Semtech Intros 5G RedCap IoT Modem with Plug-and-Play Ethernet Functionality
Semtech has begun sampling its FX86E modem, a 5G RedCap solution that also supports LTE Cat‑4. The module offers plug‑and‑play Ethernet connectivity for both public and private 5G networks, aiming to simplify IoT device integration. Measuring just 82 × 60 × 32 mm, it targets OEMs and system integrators seeking a low‑profile, ready‑to‑use cellular option. The launch coincides with carriers expanding RedCap services for low‑power, massive‑IoT use cases.
Virgin Media Owner Considering Other Broadband Takeovers
Telefónica, the owner of Virgin Media, says it will consider further broadband takeovers to bolster Virgin Media O2 against Openreach. The joint venture recently agreed a £2 bn acquisition of Netomnia, which will be folded into the Nexfibre platform alongside InfraVia...
Netlab 26.03: EVPN/MPLS, IOS XR Features
Netlab 26.03 has been released, bringing a suite of new multi‑vendor features to the network‑lab platform. Cisco IOS XR now supports SR‑MPLS, MPLS/VPN, EVPN over MPLS, VRRP, advanced BGP session parameters and extensive routing policies. Juniper cRPD, EVPN/VXLAN on vPTX and...
Jackson County REMC Taps Adtran to Transform Broadband Network
Jackson County REMC has partnered with Adtran to overhaul its rural broadband network, deploying fiber access, AI‑driven Mosaic One SaaS, and Intellifi® managed Wi‑Fi. The integrated solution aims to close the digital divide across a ten‑county area, serving more than...
Beamforming for Networks that Sense and Communicate at Once
Researchers propose a hybrid beamforming scheme that lets a single high‑frequency transmission carry both data and environmental sensing information, addressing the dual‑purpose demand of emerging 6G networks. Traditional beamformers become computationally prohibitive when scaling to massive antenna arrays, making real‑time...
Polish Operators Agree National Roaming During Emergencies
Polish mobile operators Orange Poland, T‑Mobile Poland, Polkomtel and Play have signed an agreement to establish a national roaming framework for emergency situations. The plan, announced by UKE chairman Przemyslaw Kuna at the Economic Forum “Time” in Warsaw, aims to...
Megafon Upgrades Mobile Network Coverage for Moscow Flats
Megafon has rolled out an indoor mobile network upgrade across multiple Moscow apartment complexes, extending coverage to more than 140,000 residents. The enhancement reaches apartments, elevators and other indoor zones, delivering consistent voice and data service. The new infrastructure also...
Kyivstar Invests UAH 4.5 Bln in Back-Up Power Equipment Since War Starts
Kyivstar, Ukraine’s leading mobile operator and Veon subsidiary, has spent over UAH 4.5 billion since the war began to purchase, install and maintain more than 6,000 backup generators. The equipment bolsters network resilience amid frequent electricity blackouts caused by Russian attacks. Most...
Onshoring Customer Service
The FCC is set to vote on rules that would curb overseas customer service for ISPs, cable and cellular carriers, encouraging onshoring of call‑center jobs. Proposed measures include English‑proficiency standards, mandatory location disclosure, a right to transfer to U.S. agents,...
Shared Rural Network Hits 50 Mobile Mast Milestone in Wales
Shared Rural Network (SRN) has upgraded 50 mobile masts in Wales, bringing the total UK upgrades to 119. The upgrades enable all four major operators—EE, Three, Virgin Media O2 and Vodafone—to provide 4G coverage from each site, boosting national coverage...
Eurofiber, Colt Announce Cross-Carrier Quantum-Secured Fiber Corridor
Eurofiber and Colt Technology Services announced a cross‑carrier Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) corridor linking the financial hubs of Amsterdam, London and Brussels. The partnership leverages Eurofiber’s dense fiber infrastructure and Colt’s ultra‑low‑latency carrier‑grade services to deliver quantum‑secured, high‑performance connectivity. The...
TIME dotCom Taps Ciena to Offer 1 Tb/S Data Transmission Across the Pacific
TIME dotCom Berhad has integrated Ciena’s latest coherent optical technology into the 9,000‑km FASTER submarine cable, enabling a single‑carrier wavelength capacity of 1 Tb/s and an industry‑first 1.6 Tb/s solution. The upgrade comes as global bandwidth demand has more than tripled since...
