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Telecom Namibia Hit by International Connectivity Failure
Telecom Namibia reported a network slowdown last week after external international routes failed, affecting mobile data and browsing speeds for some customers. The operator quickly redirected traffic, upgraded critical equipment, and increased capacity at key nodes to stabilize service. It disclosed that the disruption involved the West Africa Cable System and Google’s Equiano subsea links, though the exact cause remains unclear. Management said the incident underscores its commitment to bolstering network resilience across Namibia.
AI Fuels Wireless Talent Shortage
Enterprise networks are grappling with a severe wireless talent shortage, with 86% of organizations unable to find qualified staff. The shortage is amplified by AI‑driven workloads and IoT expansion, driving operational complexity and higher security incident costs—averaging $21.2 million annually for...
Deutsche Telekom CEO Pitches Sovereign AI, 6G to Industry
Deutsche Telekom chief Tim Hoettges used his Hannover Messe keynote to champion a sovereign AI strategy for German industry and to preview the role of 6G. He argued that Germany’s strong industrial base, engineering expertise and data‑sovereignty ambitions position it to...
Satellite Launch Failure Hits AST SpaceMobile Hard
AST SpaceMobile’s second‑generation satellite BlueBird 7 failed to reach its intended orbit after launch on Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket, rendering the payload inoperable. The company says the loss will be covered by insurance, but the setback trims its 2026 deployment goal...
5G Surpasses 3 Billion Connections
Omdia reports the global connectivity market generated $333 billion in Q4 2025 and $1.3 trillion for the full year, marking modest double‑digit growth. 5G connections surpassed the 3 billion mark, a 34% year‑on‑year increase, with Asia accounting for 69% of those users. India overtook...
Multi-Cloud Trust Integrity-Based Security Management Architecture for Blockchain- Enhanced Secure Network Slicing Using CKBNA and SFDA
A new multi‑cloud security framework introduces a Crystals‑Kyber Bickley‑Naylor (CKBNA) key‑establishment protocol and a Struve Function‑based Dilithium (SFDA) signature scheme to protect Secure Network Slicing (SNS). The architecture leverages an IpLUEN‑LSTM model for slice prediction, Hyperbolic Growth Gazelle Optimization for...
Boeing Develops Medium-Sized Satellite Amid Growing Demand
Boeing and its subsidiary Millennium Space Systems have unveiled the Resolute, a medium‑sized “micro‑GEO” satellite platform designed to bridge the gap between small‑sat and large, custom GEO satellites. The platform combines Millennium’s rapid production methods with Boeing’s advanced payload technology,...
Poland Completes Installation of GSM-R on the Central Railway Line
Poland’s railway manager PKP PLK has finished installing the GSM‑R digital radio system on the Central Railway Line (CMK), erecting the last tower in Secemin and completing 35 communication sites. The network, built by a Nokia‑led consortium, will be commissioned and...
5 Things You Must Check Before Buying a Data Plan for Your Next Trip
Travelers need more than cheap roaming; the article outlines five critical factors when selecting a data plan for overseas trips. It emphasizes checking coverage and network strength, comparing data limits and pricing, and ensuring plan flexibility. Additional services such as...
Specialists Leave Mobile Operators Behind on Home Internet
Vox captured every fixed‑broadband award in Opensignal’s Q1 2026 South African benchmark, outpacing the country’s largest mobile operators on home internet performance. The specialist ISP posted a 24.9 Mbps download speed, 17.5 Mbps upload speed and a reliability score of 363, beating Vodacom,...
Es’hailSat and Media City Qatar Partner to Advance Satellite Capabilities
Es’hailSat has signed a strategic memorandum of understanding with Media City Qatar to broaden satellite broadcasting and digital media services for more than 500 licensed companies in the Qatari media hub. The partnership leverages Es’hailSat’s satellite capacity, playout solutions, and...
Nigeria’s Airtime Lifeline Just Got Disrupted
On April 12, MTN Nigeria abruptly discontinued its Xtratime and XtraByte airtime‑credit services, and Airtel followed suit days later. The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) clarified that the stoppage stems from operators’ failure to meet lending‑regulation deadlines introduced...
