Today's Telecom Pulse
Broadband markets in Australia, NZ, and Canada set for 2026 fiber and gigabit expansion
Australia’s broadband sector is projected to undergo major upgrades by 2026, with ISPs expanding fiber networks, gigabit speeds, and NBN enhancements. Parallel analyses highlight similar fiber and 5G‑driven competition in New Zealand and Canada, reshaping consumer internet experiences across the region.
Viasat Calls for Multi-Orbit Connectivity to Bolster India's Space Sovereignty
Viasat’s President Ben Palmer urged India to adopt multi‑orbit, multi‑band satellite communications to secure spectrum access and resilient SATCOM. He highlighted the company’s push for compact terminals that give beyond‑line‑of‑sight connectivity to tactical unmanned platforms. Palmer praised India’s strategic stance on space sovereignty, noting its resistance to external market dominance. Viasat, fresh from its Inmarsat integration, is partnering with BSNL and employing hundreds of Indians to deliver handheld phones and Ka‑band services for sovereign communications.
Trai Cuts 5G Spectrum Reserve Prices by up to 37% Ahead of Auctions
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has reduced 5G spectrum reserve prices by 7‑37% across nine bands, offering roughly 11,789 MHz of airwaves at an estimated ₹2.10 lakh crore. It also proposes reclaiming spectrum from insolvent players and keeping the upper 6 GHz...
Charter Pledges Savings for Big 3 Customers
Charter Communications introduced a promotion guaranteeing new customers at least $1,000 in savings during the first year when they switch from AT&T, T‑Mobile, or Verizon to Spectrum Mobile and add a Spectrum Internet Advantage plan. The offer requires a minimum...
Microsoft Makes a Pitch for Telcos with Announcements Ahead of Mobile World Congress 2026
Microsoft announced a suite of telco‑focused services ahead of Mobile World Congress 2026. The company is rolling out Azure Local, Microsoft 365 Local, and Foundry Local to deliver sovereign‑cloud and edge capabilities for disconnected operations. In March, Databricks Lakebase will reach general availability,...
Lumen Scales up Its Network-as-a-Service Customer Base to 2K Business Customers
Lumen announced that its Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) platform now serves over 2,000 enterprise customers, a 29% quarter‑over‑quarter increase. The growth is underpinned by $12 billion in Private Connectivity Fabric agreements signed in 2025 and a rollout of 400 G wavelength routes across 36...
Charter, Verizon and Zayo Acquisitions to Shake up 2026 Ethernet Rankings
Charter’s $34 billion merger with Cox, Verizon’s $20 billion purchase of Frontier, and Zayo’s $4.25 billion acquisition of Crown Castle’s fiber assets will be finalized in 2026, reshaping the U.S. Ethernet services market. The deals give each acquirer a substantially larger fiber footprint...
Amphenol RF Introduces 2.92 Mm Connectors for 0.141 In. Conformable Cable
Amphenol RF launched a new 2.92 mm connector line built for 0.141 in. conformable cable, delivering broadband performance up to 40 GHz. The connectors feature low VSWR, gold‑plated stainless‑steel bodies, beryllium‑copper contacts, and Ultem 1000/PTFE insulators for durability across temperature extremes. Available in straight‑plug...
Molex Sets New Benchmark for AI and 6G Testing with 145 GHz Cardinal Multi-Port High Frequency Coaxial Assemblies
Molex has launched the Cardinal Multi‑Port High Frequency Coaxial Assemblies that operate up to 145 GHz, extending its proven Cardinal line beyond the previous 110 GHz ceiling. The assemblies deliver phase‑matched, low‑loss connections and support data‑characterization rates of up to 448 Gbps. A...
Telin and IPification Turn Mobile Networks Into Identity Infrastructure With OTP-Free Verification Service
PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia International (Telin) and IPification have introduced Telin Mobile Network Verification, an OTP‑free identity verification service that leverages network‑layer signals to confirm a user’s phone number, SIM card, and device. The solution, now available on more than 40...
Mexico Makes Biometric ID the Gateway to Mobile Connectivity as SIM Registration Deadline Approaches
Mexico will require every mobile line to be linked to a biometric CURP ID by July 2026. The law, effective Jan 9, 2026, obliges registration of prepaid, postpaid, physical SIMs and eSIMs, giving existing users until June 30 to comply and suspending unregistered...
