Growing Up and Growing Old Online: A Regional Connectivity Reckoning
Middle Eastern governments have poured billions into fiber, 5G and smart‑city projects, but the region now faces a digital‑wellbeing dilemma across generations. Youth remain the most connected, with 82% online, while older adults lag in digital‑payment adoption and are vulnerable to scams. Research shows screen time beyond three to five hours correlates with stress and lower life satisfaction for both young and working adults. Telecom operators such as du, e&, stc and Mobily are responding with parental‑control tools, age‑friendly services and digital‑safety campaigns to turn connectivity into inclusive, healthy usage.
AT&T, DigitalBridge and Verizon Leaders to Headline Connect (X) 2026 Digital Infrastructure Event
The Wireless Infrastructure Association announced the keynote lineup for Connect (X) 2026, featuring senior executives from AT&T, Verizon and DigitalBridge. The three‑day event will be held May 4‑6 at the Broward County Convention Centre in Fort Lauderdale, gathering tower operators, investors and...
Deutsche Telekom CEO Hits Out at European Microregulation
Deutsche Telekom CEO Tim Höttges used the shareholder meeting to criticize the EU’s upcoming Digital Networks Act, calling it a form of micro‑regulation that would limit scale and undermine European digital sovereignty. He highlighted the group’s strong 2023 results –...
NPR Distribution Highlights New Adaptable Receiver
NPR Distribution’s vice president Badri Munipalla announced at the Public Radio Engineering Conference a next‑generation ContentDepot Edge receiver, a low‑latency terrestrial solution for live broadcast distribution. The Edge platform, currently in pilot, adds station‑to‑station sharing, geo‑targeted delivery, richer metadata and...
Vodafone Pushes EU over Comms Market Unity
Vodafone’s chief external and corporate affairs officer Joakim Reiter warned EU regulators that fragmented telecom rules undermine the bloc’s single‑market ambitions. He argued that inconsistent regulations, unlike those in energy and capital markets, threaten investment in advanced networks such as...
DSIT Seeks Figurehead ‘to Lay the Digital Foundations for the Country’
The UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) is hiring a new Director General for Digital Foundations, a senior civil‑service role paying £174,000 (about $221,000) per year. The post will lead government cybersecurity policy, the Government Cyber Unit, and...
US, AT&T Agree $2B Public Safety Deal
The U.S. Department of Commerce announced a renegotiated FirstNet contract in which AT&T will invest $1 billion and simultaneously cut $1 billion in project costs, creating a $2 billion value proposition for public‑safety communications. The deal accelerates deployment of a dedicated 5G Core...
AI-Driven Operating Model Key to Cloud-Native, Autonomous Networks
The Next Generation Mobile Networks Alliance (NGMN) released a briefing titled "Cloud native next chapter – agentic AI‑based operating models" that maps cloud‑native maturity to AI readiness for telecom operators. The document defines five progressive AI adoption levels aligned with...
Novel Graphene-Based Sub-Terahertz Receivers Could Enable Ultra-Compact, Zero-Power 6G Links
Researchers from ICFO, ETH Zurich and partners have unveiled the first graphene‑based sub‑terahertz direct receivers that deliver multi‑gigabit‑per‑second data rates over a 3‑metre link at room temperature. The devices occupy a tiny 0.018 mm² footprint, are compatible with standard CMOS back‑end...
Paratus Launches Starlink-Powered Connectivity for Africa’s Essential Services
Paratus Group has unveiled Paratus Essential Access, a Starlink‑powered satellite service that delivers high‑speed, low‑latency connectivity to essential‑service organisations across Africa. The offering targets law enforcement, hospitals, schools, emergency responders, and agricultural initiatives, providing preferential pricing and priority support. It...
Maziv Commits R9bn to Expand Fibre, Create 10K Jobs
Maziv, the open‑access fibre network owner of Vumatel and Dark Fibre Africa, announced a R9 billion (approximately $486 million) investment pledge over the next five years to accelerate South Africa’s high‑speed broadband rollout. The plan includes a dedicated commitment to generate 10,000...
Aehr Gains Initial Order From New Silicon Photonics Transceiver Customer
Semiconductor test equipment maker Aehr Test Systems announced an initial order from a major, unnamed networking supplier developing silicon‑photonic transceivers for hyperscale AI and cloud data centers. The order includes several FOX‑XP wafer‑level burn‑in systems capable of testing nine wafers...
