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
Mobile Networks Are Now Part of the Battlespace — Here Is How to Defend Them
Hostile drones are increasingly using commercial mobile networks, embedding cheap consumer SIMs to blend with legitimate traffic and bypass line‑of‑sight limits. The European Commission’s Action Plan on Drone and Counter‑Drone Security urges precise, proportionate defenses, emphasizing targeted, device‑level interventions over blanket network shutdowns. Enea’s research outlines four detection vectors—trajectory analysis, traffic profiling, SIM behaviour, and contextual correlation—fused with AI to isolate hostile drones without disrupting civilian services. The plan highlights that 4G, not 5G, currently powers the most sophisticated drone attacks, demanding a nuanced, multi‑generation response.
A1 Belarus Launches 10GB Data Roaming Pack for Eastern Europe
Telecom operator A1 Belarus has rolled out a new 10 GB data roaming package for customers traveling across 14 Eastern European and nearby countries. The offering is available as a one‑off monthly bundle and as a recurring subscription, targeting both consumer...
Rostelecom Covers 1.8 Mln Residents with Mobile Network Under Federal Programme
Rostelecom announced that, under the second stage of Russia’s federal digital‑divide programme, it has extended GSM and LTE mobile coverage to 1.8 million residents across 7,881 villages. The rollout, carried out with its subsidiary T2, began with the first base station...
Ericsson Works with Juelich Research Center on AI Models to Support Network Evolution
Ericsson has entered a research partnership with Germany's Juelich Research Center to develop artificial‑intelligence models that improve core network operations, network management and the next generation of Radio Access Networks. The collaboration will explore AI techniques for faster execution, scalability...
Qvantel Powers New HBCU-Focused MVNO for PBS Cellular
PBS Cellular announced a partnership with Qvantel to launch a mobile‑virtual network operator (MVNO) targeting Historically Black Colleges and Universities across the United States. Qvantel will supply its BSS platform and MVNE managed services, handling core cellular functions and ensuring...
Worth Reading 032526
Edge inference is increasingly motivated by data‑sovereignty rules rather than latency, especially in telecom, finance, healthcare and public‑infrastructure sectors. Simultaneously, internet number resources are being framed as operational assets, not political property, reshaping governance debates. A Pew study shows over...
Fiber Group Says Broadband Key to Closing Connectivity Gap on Tribal Lands
The Fiber Broadband Association released a report showing roughly 24% of residents on Tribal lands lack reliable internet, far above the national 7% average. The study argues fiber is the most durable and scalable solution to close this digital divide,...
ITU Adopts Draft IMT-2030 Baseline Criteria for 6G Radio Candidates
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has approved a draft set of baseline criteria for IMT‑2030 6G radio candidates. The draft defines minimum performance thresholds—such as latency, data‑rate and spectral efficiency—to create a uniform benchmark for evaluating emerging 6G radio technologies....
Air Arabia Debuts Panasonic Avionics Multi-Orbit IFC
Air Arabia, the UAE‑based low‑cost carrier, has begun operating Panasonic Avionics' Ku‑band multi‑orbit inflight connectivity (IFC) solution across its Airbus A320 family fleet. The system uses Gilat’s Sidewinder electronically steerable antenna to switch between Panasonic’s geostationary satellite network and Eutelsat...
AT&T and Boldyn Networks Complete Cellular Service in Additional Tunnel Segments of the MTA’s 4/5 and G Lines
AT&T, together with Boldyn Networks, has activated cellular service in additional tunnel segments of the MTA’s 4/5 lines between Bowling Green and Fulton Street and the Crosstown G line between Bedford‑Nostrand and Hoyt‑Schermerhorn. This rollout follows earlier go‑live in the Joralemon...
Hayo Expands to East Africa
Hayo announced the launch of voice, messaging and digital solutions in Rwanda, expanding its East African footprint. Rwanda’s internet penetration has risen to 34.2 % in 2023, reflecting a rapid digital adoption trend. The company will offer industry‑specific services across mobile,...
Vodafone Italia Launches Wi-Fi Calling on iPhones
Vodafone Italia has rolled out Wi‑Fi calling, known as VoWi‑Fi, for all iPhone users, completing a staggered launch that began with Samsung and Google devices a month earlier. The service is available to both residential and business customers, routing voice...
