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
GSMA Foundry and NUHS Singapore to Drive 5G and AI Innovations in Healthcare Through New Strategic Partnership
GSMA Foundry has signed a strategic partnership with Singapore’s National University Health System (NUHS) to accelerate 5G‑enabled, AI‑driven healthcare solutions. The collaboration will leverage private 5G networks, digital twins, XR, IoT and ambient AI to enable remote surgical assistance, immersive training, robotics and intelligent facilities management. NUHS, Ericsson and Singtel will showcase a robot nurse companion, 3D holographic surgical planning and hospital‑at‑home technology at MWC26 in Barcelona. The partnership aims to pilot these solutions in Singapore and expand to early‑adopter sites worldwide.
5G Security: Everything You Should Know for a Secure Network
5G introduces a service‑based, cloud‑native architecture that replaces 4G's hardware‑centric design, bringing modular network functions and edge computing. The standard embeds stronger 256‑bit encryption, privacy‑preserving identifiers, and a new authentication protocol to protect user data and device identities. Additional features...
Why Going Cloud-Native Is the Most Important Upgrade a Mobile Network Operator Can Make Right Now
Tune Talk announced it has completed a full cloud‑native transformation, partnering with US‑based Mavenir to migrate both its OSS and BSS to software‑defined platforms. This makes Tune Talk the first mobile network operator in ASEAN to run an end‑to‑end cloud‑native...
Telefonica Reports Revenue Growth, 326 Million Accesses and Strong Free Cash Flow in Q4 2025
Telefonica posted a modest revenue rise of 1.3% in Q4 2025, reaching €9.174 billion, and delivered €2.069 billion in full‑year free cash flow. The group expanded its access base to 326.1 million, driven by fibre and 5G uptake, while adjusted EBITDA grew 2.8%...
Tune Talk Picks Mavenir to Build AI‑driven Mobile Infra
Tune Talk has completed its transition to a fully independent, cloud‑native mobile network operator by partnering with Mavenir, which supplied AI‑driven OSS and BSS platforms. The new architecture gives Tune Talk end‑to‑end control, zero‑touch automation and self‑healing capabilities, accelerating digital...
RAD Debuts 400G Ethernet Platform for DCI, Enterprise Connectivity
RAD announced the ETX‑2i‑400G, a 400 Gbps Ethernet demarcation and aggregation platform designed for data‑center interconnect and high‑capacity enterprise links. The device targets communications service providers seeking low‑latency, SLA‑driven services that can handle AI‑intensive workloads. It incorporates multiple 400 G QSP‑DD interfaces...
India Seeks to Create Conducive Environment for Submarine Cable Investments, Says TRAI’s AK Lahoti
India is positioning itself as a hub for submarine cable investment, with TRAI chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti announcing a 60% year‑on‑year increase in total lit capacity to 309 Tbps and an 81% rise in activated capacity to 268 Tbps as of December 2025....
KAPP Secures Approval for Fixed-Line Telecom Project
Kuwait Authority for Partnership Projects (KAPP) received State Audit Bureau approval for a KWD 19.928 million contract to revamp the country's fixed‑line telecommunications infrastructure. The public‑private partnership with the Ministry of Communications will design, fund, build, operate and maintain active and...
Telkom Launches Plug’d, a Youth‑first Platform Connecting Data, Deals and Real Opportunities
Telkom has launched Plug’d by Telkom, a mobile‑first platform aimed at South Africans aged 18‑24. The service bundles affordable data, curated digital content and access to real‑world opportunities such as jobs and internships within a single always‑on ecosystem. Plug’d is...
Interesting: Open Space Events
Martin Fowler highlighted Open Space events as a self‑organizing format where participants set the agenda on the fly. The approach offers a structured yet flexible alternative to informal gatherings like Net::Beer, making it attractive for small tech meetups such as...
MWC 2026 | Telekom, Orange, Telefónica, TIM and Vodafone Demo Federated Edge Continuum
At Mobile World Congress 2026 the five largest European telcos—Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Telefónica, TIM and Vodafone—demonstrated the first live European Edge Continuum, a federated edge infrastructure spanning their networks. The federation, built on EU‑funded IPCEI‑CIS components, is now operational in...