O2 Telefónica, Ekinops Partner to Drive 5G Connectivity for Enterprise
O2 Telefónica and Ekinops have co‑developed the MRU‑5G Managed Remote Unit, a mobile‑fixed solution that extends gigabit‑class 5G connectivity into enterprise buildings where fiber is impractical. The outdoor unit can be installed up to 100 m from a data room with zero...
Automating Netlab-Based Cisco SD-WAN Deployment
Netlab, an open‑source lab generator, does not include native support for Cisco SD‑WAN. Sebastien d’Argoeuves created a GitHub repository that automates Cisco SD‑WAN deployment once a netlab lab is launched. The solution reads netlab’s JSON/YAML topology, maps device roles, and...
Stc Pilots AI-Powered Arabic–English Translation for Voice Calls
Saudi Arabia’s stc Group has launched phase two of its “New Calling” initiative, piloting AI‑driven real‑time Arabic‑English translation for voice calls. The service is currently live for a limited set of Riyadh customers and relies on low‑latency network processing combined...
MTN Zambia Partners with Starlink to Offer D2C Services
MTN Zambia has partnered with SpaceX’s Starlink to pilot Direct‑to‑Cell (D2C) service, completing the first data session and fintech transaction over the satellite network. The test proves that 4G handsets can connect directly to Starlink’s LEO constellation, delivering voice, video...
DNB Heads to Private Status After CelcomDigi and Maxis Buy MOF Shares
Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB), Malaysia's 5G wholesale operator, is set to become a fully private company after CelcomDigi and Maxis each exercised a put option to buy the 41.67% stake held by Minister of Finance Incorporated (MOF Inc). The transaction,...
DSG-22.6 GHz Is a $1,590 Open-Source RF Signal Generator Based on Atek Midas’s Custom ICs (Crowdfunding)
Atek Midas has introduced the DSG‑22.6 GHz, an open‑source RF signal generator that spans 150 MHz to 22.6 GHz. Priced at $1,590, it offers professional‑grade performance—1 Hz tuning resolution, <100 µs tuning speed, and ≥40 dBc spurious suppression—at a fraction of traditional benchtop costs. The unit...
Assessment of Norwegian Mobile and Fixed Broadband Revenues in a Nordic Context 2025
The Norwegian Ministry of Digitalisation and Public Governance released a comprehensive analysis on 6 March 2026, commissioned from Tefficient, that benchmarks mobile and fixed‑broadband subscriber revenues across Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland up to June 2025. The report expands on four prior yearly...
EXCLUSIVE: February 2026 Update on Broadband Availability Across the UK, Nations and Regions
The latest UK broadband audit shows gigabit availability climbing to 90.17% nationwide, while full‑fibre (FTTP) coverage now stands at 82.99%, just 0.01 points shy of the 83% milestone. Northern Ireland tops the chart with 97.18% gigabit penetration, whereas London records...
Singtel Picks Ericsson to Drive Industry Transformation with 5G Advanced
Singapore’s telecom leader Singtel has entered a strategic partnership with Ericsson to fast‑track the rollout of 5G Advanced as an AI‑powered, programmable platform for enterprises. The collaboration will introduce AI‑in‑RAN, end‑to‑end network slicing with enforceable SLAs, and commercial APIs to...
Safaricom Powers the 2026 WRC Safari Rally with Advanced Connectivity, IoT Solutions
Safaricom has been named the official technology and connectivity partner for the 2026 World Rally Championship Safari Rally in Kenya. The telco will deploy multiple Connectivity on Wheels units and optimise its 5G network to support high‑speed livestreaming, media centres,...
Weekly Brief – 6th March 2026
Openreach announced a hike in its FTTP expedite fee to £145, up from £125, effective 1 March, signaling tighter cost structures for rapid broadband deployments. Virgin Media O2’s Call Defence AI has now labeled over 1 billion nuisance calls, cutting answer rates by...
Press Release: LOT Begins Fitting Viasat Inflight Wi-Fi to Long-Haul Fleet
LOT Polish Airlines has begun installing Viasat’s Amara inflight Wi‑Fi on its long‑haul fleet, starting with Boeing 787 Dreamliner SP‑LSA. Two additional Dreamliners will be equipped by the end of April, offering paid chat ($7) and streaming ($29) bundles while...