Charter Warns California Delay Could Jeopardize Cox Merger Timeline
Charter Communications has asked the California Public Utilities Commission to render a decision on its proposed acquisition of Cox Communications by July 16, 2026. The request stems from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Hart‑Scott‑Rodino antitrust clearance, which expires on September...
SmarTone Reports Profit Amid High-End Market Focus
SmarTone posted an 8.4% rise in first‑half profit, with revenue climbing 2% to HK$3.56 billion, propelled by its premium 5G positioning and higher‑value device sales. 5G ARPU was twice that of 4G, while home broadband profit surged 36% and roaming revenue...
Ukraine as a Laboratory of Internet Resilience
Four years into Russia’s invasion, Ukraine’s Internet has not collapsed despite extensive damage to its telecom infrastructure. Roughly 25 % of cables and equipment were destroyed, representing a $1.6 billion loss, yet service persisted through rerouting, redundancy and rapid repairs. The resilience...
Your Watch Will One Day Track Blood Pressure
Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin demonstrated a non‑contact method for measuring blood pressure by reflecting near‑field radio waves off the wrist. They built a wearable prototype using a patch antenna, circulator and a custom 2.4 GHz integrated circuit...
Microwave Transmission Equipment Market Flattens Out in 2025
Dell’Oro Group reports that point‑to‑point microwave transmission equipment revenue was flat in 2025 after a strong first half, ending 1% below the prior year. The decline was driven by weakened demand in India and Latin America despite earlier growth expectations....
Limiter, LM-118-100W-22DBM
The LM-118-100W-22DBM is a high‑power RF limiter covering 1 to 18 GHz and tolerating up to 100 W continuous wave across –55 °C to +85 °C. It caps leakage at 22 dBm, introduces only 2.6 dB insertion loss, and recovers in 100 ns or less. Housed in a compact...
PS5-Sized Gadget Offers 25 Gbps Fiber‑like Wi‑Fi
Forget Starlink – this PS5-sized device promises to deliver fiber-like 25Gbps internet speeds using invisible beams of light https://www.techradar.com/computing/forget-starlink-this-ps5-sized-device-promises-to-deliver-fiber-like-25gbps-internet-speeds-using-invisible-beams-of-light
Reflective, High Speed, SPST Switch, P1T-500M18G-80-R-SFF-SW21841A-515
Planar Monolithics introduced the P1T‑500M18G‑80‑R‑SFF‑SW21841A‑515, a reflective high‑speed SPST RF switch covering 0.5‑18 GHz. The device delivers ≤ 2.5 dB insertion loss, ≥ 80 dB isolation, and switches in 20 ns while tolerating up to 2 W average (10 W peak) power. Its compact 1.97 × 0.79 × 0.53 in form factor uses...
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Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea Subsea Cable to Strengthen Regional Connectivity
Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea have signed a subsea fiber‑optic agreement in Malabo, creating a direct high‑capacity link between the two countries. The deal includes plans for a commercial data centre and aims to improve regional cybersecurity and internet redundancy. While...
Digital Phase Shifter, PS-100M20G-10B-SFF-MIL-SM
Planar Monolithics introduced the PS‑100M20G‑10B‑SFF‑MIL‑SM, a digitally controlled phase shifter covering 0.1 to 20 GHz. It delivers continuous 0°‑360° phase adjustment with 1024 discrete steps via ten logic inputs. The device features 13 dB insertion loss, ±5° phase‑shift error, and a 500 ns switching speed....
Euro Hosting Giant Hiking Prices by up to 50% From April Fool's Day
Hetzner, one of Europe’s largest hosting providers, announced price hikes of up to 50% effective 1 April. The increases apply to all customers across its data centres in Germany, Finland, the US and Singapore. Hetzner cites soaring hardware costs, memory shortages...
HPE Exposes Juniper Routers to Third-Party AI Agents
HPE announced that its newly acquired Juniper routers will be exposed to third‑party AI agents via a Model Context Protocol, enabling AI‑driven configuration and deployment. The company also introduced the PTX12000 series, scaling up to 518.4 Tbps, and the PTX10002 line...
Press Release: Gilat Receives $39 Million in Orders for Sidewinder ESA
Gilat Satellite Networks announced $39 million in orders for its Sidewinder electronically steered antenna (ESA) in‑flight connectivity terminals from a leading satellite operator, with deliveries slated over the next 12 months. The orders cover both line‑fit and retrofit installations, underscoring airlines'...
Smartphone Prices to Increase in South Africa
South African retailers expect a noticeable uptick in smartphone and laptop prices over the coming months. The increase is driven by a depreciating rand, higher import duties, and global supply‑chain constraints that raise component costs. Analysts warn that both consumers...
