Vietnam: Accelerating 5G Rollout, Preparing for a 6G Future
Vietnam is fast‑tracking a nationwide 5G rollout, with nearly 40,000 base stations covering about 90% of the population and 23 million subscribers by February 2026. Viettel leads the effort, having installed 23,500 stations in 2025 and targeting 98% coverage by 2026, while VNPT expands using C‑band and plans 700 MHz deployment. The expanded network is already powering automation, telemedicine and smart‑city initiatives. Simultaneously, Vietnam is joining global 6G alliances, aiming for pre‑commercial trials in 2028 and a commercial launch by 2029.
Life After Affirmed: What Operators Should Prioritize as 5G Core Strategies Evolve
Microsoft’s decision to retire the Affirmed Networks portfolio has forced operators worldwide to reassess their 4G/5G core infrastructure. The shift accelerates a move toward cloud‑native, micro‑service‑based cores that can run across hybrid and multi‑cloud environments. Vendors that offer modular, low‑cost...
'Unlimited 5G Data': HP's Latest AI PC Ultraslim Laptop Promises Superfast WiFi-Killer Broadband and Built-In Antivirus — Just Make Sure...
HP announced the EliteBook 6 G2q, an ultraslim laptop powered by Snapdragon X2 processors that delivers up to 85 TOPS of AI performance. The device includes HP Go 5G, marketed as unlimited data, but the service requires a built‑in eSIM, works only on Windows 11 commercial PCs,...
Tarana Says Starlink’s BEAD Antics “Pulled the Rug Out” From NTIA
Tarana Wireless has accused Starlink of undermining the BEAD program by demanding upfront payments, installation fees, and relief from its minimum 100/20 Mbps service commitment for awarded projects. Tarana says the move "pulled the rug" from under the NTIA and state...
Cogeco, Eastlink Say They Will Not Stop Decommissioning Despite CRTC Request
Canadian regulator CRTC asked cable operators Cogeco and Eastlink to keep legacy copper infrastructure accessible to wholesale ISPs TekSavvy and Fibernetics. Both incumbents replied they will proceed with scheduled decommissioning, citing economic infeasibility and lack of binding authority from CRTC...
ArkEdge Space to Work With ABIT For IoT Service Rollout
ArkEdge Space and Japan’s ABIT Corporation have signed an MOU to co‑develop wide‑area IoT solutions and satellite communication equipment. The collaboration merges ArkEdge’s low‑power, long‑range satellite network—validated on 18 in‑orbit satellites—with ABIT’s ground‑side device design, mass‑production and protocol expertise. ArkEdge...
Macnica: Two Speeds On One Card
Macnica will unveil an upgraded MEP100 SmartNIC at the NAB Show, adding simultaneous 100 GbE and 25 GbE support on a single card. The new version also expands GPU‑accelerated processing via GPUDirect, adds Windows DirectShow filter compatibility, and incorporates SMPTE ST 2110‑41 fast metadata...
Tower Operator SBA Communications Is Exploring a Potential Sale
SBA Communications, a leading tower operator with over 46,000 sites, is weighing strategic alternatives after receiving preliminary takeover interest from large infrastructure funds. The company’s enterprise value stands at roughly $37 billion, including debt, while its market cap is about $21.6 billion...
PM-WANI Crosses 4 Lakh Hotspots as Public Wi-Fi Use Surges Across India
The Prime Minister Wi‑Fi Access Network Interface (PM‑WANI) scheme now operates 409,403 public Wi‑Fi hotspots across India, marking a significant expansion of shared broadband infrastructure. User adoption has surged, with over 24.4 million individuals accessing the network and generating approximately 58.6 petabytes...
Airtel’s Rs 399 Plan Offers Unlimited Data: Here’s What You Get
In February 2026 Airtel launched a Rs 399 (≈ $4.80) prepaid plan that offers fully unlimited 4G and 5G data, unlimited local and STD calls, and 100 SMS per day for 28 days. The plan is available in 15 Indian circles, including Maharashtra,...
ISED Extends Telesat’s Use of Ku-Band for Broadcasting Services
Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) has approved an extension of Telesat’s use of the extended Ku (xKu) band for direct‑to‑home (DTH) broadcasting until November 2039. The decision keeps Shaw Direct’s service, operated by Rogers, on air for another decade, reversing...