Airtel Select Prepaid Plans Now Come With Free Data Pack Coupon With OTT Benefit
Bharti Airtel has begun bundling free data‑pack coupons with three of its prepaid plans – the Rs 349 unlimited 5G plan, the Rs 979 84‑day plan and the Rs 3599 plan – in select circles. The coupons, valued at Rs 100 or Rs 195 (approximately...
Ericsson India Revenue Grows 29% to ₹4,228 Crore in March Quarter
Ericsson reported a 29% jump in India revenue to ₹4,228 crore (about $507 million) in the March‑quarter, raising its contribution to the group’s top line to 8%. The growth follows a surge in 5G equipment deliveries and network‑modernisation projects across the country....
New Study Exposes the Hidden Cost of “Big Wireless” As Most Older Americans Don’t Use the Data They’re Paying For
A Harris Poll study commissioned by Consumer Cellular reveals that nearly eight in ten Americans aged 50 and older are on unlimited wireless plans yet use just over 5 GB of data per month. More than half of this group cannot...
The New Space Race for Connectivity: Satellite Internet and Critical Infrastructure
Satellite internet is moving from a niche backup solution to a core component of the global connectivity architecture. Low‑Earth‑orbit (LEO) and medium‑Earth‑orbit constellations, together with 5G‑compatible non‑terrestrial networks (NTN), are delivering fiber‑like latency and throughput. Direct‑to‑device services now let ordinary...
ESIM Was Supposed to Replace SIM Cards, but Carriers Turned It Into a Trap
eSIM technology promised a frictionless, digital alternative to physical SIM cards, enabling easy carrier switching and eliminating the need for physical swaps. In practice, carriers have retained control, imposing activation hurdles and locking eSIMs to specific devices. Users face added...
T-Mobile’s Internet Deal Sweetens the Switch — Up to $750 to Leave, a Free Month to Try + Bonus Cash
T‑Mobile is rolling out a limited‑time Home Internet promotion that gives new customers a free first month, a rebate of up to $300 on a prepaid Mastercard, and coverage of up to $750 in cancellation fees from their current ISP....
Airtel 84-Day Prepaid Recharge Plans: Here’s What You Get in April 2026
Bharti Airtel’s April 2026 prepaid portfolio introduces ten recharge options with 84‑day (and one 90‑day) validity, priced from Rs 469 (~$5.6) to Rs 1798 (~$21.6) per recharge. All plans include unlimited voice, SMS allowances and a suite of digital perks such as...
Clear-Com Unveils FreeSpeak Cell
Clear-Com introduced FreeSpeak Cell, a cellular‑based wireless intercom system that runs on LTE and 5G networks. Debuting at the 2026 NAB Show, the solution targets large‑scale productions by leveraging public and private cellular infrastructure instead of traditional RF spectrum. It supports...
7 Devices in Your Home that Really Shouldn’t Be on Wi-Fi
The article argues that seven common home devices—TVs and streaming boxes, PCs and game consoles, printers, storage servers, and mesh router nodes—should be connected via Ethernet instead of Wi‑Fi whenever possible. While Wi‑Fi 7 promises up to 46 Gbps, real‑world constraints keep...
North America Ranks Among World’s Most Expensive Regions for Broadband
A new global study finds North America is the second‑most expensive region for fixed‑line broadband, with an average monthly price of $98.40. The United States ranks 167th worldwide, paying about $80 per month, trailing several European economies. By contrast, Eastern...
Iran Internet Blackout Now in Its 50th Day: NetBlocks
Iran's authorities have kept the nation offline for 50 days, the longest nationwide internet shutdown on record. The blackout began after the Feb 28 US‑Israel attacks and has already logged 1,176 hours of isolation, according to NetBlocks. While a state‑run intranet...
Airtel Starts Warning Users During Calls for OTP Fraud
Bharti Airtel has rolled out a real‑time on‑screen alert that triggers during live calls whenever a bank one‑time password (OTP) is detected. The feature nudges users to pause and reconsider sharing sensitive information, rather than blocking the call. By intervening...
Uganda’s Taxation of Smartphones, Mobile Money Dents Financial Inclusion Quest
Uganda’s drive toward a digital economy is being hampered by taxes on mobile‑money withdrawals and entry‑level smartphones. A 0.5% excise duty on the full value of withdrawals and combined 10% import duty plus 18% VAT on low‑cost phones raise device...