C-DOT Eyes Spinoff to Take Indian Tech Global
India’s Center for Development of Telecom (C‑DOT) is preparing to spin off a commercial arm, giving private investors a 51 % stake while the agency retains 49 %. The move aims to bypass government tendering constraints and accelerate the global rollout of...
Nokia Strengthens MEA Leadership to Accelerate Network Evolution and Growth
Nokia announced three senior appointments for its Middle East and Africa (MEA) operations, naming Mikko Lavanti as President, Roque Lozano Barbero as Senior Vice President of Network Infrastructure, and Danial Mausoof as Senior Vice President of Mobile Infrastructure. The new...
US-Listed Data Centre Operator Equinix Doubles Down on South Africa
Equinix is investing roughly $405 million to add 160 MW of data‑centre capacity in South Africa, bringing its total under development to 332 MW across Johannesburg and Cape Town. The company acquired about $48 million of land, expanding its footprint beyond Gauteng. All funding...
New Overhead Network System Enables National Signal Extension
An innovative overhead network system using tethered high‑altitude aerostats will extend 5G broadcast capability across the UK, allowing rapid deployment of private networks for live productions. The project, led by the Scandinavian Centre for Aerial Methodology with the Southern Kraków...
Telechips Advances Network Gateway Chip Business, Seeks Global Customers
Telechips is accelerating its network gateway chip business, launching proof‑of‑concept projects with select global customers as it seeks a profitability turnaround. The company is simultaneously expanding AI‑integrated automotive semiconductor offerings for ADAS and autonomous driving, while upgrading its in‑vehicle infotainment...
NWN Pushes ‘Intelligent Connectivity’ To Power AI Everywhere In The Enterprise
NWN announced its Intelligent Connectivity platform, a next‑gen Network‑as‑a‑Service that fuses HPE Mist Wi‑Fi, its Experience Management Platform and multi‑vendor APIs into a unified operating model. The solution, slated for general availability in the first half of 2026, promises AI‑driven...
Corning, Meta Begin North Carolina Cable Manufacturing Facility Expansion
Corning and Meta have broken ground on a major expansion of Corning's optical‑fiber manufacturing in Hickory, North Carolina, under a multiyear agreement worth up to $6 billion. The new capacity is expected to lift Corning's North Carolina workforce by 15‑20 percent, creating...
Faced With Starlink Competition, Ground Segment Leaders Turn to Orchestration, Specialization
Ground‑segment providers are feeling the pressure of vertically integrated LEO megaconstellations such as Starlink and Amazon Leo, which manufacture their own user terminals and drive prices to rock‑bottom levels. Executives from Ovzon, SpaceBridge and Comtech warned that the traditional consumer‑grade GEO...
KRYTAR Announces Two New 3 dB, 180-Degree ULTRA+ Hybrid Couplers Covering 10 to 40 GHz
KRYTAR, Inc. unveiled two new 180-degree ULTRA+ hybrid couplers covering 10‑40 GHz with 3 dB coupling. The ULTRA4100400 model uses 2.4 mm connectors, while the ULTRA4100400K employs 2.92 mm K‑connectors, both offering tight amplitude (±0.9 dB) and phase (±8°) tolerances. They support 20 W average and...
PLDT Ready to Block Roblox if Ordered
Philippine telecom giant PLDT, together with its wireless unit Smart Communications, announced it will block access to the online game Roblox if ordered by regulators. The move follows a request from the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center, which flagged Roblox...
VTel Wireless Partners with Ericsson to Launch First Nationwide 5G Standalone VoNR Roaming for Rural America
VTel Wireless has partnered with Ericsson to deploy a cloud‑native 5G Core and Radio Access Network, enabling the first rural carrier to offer nationwide 5G Standalone (SA) VoNR roaming. The solution replaces legacy LTE‑based voice underlays with end‑to‑end 5G voice,...
See Everything, Always: Manufacturing Precise Positioning with Private 5G
Private 5G networks now embed precise indoor positioning, delivering meter‑level accuracy without separate hardware. This unified approach replaces fragmented Wi‑Fi, UWB, Bluetooth and RFID solutions, giving manufacturers real‑time visibility of assets, workers, and equipment. Integrated location services feed directly into...
Delta In-Flight Connectivity Takes Off with Amazon Leo
Delta Air Lines has partnered with Amazon to equip its fleet with high‑speed, low‑latency internet via Amazon Leo, the company’s low‑Earth‑orbit satellite service. The rollout will begin in 2028 with an initial installation on 500 aircraft, expanding Delta’s existing AWS‑based...
