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
Cybersecurity Tops List of Infrastructure Deal Risks
Research by S‑RM shows cybersecurity has become the top reason digital and telecom infrastructure deals collapse, with 76 % of 150 global investors citing cyber concerns as the primary blocker. Over the past three years, 65 % of those investors experienced at least one deal failure, while sustainability and regulatory instability trailed closely. The survey also notes that despite these risks, 79 % still view telecom infrastructure as the most attractive investment opportunity for the next five‑to‑ten years.
Vodafone Ukraine Overhauls Business Tariff Line
Vodafone Ukraine introduced a revamped business tariff portfolio comprising nine plans priced between UAH 220 and UAH 1,200 (approximately $6‑$32 per month). Most tiers feature unlimited on‑net voice calls, while the premium offering adds unlimited data, a 40 GB EU roaming bundle, and...
Wi‑Fi Community Alarmed by FCC's New Router Policy
Here’s why the Wi-Fi camp is freaking out about the FCC's new router policy @HettingClaus @iPolicy 🖇️https://t.co/qIvau5ScQx🖇️ https://t.co/KeYbWyiE5m
RCS 4.0 Launches Native Video Calls and Rich Media
From Rich Text to Video: RCS Universal Profile 4.0 has arrived • Native support for video calls within the messaging app • Rich text and higher-quality media for more expressive RCS messaging • Video streaming and link optimisation in...
Vodafone, Satellite Connect Europe Make Satellite Video Call in Ireland
Vodafone Ireland and Satellite Connect Europe, the joint venture with AST SpaceMobile, completed Ireland’s first mobile video call via satellite using a regular smartphone and the AST Bluebird satellite. The call originated from a dead‑zone on Clare Island, County Mayo,...
Orange Poland Starts New Smartphone Trade-In Offer
Orange Poland has launched a new smartphone trade‑in program available in its retail stores. The scheme accepts any handset that can power on, rewarding customers with a voucher starting at PLN 40 (about $10) toward a new device. For phones that...
Comcast's DOCSIS 4.0 Deployment Now Covers 'Millions' Of Homes
Comcast announced that its DOCSIS 4.0 rollout now serves "millions" of homes, expanding far beyond the ten markets and roughly one‑million premises covered in 2024. The carrier has installed about 225,000 digital nodes and 300,000 full‑duplex amplifiers, many of which are...
Wi-Fi 7 Phase 2 Trials by WBA Validate Wi-Fi 7 MLO for Enterprise Wi-Fi Reliability, Bandwidth and Performance
The Wireless Broadband Alliance released Phase 2 field‑trial results showing that Wi‑Fi 7’s multi‑link operation (MLO) with enhanced multi‑link single‑radio (eMLSR) dramatically improves enterprise Wi‑Fi performance. Tests with AT&T, RUCKUS Networks and Intel recorded up to 116% uplink throughput gains and 66%...
OrbitsIQ Global and Wrocław Tech Validate E-SSA Waveform for Space-Based IoT
OrbitsIQ Global announced the validation of its Enhanced Spread Spectrum Aloha (E‑SSA) waveform, co‑developed with Wrocław Tech and backed by ESA. The new protocol lets up to 500 devices share a single 4 MHz channel, processing roughly 30,000 frames per second...
Kerlink Unveils M2 Wirnet iStation for Enhanced IoT and Edge Connectivity in Remote Footprints
Kerlink has launched the Wirnet iStation M2, a multi‑mode connectivity gateway that combines cellular, Wi‑Fi, Bluetooth and LoRa radios. The device is built in France and engineered for harsh, power‑constrained environments such as remote industrial sites. It targets core verticals including...
Chinese Hackers Caught Deep Within Telecom Backbone Infrastructure
Rapid7 disclosed that a China‑linked state‑sponsored threat actor has embedded kernel‑level implants and passive backdoors deep within global telecom backbone infrastructure. The campaign leverages the BPFdoor Linux backdoor, CrossC2 beacons and the TinyShell framework to achieve long‑term, stealthy persistence across...
Eurobites: Vodafone Claims Irish First with Satellite Video Call
Vodafone Ireland completed Ireland’s first mobile video call routed through an AST SpaceMobile satellite using a regular smartphone, showcasing a sovereign‑network alternative to Starlink. Meanwhile, KKR and Global Infrastructure Partners have tabled bids of €6‑8 bn (≈$6.9‑$9.2 bn) for Patrick Drahi’s XpFibre...