Press Release: Turkish Airlines Enhances IFC with Anuvu Dedicated Space
Turkish Airlines is upgrading inflight connectivity on more than 100 narrow‑body aircraft by deploying Anuvu’s Dedicated Space AI‑powered network management and the new Modman‑D modem. The upgrade delivers roughly a nine‑fold increase in throughput, four times faster upload speeds and...
Who Controls Nigeria’s only Communications Satellite? Inside a Growing $11.4m Dispute with China
Nigeria’s sole communications satellite, NigComSat-1R, has been operated from China’s Kashgar ground station since 2018 after a lightning strike crippled Nigeria’s Abuja control facility. The Chinese contractor, CGWIC, claims Nigeria owes $11.44 million for technical support services that have gone unpaid...
Instant Phone Extension Provisioning with AI‑Powered Automation
What if provisioning a full phone extension took seconds, not steps? In this demo, we use VoipNow Provisioning MCP to automatically build a complete VoIP hierarchy, ending with a fully configured 📞 extension. 🧠 AI decides. 🤖 MCP executes. ✅...
Comcast Traffic Remains Overwhelmingly Text, Video Still Negligible
Today at #CableNextGen Comcast's network chief Elad Nafshi said that AI data on the company's network today is: text=97.1% images=2.6% videos=0.3% This is all noteworthy amid the collapse of OpenAI's Sora video generator app: https://t.co/9dkJoqn3VY https://t.co/hwXpM3TwfH
ETL & NXGSAT Demonstrate Interoperable End-to-End 5G NTN Solution Powered by DIFI
NXGSAT and ETL Systems demonstrated a fully productised, interoperable 5G non‑terrestrial network (NTN) solution that combines NXGSAT’s software‑defined UE modem with ETL’s GENUS Digital platform via the Digital IF Interoperability (DIFI) standard. The showcase proves that open, virtualised, modular satellite...
Brendan Carr Tries To ‘Ban’ All Foreign Routers In Lazy, Legally Dubious Shakedown
The FCC, led by Chairman Brendan Carr, announced that all routers manufactured abroad will be placed on its “covered list,” effectively requiring conditional approval before they can be sold in the United States. Approval must come from the Department of...
STL Redefines Optical Connectivity with India’s First Hollow Core Fibre Cable for Data Centre Networks
STL (Sterlite Technologies Ltd.) announced the launch of India’s first hollow‑core fibre (HCF) cable, a breakthrough that routes light through an air‑filled core and delivers roughly 46% faster transmission than conventional glass fibres. The hybrid cable integrates HCF with G.654.E...
Why Namibia Slammed the Door on Starlink
Namibia’s Communications Regulatory Authority rejected Starlink’s applications for a telecom service licence and spectrum access, citing failure to meet ownership and compliance criteria. The regulator found Starlink complied with only three of six statutory requirements, notably lacking the mandated 51 %...
Ericsson Eyes up Supercomputer for 6G Research
Ericsson has signed an MoU with Germany’s Forschungszentrum Jülich to explore supercomputing‑driven research for future 6G networks. The collaboration will tap Jülich’s JUPITER supercomputer, Europe’s most powerful, to benchmark AI, neuromorphic and modular HPC solutions aimed at ultra‑low energy consumption....
Airbase Emerges From Stealth With $5M to Automate Spectrum Allocation
Airbase announced its emergence from stealth with a $5 million Series A round led by Andreessen Horowitz, joined by Squadra Ventures and Founders You Should Know. The startup aims to automate the Federal Communications Commission’s outdated, manual spectrum‑allocation workflow that relies on...
Duos Edge AI and Seimitsu Partner to Strengthen Digital Infrastructure Across Georgia
Duos Technologies Group, through its Duos Edge AI subsidiary, announced a strategic partnership with fiber provider Seimitsu to build edge computing infrastructure across Georgia. The collaboration will embed modular Edge AI nodes onto Seimitsu’s 25‑terabit low‑latency fiber network, delivering ultra‑low...
