Today's Telecom Pulse
EU mobile industry contribution surges 14%
The mobile sector’s share of the EU economy jumped 14%, underscoring its growing importance. The industry is now valued at roughly €1 trillion, highlighting its scale ahead of upcoming regulatory discussions.
Also developing:
By the numbers: BizLink to acquire Interplex Datacom for $850M
Best ISPs in Myanmar 2026: MPT, Myanmar Net, ATOM Power, or 5BB – Which Broadband Provider Is Best for Internet...
Myanmar’s fixed‑broadband market is entering a rapid transformation in 2026, with the sector valued at $2.58 billion and subscriber numbers reaching 1.62 million. The market is projected to grow at an 8.2% CAGR through 2031, outpacing overall telecom growth, driven by SME digitalization, gaming demand, and the need for power‑resilient connectivity. Four ISPs dominate the landscape: MPT (38% share, offering 110 Mbps fiber for 135,000 Kyats ≈ $64), Myanmar Net (24% share, urban FTTW with 66,000 Kyats ≈ $31 battery backup), ATOM (15% share, investing $330 million in premium fiber and 5G‑ready services), and 5BB (11% share, targeting gamers with low‑latency FTTH).
Best ISPs in the Philippines 2026: PLDT, Converge, Globe, or DITO – Which Broadband Provider Is Best for Internet Customers?
The Philippines' fixed broadband market in 2026 has shifted to a fiber‑first model, with subscriptions projected at 7.9 million and national median speeds exceeding 100 Mbps. PLDT stays on top with a 42% market share and roughly $7.3 billion in recent infrastructure spending,...
Telia Finland and QMill Demonstrate Quantum-Assisted Message Encryption Across Standard Mobile Networks
Telia Finland and Finnish quantum‑software firm QMill have demonstrated a quantum‑enhanced encryption protocol that runs on standard mobile‑network channels, eliminating the need for dedicated quantum‑key‑distribution hardware. The software leverages near‑term NISQ quantum processors—either on‑premises or cloud‑based—to generate quantum‑resilient keys and...
Broadcom Launches 50G PON Portfolio
Broadcom unveiled the BCM68850, the industry’s first 50 Gbps ITU‑PON home‑gateway SoC that integrates a neural processing unit and native Wi‑Fi 8 support. The chip offers symmetric 50 Gbps throughput, edge‑AI inference, self‑healing bandwidth optimization and post‑quantum security. It completes Broadcom’s wireless‑broadband portfolio,...
ACCC Greenlights Superloop, Lynham Separation Plan
Australia’s competition regulator, the ACCC, has cleared Superloop’s $165 million acquisition of Lynham Networks, subject to a structural separation plan. Under the deal, Lynham will function solely as a wholesale fibre‑to‑the‑premises network, while Superloop’s retail brands—including Superloop Broadband, Exetel, Veda Networks...
Investors Flock to SpaceX IPO as Starlink Valuation Rockets Toward $1.75 Trillion
SpaceX filed its S‑1 this week, seeking a $1.75 trillion valuation that would make it the largest U.S. IPO ever. The filing highlights Starlink’s expanding broadband footprint, a $28.5 trillion addressable market and a $90 billion stake held by Antonio Gracias. Investors are...
Vodafone Idea Says Subscriber Gains Continue, TRAI April 2026 Data Shows
Vodafone Idea (Vi) added 53,257 subscribers in April 2026, marking a third straight month of net growth and bringing its total wireless base to roughly 198.5 million users. Gujarat led the regional surge with 170,343 new connections, followed by Delhi’s 94,300...
Great Plains Communications Snaps Up Fastwyre's Nebraska Operations
Great Plains Communications (GPC) announced a definitive agreement to acquire Fastwyre Broadband’s Nebraska operations, adding service to 26 communities. The acquisition folds Fastwyre’s network into GPC’s MEF‑certified, 20,000‑mile fiber system and brings over two dozen Fastwyre employees into GPC’s workforce....
SpaceX Starlink Gets Its Latest Airline Adoptee, Grabbing Three of the ‘Big Four’
SpaceX’s Starlink will be installed on more than 500 American Airlines narrow‑body jets, starting in the first quarter of 2027. The rollout brings Starlink’s satellite internet to three of the U.S. "Big Four" carriers—American, United and Southwest—solidifying its dominance in...
Keeping up with Production in the Face of an 800G ZR/ZR+ Pluggable Surge
The optical networking market is rapidly shifting toward 800G ZR/ZR+ coherent pluggable modules, which double the capacity of the previous 400G generation while slashing cost per bit and power consumption. Built on 3‑nm CMOS DSPs and photonic‑integrated‑circuit (PIC) packaging, these...