Ericsson, University of Toronto Partner to Drive AI Powered Mobile Tech
Ericsson and the University of Toronto have signed a three‑year partnership, committing $1 million to accelerate AI‑powered mobile communications research. The agreement focuses on advancing 5G technologies while laying groundwork for future 6G networks. It also creates industry‑linked projects to develop...
Balancing Growth and Efficiency — APNIC 61 Policy SIG Deliberations on IPv6 and IPv4 Allocation
At APNIC 61’s Policy SIG in Jakarta, members debated two pivotal proposals: prop‑164, which would lower the minimum IPv6 allocation from a /32 to a /36, and prop‑168, which seeks to raise the maximum IPv4 delegation for account holders to a...
India's Tech Infra as Public Good Can Be Emulated for AI Across Global South, Says ITU Official
India’s digital public infrastructure—most notably Aadhaar and UPI—has been highlighted by ITU strategic‑engagement chief Fred Werner as a replicable model for AI diffusion across the Global South. Werner argues that the country’s ability to scale technology for over a billion...
Airtel New Rs 1099 Plan Comes with Unlimited 4G and 5G
Bharti Airtel launched a Rs 1099 prepaid plan that includes unlimited voice calls, 100 SMS per day and a combined 300 GB of 4G/5G data every 28 days. The offering is valid for 84 days, extending beyond the typical monthly cycle. While...
Telecom News: Airtel Africa, Starlink, Telus
Airtel Africa is preparing to roll out SpaceX’s Starlink satellite service across its 14 African markets, pending regulator sign‑off, to extend mobile broadband into underserved rural zones. Telus secured new 3.8 GHz mid‑band spectrum in British Columbia and Alberta, boosting its...
Telecom News: Tune Talk, Mavenir, Sistema Shyam Teleservices
The Andhra Pradesh government signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with the Indian Union to accelerate the Amended BharatNet programme, allocating ₹2,432 crore to extend fiber broadband to over 500,000 rural homes and thousands of Gram Panchayats. In Malaysia, Tune Talk completed a...
Telecom News: 1623 Farnam, Bridged Broadband, KYOCERA AVX, Airgain
1623 Farnam and Bridged Broadband announced a partnership to deploy an 800‑gigabit fiber backbone linking Omaha, Kansas City and underserved Missouri towns. The network leverages a dense carrier ecosystem at the Omaha interconnection hub, delivering low‑latency, high‑capacity routes for enterprises...
Spammers Spoof UPS Number to Threaten Customers
Hey @UPS I think spammers are spoofing your number. Got a call from 800-742-5877, which is UPS but came up "SPAM" on iPhone. "Ronathan" claiming to be from UPS support wanted me to apologize for tweeting my package arrived late,...
AST SpaceMobile Wins $30 Million Contract for Military Broadband Demo
The Space Development Agency awarded AST SpaceMobile a $30 million firm‑fixed‑price contract to demonstrate its BlueBird satellite constellation can deliver resilient, low‑latency broadband directly to military radios. The "Europa" phase of the HALO program requires AST to complete a series of...
New Pepwave 5G Dongle Brings Ethernet-Over-USB 5G to Peplink Routers and Laptops
Peplink is launching the Pepwave 5G Dongle, a compact USB‑C modem that delivers Ethernet‑over‑USB 5G connectivity for its routers and laptops. Built on a Qualcomm X62 chipset, the device supports dual physical nano‑SIM slots, dual eSIMs and a wide range of sub‑6 GHz 5G/LTE...
Skynopy and Safran Space Win the SkyConnect Kenya Project to Digitize and Accelerate the Commercialization of an Antenna in Kenya
Skynopy, backed by French Ministry funding, secured the SkyConnect Kenya project to digitize the Kenya Space Agency's 4.5‑meter S/X‑Band antenna. Partnering with Safran Space, the duo will install Skynopy’s Ground Station Stack and Safran’s virtualized Nuron equipment, linking the antenna...
Mobile Networks Face New Cellular UAV Exploitation Risks
Operation Spiderweb in June 2025 demonstrated how Ukrainian forces hijacked Russian mobile networks to control and stream data from drones, disabling about 20 aircraft. The incident exposed a growing vulnerability as 4G/5G standards now embed native drone support, allowing off‑the‑shelf...
