Frequency Matters, Mar 13: T&M/C&C Issue, Industry News/Events
Microwave Journal’s Media Director Pat Hindle hosts the March "Frequency Matters" episode, centering on the Test and Measurement (T&M) sector. The show reviews key takeaways from DesignCon and Mobile World Congress Barcelona, offering listeners concise industry insights. Sponsored by RFMW, the episode is part of a broader video series available on the Microwave Journal portal. The content aims to keep RF and microwave professionals abreast of rapid technology shifts.
Aaronia Presents High-End Solutions at Satellite in Washington
Aaronia AG will showcase its latest USB real‑time spectrum analyzers and full product line at Satellite 2026 in Washington, D.C. The company highlights the SPECTRAN™ V6 series, featuring sweep speeds over 3 THz/s and up to 450 MHz real‑time bandwidth, as well as the...
Jio Business Broadband Max 801 Plan Brings 100 Mbps Speed and Work Tools for SMEs
Reliance Jio has launched the Business Broadband Max 801 plan, delivering 100 Mbps speeds and a 1,200 GB monthly data allowance for small offices. The offering bundles five JioAttendance licenses, a JioMeet video‑conference seat, and a JioGate subscription, positioning it as a...
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Eurobites: Vodafone Offers 'Speed Boost' Add-On to Data Guzzlers on the Go
Vodafone UK introduced a £3‑£10 "Speed Boost" add‑on that temporarily doubles mobile download speeds by prioritising data, a move seen as early monetisation of 5G network‑slicing capabilities. In France, FTTH roll‑out slowed sharply in Q4 2025, adding only 395,000 homes –...
AMP20184, Solid-State High-Power Amplifier
Exodus Advanced Communications introduced the AMP20184, a solid‑state high‑power amplifier delivering at least 500 W output and 57 dB gain. The unit uses a Class A/AB linear architecture with ultra‑wide bandwidth and advanced‑technology devices. It includes built‑in protection, extensive monitoring, an LCD display...
Malaysia Fixed Communications Market Forecast: Revenue to Reach $2.1 Bn by 2030 as Fiber Broadband Drives Growth
Malaysia’s fixed communications market is projected to grow to $2.1 billion by 2030, driven by a 4 % CAGR in revenue. The surge is powered by rapid fiber‑to‑the‑home and fiber‑to‑the‑building deployments, which already account for over 97 % of fixed broadband connections. While...
New Policy Direction Targets South Africa’s Municipal Broadband Logjam
Communications Minister Solly Malatsi has issued a draft policy direction to overhaul South Africa’s decade‑old facilities‑leasing regulations and introduce rapid‑deployment rules for broadband infrastructure. The directive tasks regulator Icasa with clarifying access rights, defining essential facilities, and setting tighter timelines...
MMIC Market Outlook
The global monolithic microwave IC (MMIC) market is projected to expand from $12.8 billion in 2024 to $23.9 billion by 2030, driven by a 10.5% CAGR. Gallium nitride (GaN) devices are the fastest‑growing segment, expected to reach $3.9 billion with a 17.8% CAGR,...
Unreliable Fleet Connectivity Driving Employee Exodus
Ericsson’s 2025 study of 400 UK and Irish fleet managers reveals that unreliable cellular connectivity is a major pain point, with nearly a third of managers citing it as damaging to their professional reputation and 29% of drivers considering leaving...
TCS+ | Vox Kiwi: A Wireless Solution Promising a Fibre-Like Experience
Vox has introduced Kiwi, a wireless broadband service that promises fibre‑like speeds of up to 200 Mbit/s in South Africa, where fibre penetration remains low. The solution leverages licensed spectrum and proprietary radio‑link technology to deliver low latency and high reliability,...
Forecast: Fibre Growth to Sustain Japan’s Fixed Services Revenue
Japan’s fixed‑line revenue will stay largely flat from 2025 to 2030, rising modestly from $26.4 billion to $26.9 billion (0.4% CAGR). The modest growth is driven by a 1.3% CAGR increase in fibre broadband, while traditional voice services decline at a 1.8%...