Pentagon’s Reliance on Starlink Gives Musk Growing Leverage
The Pentagon has agreed to raise its Starlink‑derived Starshield fees from roughly $5,000 to $25,000 per terminal after SpaceX argued that kamikaze drones require an aviation‑tier service. The price hike, which could double the cost per Lucas drone, reflects a...
Better Together: Explaining the AI/6G Convergence
The article outlines that 6G will be the first telecommunications network built natively around artificial intelligence, embedding AI into its core, edge and device layers. By 2029, 6G aims to support 10‑100 million connections per square kilometre while delivering up to...
ZTE and Ucell Prove AI Cuts Mobile Network OpEx
Ucell, Uzbekistan’s state‑owned carrier, partnered with Chinese equipment maker ZTE to embed AI‑driven power management across its radio access network. The deployment cut overall network energy use by 10.6%, delivering double‑digit savings on electricity bills. By predicting traffic patterns, the...
Sparkle Signs MoU to Expand GreenMed Subsea Cable to Jordan
Italian telecom operator Sparkle has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with NaiTel, the telecom arm of Aqaba Digital Hub, and consultancy iLevant to extend its GreenMed submarine cable into Jordan. The MoU will integrate the subsea system with Jordan’s terrestrial...
5G Non‑Terrestrial Networks Market Projected to Reach $45.5B by 2031
A MarketsandMarkets study released this week projects the global 5G non‑terrestrial networks (NTN) market to climb from $11.91 billion in 2026 to $45.55 billion by 2031, a 30.8% compound annual growth rate. The surge is powered by satellite‑based connectivity solutions that target...
Iran Partially Restores Internet Access After Months-Long Shutdown
After nearly three months of a nationwide internet blackout, Iranian authorities announced a partial restoration of connectivity on day 88 of the shutdown. Fixed broadband services are back online, allowing home Wi‑Fi users to reach international sites, while mobile internet remains...
Ericsson Scores Canada 5G Development Exclusive
Ericsson has been selected by the Canadian government to lead the Advanced Wireless Communications Innovation Network (AWIN), an exclusive platform for developing mission‑critical 5G services for public safety and defence. The partnership brings Ericsson’s technology and the domestic innovation hub...
Simba Telecom-M1 Singaporean Merger Deal Collapses
Simba Telecom’s proposed acquisition of Singapore’s M1, announced in August 2023 with an enterprise value of US$1.12 bn, has collapsed after the deadline passed. Singapore’s regulator halted its review, citing possible unauthorized use of radio‑frequency bands by Simba. Tuas, Simba’s Australian...
Brussels Plans to Ringfence Two-Thirds of EU Mobile-Satellite Spectrum for European Firms
The European Commission plans to allocate two‑thirds of the 2 GHz mobile‑satellite services (MSS) band exclusively to EU‑registered operators. This leaves US‑based Starlink and Amazon’s Project Kuiper able to compete for only the remaining one‑third of the spectrum. The reserved portion...
American Airlines Picks SpaceX's Starlink for In-Flight Wi-Fi on More than 500 Planes
American Airlines will equip over 500 narrow‑body aircraft, chiefly Airbus A321neo jets, with SpaceX’s Starlink satellite Wi‑Fi, beginning early 2027. The carrier evaluated both Starlink and Amazon Leo before selecting Starlink, while retaining Viasat and Panasonic on its Boeing fleet....
Telia and QMill Demonstrate a New Quantum-Enhanced Data Encryption Method for Mobile Networks
Telia and quantum‑security startup QMill unveiled a prototype that embeds quantum‑enhanced encryption directly into 5G mobile traffic. The demonstration used QMill’s Q‑Key distribution module to generate session keys that are mathematically resistant to future quantum attacks. Tests on a live‑network...
Diesel Shortages, Power Outages Raise Telecom Disruption Concerns Across States: Report
India’s telecom operators and tower firms are facing operational risk as diesel supply restrictions in Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana limit fuel for backup generators. Rising diesel prices—now about ₹95.20 per litre (≈$1.15)—and frequent grid outages are...
Soracom-KDDI Named a Leader in the 2026 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Managed IoT Connectivity Services, Worldwide
Soracom and KDDI announced that their joint venture Soracom‑KDDI has been positioned as a Leader in Gartner’s 2026 Magic Quadrant for Managed IoT Connectivity Services worldwide. The accolade reflects strong completeness of vision and ability to execute, built on connectivity...