Cato Networks Unveils Modular Adoption Model for SASE Platform
Cato Networks announced a modular adoption model for its core SASE platform, allowing enterprises to select and add capabilities such as AI security, SD‑WAN, SSE and universal ZTNA on demand. The solution runs on the GPU‑powered Cato Neural Edge, a...
Es’hailSat, EgyptSat Expand Partnership with New Satellite Capacity Agreement
Es’hailSat and EgyptSat have signed a multi‑year satellite capacity agreement to expand VSAT services across Egypt and the broader MENA region, building on a partnership established last year. The deal taps Es’hailSat’s two high‑throughput satellites at 25.5°/26° East and its Tier‑4...
India Telecom Operators Shift to Experience-Led Differentiation Over Price Wars: Opensignal
India’s telecom market is maturing, with operators moving from price‑driven battles to experience‑led differentiation. Opensignal data shows Reliance Jio still dominates nationally, holding over 43% of adjusted gross revenue and leading consistent quality in 58 of 63 metros. Yet subscriber...
AOI Receives New Order for 800G Data-Center Transceivers From Major Hyperscale Customer
Applied Optoelectronics Inc. (AOI) secured a volume order exceeding $53 million from a major hyperscale customer for 800‑gigabit single‑mode data‑center transceivers. The order supports AI‑driven GPU clusters and will be shipped between Q2 and mid‑Q3 2026 after product qualification. AOI’s CEO highlighted...
Vodafone Completes Video Call Where No Network Exists Using Satellite Tech
Vodafone successfully completed a live video call from Clare Island, Ireland – a location with no mobile coverage – using a standard smartphone connected to AST SpaceMobile’s satellite network. The call was received in Dublin by Vodafone Ireland CEO Sabrina...
Nigerians Used 1.26 Million Terabytes of Data in February, Down From January
Nigerian internet traffic fell to 1.26 million terabytes in February, a drop of 125,475 TB from January’s 1.38 million. Despite the lower total, average daily usage rose to 45,000 TB, a 0.7% increase, reflecting intensified per‑user consumption. Telecom operators MTN and Airtel added over...
Savanna Fibre Sparks Price War in Kenya’s Stagnant Broadband Market
Kenyan ISP Savanna Fibre, launched in 2024, has introduced a 100 Mbps broadband plan priced at KES 2,000 (≈$15), undercutting Safaricom’s comparable offering by about 80%. The company also offers a 1 Gbps tier for $77, roughly half the price of Safaricom and...
Call for Input on the Possible Amendment of the BEREC Roaming Benchmark Data Collection Procedure
The Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) has opened a public consultation to amend its roaming benchmark data‑collection procedure following the Roam‑Like‑At‑Home extension to Ukraine and Moldova on 1 January 2026. Operators are invited to submit feedback via an EU...
Indra Develops New Satellite Communications Terminal for Submarines
Indra has finished development and certification testing of the TSUB‑40Ka, a Ka‑band satellite communications terminal designed for submarines. The Ka band permits smaller antennas and markedly higher data‑rate links than traditional X‑band or Ku‑band systems. The terminal complies with MIL‑STD/STANAG...
Huawei Secure SD-WAN Full SASE Solution: Secure, Intelligent Connectivity for Modern Enterprises
Huawei has launched its Secure SD‑WAN Full SASE solution, a unified platform that blends networking, security and AI‑driven management for enterprise connectivity. The solution dynamically routes traffic over MPLS, broadband, LTE or 5G while encrypting tunnels and providing integrated firewall,...
Eutelsat in Talks with India's Space Agency to Boost Satellite Launch Options
Eutelsat is negotiating with India’s ISRO to add launch capacity, aiming to cut dependence on SpaceX and Ariane rockets. The talks come after the OneWeb merger and a plan to launch 440 new satellites, a programme estimated at €2 bn ($2.3 bn)....
Pan-India Monthly 5G Data Traffic Surges 70% On-Year in 2025: Nokia
India’s 5G data traffic surged 70% year‑on‑year to 12.9 exabytes in 2025, according to Nokia’s Mobile Broadband Index 2026. 5G now represents 47% of total mobile broadband traffic, with average monthly consumption per user exceeding 31 GB, an 18% CAGR over...
