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 to massive data sets, better information retention and storage efficiency across Ericsson's product suite. The teams may also tap the Jupiter supercomputer for large‑scale model training. The effort is positioned to accelerate the evolution of 5G and lay groundwork for 6G deployments.
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
DRC Plans Sim Sale Restrictions Amid Rising Insecurity
The Democratic Republic of Congo announced a plan to tighten telecom controls by banning the sale of pre‑registered SIM cards and requiring all existing users to re‑identify themselves. The proposal was debated at a Council of Ministers meeting on March 20...
Press Release: Eutelsat Expands LEO Connectivity for Global Rail Market
Satellite operator Eutelsat announced that its OneWeb low‑Earth‑orbit (LEO) connectivity service is expanding across the global rail market. The company now offers broadband to rail operators in Africa, Central Asia, the Middle East, Europe and North America through distribution partners...
Press Release: SAS Goes Live with Starlink High-Speed Wi-Fi
SAS has launched Starlink‑powered high‑speed Wi‑Fi across its Airbus A320 fleet, delivering speeds of over 500 Mbps and low‑latency connectivity even at northern latitudes. EuroBonus members receive free access starting 24 March, thanks to a partnership with mobile operator 3. The airline...
MTN Ghana Steps up Sensitization on Efficient and Safe Data Usage
MTN Ghana announced an intensified campaign to educate subscribers on efficient and safe mobile data usage. The telecom operator is rolling out a comprehensive data‑usage sensitisation programme that combines workshops, digital guides, and real‑time alerts. Coordinator Dzudzorfe Hadzor highlighted the...
QNAP Extends QuWAN Architecture with QuWAN Express to Enhance NAS Point-to-Point VPN Connectivity Flexibility
QNAP Systems has launched QuWAN Express, a lightweight VPN solution that extends its QuWAN SD‑WAN architecture to enable encrypted point‑to‑point NAS‑to‑NAS connections without additional routers. The service leverages QNAP’s cloud‑based Super Node relay, allowing NAS devices behind firewalls or without...
States Addressing Affordability
State legislatures are launching new low‑income broadband subsidies as the federal Affordable Connectivity Program winds down. New Mexico’s LITAP offers up to $30 monthly, funded by a $1.50 telecom surcharge, while Oregon increased its subsidy to $15 and added a...
Ericsson, Depa Partner to Upskill Thai Learners on AI and 5G
Ericsson has partnered with Thailand’s Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa) to embed its Ericsson Educate program into depa’s Digital Skills Roadmap, offering free AI and 5G courses to all Thai learners. The initiative supports depa’s ambition to produce at least...
Port of Gioia Tauro Secures Funding for 5G Network Development
The Port Authority of the Southern Tyrrhenian and Ionian Seas secured roughly €2 million (about $2.2 million) from Italy’s Fund for Technological Innovation and Digitalization to build a private 5G network at the Port of Gioia Tauro. The project, which earned a top‑score...
Claro Ecuador Launches 5G in Cuenca and Salinas
Claro Ecuador, part of América Móvil, has extended its 5G network to the cities of Cuenca and Salinas, following earlier launches in Guayaquil, Quito, Puerto Ayora and Coca at the end of 2025. The expansion is a key step toward the carrier’s...
Megafon Adds Automatic Top-Up Option for Multiple Lines
Russian telecom operator Megafon launched an automatic top‑up service that lets users replenish the credit of up to five mobile lines in a single, recurring transaction. The feature works across Megafon’s own network and other Russian operators, with no commission...
5GAA Renews Pact with EU 6G Industry Body
The 5G Automotive Association (5GAA) has extended its partnership with the EU’s 6G Smart Networks and Services Industry Association (6G‑IA) by renewing a 5G‑focused memorandum of understanding first signed in August 2022. The renewed MoU emphasizes policy coordination in vehicle‑to‑everything (V2X)...
Orange Extends 5G to 7 in 10 Small Towns in Extremadura
Orange Spain announced that its 5G network now covers 286 municipalities in the Extremadura region, giving high‑speed mobile connectivity to seven out of ten small towns by early 2026. The rollout includes 71 villages with fewer than 500 residents, underscoring...
Yas Togo and Moov Togo Top nPerf's WAEMU Mobile Internet Rankings in 2025
Yas Togo and Moov Africa Togo have secured the first and second spots in nPerf’s 2025 mobile‑internet quality rankings for the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU). The rankings, released by Togo’s telecom regulator ARCEP, confirm Togo as the...