Taara Unveils Taara Photonics and Taara Beam
Taara, a spin‑out from Google’s X lab, unveiled Taara Photonics—the world’s first wireless communication platform built on an optical phased‑array integrated circuit—and its inaugural product, Taara Beam. The beam‑sized device delivers up to 25 Gbps at low latency across distances of...
AT&T Crowned America’s Best and Fastest Internet
Congratulations to AT&T ! AT&T Named America's Best and Fastest Internet https://t.co/NXz01krvnP @jeffkagan #jeffkagan @att @attnews @attbusiness @verizon @verizonbusiness @verizonnews @tmobile @tmobilebusiness @tmobilenews #broadband #internet #industryanalyst #ictindustryanalyst #ai #aianalyst #aiindustryanalyst #analyst #analysts #wirelessanalyst #telecomanalyst #wirelessindustryanalyst #telecomindustryanalyst #tech #technology #techanalyst #technologyanalyst...
47. Everyone Talks About Integrated Sensing and Communications
In this episode of Wireless Future, Erik Larsson and Emil Björnsson explore Integrated Sensing and Communications (ISAC) as a key pillar of 6G. They define ISAC as the fusion of radar‑type environmental sensing with traditional cellular communication, outlining four integration...
How to Switch From Cable to Fibre Internet
Cable internet’s coaxial architecture limits speed, upload rates, and reliability, prompting many households to consider fibre upgrades. Fibre‑to‑the‑home (FTTH) delivers symmetric gigabit speeds, lower latency, and a dedicated connection that isn’t throttled by neighborhood traffic. Providers such as i3 Broadband,...
Compound Semiconductors Enter a New Growth Phrase Powered by AI & Electrification
Yole Group released its 2026 status report on compound semiconductors, projecting the combined substrate and open‑epiwafer market to surpass $5 billion by 2031 with a ~14 % CAGR. The analysis highlights strong demand from electrification, AI infrastructure, and next‑generation connectivity, with SiC...
Socionext and Innatera Introduce Integrated 60 GHz FMCW Radar and Neuromorphic Edge AI for Human Presence Detection
Socionext and Innatera unveiled a joint human‑presence detection solution that merges Socionext’s compact 60 GHz FMCW radar with Innatera’s ultra‑low‑power spiking neural processor. The system delivers over 99 % detection accuracy, even for stationary individuals, while consuming sub‑milliwatt power, extending battery life...
Qualcomm's Rack‑Level AI
I am incredibly excited to see the first shipment of @Qualcomm’s rack‑level AI hardware and software solutions arrive in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for deployment at @HUMAIN data centers. This marks a major milestone for our data center business,...
AT&T Uses Transparency as Competitive Edge
.@ATT is becoming even more transparent. After opaque reporting under previous leadership, the Q4 disclosure of 40+ new metrics proves transparency is the new competitive weapon in wireless. 📊🔥
Rohde & Schwarz and Broadcom Showcase First Wi-Fi 8 RF Signaling Tests, Paving Way for Next-Gen Connectivity
Rohde & Schwarz and Broadcom are unveiling the first public Wi‑Fi 8 RF signaling tests at MWC Barcelona 2026 using the CMX500 multi‑technology tester. The demo validates a Broadcom prototype and showcases Wi‑Fi 8’s new PHY/MAC features such as distributed resource units, unequal modulation and...
Starlink Monopoly Will Dominate Residential Broadband Future
Enjoyed my panel today during the opening session at #RTIME2026 here in Orlando. My message: Elon Musk doesn't care about your economics. And in 5 years time, your biggest issue will be what to do about Starlink's monopoly in residential...
My Prediction of Ergen's Bid Stunned AT&T Insiders
Fun chat today with someone who was in the AT&T bidding room for Auction 97 (AWS-3) and told me how astonished they were that I'd figured out Ergen's bidding strategy and blogged about it. Apparently AT&T's CEO didn't believe it......
Broadband Usage in 4Q 2025
OpenVault’s Q4 2025 Broadband Insights Report shows U.S. households downloaded an average 59 GB more and uploaded 10 GB more per month than a year earlier. Upload growth outpaced downloads, driven by video calls, cloud backup and IoT traffic. Fiber subscribers uploaded 93 GB...