The Iran Question…
Elon Musk announced on X that Starlink weapon systems are shut down when identified, and the next day SpaceX limited the maximum in‑motion speed for its Roam and Priority plans to 100 mph. The company simultaneously launched higher‑priced Aviation 300 and Aviation 450...
A New Voice Feature
T‑Mobile is beta testing a real‑time translation service that supports fifty languages and is marketed as the first agentic AI platform on a wireless network. Unlike existing translator apps, the feature is embedded in cellular plans and runs from the...
Ofcom Investigates Two Imageboard Sites over CSAM and Non-Consensual Images
Ofcom has opened an investigation into the provider of two anonymous image‑board services to assess compliance with the UK Online Safety Act. The probe focuses on whether the platforms have conducted required illegal‑content risk assessments and implemented safeguards against non‑consensual...
EE 8Gbps Trial Available to Sign up in Guildford/Woking
EE is rolling out a free XGS‑PON trial in Guildford, Woking and surrounding Surrey villages, offering up to 8 Gbps download and 800 Mbps upload speeds. Interested residents must register via the BT TrialCentre and will receive new fibre, an ONT and...
Rakuten Symphony, Lightstorm to Deliver Sovereign Network-as-a-Service Platform
Rakuten Symphony and Lightstorm have formed a strategic partnership to deliver a sovereign Network‑as‑a‑Service platform that merges Lightstorm’s Polarin NaaS fabric with Rakuten’s cloud‑native platform and orchestrator. The combined solution provides a self‑service portal for provisioning, billing, and performance monitoring...
Ericsson, Optus Partner on AI Model for Accurate 5G SA Coverage Prediction
Ericsson and Australian carrier Optus have launched a joint trial of an artificial‑intelligence model that predicts whether a device on one 5G Standalone frequency layer is also covered by another. The model, trained on months of live Optus data, can...
Podcast: Iris² and the European Space Programme
Dominic Hayes, spectrum manager for the European Commission, discussed the Iris² satellite programme on a PolicyTracker podcast, highlighting its role within the broader European Space Programme. Iris² aims to provide a European‑controlled direct‑to‑device (D2D) communications network, offering an alternative to...
The Rapid Evolution of Transport Lasers
Transport lasers have accelerated from 1 Gbps in the early 2000s to emerging 1.6 Tbps solutions today. IEEE standards progressed through 10 Gb (2002), 40 Gb (2010), 100 Gb (2010), 400 Gb (2017) and now 800 Gb and 1.6 Tb lasers are in limited deployment. Digital Signal Processing...
Sovereignty for Sale
Elon Musk’s decision to block Russia from using Starlink satellites has hampered Russian drone and artillery operations, highlighting the strategic power of private space assets. After initially supplying Ukraine with terminals, Musk later restricted their use against Russian territory following...
Presentation: Netlab Overview and Use Cases
At the recent NetBCN event, a concise presentation showcased netlab’s expanding portfolio of use cases, adding a dedicated “use cases” section to the standard deck. The speaker highlighted roughly a dozen scenarios, ranging from rapid prototyping of network designs to...
Lycamobile Launches Ligue1+ Promotion in France
Lycamobile, a UK‑based MVNO, has launched a €19.99 prepaid 30‑day 5G plan in France aimed at football enthusiasts. The offer bundles 200 GB of data, unlimited calls and texts, and a Ligue 1+ streaming pass for one screen. It is available throughout...
Press Release: Gilat Secures Multi-Million Dollar IFC Hardware Order
Gilat Satellite Networks announced a multi‑million‑dollar order from a leading in‑flight connectivity integrator for its AeroStream Ka‑band wideband amplifiers. The hardware, including 60 W Ka‑band block upconverters, will be delivered over the next 24 months to equip commercial aircraft. Gilat notes...
Technology Shorts March 2026
Researchers unveiled four breakthrough technologies that could reshape communications and data‑center infrastructure. Columbia University’s "rainbow chip" creates a frequency‑comb, allowing dozens of precise light channels to travel simultaneously through a single fiber, promising massive bandwidth gains for broadband networks. The...
MWC 2026 | Intracom Telecom Showcases AI-Enabled Platform Enabling Autonomous Operations
Intracom Telecom unveiled its uni|MS™ AI platform at MWC Barcelona 2026, promoting fully autonomous network operations for communication service providers. The AI‑driven solution lets operators specify desired outcomes—such as rollout validation, segment optimization, or disruption prevention—and automatically orchestrates diagnostics, analytics, and...