Vodafone Italia Ups Price of Selected Prepay Plans by up to EUR 4/Mth
Vodafone Italia announced that, beginning 30 April, selected prepaid mobile plans will see monthly price increases ranging from €0.95 to €3.99. The adjustments affect a subset of its prepaid portfolio and are presented as necessary to sustain network quality and service...
Fourth Mobile Network in Germany: 1&1 Denies Sale Rumors and Focuses on Expansion
Ralph Dommermuth, CEO of United Internet and 1&1, dismissed rumors of a sale to Telefónica, confirming the firm’s commitment to its own fourth mobile network in Germany. By the end of 2025 the network reached roughly 27 percent of households, with...
BT Reports over 3 Million Households Switched to Digital Landlines
BT announced that more than three million UK households have transitioned from the legacy Public Switched Telephone Network to digital landline services, marking a critical milestone in the nationwide PSTN phase‑out. The company plans to complete the switchover by the...
Slovak Operators Prepare to Make 5G SA Available to All Customers Eventually
Orange Slovakia and Slovak Telekom already provide 5G Standalone (SA) services to B2B customers. O2 Slovakia aims to launch its 5G SA network within the year, while 4ka targets a 2027 rollout. All four carriers plan to extend SA connectivity...
TIM Brasil Teams up with Huawei to Upgrade 5G Network
TIM Brasil announced a partnership with Huawei to upgrade its 5G network using AI‑driven smart antennas. The rollout will initially span eight major Brazilian metropolitan areas, covering roughly 30% of TIM’s 5G base stations. These sites handle about 27% of...
Weekly Wrap: Signature Spectrum Course Updated to Reflect Today’s Policy Priorities
PolicyTracker’s flagship course, Understanding Modern Spectrum Management, will run as a hybrid event from 14‑18 September 2026, offering three‑hour live sessions both online and at a central London venue. The curriculum has been refreshed to address current policy priorities, including...
Broadband Shorts March 2026
Broadband providers are reshaping the market through a series of high‑value acquisitions and strategic partnerships. Verizon closed its $20 billion purchase of Frontier, adding 2.2 million fiber subscribers, while AT&T acquired over one million Lumen customers and secured Starry’s millimeter‑wave technology. The...
Home Telecom Selects Teleste and Mega Hertz to Drive High-Split HFC Modernization
Home Telecom announced the completion of a high‑split HFC modernization using Teleste’s ICON Series intelligent amplifiers and Argus Network Management System, delivered and integrated by Mega Hertz. The solution supports 1.8 GHz forward‑path capacity and is ready for DOCSIS 4.0 deployments, while...
New Features — Broadband Quality Monitor (BQM)
ThinkBroadband has upgraded its Broadband Quality Monitor (BQM) with two data‑export features. Users can now download a single CSV containing twelve months of ping‑latency data, replacing the previous one‑day limit. A separate daily CSV for the prior day becomes available...
Lab: Anycast Gateways on VXLAN Segments
Anycast gateways, traditionally limited to VLAN segments, are now officially supported on VXLAN segments, extending a decade‑old Arista capability. The new lab exercise demonstrates how to configure dual anycast gateways across VXLAN underlay and overlay networks. It can be run...
Cape: Getting to the Core of Connectivity
Cape announced a $100 million Series C round to fund its rebuild of the telecom core. The company operates as a heavy MVNO, leasing radio access while owning the logical network layer that handles authentication, signaling and metadata. By redesigning the core,...
NYU WIRELESS Workshop Convened in January
On January 20‑21, 2026, NYU WIRELESS hosted its fourth annual workshop on the Brooklyn campus, gathering leading academic and industry experts to discuss the future of massive MIMO. The two‑day event, themed “Twenty Years of Massive MIMO: What’s Next?”, featured...
Elza Erkip and Marwa Chafii Honored by Women in 6G
NYU WIRELESS professors Elza Erkip and Marwa Chafii have been recognized by the Women in 6G initiative as part of its 2026 “100 Brilliant and Inspiring Women in 6G™” list. The honor underscores their contributions to wireless communications and positions...