Ultra-Wideband Low Noise Amplifier, PEC-42-1G40G-20-12-292FF
PMI‑RF introduced the PEC‑42‑1G40G‑20‑12‑292FF, an ultra‑wideband low‑noise amplifier covering 1 to 40 GHz. The device delivers 42 dB of gain with ±2.5 dB flatness and a 5.5 dB noise figure across the band. Its output‑1 dB compression point reaches 19 dBm at lower frequencies and 17 dBm at higher...
Hackers Threaten to Leak 8 Million People’s Stolen Data if Dutch Telecom Odido Won’t Pay Ransom
Dutch telecom operator Odido confirmed a breach by the Shinyhunters cyber‑criminal group, which claims to have exfiltrated data on up to eight million customers. The attackers are demanding more than one million euros in ransom and have issued a final...
Peru Begins Campaign to Block Further 100K 'High-Risk' Handsets
Peruvian telecom regulator Osiptel announced a new phase of its anti‑fraud campaign, blocking an additional 100,000 handsets deemed high‑risk. The devices are not listed in the official Renteseg database and are associated with repeated use of invalid or cloned IMEIs....
8-Channel Switch Filter Bank, 8SFB-2G18G-SFF
Planar Monolithics introduced the 8‑channel switch filter bank 8SFB‑2G18G‑SFF, covering 2 GHz to 18 GHz with eight selectable pass‑bands. The unit delivers 8 dB typical insertion loss, 2:1 VSWR, ±0.5 dB ripple and 82.8 dB out‑of‑band rejection. Switching occurs in 200 ns and the device handles...
Digital Attenuator, DTA-200M18G-100-CD-EXT
Planar Monolithics introduced the DTA‑200M18G‑100‑CD‑EXT, an 8‑bit digitally tuned attenuator covering 0.2 to 18 GHz. It offers a massive 100 dB attenuation range with ±3 dB accuracy and flatness throughout. The device features fast switching (1 µs on, 0.5 µs off), a maximum insertion loss of 12 dB,...
Anritsu, Qualcomm to Present Pre-6G 7 GHz Device Testing at MWC
Qualcomm and Anritsu will showcase a pre‑6G mobile‑device test case operating at 7.125 GHz during Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The demonstration uses an upgraded Anritsu MT8000A test station, extending its RF hardware to cover 7‑16 GHz, thereby adding support for lower...
Dhiraagu Invites Applications for Public Shareholders Slot on Board
Maldives telecom operator Dhiraagu has announced that it will accept applications from public shareholders for a vacant public director seat on its board. The public director represents shareholders who do not hold a majority stake and is elected exclusively by...
American Tower Reports 8% Rise in Q4 Revenue
American Tower posted a 7.5% increase in fourth‑quarter 2025 revenue, reaching $2.74 billion, while property revenue rose 7.6% to $2.67 billion. Tenant billings grew organically by $109 million, a 5.9% rise. Adjusted funds from operations per share climbed 8.2%, marking high single‑digit growth....
Global Invacom Group Launches Rapid Deploy XY Antenna Range for Mission‑Critical, Multi‑Orbit Connectivity
Global Invacom Group has introduced a rapid‑deploy XY antenna family spanning four sizes—from 0.98 m to 2.4 m—to provide fast, multi‑orbit, multi‑band connectivity for government, defence, and commercial users. The modular terminals require no tools and can be calibrated and operational in...
Rohde & Schwarz Advances AI-RAN Testing Using Digital Twins with NVIDIA
Rohde & Schwarz, together with NVIDIA, unveiled an AI‑driven testbed at MWC Barcelona 2026 that combines the NVIDIA Sionna Research Kit with a DGX Spark server for hardware‑in‑the‑loop, site‑specific channel emulation. The platform runs a software‑defined 5G NR stack via...
AntennaWare and SynchronicIT Collaborate to Offer Significant Improvements in UWB Applications
AntennaWare has partnered with Dutch module vendor SynchronicIT to integrate its BodyWave™ antenna into UWB‑based real‑time location systems. The patented antenna boosts link margins by 6‑12 dB in non‑line‑of‑sight scenarios, effectively doubling range or halving power consumption for on‑body and on‑metal...