Beeline Upgrades Network at New Leningrad Station in Moscow
Russian mobile operator Beeline has upgraded the indoor network at Moscow’s Leningrad train station, installing infrastructure that is ready for 5G services. The upgrade aims to improve mobile connectivity for the station’s high foot‑traffic environment. Beeline also announced plans to...
FCC’s Lone Democrat Warns Disney of ‘Most Egregious’ First Amendment Assault
Anna Gomez, the only Democrat on the Federal Communications Commission, issued a four‑page letter to Disney CEO Josh D'Amaro warning that the FCC’s investigations constitute the most egregious assault on the First Amendment in the agency’s history. She urged Disney...
Wingo Introduces New Tariffs with Roaming as Part of Brand Refresh
Wingo, Swisscom’s low‑cost flanker brand, has launched a new suite of mobile subscriptions that now include data roaming. The refreshed portfolio positions Wingo as a full‑service provider of mobile, broadband and TV, expanding beyond its traditional prepaid focus. Visually, the...
Telefonica Germany to Provide 5G to over 100 Events This Year
Telefonica Germany announced it will extend enhanced 5G coverage to more than 100 festivals, fairs, sports events and large gatherings in 2024, marking a 25% year‑on‑year increase. The rollout begins with the Rock am Ring festival on June 5‑7, where the carrier will...
AmpliTech Group’s 5G 64T64R MIMO Cellular Radio Platform Supports Evolution of AI-Enabled Wireless Infrastructure at Northeastern University
AmpliTech Group’s O‑RAN CAT B 64T64R massive MIMO radio unit served as the core hardware in Northeastern University’s world‑first open‑source AI‑RAN prototype, demonstrated on May 20, 2026. The system combined AmpliTech’s radio with NVIDIA’s AI Aerial software to showcase AI‑driven layer‑1 and layer‑2...
CityFibre Contracts for Project Gigabit Rescoped Due to Increased Commercial Rollouts
CityFibre’s Project Gigabit contracts have been rescoped, leaving the firm responsible for delivering full‑fibre to 226,000 premises under subsidy, including 70,000 already completed. The company reports having built infrastructure for 150,000 hard‑to‑reach premises – 80,000 commercial and 70,000 subsidised –...
6G Networks Set for Debut in 2029 as Telecom Industry Accelerates AI-Native Infrastructure Investments
The telecom industry is gearing up for commercial 6G launches in late 2029, with Juniper Research forecasting about 4.6 million connections in the debut year and a surge to nearly 2.9 billion by 2035. Early deployments will be led by the United...
MTI Wireless Edge Ltd Q1 Profit Rises 19% to $1.2 M, Revenue Up 6.2%
MTI Wireless Edge Ltd posted a first‑quarter profit of $1.20 million, up 19% from the same period last year, while revenue climbed 6.2% to $12.75 million. The results highlight steady demand for the company's wireless‑equipment amid a competitive telecom hardware market.
Network Slicing Powers Massive 5G Performance at PGA
60 AI camera sensors running simultaneously. Tens of thousands of fans streaming, posting, searching on their phones. One network—without one system slowing down another. Most enterprise networks would buckle under that load. T-Mobile's 5G at the PGA Championship didn't. The reason? Network slicing. Here's...
Jio Defends 5G Network Slicing in Submission to DoT
Reliance Jio has formally defended its 5G network slicing approach in a submission to India’s Department of Telecommunications, arguing that slicing is a standardized, 3GPP‑defined capability of 5G Standalone networks. The company contends that existing regulations—including the Unified Licence and...
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Who Will Benefit From Ghana's 2027 5G Push?
Ghana’s government has set a new target to achieve 70 % nationwide 5G coverage by March 6 2027, moving from an exclusive ten‑year license with Next Gen InfraCo to an open‑model framework that invites multiple operators. The previous rollout stalled, with delays from late 2024 into 2025...
A Battery-Powered Starlink Mini Is Likely on the Way
SpaceX’s Starlink Mini appears poised for a battery‑integrated version, as recent firmware reveals a “DishBatteryStats” module that tracks charge level and charging state. The code also defines three power states, indicating the dish can run on USB‑C, its internal battery,...
Juniper Research Sees First 6G Connections in 2029, Led by US and South Korea
Juniper Research forecasts the first commercial 6G connections to appear in 2029, with an initial 4.1 million devices worldwide. The United States and South Korea are projected to lead the late‑2029 rollout, while broader adoption is expected in 2030. The study...
This Week: Modular Pricing, Network Strain, and California's Copper Standoff
In this episode Don Kellogg and Roger Aitner discuss the rapid impact of AI on network design, noting how data‑center demand is driving shortages in fiber, glass, and resin. They review AT&T’s new "Build‑A‑Plan" modular pricing, which lets customers customize...