SpaceX to Attempt 600th Falcon Booster Landing Amid West Coast Starlink Mission
SpaceX is set to attempt its 600th Falcon 9 booster landing during the Starlink 17-22 mission scheduled for Sunday, April 19, from Vandenberg Space Force Base. The flight will use booster B1097, now on its seventh flight, to deploy 25...
Starlink Unable to Get Signal for India Liftoff; Faces FDI Hurdles Amid Security Concerns
Starlink’s plan to launch satellite broadband in India has hit a regulatory roadblock as the government holds its foreign direct investment (FDI) application and awaits security clearance. Concerns focus on cross‑holding ties with parent SpaceX and the risk of misuse...
NextNav Cleared for More Coexistence Tests
NextNav received FCC clearance to conduct a second round of field trials in Pueblo, Colorado, evaluating how its proposed 5G‑based GPS backup can coexist with railroad automatic equipment identification (AEI) systems. The tests, which run through October 1, 2026, follow a similar...
Congress to Take Up Broadband, Public Safety Bills Under Suspension-of-Rules
Congress will consider a slate of broadband and public‑safety bills under suspension of the rules during the week of April 20, 2026. House measures aim to speed federal permitting, improve emergency‑communication tracking, and reauthorize FirstNet through fiscal year 2037. The Senate will debate...
Flawed Cisco Update Threatens to Stop APs From Getting Further Patches
Cisco's recent IOS XE update for over 200 wireless access point models adds a log that grows about 5 MB per day, eventually exhausting flash memory and blocking further patches or bricking devices. Affected models include Catalyst 9130AX, 91361, 9162x, 9164x, IW9167...
How Mobile Data Can Replace Third-Party Cookies
Third‑party cookies are being phased out, prompting advertisers to seek deterministic alternatives. Telecom‑based identification leverages mobile network data to match users, achieving 70% coverage of a 300,000‑user dataset within three days and delivering roughly 50% audience reach versus under 20%...
Why MTN and Airtel Temporarily Suspended Airtime Lending in Nigeria
Nigeria’s two largest telecoms, MTN and Airtel, have temporarily halted their airtime‑and‑data credit services—MTN’s Xtratime and Airtel’s similar offering—to align with the Digital, Electronic, Online or Non‑Traditional Consumer Lending Regulations introduced by the FCCPC in 2025. The regulator clarified it...
IFC News Roundup From AIX
At the Aircraft Interiors Expo, satellite operators announced a wave of in‑flight connectivity contracts targeting major airlines. SES won a multi‑orbit antenna deal with Japan Airlines for 41 long‑haul Airbus and Boeing jets, while Hughes was chosen by Air India...
Airlines See IFC as Way to Build Relationships With Customers
Airlines are treating in‑flight connectivity (IFC) as a hospitality tool to forge emotional bonds with passengers. flydubai, after a lackluster Ku‑band rollout in 2016, is now installing SpaceX’s Starlink LEO satellites to deliver reliable broadband and curated brand‑aligned content. Ethiopian...
Education Groups Opposed to E-Rate Bidding Portal
The FCC is set to vote on a draft order that would create a USAC‑run E‑Rate competitive‑bidding portal, slated to launch on July 1 2027 for the 2028 funding cycle. Recipient groups, including the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition, argue the...
Analysts Call for Public Broadband as Thousands Remain Offline in NYC
Analysts Suzi Ragheb and Katherine Jin argue New York City should stop subsidizing private ISPs and build a publicly owned broadband network. The city currently spends roughly $38 million a year to provide subsidized service to 330,000 public‑housing residents, yet private...
IPv6 May Briefly Have Accounted for More than Half of Internet Traffic
IPv6 briefly surpassed the 50 % threshold of global internet traffic on March 28, according to Google data, marking a historic moment for the protocol. Cloudflare’s adoption radar recorded a high of 43 % IPv6 traffic, while APNIC Labs reported 43.13 % of worldwide...
Credo and Molex Shore up Their CPO Positions
Credo and Molex are strengthening their co‑packaged optics (CPO) capabilities through proposed transactions with DustPhotonics and Teraverse, respectively. The moves aim to broaden each company’s product portfolio and capture a larger share of the fast‑growing CPO market. In parallel, Openreach...