Amazon Weighs a Deal to Boost Its Satellite Internet Ambitions. Why It's Worthy Pursuit
Amazon is in talks to acquire satellite operator Globalstar, a move that would expand its fledgling Leo internet‑from‑space service. Leo currently runs about 200 low‑Earth‑orbit satellites, far fewer than SpaceX’s Starlink network of over 10,000 satellites and 10 million users. The...
AT&T, FirstNet Support Comms for NASA's Artemis II Mission Around the Moon
AT&T is supplying connectivity and on‑site support for NASA’s Artemis II mission, enabling near‑Earth and deep‑space communications as the Orion crew circles the Moon. The carrier has upgraded its network and positioned teams at key NASA facilities, while its FirstNet public‑safety...
Oak Hill Capital Completes Acquisition of Hunter Communications
Oak Hill Capital has completed its acquisition of Oregon‑based fiber provider Hunter Communications, a deal first announced in December. Hunter operates a 3,000‑plus‑mile network serving roughly 35,000 customers across the Pacific Northwest. The new capital backing will accelerate fiber expansion...
ETSI Announces OpenCAPIF Release 4 Aligned with 3GPP
ETSI’s OpenCAPIF Software Development Group has launched Release 4.0.0, fully aligned with 3GPP Release 19. The update introduces a Visibility Control API that lets providers dictate who can discover and use their APIs, alongside a scalable certificate architecture that isolates keys per...
Docomo Completes Mobile Core Virtualisation
NTT Docomo has finished virtualising its entire mobile core network, including the 5G standalone core, evolved packet core (EPC) and IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), by running them as software on general‑purpose servers. The transition was executed with Cisco, Dell Technologies...
Global Telecom Capex Trends: 10 Key Facts Shaping Industry Investment Strategy Through 2030
Dell’Oro Group reports that global telecom capital expenditure held steady in 2025, marking the first year of flat spending among the 50 largest operators, which account for roughly 80% of industry outlays. Despite the pause in capex, equipment manufacturers saw...
IDTechEx Reports on Optimizing Signal for Communication and Radar with Low Loss Materials
IDTechEx’s new report highlights the rising importance of low‑loss materials for 5G/6G, data‑center, and automotive radar applications through 2036. As high‑frequency signals become more sensitive, dielectric losses threaten bandwidth and reliability, prompting adoption of substrates such as PTFE, LCP, and...
Melon Digital Secures Global eSIM Deal
Melon Digital, an MVNO platform‑as‑a‑service provider, has teamed up with global eSIM specialist Airalo to deliver instant digital connectivity for international visitors in South Africa. The partnership launches an eSIM offering through Melon Mobile, allowing travelers to access data, voice...
Qorvo Introduces Dual-Band 2.4/5 GHz BAW Diplexer for Single-Antenna Wi-Fi Systems
Qorvo has launched the QPQ4701, a bulk‑acoustic‑wave diplexer that integrates 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi‑Fi filtering into a single laminate module. The device covers 2402‑2482 MHz and 5150‑5735 MHz, enabling true dual‑band operation over one antenna for access points, routers, gateways, CPE and...
Wilson Connectivity, Autonomous Systems Team for In-Building Wireless Service
Wilson Connectivity has teamed with Autonomous Systems to launch an automated, AI‑ready network‑lifecycle management service for in‑building wireless infrastructure. The offering blends Wilson’s three‑decade expertise in DAS, private 5G and CBRS with Autonomous’s cloud‑based monitoring platform, delivering real‑time visibility and active...
Starlink Shines Bright in Asia-Pacific
SpaceX’s Starlink is accelerating its direct‑to‑device (D2D) rollout across the Asia‑Pacific, with launch dates confirmed for New Zealand’s Spark and Japan’s NTT Docomo, while SoftBank announced future plans. Spark’s offering mixes free access with a NZD10 (~$5.70) fee tier, targeting remote and...
Siemens Expands Private 5G Play
Siemens announced a major expansion of its private 5G portfolio, adding the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Finland, France, Norway, and Poland to its footprint, now spanning 15 countries across Europe and the Americas. The U.S. launch will rely...
Options Technology Adds Direct Connectivity to Japan Alternative Market
Options Technology announced direct, low‑latency connectivity to Japan Alternative Market (JAX), a new proprietary trading system, extending its AtlasFabric network across Japan and the broader APAC region. The integration gives institutional clients managed access to JAX market data and trading...