FXP30x and PC30x Series From Taoglas Combine Cellular, GNSS and Wi-Fi in Compact PCB Antennas
Taoglas introduced the FXP30x and PC30x series, a new family of embedded antennas that combine cellular, GNSS and Wi‑Fi connectivity in a single compact package. The FXP30x line uses a flexible polymer PCB with peel‑and‑stick mounting, while the PC30x line...
Under the Leadership of Prime Minister, India Will Achieve Global Leadership in 6G: Scindia
Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia told Parliament that India is accelerating toward global 6G leadership under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The newly operational Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) will mobilise roughly $6 billion in funding through 2028, including a $1.7 billion central budget...
MNOs Embrace Neutral-Host Satellite Constellations
.@MDA_space CEO @MGreenley details status of @Telesat Lightspeed, @Globalstar's 17-sat replacement order and Globalstar's 50+ satellite C-3 constellation and a 'neutral host' constellation idea that MNOs seem to like. @Apple.https://t.co/QiIcACD0Zf https://t.co/EJDK27EjeF
Nokia Joins Linx as Technical Partner for London Network Refresh
Linx has completed a major refresh of its LON2 secondary interconnection fabric, selecting Nokia as the technical partner. The upgrade replaces nearly 25‑year‑old hardware with a platform that supports 10GE, 100GE, 400GE and future 800GE ports. LON2 remains architecturally distinct...
Broadband Subscribers 4Q 2025
Broadband subscriber data for Q4 2025 shows fixed‑wireless access (FWA) cellular providers achieved the largest net customer gain ever recorded for the segment, while cable operators continued to shed subscribers. Telcos grew overall by adding more fiber connections than they...
How to Troubleshoot when a Hotspot Is Not Working on Android
Mobile hotspots have become essential backups for remote and hybrid workers, but Android’s fragmented ecosystem creates support challenges. Carrier plan restrictions, outdated OS versions, and security settings often cause connectivity failures. The article outlines a six‑step troubleshooting flow that starts...
K-LOVE Embraces Efficiency With GatesAir
K-LOVE is swapping legacy tube transmitters for GatesAir solid‑state Flexiva GX5K and Flexiva FAX10 units at stations in Billings, Montana and Tremonton, Utah. The new transmitters occupy roughly one‑third the rack space, cut power consumption and simplify maintenance. Audio monitoring...
From Rich Text to Video: RCS Universal Profile 4.0 Has Arrived
GSMA announced the finalization of Rich Communication Services (RCS) Universal Profile 4.0, adding native video‑call initiation, rich‑text styling, and higher‑quality media handling. The update also enables streaming video within Rich Cards and more robust deep‑link management for business messaging. End‑to‑end encryption...
Proptivity, Telehouse Team for Reliable Indoor 4G, 5G in London Workplaces
Telehouse Europe has teamed with Proptivity to roll out high‑performance indoor 4G and 5G across London office buildings. The partnership uses Telehouse’s Docklands campus as a UK interconnection hub, enabling a neutral‑host model where multiple mobile operators share a single...
UAE Maintains Top Spot in Global Fiber Coverage for 10th Consecutive Year
The Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) confirmed that the UAE has retained its position as the world’s top provider of fiber‑to‑the‑home/business (FTTH/B) coverage for the tenth straight year. The achievement reflects sustained investment by local operators e& and...
3GPP Study on Modernization of Specification Format and Procedures for 6G (6GSM)
3GPP has launched a study (TR 21.802) to modernize the format and procedures used to develop its mobile standards as the industry prepares for 6G. The study highlights that the long‑standing Word‑based, document‑centric workflow is straining under increasingly large and complex...
Gotonomi SATCOM Integrated with Embention Autopilots for Enhanced BVLOS Connectivity
Gotonomi and Embention have combined Gotonomi SATCOM terminals with Embention’s Veronte autopilots to create a reliable BVLOS communication solution. The Velaris‑200 terminal acts as an IP gateway, routing data through Viasat’s L‑band satellite network to VeronteCloud. Telemetry is limited to...