Airalo Partners Busan to Provide eSIM Services for International Visitors
Airalo has signed a letter of intent with Busan Metropolitan City to distribute 100,000 free eSIM vouchers and launch destination‑specific eSIM packages for international visitors. The partnership also includes discounted eSIMs for Busan residents traveling abroad, joint marketing campaigns, and...
CDG Advances Real Time Subscriber Data Automation for Communication Service Providers with Calix Subscriber Services API
CDG has launched a Calix Subscriber Service API integration that links its Elements OSS/BSS platform with the Calix One suite in real time. The connection synchronizes subscriber records, equipment details, and service tiers instantly, eliminating manual data entry. By leveraging...
Starlink to Appeal Namibia Licence Rejection
Starlink will appeal Namibia's telecom regulator decision that rejected its licence and spectrum access because the company is fully foreign‑owned, violating the country's 51% local‑ownership rule. Nigeria's communications authority has mandated that telcos compensate customers with airtime credits when service...
Rakuten Mobile Extends Partnership with Netcracker for AI-Enabled Digital BSS to Support Its Mobile Network in Japan
Rakuten Mobile has extended its multi‑year partnership with Netcracker to continue using the AI‑enabled, cloud‑native Digital BSS platform for its nationwide 4G and 5G network. The renewal builds on a collaboration that began when Rakuten launched in 2019 and adds...
Vodafone Idea Is Using Ciena’s WaveLogic 6 Extreme to Modernise Transport Network
Vodafone Idea (VIL), India’s third‑largest telecom operator, has deployed Ciena’s WaveLogic 6 Extreme (WL6e) to upgrade its transport network. The rollout achieved a 1.6 Tb/s capacity on a meshed Data Center Interconnect (DCI) fabric, aimed at meeting surging bandwidth demand. VIL expects the...
Virgin Media O2 Accelerates UK 5G Upgrade Programme
Virgin Media O2 (VMO2) has signed multiyear contracts with Ericsson and Nokia as part of a £700 m (≈$889 m) mobile transformation plan to overhaul its UK 5G network. The agreements will upgrade the majority of VMO2’s radio access network to 5G+...
World Backup Day 2026: A Telecom B2B Guide to Data Protection in the AI Age
World Backup Day on March 31 highlights telecoms’ need for robust data protection amid AI‑driven growth. AI adoption has surged, with 77% of telecom executives citing operational benefits and 61% using AI for analytics, but it also inflates data volumes and...
Service Quality and Consumer Protections to Improve in Proposed Changes to NBN Regulation
The ACCC released a draft determination that will set NBN Co’s regulatory framework from 1 July 2026, proposing lower capital spending, reduced weighted‑average cost of capital, and tighter benchmark service standards. It also upgrades the entry‑level broadband offering to a 25 Mbps download/10 Mbps...
Telecom News: Ethio Telecom, Safaricom, MTS, MegaFon, T2 Mobile, VimpelCom, Beeline
The Nigerian Communications Commission has mandated that mobile operators provide airtime credits to subscribers when service quality falls below standards, tying fines to infrastructure upgrades. Ethiopia’s government introduced a Universal Access Fund, requiring operators to contribute 1.5% of annual gross...
Telecom News: Fiber Broadband Association, NFR, Bharti Airtel, Tata Teleservices
The Fiber Broadband Association unveiled a "fiber‑first" framework to help U.S. states accelerate middle‑mile fiber deployment, emphasizing cross‑agency coordination, dig‑once policies, and streamlined permitting. The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) rolled out an AI‑enhanced optical‑fiber‑cable (OFC) system at 50 level‑crossing gates,...
Telstra Overruled in Mobile Coverage Claims Stoush
Australia’s regulator ACMA confirmed its draft standard that classifies signal strengths below –115 dBm as ‘no coverage’, forcing carriers to label maps with four tiers: good, moderate, usable and no coverage. The rule means Telstra could have up to one million...
Fiber Frenzy
Charter is extending its Spectrum network in Marion County, Florida, to serve more than 15,000 addresses with up to 1 Gbps speeds, and will fund an $18,000 grant for the local Marion Senior Services program to boost digital literacy among older...
Gigapower Drops FCC Petition
Gigapower, a joint venture between AT&T and BlackRock Global Infrastructure Fund, withdrew its FCC petition after a dispute with the city of Rock Hill, South Carolina, over access to roughly 1,692 city‑owned utility poles. The conflict stemmed from Rock Hill’s...