Researchers From the University of Oulu and the University of Tokyo Demonstrate Drone-Mounted 5G Base Station for Emergency Communications
Researchers from the University of Oulu and the University of Tokyo have successfully demonstrated a drone equipped with a compact 5G base station and satellite backhaul, delivering stable mobile coverage in a controlled test environment. The proof‑of‑concept was carried out...
Huawei Unveils "LogicFolding" Chip Design to Bypass US Sanctions
Huawei announced a "LogicFolding" chip‑design breakthrough that it says will let it produce 1.4‑nanometer‑class performance by 2031 without relying on US‑blocked lithography tools. The move intensifies China’s push for semiconductor self‑sufficiency amid ongoing export restrictions.
Morocco Broadband Market 2026: Best ISPs, Fiber Internet Speeds, FTTH Expansion and Gigabit Broadband Plans
Morocco’s broadband market is rapidly shifting to fiber, with FTTH now covering about 48% of fixed lines, up from 30% in 2024. Fixed broadband subscriptions have topped 2.75 million, and the government’s $8 billion (80 billion MAD) investment roadmap, plus a 2025 decree mandating...
Colombia Broadband Market 2026: Best ISPs, Fiber Internet Speeds, FTTH Expansion and Gigabit Broadband Plans
Colombia’s fixed broadband market is accelerating a $200 million FTTH rollout, pushing the national median download speed to 243 Mbps and positioning the country among the region’s fastest networks. Claro remains the largest ISP with 38% market share, while Movistar leads in...
Fiber Frenzy
ImOn Communications has launched free public Wi‑Fi throughout the Iowa City Kickers Soccer Park, covering all 23 fields on the 108‑acre complex just as youth spring leagues and summer camps begin. At the same time, Charter announced a Spectrum fiber...
SpaceX Launches 29 Starlink V2 Mini Satellites on Falcon 9 From Cape Canaveral
SpaceX lifted off a Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral on May 25, 2026, deploying 29 new Starlink V2 Mini satellites and bringing the constellation to over 10,000 spacecraft. The launch marked the company’s 60th orbital flight of the year and the...
SpaceX Launches 29 Starlink Satellites on Memorial Day
SpaceX launched 29 additional Starlink satellites on Memorial Day from Cape Canaveral, bringing the constellation to more than 10,000 units in low‑Earth orbit. The mission marked SpaceX’s 60th orbital flight of 2024, comprising 59 Falcon 9 and one Falcon Heavy launches. The...
Ring Battery Doorbell Pro $250 4K Wi‑Fi Doorbell Signals Surge in High‑Res Home Security
Ring launched its Battery Doorbell Pro, a $250 battery‑powered video doorbell that streams 4K retinal video over Wi‑Fi. The product’s untethered design and premium resolution underscore a growing market for high‑bandwidth home security devices, putting new pressure on broadband providers.
Verizon Customer Cuts $600 Annually by Downgrading Unlimited Plan Amid Pricing Pressure
A longtime Verizon customer switched from the $79‑per‑month 5G Play More plan to the $55 Unlimited Welcome tier, trimming more than $600 off the household bill. The move underscores growing consumer pressure on carriers as Verizon, the official 2026 World...
Mobily Prepares Hajj Connectivity with AI Capabilities and Expanded 5G
Saudi telecom operator Mobily, together with Ericsson, is upgrading its 5G network and adding artificial‑intelligence‑driven optimization to support the Hajj 2026 pilgrimage. The partnership, celebrating 20 years of collaboration, expands capacity and coverage in the Mashaer corridor, a critical route for...
BSNL, Starlink Explore Partnership for Backhaul, Enterprise Business
BSNL and Elon Musk’s Starlink are in early talks to partner on satellite backhaul and enterprise services in India. The collaboration would let BSNL connect remote 4G/5G towers via Starlink’s Ku/Ka‑band satellites, speeding broadband rollout to the roughly 30,000 villages...
Alphabet’s Portfolio Shift Puts CME First, Keeps Satellite Mobile Bet Strong
Alphabet’s latest 13F filing reveals CME Group has become its biggest holding with a $1.03 billion stake, but the company still owns 8.94 million shares of AST SpaceMobile—about 18% of its $4 billion portfolio—signaling a continued push into satellite‑based mobile connectivity.
Why Nigerians Are Experiencing Poor Network Service – MTN Chief
MTN Nigeria’s Chief Corporate Services Officer Tobe Okigbo said network disruptions are driven by technical and environmental factors such as rainfall, congestion, and frequent fibre cuts. He highlighted that 27‑45 daily fibre cuts and high land‑lease costs strain service quality,...