Live Coverage: SpaceX Resets Starlink Mission From Cape Canaveral for Saturday
SpaceX postponed the Starlink 6-61 launch from Friday to Saturday, targeting an 8:30 a.m. EDT liftoff from Cape Canaveral. The mission will carry 29 new Starlink satellites on Falcon 9 booster B1095, which is on its sixth flight. A 75% chance of...
PLDT Wins Award at MWC 2026 Green All-Optical Network Forum, Outlines "GRIT" Strategy for Sustainable DigiCo Future
PLDT was honored at the Green All‑optical Network Forum during MWC 2026 for its sustainable, AI‑ready network practices. The company unveiled its "GRIT" strategy—Green, Resilience, Intelligent Technology—to guide a transition from a traditional telco to a DigiCo model. Leveraging Huawei’s automation,...
BSNL Has Made 96,103 4G Sites Operational Across India
BSNL has brought 96,103 of its 4G sites online across India, expanding the telco’s high‑speed network. The sites run on indigenous equipment supplied by a Tata Consultancy Services‑led consortium that includes Tejas Networks and C‑DoT. This rollout follows government‑approved revival...
Global Telecom Equipment Market Rebounds in 2025 with 4% Growth, Driven by Optical Transport and Cloud Investments
The Dell’Oro Group reports the global telecom equipment market rebounded in 2025, posting a 4% revenue increase across six key segments after a 14% decline from 2022‑2024. Growth was led by optical transport and service‑provider routers, fueled by expanding data‑center...
Telecom News: Freedom, Nokia, Grameenphone, ZTE
Freedom Telecom and Nokia have signed an agreement to open an AI Innovation Lab on Nokia’s Sunnyvale campus, focusing on next‑generation AI data‑center designs for Kazakhstan and neighboring markets. Grameenphone and ZTE announced a strategic MoU at MWC 2026 to...
Ohio IX Celebrates 400G
Ohio IX and its member Com Net have successfully deployed a 400 Gbps connection, marking the first such link at the exchange. The upgrade uses OSI optics technology and is hosted in the Cologix data center, which also offers remote access...
Study Says Universal Service Fund Critical for Rural Broadband
A new NTCA‑Cartesian report finds the $8.5 billion Universal Service Fund essential for keeping rural broadband and voice services viable. It shows that operating expenses in sparsely populated areas are about 44 % higher, with labor accounting for half of costs, leading...
Cord Cutters Are Leaving Cable Internet From Comcast & Spectrum As Fiber Is Now The Most Popular Option
A recent Cord Cutters News survey shows fiber internet has become the top choice for cord‑cutters, capturing 43 percent of their broadband market share and overtaking cable providers, which now hold just 40 percent. The shift reflects a demand for gigabit speeds,...
Maryland ISP, State Agencies Spar Over FCC Preemption
Talkie Communication, a Maryland ISP, filed a petition with the FCC seeking preemption of state zoning rules and annual fees that it says block the deployment of fixed‑wireless equipment on a utility pole. Maryland state agencies and Queen Anne’s County...
Japan Warns Companies Considering Ukraine Support on Potential Leaks by Huawei
Japan’s government cautioned domestic firms that aid Ukraine’s reconstruction about the risk of technology and sensitive data leaks via Huawei‑supplied 5G networks. The warning follows a Ukrainian telecom operator’s 5G trials with Huawei and a failed bid by Japan’s Rakuten...
Connecticut Law to Require Affordable Broadband for Eligible Households
Connecticut’s Net Equality Program, enacted in June 2025 and effective Oct. 1 2026, obligates ISPs with state contracts to provide a low‑cost broadband plan of $40 per month or less to households receiving public assistance. The law guarantees minimum speeds of 100 Mbps...
Spectrum Expands Partnership with RingCentral
Spectrum and RingCentral announced an expanded partnership that introduces the Unified Customer Experience (UCX) platform for Spectrum Business customers. The bundle combines RingCentral’s AI‑driven RingCX contact‑center suite and the AI Conversation Expert (ACE) with Spectrum’s managed network and onboarding services....