Kinetic Tokens: Key to Future 6G Networks
Exclusive: T-Mobile’s John Saw explains kinetic tokens and why they matter in #6G @TMobile 🖇️ https://t.co/mGCxser6lP 🖇️ https://t.co/HPULmUhbqx
Billing Clarity Matters More than Critics Assume
Billing clarity matters more than the critics think (and less than we said): https://t.co/GcbgKY1dNW @Light_Reading https://t.co/GcbgKY1dNW
GSMA Launches Innovation Fund to Accelerate Green Transition Through Mobile Technology
The GSMA has launched a global Innovation Fund offering £100,000‑£200,000 grants to small and growing enterprises that use mobile and digital technologies to accelerate the green transition in low‑ and middle‑income countries. The fund targets solutions that expand clean‑energy access,...
30 Years Later: Telecomm Act's Enduring Impact
Join @publicknowledge & @HowardUCOMM tomorrow (2/24)to celebrate 30th anniversary of the Telecommunications Act of 1996! @RepMcClellan, policy advocates & academics explore the lasting legacy of this cornerstone of communication policy. RSVP https://t.co/to98DpEh9L
Data Centers Anchor Community Fiber Deployments
The idea of data centers as anchor tenants for fiber in communities is a good one.
Marvell Aims to Localise Global Semiconductor Solutions for India: Navin Bishnoi
Marvell Technology is localising its global semiconductor portfolio for the Indian market, establishing R&D centres in Bangalore, Pune and Hyderabad. The company is collaborating with Indian academia—IITs, NITs and IIITs—to build a talent pipeline and shape semiconductor curricula. Marvell’s data‑centre...
Communities Should Require Data Centers to Provide Affordable Internet
More communities should be demanding benefits from companies in return for permitting data centers to be built. For example - connect every resident with affordable Internet access?
Telecom Transparency Declines as Carriers Conceal Key Data
Telecom disclosure is going backwards. One carrier finally showed the real numbers, another is hiding the ones that matter. 🧵📊
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Leaked Ahead of Launch
Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S26 Ultra 5G design was leaked ahead of the company’s Unpacked event scheduled for February 25, 2026. The leak, posted by YouTuber Sahi Karoul, shows a high‑end device priced at AED 12,000 (approximately Rs 296,000) before official release. The...
Du and Federal Youth Authority Power Next-Gen Talent for Digital Economy Success
du concluded its Youth Council Retreat 2026, bringing together the telecom’s youth representatives, senior executives and the Federal Youth Authority. A fireside chat between CEO Fahad Al Hassawi and Chief People & Impact Officer Fatema Al Afeefi gave emerging talent...
Centre Approves ₹2,432 Crore to Implement Amended BharatNet Programme in Andhra Pradesh
The Indian government has approved ₹2,432 crore to fund the Amended BharatNet programme in Andhra Pradesh. The scheme, managed by the newly formed Andhra Pradesh BharatNet Infrastructure Limited (APBIL), will upgrade 13,426 gram panchayats to a ring‑topology optical fiber network and...
Telecom Review Gears Up for a Strategic Presence at MWC 2026
Telecom Review announced a strategic presence at Mobile World Congress 2026, exhibiting in Hall 3, Stand 3O52MR, and delivering daily digital coverage of the event’s technology rollouts. The editorial team will produce on‑site reporting, executive interviews, and exclusive insights from keynotes and...
Telefónica, Mavenir Partner to Drive AI Innovation in Telecom
Telefónica and Mavenir have signed an MOU to launch an AI Innovation Hub that will serve as a live testbed for autonomous core network technologies. The hub will enable development and validation of AI‑driven orchestration, intent‑based services, and monetization frameworks...
Netlab: The Caveats of Using Startup Configurations
Petr Ankudinov warns against relying on containerlab's startup‑config option for netlab deployments. While containerlab can apply partial startup configurations to most devices, it only supports complete startup files for Arista cEOS, forcing netlab to duplicate initial device setup. Errors in...
Tata Communications, RailTel Join Hands to Develop AI-Ready Digital Infrastructure
Tata Communications has teamed up with state‑run RailTel to build AI‑ready digital infrastructure for India and global markets. The partnership will modernise RailTel’s 63,000 km optical‑fiber network, add AI‑enabled platforms, and strengthen cyber protection and sovereign cloud capabilities for sensitive workloads....