Congress Takes Up an Old Problem: Writing Laws for a Future It Can’t See
Congress is revisiting the 1996 Communications Act, recognizing that its landline‑centric framework no longer fits broadband, 5G, streaming and satellite services. Lawmakers face pressure from national‑security concerns, the erosion of the Universal Service Fund, and renewed scrutiny of Section 230....
Data Prices Ease, but Affordability Gap Persists
South Africa’s Competition Commission released its second Cost of Living Report, showing data prices remain below headline inflation but still hinder digital inclusion for low‑income households. Wired broadband growth stayed just under 15 % annually, while wireless data stabilized around 2 %...
Ring, Reject, Repeat: South Africa’s Spam Call Crisis
South Africa faced an unprecedented spam call surge, with Truecaller reporting over 30 billion unwanted calls in 2025 and a 20% year‑on‑year rise in the first quarter of 2026. The flood of scam calls has conditioned users to reject unknown numbers,...
FBI Warns of AVrecon Malware Targeting Network Devices Across 163 Countries
The FBI has issued a warning about AVrecon, a modular malware that compromises home and small‑office routers by exploiting unpatched remote‑code‑execution flaws. The malware was used by the now‑dismantled SocksEscort proxy service, which sold access to roughly 369,000 infected devices...
As More Copper Wire Thefts Knock Out Service, some Point Fingers at Scrap Yards
Copper wire thefts are surging across Canada, with Bell reporting 1,275 incidents in 2025—a 40% jump from the prior year—and Rogers seeing outage hours rise 400% since 2022. In early January, thieves stole 90 kg of copper wire in Clarendon, N.B.,...
Wireless AI Paradox Emerges as Wi-Fi Evolves Into Strategic Growth Engine
Cisco's State of Wireless 2026 report, based on 6,098 decision‑makers, reveals a “wireless AI paradox”: AI drives the biggest ROI while also creating security and talent challenges. Enterprises that treat Wi‑Fi as a strategic asset see compounding benefits—78% report efficiency...
Remote NetApp Array over Photonic Link Nears Local Access Speed
A proof‑of‑concept demonstrated that a NetApp flash array accessed over IOWN’s all‑photonics network (APN) can deliver performance nearly identical to local storage, with less than 1 % increase in GPU training time across distances up to 3,000 km. The 100 Gbps single‑mode fiber...
Bharti Airtel Achieves 650 Mn Subscriber Milestone
Bharti Airtel announced it has crossed 650 million subscribers worldwide, spanning its Indian and African operations. The telecom now ranks second globally by mobile customer base, behind China Mobile, with 386 million mobile users in India and 179 million in Africa. Airtel highlighted...
Amazon in Talks to Buy Satellite Operator Globalstar
Amazon is in advanced talks to acquire satellite‑telecom firm Globalstar as it accelerates its low‑Earth‑orbit (LEO) broadband project, Kuiper. Globalstar, valued at about $8.8 billion, saw its shares jump 24% to $85 after the news. The deal would give Amazon access...
Essex Awards £29m Network Contract to MLL
Essex County Council awarded a £29 million (≈ $36.8 million) managed network services contract to MLL Telecom. The agreement covers roughly 175 sites and serves about 9,000 council staff, public and guest users daily. It aims to modernize the enterprise network for hybrid...
Report: UK Broadband Market Flat
The UK broadband market held steady in Q4 2025, adding just 14,000 new connections to reach an estimated 28.96 million total lines. Full‑fibre (FTTP) penetration accelerated to 81.3% of premises, the fastest pace since the nationwide rollout began. Openreach contributed 571 k FTTP...
India's Telecom Imports From China Rise to $6.37 Billion in 2023-24: Pemmasani
India’s telecom imports from China climbed to $6.37 billion in the 2023‑24 fiscal year, up from $5.55 billion in 2019‑20. Total telecom‑equipment imports rose to $17.01 billion, reflecting a broader expansion in the sector. To curb dependence, the government introduced a public procurement...
NBN Delivers Steady Performance, but some Consumers Missing Out on Full Plan Speeds
The ACCC’s latest Measuring Broadband Australia report shows that most Australian households on NBN fixed‑line services achieved 98.5% of their advertised plan speeds during peak evening hours in December 2025. The newly introduced NBN Home Fast plan (500/50 Mbps) delivered an...