MWC 2026 | Aduna Drives Global Network API Adoption with Ecosystem Expansion
Aduna announced at Mobile World Congress 2026 that its network‑API platform now partners with 15 digital‑identity, fraud‑prevention and communications providers, expanding its ecosystem. The joint‑venture, originally launched by Ericsson and 12 major operators, now offers CAMARA‑based APIs in six countries...
Leighton Buzzard Gains CityFibre Full Fibre Service in Linslade Area
CityFibre has launched full‑fibre service in Leighton Buzzard’s Linslade area, adding new streets—especially around Melfort Drive—to its Project Gigabit rollout. The network uses XGS‑PON technology, offering symmetrical speeds from 2 Gbps up to 5 Gbps, with the highest tier currently exclusive to Sky...
Tejas Networks Unveils Hyper-Scalable DCI Platform at MWC Barcelona
Tejas Networks introduced the TJ1600‑D3, a hyper‑scalable data‑center interconnect (DCI) platform, at MWC 2026 in Barcelona. The WDM optical transport system delivers line rates from 400 Gbps to 1.2 Tbps per wavelength and can scale to 51.2 Tbps of shelf capacity within a compact...
Understanding 10BASE-T1L
10BASE‑T1L, defined in IEEE 802.3cg, delivers 10 Mbps full‑duplex Ethernet over a single twisted‑pair for up to 1 km. The standard lets BACnet/IP run directly on the link, eliminating gateways and allowing seamless integration with IT networks. Existing two‑wire fieldbus runs can be...
Thales Validates Post-Quantum Cryptography on Live Networks, Enabling Ongoing Protection
Thales demonstrated live‑network post‑quantum cryptography for 5G, remotely updating SIM and eSIM cards with quantum‑safe algorithms. The "crypto agility" approach eliminates the need for massive hardware swaps, enabling instant security upgrades across existing devices. The trial underscores Thales’ role in...
Telekom Relies on Starlink: Satellites to Close the Last Gaps in Mobile Coverage in Germany
Deutsche Telekom announced a partnership with Elon Musk’s Starlink to launch direct‑to‑device satellite mobile service in Germany starting in 2028. The initiative targets the remaining 1.2% of the country without 2G coverage, offering basic voice, data and messaging where terrestrial...
February Update - Tematica Select Digital Infrastructure Model (DIGI)
On March 3, 2026 Tematica released its February update to the Select Digital Infrastructure (DIGI) model, which tracks firms that build and operate the backbone of the hyper‑connected economy. The revision expands the universe to include edge‑computing, 5G tower, and submarine‑cable operators,...
Cell Tower Valuation Model (Updated March 2026)
The article introduces a new Excel‑based Cell Tower Valuation Model designed for telecom infrastructure underwriting. It highlights how 5G rollouts, rising data usage, and new operators are turning cell towers into high‑demand, inflation‑protected CRE assets. Valuations are driven by cash‑flow...
WEBINAR: Two-Part Series on RF Power Amplifier Design
The RF power‑amplifier landscape has shifted from simple scalar load‑pull to sophisticated vector and simulated techniques as mmWave and sub‑THz designs demand tighter margins and wider bandwidths. Keysight’s two‑part masterclass introduces a VNA‑inspired load‑pull method that uses a‑ and b‑waves...
Huawei Launches Xinghe Solution for Cost-Effective, Quantum-Secure WANs
Huawei unveiled the Xinghe Intelligent Traffic‑Encryption Integration Solution at MWC Barcelona 2026, embedding a built‑in Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) board into its NetEngine 8000E router series. The technology uses a high‑precision noise‑reduction algorithm to allow quantum, negotiation and data channels to...
Rising Costs of Broadband Construction
The Fiber Broadband Association’s 2025 annual report shows median fiber construction costs climbing to $18 per foot for buried lines and $8 per foot for aerial routes, marking 3% and 14% increases respectively. Labor remains the dominant expense, representing roughly...
TalkTalk to Get £115m Funding Injection From Ares Management
TalkTalk secured a £115 million cash injection from Ares Management, comprising £65 million of senior debt and a £50 million short‑term facility to replace a £47 million debt due in March. The funding follows earlier capital raises of £235 million in December 2024 and £120 million...
