amazon CEO @ajassy's April 9 shareholder letter on @Amazonleo performance. Unclear what his point of reference is when comparing Amazon Leo to competing services available today - 6x-8x faster uplink, 2x better downlink and lower cost. @Starlink is a moving...
Asus Expands ProArt Creators' Brand Into Networking with First Wi-Fi 7 Router, Ethernet Switch
Asus has launched its first networking devices under the ProArt brand, unveiling the PRT‑BE5000 Wi‑Fi 7 router and the PQG‑U1080 Ethernet switch. The move mirrors the company’s earlier strategy with the Republic of Gamers line, extending a creator‑focused portfolio that already...
Mint Mobile Rolls Out $45/Month 5G Home‑internet and Mobile Bundle on T‑Mobile Network
Mint Mobile announced a $45‑per‑month bundle that combines 5G home internet and unlimited mobile service, powered by T‑Mobile’s network. The plan offers 133‑415 Mbps downlink speeds, a $540 annual fee and a five‑year lock, positioning the carrier as a low‑cost alternative...
Best T-Mobile Plans: How to Choose and Which Ones to Pick in 2026
T‑Mobile’s 2026 plan refresh introduces a surprise Better Value offering and highlights three core unlimited options: Essentials Saver, Essentials, and Experience More. Essentials Saver starts at $50 per month with 50 GB of high‑speed 5G data and limited hotspot speeds, while...
ReelShort Teams with AIS to Launch 5G Short‑Form Video Service in Thailand
ReelShort has struck a partnership with Thailand’s Advanced Info Service (AIS) to roll out a co‑branded 5G short‑form video add‑on priced at THB39 ($1.15) per month. The deal gives AIS’s 52 million customers ad‑free access to nearly 3,000 microdrama titles and...
Starlink 'Carving Out a Niche' In Urban US – Ookla
Ookla’s Speedtest data for the second half of 2025 shows Starlink shedding its rural‑only image, with five states—Florida, Massachusetts, Hawaii, New Jersey and Connecticut—recording more urban than rural subscribers. At the same time, the share of Starlink users achieving the...
.jpg?width=1280&auto=webp&quality=80&disable=upscale)
Digital Realty, IXPN Launch New Internet Exchange PoP in Nigeria
Digital Realty has activated a new Internet Exchange Point of Presence (PoP) for the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN) at its recently commissioned Lekki data centre in Lagos. The addition expands IXPN’s footprint to 12 data centres across the...
Secure Accounts by Binding Them to Physical SIMs
Ties accounts to physical SIMS (not sketchy auto shared seeds and profiles -see my blog.)
Deutsche Telekom Upgrades Industry 4.0 with Starlink Backhaul
Deutsche Telekom has introduced a managed satellite broadband service for enterprise customers, leveraging SpaceX’s Starlink low‑Earth‑orbit constellation as backhaul for remote sites. The LEO connection delivers 30‑50 ms latency, far lower than GEO satellites, enabling real‑time industrial protocols for applications such...
Intellian Unveils Dual-Band Military Flyaway Antenna
Intellian Technologies unveiled a 2.4‑meter dual‑band tactical flyaway antenna at Satellite 2026 in Washington, D.C. The system can simultaneously operate on X‑band and Mil Ka‑band, making it the first Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) flyaway capable of dual‑band connectivity. Designed for military and...
Fortify Leverages Nullspace EM to Simulate and 3D Print a Cylindrical GRIN Lens for a Conical Horn Antenna
Fortify used Nullspace EM’s simulation platform to design a cylindrical gradient‑index (GRIN) lens that adds roughly 5 dB of gain to a conical horn antenna while shrinking the antenna’s footprint. The engineers created equation‑based permittivity profiles, iterated quickly in the virtual...
Musk, Bezos, Both Cry To Trump’s FCC In Bid To Dominate Satellite Broadband
Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’s Amazon are locked in a proxy fight at the FCC over dominance of low‑Earth‑orbit (LEO) satellite broadband. SpaceX alleges Amazon’s Project Leo violates orbital‑debris rules by launching satellites at excessively high altitudes, while Amazon...
FCC May Boost Starlink Power for Faster Broadband
D.C. Memo: @BrendanCarrFCC Planning to Allow @Starlink to Increase Power Levels, Yielding Much Faster Download Speeds: 'By discarding last century’s satellite regulations, we could see billions of dollars in benefits for the [U.S] economy and broadband speeds many times faster...
Korean Telcos Pledge to Restore Trust and Cut Prices
South Korean telecom giants SK Telecom, KT Corp and LG Uplus met with Deputy Prime Minister Bae Kyung-hoon to announce a three‑point plan aimed at restoring public trust after a series of high‑profile data breaches. The agenda focuses on bolstering...
Keysight and Sateliot Win European Space Agency and GSMA Foundry Challenge for 6G Innovation
Keysight Technologies and Spanish satellite‑IoT firm Sateliot were named winners of the European Space Agency and GSMA Foundry Innovation Challenge at Mobile World Congress 2026. Their joint project, a blockchain‑enabled end‑to‑end anomaly detection platform for 5G non‑terrestrial networks, earned funding...
LTN Rolls Out IP-Based Improvements as Broadcasters Shift Away From Satellite Delivery
LTN Global announced a suite of IP‑video network upgrades aimed at broadcasters moving away from satellite distribution. The enhancements target reliability, visibility, reach and operational control, adding adaptive error recovery, expanded analytics, and new gateway configurations that can handle up...