GoNetspeed Achieves 100% Fiber Coverage in North Hamden
GoNetspeed announced that North Hamden, Connecticut, has achieved 100% fiber‑optic internet coverage after a privately funded $6 million investment. The rollout will serve more than 8,000 residents and businesses with symmetrical speeds ranging from 500 Mbps to 6 Gbps. Construction continues neighborhood by...
Grain Looking to Market 800 MHz for Direct-to-Cell
Investment firm Grain Management has acquired T‑Mobile’s 800 MHz spectrum and 600 MHz holdings for about $2.9 billion, aiming to lease or sell the airwaves to satellite operators for direct‑to‑cell (D2D) services. The companies seek FCC waivers to suspend build‑out deadlines and allow...
Meghalaya Govt Signs MoU With Starlink To Pilot Satcom Services
The Meghalaya government has signed a memorandum of understanding with Elon Musk’s Starlink to pilot satellite broadband in the state’s most remote areas, focusing on schools, health centres and farms. The pilot will test high‑speed internet reliability before a broader...
0.45-8 GHz 16-Way SMA Female Power Divider
URF Inc. launched a high‑precision 16‑way SMA female power divider covering 0.45‑8 GHz, featuring an ultra‑low 1.55:1 VSWR and ±0.4 dB/±8° balance. The unit delivers less than 4.2 dB excess loss, 16 dB isolation, and can handle up to 150 W peak power. Priced at...
Broadband Expansion Alone Won’t Close the Digital Divide, Panelists Warn
Industry leaders warned that expanding broadband infrastructure alone will not close the U.S. digital divide. While the $42.45 billion BEAD program has funded new networks, 24 % of seniors—about 19 million people—remain offline, and rural communities still face adoption hurdles. Panelists highlighted affordability,...
CanarySat CEO Antonio Abad Outlines the Sovereign, Secure Approach Behind the Magec Constellation
CanarySat, backed by Spain’s Arquimea, unveiled its Magec constellation – a planned 264‑satellite Ka‑band LEO network aimed at sovereign, secure communications for governments, critical infrastructure and essential enterprises. The company, less than a year old, leverages five years of design...
Ligado Case Might Not Upend Spectrum Auction Certainty: Former NTIA Administrator
Former NTIA administrator John Kneuer told a Federalist Society webinar that the Ligado lawsuit is unlikely to destabilize the certainty surrounding FCC spectrum auctions. Ligado is pursuing roughly $40 billion in damages, claiming the Defense Department’s secret use of L‑band spectrum...
FCC Router Rules Shake U.S. Market: Ookla Data Reveals Top Vendors and Wi-Fi Upgrade Gap
The FCC’s new router rule forces any consumer router built abroad to obtain a waiver before sale, aiming to curb cyber‑attacks linked to foreign hardware. Ookla data shows the U.S. market is led by Eero, TP‑Link, Netgear and others, all...
Vodafone Idea Adds Users After 5 Years
Vodafone Idea posted a net gain of 21,927 subscribers in February, raising its total base to 198.4 million—the first positive addition in nearly five years. The modest growth follows extensive 4G and early 5G network expansion and comes after the Indian...
Helios Towers to Expand Mobile Connectivity Across DRC
Helios Towers has secured a $110 million investment agreement with DRC’s ANAPI to expand its mobile tower infrastructure. The deal will fund new sites in urban and rural areas, improve network resilience, and incorporate sustainable energy and local skill programs. Helios,...
Helios Towers to Invest $110m on Telecoms Infrastructure in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Helios Towers announced a $110 million investment to expand telecom tower infrastructure in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The deal, signed with the government’s ANAPI agency, will fund new sites across urban and rural areas and improve energy resilience. Helios already...
ESN ‘on Track’ for 2030 Completion, UK Official Tells BAPCO
The UK’s Emergency Services Network (ESN) is back on schedule, with data‑only services potentially available to first responders as early as 2024. Full mission‑critical voice capability is slated for the second quarter of 2028, and a mass migration of users,...
North Carolina Directs $26M to Connect Rural Homes by 2026
North Carolina has allocated nearly $26 million in stop‑gap broadband grants to bring high‑speed internet to 5,161 homes, businesses and community institutions across 66 rural counties by the end of 2026. The program, funded through the federal American Rescue Plan Act...