U.S. Ban on Imported Consumer Routers Forces Domestic Sourcing for Network Hardware
U.S. regulators have announced a ban on the import of specific consumer routers, requiring manufacturers to source network hardware domestically. The move aims to tighten supply‑chain security and could ripple through the GovTech sector, affecting vendors, federal agencies and end...
FCC Adds All Foreign‑Made Consumer Routers to Covered List, Banning New Imports
The Federal Communications Commission placed every consumer‑grade Wi‑Fi router manufactured outside the United States on its Covered List, effectively banning the import and sale of new foreign‑made models. The move, driven by a national‑security determination, threatens the supply chain of...
Orange in Advanced Talks to Sell Globecast to Verdoso, Deal Targeted for 2026 Close
Orange SA has entered advanced talks with Verdoso to sell its Globecast media services business, with the transaction expected to close by the end of 2026. The move could reshape Orange’s B2B portfolio and free capital for core network investments,...
PTA Gives Green Light to Ufone-Telenor Merger
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has given technical approval for the merger of Ufone, a PTCL subsidiary, with Telenor Pakistan, creating the country’s second‑largest mobile operator. The combined entity will control just over 70 million connections, trailing Jazz’s 73.9 million users. Legal clearance...
BharatNet Phase 3: Pratap Technocrats Signs ₹8,025 Crore Contract with BSNL for Three Packages
Pratap Technocrats has secured an approximately $980 million contract with state‑run BSNL to design, build, operate and maintain the middle‑mile fiber network for BharatNet Phase 3 in Rajasthan, Haryana and Assam. The deal, covering three packages worth ₹2,839.25 crore, ₹836.78 crore and ₹831.61 crore respectively,...
Reliance Jio Launches Rs 365 Affordable Plan with Bulk Data, Check Benefits
Reliance Jio has quietly introduced a new Rs 365 (≈$4.40) prepaid affordable pack, offering 25 GB of high‑speed data, unlimited voice calls and 100 SMS per day for 30 days. The plan bundles a three‑month JioHotstar subscription, 50 GB of JioAICloud storage and an 18‑month...
Preparing Your IoT Connectivity for the Future
IoT has shifted from experimental pilots to essential infrastructure across logistics, energy and smart‑city services, yet most firms still rely on legacy SIMs designed for occasional handset use. This mismatch creates hidden costs and operational rigidity as device fleets scale...
Nokia Completes First 1900 MHz 5G Live Call on Deutsche Bahn Test Track Supporting FRMCS Radio
Nokia has achieved the world’s first live 5G call on a 1900 MHz (n101) rail network, conducting the test on Deutsche Bahn’s outdoor test track in Germany. The demonstration used Nokia’s AirScale 5G radio equipment and a standalone 5G core, confirming...
Amazon Leo Prepares To Boost Satellite Production And Launch
Amazon Leo announced a plan to double its launch cadence, targeting 20 missions in the second year after completing 11 launches in the first year. The company already operates more than 200 satellites and has hundreds of flight‑ready units stored...
Sunil Mittal to Retire as Chair of Airtel Africa in July
Sunil Bharti Mittal will retire as chair of Airtel Africa in July 2026, ending a seven‑year tenure that began with the company’s 2019 listing. Gopal Vittal, the executive vice‑chairman of Bharti Airtel and current GSMA chair, will succeed him as non‑executive...
Grameenphone Taps Mobileum to Address Rising 5G Security Threats
Mobileum has launched its AI‑driven risk management platform at Grameenphone, one of Bangladesh’s largest telecom operators. The solution is already cutting fraud exposure and improving customer experience on the carrier’s 5G network. Mobileum’s integrated suite combines roaming, security, testing, and...
Ciena Upgrades Subsea Cable Throughput for Meta, Lightstorm
Ciena used its WaveLogic 6 Extreme optics to set a new subsea record, transmitting 800 Gbps on a single wavelength across the 16,608‑km Bifrost cable and delivering 18 Tbps of total capacity with a 50% reduction in watts‑per‑bit. The trial, conducted with Meta, demonstrates...
Demystifying Performance of eBPF Network Applications
The article examines why eBPF, despite success in network functions, has limited adoption in general networked applications such as web servers and databases. It highlights architectural constraints in the eBPF kernel runtime, APIs, and compiler that impede offloading complex, blocking...