The Regulatory Death Knell for Copper?
In March, the FCC issued an order aimed at accelerating the shift from copper‑based telephone networks to all‑IP fiber and other modern technologies. The order consolidates rules, grants carriers blanket authority to discontinue copper services, and preempts state regulations that...
Sateliot Seeks €100M in Latest Funding Round
Sateliot, the Spanish low‑Earth‑orbit (LEO) satellite operator, has opened a Series C round seeking roughly $108 million to finance the launch of 16 additional 5G‑capable satellites. The company already has six satellites in orbit and plans to add five more this year,...
Bull Of The Day: Anterix (ATEX)
Anterix Inc., a provider of private LTE and broadband solutions for utilities and critical infrastructure, has posted four straight Zacks earnings beats, averaging a 36% positive surprise. The latest quarter showed a loss of $0.35 per share versus a consensus...
O2 UK Activates 5G+ Network Across the West Midlands
Virgin Media O2 has switched on its 5G+ mobile network across the West Midlands, delivering standalone 5G service to roughly 5 million people. The rollout covers 47 cities, 79 towns and 597 rural villages, marking a significant expansion of high‑speed mobile...
NTT Boosts Domestic Data Centre Capacity
NTT Data has opened the OSK11 data centre in Kyoto, adding 30 MW of AI‑ready capacity. The facility features dual‑power substations, carrier‑neutral connectivity and redundant air‑cooling with multi‑factor access controls. It is the 14th domestic site operated by NTT Global Data...
![[OFC 2026] Part 5 of 5: Hollow-Core Fiber and Next-Gen Transmission: Beyond the Loss Record](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!FG3y!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3201360a-f898-4593-8267-8cfc0766cc04_1280x1280.png)
[OFC 2026] Part 5 of 5: Hollow-Core Fiber and Next-Gen Transmission: Beyond the Loss Record
Hollow‑core fiber (HCF) is transitioning from laboratory demos to commercial roll‑outs. Microsoft now operates over 1,280 km of Azure HCF with sub‑0.1 dB/km loss and zero field failures, while AWS has introduced HCF in roughly ten data‑center sites. YOFC’s 0.04 dB/km laboratory record...
Russia’s Internet Crackdown Triggers Mass Protests, Disrupts Millions
Hundreds gathered outside a Moscow administration building to protest Russia’s escalating internet shutdowns, blocked messaging apps and VPN bans. The crackdown has crippled everyday services for millions and drawn ire from business leaders and neighboring governments.
SIMPL Unveils Compass Dashboard to Enable Real-Time IoT Network Visibility
SIMPL Wireless introduced the Compass Dashboard, a SaaS‑based eUICC orchestration platform that consolidates IoT connectivity, carrier contracts, and device profiles into a single interface. The solution enables instant activation and real‑time visibility, shrinking deployment cycles from months to as little...
Telecom News: Telkomsel, ZTE, Enea, Liberty Costa Rica, Nokia
Telkomsel and ZTE announced a strategic partnership at MWC Barcelona 2026 to pilot AI‑native RAN solutions and the AIREngine module on ZTE’s BBU V9200 platform, aiming to boost network reliability and edge performance across Indonesia. The collaboration also includes expanding...
Telecom News: Multi Business Group, Saudi Telecom, Starlink, AT&T, Verizon, T‑Mobile, Orange Maroc, Ericsson
Multi Business Group secured a three‑month fit‑out and enhancement contract from Saudi Telecom Company (stc), a deal slated to lift its first‑half 2026 earnings. SpaceX’s satellite arm Starlink has confidentially filed for a potential IPO that could raise up to...
Equinix Launches Data Center in Mumbai, India
Equinix has opened MB3, its fourth International Business Exchange data center in Mumbai and the fifth across India. The five‑story, 5‑acre campus starts with 1,370 racks and can scale to 5,475 racks, backed by a $95 million investment. The facility supports...
Namibia Plans NAD 78 Mln Telecom Investment Tackle Digital Divide as Part of 2026-27 Budget
Namibia will allocate NAD 78 million (approximately $5.2 million) from its 2026‑27 budget to expand telecom infrastructure in underserved regions. The funding is part of a broader NAD 682 million (about $45.7 million) ICT ministry budget aimed at deploying new towers and free public Wi‑Fi. ICT...
Indias 5G Consumers Will Reach over a Billion by 2030: Jyotiraditya M Scindia
Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya M Scindia announced that India expects over a billion 5G subscribers by 2030, following a rapid rollout that installed 500,000 towers and involved roughly ₹450,000 crore (about $54 billion) in capital spending. He highlighted that the country already hosts 400 million...
Sharjah’s Satellite Infrastructure Still Intact After Missile Attack: Space42
On April 7, 2026, a missile struck the administrative building of Thuraya Telecommunications in Sharjah. Space42, Thuraya’s parent, confirmed that satellite services and infrastructure remain fully operational. The attack injured two Pakistani nationals, but no disruption to customers was reported....
Telecom News: Zyxel Communications, Openreach, Fidium, CableFinder, LoRa Alliance
Zyxel Communications and Openreach have introduced optical network terminals (ONTs) made from 95% recycled plastic, with zero‑plastic packaging, as part of Openreach’s “Let’s Reach Zero” initiative. Over half a million of these eco‑friendly ONTs, capable of 1.8 Gbps speeds, have already...