Tariff Hike 2026: Vodafone Idea Cuts Benefits and Raises Prices on Select Plans; New Plans Rolled Out
Vodafone Idea (Vi) has overhauled its prepaid portfolio, raising the Rs 670 (~$8) plan from Rs 649 and the Rs 1050 (~$13) plan from Rs 1020, while downgrading several NonStop Hero packs to limited‑data Hero bundles. The carrier also introduced a cheaper Rs 1005 (~$12)...
TCI Aircraft Interiors, Türksat and Neo Space Group Establish Multi-Orbit IFC Partnership
TCI Aircraft Interiors, Turkey’s satellite operator Türksat, and Neo Space Group have signed a three‑party agreement to deliver next‑generation inflight connectivity (IFC) using a multi‑orbit architecture. The partnership combines GEO, MEO and future LEO satellite capacity with TCI’s cabin‑system integration...
I Ditched My iPhone's Hotspot for This 5G Travel Router - and I'm Never Going Back
Acer’s Connect M6E mobile hotspot replaces the iPhone’s tethering with a dedicated 5G router. It packs a MediaTek processor, 4 GB RAM, 16 GB storage and an 8,000 mAh battery that can stream video for 28 hours. The device supports nano‑SIM, eSIM and a virtual...
2026 NAB Show Exhibitor Insight: LTN
LTN unveiled major upgrades to its global IP video network at the 2026 NAB Show, promising 99.9999% reliability, full‑market reach and up to 60% lower distribution costs as C‑band spectrum repurposing pressures satellite capacity. The enhancements add expanded monitoring, a...
Liquid Cooled Transmitters Get An Anywave NAB Show Spotlight
Anywave Broadcast is debuting the Magma LP, a liquid‑cooled TV transmitter designed for low‑power television (LPTV) owners, at the 2026 NAB Show in Las Vegas. Unlike traditional liquid‑cooled units, the Magma LP houses its heat exchanger, pump and plumbing inside the cabinet,...
Equinix Opens SP6 Data Center in São Paulo, Brazil
Equinix has opened its newest data center, SP6, in the São Paulo metropolitan area, investing $114 million in a 2,975 sqm facility. The first phase delivers 1,125 racks and is engineered for liquid‑cooling and AI‑driven workloads. With SP6, Equinix now operates nine data...
Amazon Eero Signal Review: 4G LTE Internet Backup for Your Eero Mesh Network
Amazon has introduced the Eero Signal, a $99 4G LTE backup device for existing Eero mesh networks. The unit plugs into an Eero satellite via USB‑C and automatically takes over when the primary broadband fails, typically within 20 seconds. Amazon...
Eurobites: EU Nails Down Sovereign Cloud Suppliers
The European Commission has awarded a €180 million (US$212 million) sovereign‑cloud contract to four European providers—Post Telecom (with CleverCloud and OVHcloud), Stack IT, Scaleway and Proximus—for a six‑year rollout across EU institutions. The winners were selected based on the Commission’s Cloud Sovereignty Framework,...
The Buildout: Comcast Connects The Villages
Comcast announced a major milestone, extending its Xfinity network to an additional 13,000 homes and businesses in The Villages, Florida, and 7,000 in Wilton, Connecticut. GoNetspeed is investing $4 million to bring fiber to 3,300 Bristol, Connecticut customers and $7 million for...
The Direct-to-Device Dream Collides With a Fractured Satellite Reality
Direct‑to‑device (D2D) satellite services dominated Mobile World Congress, but analysts warn the market is splintering as each operator builds proprietary interfaces across multiple constellations. No single satellite network can deliver the full suite of voice, broadband and IoT services at...
ITWeb TV: Google on Localisation Quest, Says SA Boss
Google South Africa director Kabelo Makwane outlined the company’s multi‑year push to deepen digital infrastructure on the continent. The launch of the first Africa‑based Google Cloud region follows a $1 billion investment in the Equiano subsea cable, which has boosted bandwidth...
The Friday File: Amazon Globalstar; Anthropic; Orbital
Amazon agreed to acquire satellite operator Globalstar for $11.6 billion, gaining its fleet, ground infrastructure and MSS spectrum licences. The deal positions Amazon Leo to launch direct‑to‑device services by 2028 and strengthens an exclusive partnership with Apple, making Amazon a formidable...