Mikko Lavanti on How Nokia Charts the Path to the AI-Native Future
At Mobile World Congress 2026, Nokia unveiled its first agentic AI‑powered network slicing demo, drawing more than 150 visiting teams. The company outlined a rollout plan that moves from pilots to live operator trials for 5G‑Advanced slicing, bundled with its...
AI-Native Service Automation | Mplify Unveils Kylie SDK Release with MCP Integration
Mplify has launched the Kylie SDK, adding Model Context Protocol (MCP) support to its Lifecycle Service Orchestration (LSO) APIs. The update equips service providers with AI‑native LSO Business and Operational APIs, plus a new API Blending Tool that auto‑generates MCP...
CableLabs, Zoom Showcase AI-Driven Framework to Enhance Network Performance
CableLabs and Zoom completed a pilot of the Quality by Design (QbD) framework, which merges real‑time network telemetry with application performance data to automatically improve user experience. The pilot introduced Zoom’s Client as a Sensor feature, feeding latency, jitter and...
Russia Deploys First 16 Rassvet Satellites, Challenging Starlink in LEO Broadband
Russia's private space firm Bureau 1440 placed the first 16 Rassvet broadband satellites into low‑Earth orbit, marking the start of a planned 900‑satellite network intended as a domestic alternative to SpaceX's Starlink. The launch underscores Moscow's push to secure sovereign...
Fiber Wins Where It Exists, Loses Everywhere Else
The broadband war isn't about speed anymore. It's about where you built your fortress. Fiber carriers are winning where they have fiber and LOSING everywhere else. The data is unmistakable. Here's the breakdown. 🧵📊
Uniti’s CEO Says We’re in the Early Innings of an Unprecedented Fiber Build
Uniti projects a $1.5 billion revenue opportunity from hyperscaler fiber deals over the next five years and plans to construct nearly 6,000 miles of fiber within three years, generating about $1 billion in non‑recurring cash revenue. The contracts carry an estimated 28 % internal...
When Wireless Networks Falter, Drones Can Provide Backup Connectivity, According to Stevens Researchers
Stevens Institute of Technology researchers unveiled AURA‑GreeN, a coordinated drone swarm that functions as temporary aerial cell towers. The system plugs into an Open‑RAN controller as an xApp, dynamically allocating spectrum, routing data, and managing power in real time. Field...
NTIA Takes Input on New Innovation Fund Round
The Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) held a two‑hour listening session to shape its next $50 million grant aimed at embedding artificial intelligence in wireless networks. Industry leaders such as Airspan, General Motors, Skylo and academic researchers urged...
Truvista Fiber Expands Connectivity Offerings at the Carolina Cup
Truvista Fiber announced expanded on‑site capacity to deliver complimentary Wi‑Fi for fans seated in the grandstands at the Carolina Cup on March 28, marking its fourth year as the event’s local network provider. The upgraded network will handle gate ticketing,...
Fiber Dominance Determines Winners in Connectivity War
It is a war of Fiber Castle, Cable Forts, FWA Camps and Satellite warbands. The winners are decided by infrastructure. If you are outside the fiber footprint you are probably losing. 🧵🏰
Japanese Telco Bags Lease for Poro Point Cable Station
Japanese telecom operator InfiniVAN has signed a long‑term lease to develop the Poro Point Cable Landing Station in La Union as an open gateway for international subsea cables. The station, part of the Luzon Bypass Infrastructure—a 240‑km fiber corridor linking Baler to...
Ubiquiti's Rapid Product Surge and Top‑tier Software
I've been happily using @Ubiquiti since forever, but it's been incredible to watch their insane product pace over the last 12-18 months. Constantly releasing new products, new categories, and wrapping it all in the best software on the market. Love...
Move & Connect Taps KORE’s eSIM Platform to Streamline Multi-Country IoT Rollouts Across Europe
Move & Connect has partnered with KORE Group to offer European IoT operators a single‑contract, API‑driven eSIM platform that spans more than 190 countries. The alliance merges Move & Connect’s on‑the‑ground deployment expertise with KORE’s global connectivity footprint, promising unified...