CMA Technology Picks Rivada to Drive Secure Connectivity
CMA Technology has partnered with Rivada Space Networks to resell its Outernet, a 600‑satellite low‑Earth‑orbit mesh that provides secure, low‑latency connectivity. Rivada reports over $19 billion in global business tied to the network, which routes data entirely in space via laser...
All Back LEO Launch Extension, Except SpaceX
Amazon to FCC: Everyone Supports a Leo Satellite Launch Extension, Except SpaceX https://t.co/mzYuITGCAw #SpaceEconomy https://t.co/9rYGlrjkES
US Activists Work to Connect Iranians via Elon Musk’s Starlink Amid Internet Blackout
Amid a near‑total internet blackout in Iran, U.S.‑based activist groups are covertly supplying Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite terminals to keep Iranians online. NetFreedom Pioneers reports delivering more than 300 devices, while Holistic Resilience estimates over 50,000 terminals now operating inside...
SES Partners with K2 Space to Launch Next‑gen ‘meoSphere’ MEO Broadband Constellation
SES announced a strategic partnership with K2 Space to develop the meoSphere medium‑Earth‑orbit broadband constellation. The rollout will begin with a Spring 2026 pathfinder on SpaceX’s Transporter‑16, scale to 28 satellites by 2029 and reach full operational capability in 2030, positioning...
LEO Satellite Operators Could Be Beyond Australian Data Laws
Australia’s Cyber Security Centre, together with international partners, warned that commercial low‑Earth‑orbit (LEO) satellite operators can deliver connectivity to Australian users without a local footprint, leaving data outside the reach of domestic privacy laws. The advisory highlights that LEO constellations...
Is the Internet Still a Public Good? - Episode 1 of Unbuffered
In the inaugural episode of Unbuffered, Chris Mitchell and a panel of longtime internet policy experts discuss whether technology—especially the internet and AI—is inherently harmful or simply mismanaged. They cite recent Pew and NBC surveys showing public concern over data‑center...
Relocation Costs an Important Part of Federal Spectrum Studies: NTIA Official
Federal spectrum reallocation studies now prioritize relocation costs, as the NTIA requires auction proceeds to cover at least 110% of those expenses. Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the agency aims to identify 500 MHz of federal bands for auction, with 200 MHz due...
Broadband Shifts Reveal Emerging Online Behaviors
Broadband and its dynamics aren’t exactly everyone’s cup of tea. But they are a “tell” on how we live on the network, and how new behaviors emerge. Here is my latest article on how recent changes will manifest themselves. I...
AI Drives Next Telecom Innovation Across All Competitors
https://t.co/nTJLK8qYkR quoted @jeffKAGAN: Industry analyst Jeff Kagan emphasized in a recent press release that it is crucial for telecom companies such as AT&T to remain innovative amid intensifying industry competition. “The ways we connect have always been evolving,” said Kagan. “In...
Rocket Lab Emerging as Potential Bus Provider for 2,800-Satellite Equatys Constellation
Rocket Lab is being positioned as the primary candidate to supply the satellite bus for Equatys, a joint venture between Viasat and Space42 targeting a 2,800‑satellite LEO constellation that delivers direct‑to‑device connectivity. The venture, backed by a $600 million investment from...
Optical Supply Gap Hits 20‑30% Amid Rapid 800G Demand
Interesting interview with a Sr Engineer in networking at AWS. Optical is ramping fast. Looking to shift to 1.6T but still can't get all the capacity they need at 800G. Diversified across vendors with InnoLight currently the most share....
Built‑in Cyber Defense Keeps Public Safety Communications Uninterrupted
In public safety, cyber security can’t be an add-on. It needs to be designed into the network. @T_Priority on T-Mobile’s 5G network isolates threat traffic at the network layer, so priority communications stay secure. Resilience should be built in, not bolted on....
Lafayette’s LFT Fiber Steadily Expands, Offers Even Faster Speeds
LFT Fiber, the community‑owned broadband provider in Lafayette, Louisiana, has expanded its network to reach roughly 95,000 households and businesses. The firm has introduced residential symmetric 2 Gbps and 5 Gbps tiers, joining its existing 250 Mbps, 500 Mbps, and 1 Gbps plans. Expansion has...