The FCC Is Cracking Down on Robocallers & Banning Some Phone Companies From the U.S. Communications Network
The Federal Communications Commission has permanently banned voice service provider Belthrough LLC from connecting to U.S. telephone networks after repeated violations of robocall mitigation rules. All U.S. voice and intermediate providers must block incoming traffic from Belthrough within 48 hours...
Ciena’s CEO Sees MOFN as a Key Service Provider Growth Segment
Ciena’s CEO highlighted Managed Optical Fiber Networks (MOFN) as a core growth engine, noting a 40% year‑over‑year rise in Indian orders and record shipments of its RLS product line. The optical networking segment surged 67.9% to $1.02 billion, helping lift total...
CRTC Eliminates Fees to Facilitate Switching on Wireless, Internet Plans
The Canadian Radio‑television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) announced it will eliminate activation, plan‑change and early‑cancellation fees for most wireless and internet services, except where a subsidised device or home‑installation cost is involved. Service providers must update billing systems by June 12,...
Molex Launches Impress Co-Packaged Copper Solutions
Molex has introduced Impress, a co‑packaged copper interconnect that places a compression‑based connector directly on the ASIC substrate. The solution supports data rates up to 224 Gbps PAM‑4 and offers full‑channel isolation, reduced latency, and enhanced signal integrity. Building on the...
Cisco Grows High-End Optical Support for AI Clusters
Cisco unveiled a suite of high‑end optical solutions aimed at powering distributed AI workloads, including the Open Transport 3000 multi‑rail line system and an upgraded NCS 1014 chassis with a 12.8 Tbps, 800 GE line card. The new hardware delivers up to 3.2 Tbps...
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CloudMosa's Cloud-Based Phones Are Gaining Traction in SA
CloudMosa's Cloud Phone, a cloud‑powered solution that turns 4G feature phones into app‑capable devices, has seen four‑fold growth in South Africa, now representing 76% of the company's African user base. The rapid expansion is driven by deep partnerships with local...
Iridium Communications' Ascent Means It's Time For A Downgrade
Iridium Communications was downgraded from Strong Buy to Buy after a 35.6% rally and signs of fundamental softness. Q4 2025 revenue held steady at $212.9 million while government subscribers dropped 14.2%, with growth driven mainly by low‑value commercial IoT data customers....
Iran’s Digital Arsenal: When Invisible Fences Rise in the Conflict
On 28 February 2026, coordinated cyber operations drove Iran’s internet traffic to just 1‑4 % of normal levels, coinciding with US‑Israeli air strikes that killed the Supreme Leader. Analysts attribute the blackout to a hybrid mix of regime‑imposed whitelisting, large‑scale DDoS attacks,...
Wider Consultations Urged on Mobile Data Rollover Bills
CitizenWatch Philippines urges lawmakers to broaden consultations on pending mobile data rollover bills, supporting the consumer‑protection goal but warning that rules designed for fixed monthly plans may not fit the country’s promo‑driven prepaid market. They highlight risks such as loss...
Helios Towers Powers Ahead for Another Five Years
Helios Towers unveiled its five‑year IMPACT 2030 strategy, targeting a tenancy ratio above 2.5× by 2030 after already surpassing the 2.2× goal in 2025. The towerco now operates 14,746 sites across eight African markets and Oman, with adjusted EBITDA projected at...
What Makes a Smart Community? Here’s Why Connectivity Matters
Maz Khan, president of Vitalis Smart Communities, argues that connectivity—not just isolated gadgets—is the essential foundation of a true smart community. He warns that without a robust network, IoT devices and AI applications frustrate residents rather than enhance their lives....
Officials Worry Salt Typhoon Apathy Is Killing Momentum for Tougher Telecom Security Rules
Two years after Chinese‑state linked group Salt Typhoon breached at least ten U.S. telecoms, officials say the public remains largely indifferent. The hack gave attackers access to call‑detail records for millions of Americans, yet most citizens cannot see a direct impact...