Policyband Roundup: Tech, Regulation, Media Headlines
Policyband Headlines ■ @elonmusk: @Starlink Price Cuts Have Nothing to Do with @Amazonleo ■ @gigibsohn: @StephenAtHome Colbert ‘Got Some Things Very Wrong’ ■ U.S. Chamber Opposed to Jamming Cell Phones in State Prisons ■ Fire Fighters Want @FCC Progress on Location Monitoring Inside...
Consumer Reports Names 12 Worst Internet Providers
Consumer Reports Lists 12 Worst Internet Providers, via @InsideTowers https://t.co/Myos1X02DA HughesNet Viasat Liberty Cablevision GCI Optimum (Altice/Suddenlink) Brightspeed Breezeline (Atlantic Broadband) Xtream by Mediacom Lumen (CenturyLink) Xfinity (Comcast) Kinetic Cox
Sustainable Spectrum Policy Dossier Updated for 2026
The Sustainable Spectrum Policy dossier has been refreshed for 2026, adding a new research note on space sustainability. It highlights the ESA Zero Debris Charter’s net‑zero target for 2030, the APRSAF “Nagoya Vision” on responsible space use, and IADC’s global...
Edge Computing Cuts Bandwidth, Sends Only Essential Video
Scaling to dozens (or hundreds) of smart cameras? Bandwidth chokes fast if everything streams 24/7 Edge compute flips the script: process locally, send just metadata, pull video only when it matters. Cleaner networks, smarter ops across retail, warehouses, even healthcare. Solid demo...
Edge Computing Brings Millisecond Decisions to Critical Industries
When decisions depend on milliseconds, moving data closer to where work happens matters. Edge computing and edge AI are reshaping manufacturing, energy, healthcare, and smart infrastructure, where latency, autonomy, and reliability are critical. More: https://t.co/0MYapoejKN @TMobileBusiness Partner
Network Architecture: The Hidden $100B AI Training Bottleneck
The $100 billion AI training bottleneck nobody talks about: your network architecture https://t.co/YgAd2EnSxQ #SRv6 #segmentrouting #AI #AIBackend
AI Drives Wireline Overtaking Wireless in Keysight Revenue
Super interesting development today: Wireline just passed wireless first the first time in Keysight revenues https://t.co/xzwD9dimYS Keysight is a network testing company, and the shift is mainly due to ... what else?... AI. $KEYS
Cellular Backup Keeps Your Eero Network Online
"eero Signal 4G LTE provides peace of mind with dedicated cellular backup connectivity for your entire eero network whenever your primary internet connection goes down." https://t.co/NX67V7itic
Machine Learning Shifts KPI Focus to Right Signals
How machine learning reframes KPI design: systems optimize relentlessly. So the real leadership question isn’t “Are we tracking performance?” It’s “Are we tracking the right signals?” https://t.co/FfVafJZaUk via @mitsmr #AI #MWC26 https://t.co/qKrkhqgMNN
SpaceX's Claim to Oust Liberty From AWS‑4 Is Wrong
"SpaceX is incorrect in asserting that it can essentially evict Liberty from its AWS-4 spectrum by acquiring EchoStar's 2GHz MSS authorizations," via @thebauminator https://t.co/08hWxrztyf
Phoenix Center Says Broadband Prices Fell, Contradicting Benton Report
"A new Phoenix Center analysis claimed broadband prices fell in real terms from 2024 through 2025, disputing a recent Benton Foundation report that found an increase." Via @TedatPolicyband https://t.co/kXUGTipW9y
US Cell Tower Sector Gains Momentum with Funding and Expansion
Some moves forward in the U.S. cell tower industry today with $AMT reporting a quarter generally ahead of expectations. Plus Everest raised $500M https://t.co/yvUtzrXkyV and Ontivity announced @_davemayo on the board and expansion plans https://t.co/UwONFwpdE2
Tower Owners Urge FCC to Bill Dish Amid Spectrum Fight
As @SpaceX and Liberty Latin America spar over spectrum concerns in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, tower and infrastructure owners are pressing the FCC to require @EchoStar's Dish Wireless to pay its bills. @Light_Reading ...
No-Code AI Powers 2025’s Top Machine Learning Trends
How could you use no-code AI to boost your projects? Top 10 Machine Learning Trends to Watch in 2025 https://t.co/e65AsSHtq4 #AI #MachineLearning #IoT #WMC26 #5G
Can AI Truly Grasp Real‑World Complexity?
Can large language models figure out the real world? How deeply predictive AI systems understand their subject matter? https://t.co/E2bwsorCLs #MachineLearning #MIT #MWC26 #AI #IoT #5G @mitsmr