AT&T, Verizon Lose Wireless Share; Fiber Drives Growth
.@ATT and @Verizon are bleeding unbundled wireless market share. Carrier growth now relies on their local fiber footprints. Here is the concrete data exposing the raw economics of the convergence battlefield. 🚨🧵
Deep Discounts on Eero Routers: Upgrade Now?
Some deep discounting on eero routers right now. Both the Prime Week or whatever this is discount plus a stacked discount for upgraders without recycling current ones. Do I pull the trigger? https://t.co/qEkHzuI46y https://t.co/J1UQ0jkhHL
Europe’s Digital Networks Act: A Foundation for the AI-Driven Economy
The European Commission introduced the Digital Networks Act (DNA) in January 2026 to replace the 2018 Electronic Communications Code and modernize EU telecom rules. The legislation targets accelerated deployment of 5G/6G, fiber, and secure, resilient infrastructure to meet soaring AI‑driven...
Wtih SpaceX's 10,000th Satellite, We Have Great Remote Internet -- and Inescapable Light Pollution
SpaceX marked a milestone this week by lofting its 10,000th Starlink satellite into low‑Earth orbit, extending the company’s broadband constellation. The added capacity is already delivering reliable high‑speed internet to remote outposts, such as a Norwegian polar expedition across Ellesmere...
Direct Communications Launches Mobile in 60 Days with Gaiia
Direct Communications rolled out mobile services in roughly 60 days by leveraging the AI‑driven OSS/BSS platform from gaiia. The rollout builds on the company’s 2025 migration of its broadband operations to the same platform, allowing mobile to share billing, product...
Chained Vulnerabilities in Cisco Catalyst Switches Could Induce Denial-of-Service
Cisco disclosed four vulnerabilities in its widely deployed Catalyst 9300 series switches, two of which (CVE‑2026‑20114 and CVE‑2026‑20110) can be chained to elevate a low‑privilege Lobby Ambassador account into maintenance mode, effectively causing a denial‑of‑service outage. The chain requires only...
The United States Router Ban, Explained
The FCC announced a ban on future consumer Wi‑Fi routers that are manufactured abroad, citing national‑security concerns. Existing routers can remain in use and receive firmware updates through March 1 2027, but no new foreign‑made devices will receive FCC authorization. The rule...
Netmore Expands Connectivity in Brazil Through Strategic Partnership with Allcom Telecom
Netmore Group has partnered with Brazil‑based Allcom Telecom to broaden its IoT footprint, merging Netmore’s LoRaWAN network with Allcom’s NB‑IoT services. The joint offering delivers a hybrid low‑power wide‑area network that includes satellite backhaul for remote or underserved locations. Customers...
El Salvador Eyes $80M Subsea Cable Investment
El Salvador's 2026 public investment plan earmarks $278.2 million for two flagship projects: a $81.24 million subsea cable and the Pacific International Airport in La Unión. The cable, 1,800 km long, is slated for completion in the second half of 2028 and will link...
Government Policies And Regulatory Framework Have Resulted In India Having One Of The Lowest Tariffs
India’s telecom regulator, TRAI, has leveraged a flexible tariff framework and robust competition to keep mobile service prices among the world’s lowest, according to a Ministry of Communications statement dated March 25, 2026. The regulator permits service providers to set...
Inmarsat Maritime’s NexusWave Wins Award for Maritime Mobility Innovation at MSUA 2026 Satellite Mobile Innovation Awards
Inmarsat Maritime, a Viasat company, won the Maritime Mobility Innovation award at the MSUA 2026 Satellite Mobile Innovation Awards for its fully managed bonded connectivity service, NexusWave. The solution aggregates multiple satellite links to deliver up to 340 Mbps downlink and...
Irish Households Could Be €600 Out of Pocket From Annual Price Rises on Broadband and Mobile
Irish households could face up to €600 (≈$660) in extra costs due to annual telecom price hikes. Since 2022, providers have used inflation‑linked formulas, now shifting to flat‑rate increases that push SIM‑only plans up by about €2.50 (≈$2.70) per month....
Internet Connectivity Now a Basic Utility, Group Says
Internet services in the Philippines have become markedly cheaper, with mobile data dropping from over 2 % of gross national income per capita in the mid‑2010s to under 1 % today. Fixed broadband speeds have surged from single‑digit megabits in 2016 to...