WBA Publishes Industry First Guidance on AI, ML for Intelligent Wi-Fi
The Wireless Broadband Alliance released its first industry guidance on applying AI and machine learning to Wi‑Fi networks, emphasizing a shift from rule‑based to predictive, self‑optimizing management. The report, led by Intel and co‑authored by Airties, Cisco and HPE, details...
Light Spectrum Licensing
The FCC is weighing a "light licensing" approach that would let satellite operators register additional ground stations in the upper‑microwave (mmWave) bands, a spectrum currently held by major cellular carriers. AT&T, T‑Mobile and Verizon each spent roughly $2 billion acquiring 24‑50 GHz...
Four Million Residents in Scotland Covered by 5G+ Using O2 Mobile Network
O2 has launched a 5G+ (standalone) network that now reaches roughly four million residents across Scotland, covering 66 large towns, 175 smaller towns and 1,120 villages. The rollout replaces the earlier 4G‑dependent 5G deployments with dedicated small‑cell infrastructure, delivering lower...
Comcast & NVIDIA’s Killer AI Cocktail: Edge, SLMs, and 15ms Latency
Comcast and NVIDIA announced a joint deployment that places GPU accelerators at the network edge to run stateful small language models (SLMs) within 15 ms of the user. By processing tokens locally, the solution eliminates the round‑trip latency inherent in centralized...
Subsidizing Obsolescence: How FCC Rules Keep Copper Alive
The FCC’s new notice of proposed rulemaking seeks to eliminate the remaining intercarrier compensation (ICC) fees and phase out the Connect America Fund ICC subsidy, completing the shift to a bill‑and‑keep model for IP‑based fiber networks. Legacy carriers still receive...
Emerging Market Operators Push for Tighter LEO Satellite Rules as Competitive Tensions Rise
At Mobile World Congress 2026, operators from MTN, Axiata and Ooredoo called for tighter regulation of low‑Earth‑orbit (LEO) satellite services, arguing that existing telecom rules are decades old and create an uneven playing field. They welcomed providers such as Starlink...
NCA Discusses Draft Numbering Regulations Ahead of SIM Registrations
Ghana’s National Communications Authority (NCA) has convened telecom operators and other industry participants to review its draft Numbering Resource Registration Regulations. The draft incorporates feedback from earlier consultations and is positioned to underpin the upcoming mandatory SIM‑card registration drive. NCA...
Ericsson Welcomes US Economic Affairs Under-Secretary to 5G Manufacturing Base
Ericsson hosted U.S. Under Secretary for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg at its 5G Smart Factory in Lewisville, Texas, showcasing a domestic manufacturing hub for next‑generation network equipment. The tour, attended by the U.S. ambassador to Sweden, the Swedish ambassador, CEO...
UK, European Consortium Launches Nomadlink Connectivity Solution
A UK‑European consortium comprising Excelerate Technology, Eutelsat and Livewire Digital has unveiled the Nomadlink connectivity trailer. The mobile unit promises near‑instant broadband for rural and isolated sites, targeting large public gatherings, major incidents and other high‑demand scenarios. By integrating satellite...
Summa Networks, Cataleya Partner on Secure Core and VoIP Platforms
Madrid‑based Summa Networks and communications‑software specialist Cataleya have announced a partnership to deliver secure, cloud‑native core‑network and VoIP signalling platforms for mobile operators. The joint offering combines Summa’s modular HLR, HSS, EPC and IMS stack with Cataleya’s Orchid Link Session Border...
Russia Sees Investment in Public Wi-Fi Networks More than Double in 2025
Russia’s public budget for public Wi‑Fi upgrades jumps to 9.62 billion roubles in 2025, more than double the 3.77 billion allocated in 2024. Data traffic on these networks surged 10.6‑fold year‑on‑year, reaching 13.8 million petabytes. The growth is linked to mobile‑internet disruptions caused...
Brazil Aims for 80% 5G Population Coverage by 2026
Brazil's Ministry of Communications aims for 80% of the population to have 5G coverage by the end of 2026, spanning 2,220 municipalities. This exceeds the original target of 1,469 cities. To date, 5G is active in about 1,420 municipalities, focusing...
Achieving Operator Growth in the AI Development Era
At MWC Barcelona 2026, Huawei introduced an “Agentic Operations” framework for telecom operators, leveraging AI agents across user interaction, experience operations, and network O&M. The approach showcased rapid GTM acceleration in Kenya, a 30% reduction in handling time in Hong...