CAG's BSNL Loss Estimate From Reliance Jio Deal Misinterpreted; Rectified Now: Pemmasani
The Comptroller and Auditor General’s (CAG) report claimed that BSNL lost ₹1,757.76 crore by not billing Reliance Jio for add‑on technology on shared tower infrastructure between 2014 and 2024. Minister of State for Telecom Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani clarified that the loss estimate stemmed from...
HyperLight Introduces 145 GHz Reference Modulators to Enable 448Gbps per Lane Datacom and 260GBaud Telecom Development
HyperLight Corp unveiled a 145 GHz packaged intensity modulator that delivers over 145 GHz electro‑optical bandwidth, enabling 448 Gbps per‑lane IMDD and 260 GBaud coherent links. The device is offered in O‑, C‑, L‑band configurations with a 1 µm pre‑order option, featuring a compact 0.8 mm...
Eurobites: Openreach Trials Fiber-Based Leak-Detection System
Openreach’s three‑month trial of a distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) system turned its fibre‑broadband network into a leak‑detection array, preventing the loss of 2 megalitres of water. In parallel, Antevia Networks partnered with Benetel to deliver a plug‑and‑play outdoor private‑5G solution for...
‘Major’ SmartCape Upgrades in the Works
Cape Town’s SmartCape programme is set for a major technology refresh, with a R15 million budget earmarked for modernising computer hardware and public Wi‑Fi across the city’s libraries. The upgrades will roll out over the next two financial years, adding token‑less,...
EXMAR Deploys Inmarsat's NexusWave Connectivity Service Across Fleet
Inmarsat Maritime, a Viasat company, is deploying its NexusWave connectivity service across EXMAR’s global gas carrier fleet. The managed solution bonds GX Ka‑band, LEO, LTE and L‑band underlays to ensure uninterrupted ship‑to‑shore communications and crew internet. EXMAR reports faster collaboration,...
Cisco Patches High-Severity IOS XR Vulnerabilities
Cisco issued its semiannual IOS XR security advisory, addressing four high‑severity vulnerabilities. Two CVEs (CVE‑2026‑20040 and CVE‑2026‑20046) each score 8.8 and enable privilege escalation to root via crafted CLI commands. A third flaw (CVE‑2026‑20074) can cause an IS‑IS process restart,...
Cities Look to Boost Stadium WiFi as Fan Demand Surges
Cities hosting major sporting and entertainment events are under pressure to upgrade stadium Wi‑Fi as fan demand for real‑time sharing surges. Conventional antenna arrays often cause interference and require dozens of units to handle thousands of simultaneous connections. MatSing’s Wi‑Fi 6E...
China Designates Satellite Broadband as Top Priority
China’s premier Li Qiang has elevated satellite broadband to a national priority, placing it alongside semiconductors and cloud‑computing in the government work report. The National Development and Reform Commission will treat satellite Internet as a "large‑scale major project," unlocking hundreds...
SoftBank Eyes Operations Gains From Multi-Agent Platform
SoftBank Corp unveiled a multi‑AI agent platform that automates telecom operations, from policy formulation to base‑station integration. The system passes analysis results between specialized agents, enabling end‑to‑end decision‑making and execution without human intervention. SoftBank plans to extend the automation to...
Make 'No Wi-Fi' An Airline Sales Pitch
Air India launched domestic in‑flight Wi‑Fi in January 2025, positioning itself as a tech‑forward carrier. A year later, the article questions whether the service truly adds value for business travelers. It argues that the enforced disconnection of a flight provides a...
Intel Rules Out RAN Exit and Champions Granite Rapids over Nvidia
Intel confirmed it will not spin off its Network and Edge (NEX) unit, reaffirming its commitment to the 5G/6G RAN market with the Granite Rapids processor. The decision follows a $7 billion funding infusion from Nvidia and SoftBank that helped the...
Vodacom Claims African First with 254Mbit/S 5G Uplink Test
Vodacom South Africa announced a 254 Mbit/s uplink test using its new “SuperUpload” 5G feature, marking what it claims as the first African achievement of this speed. The technology aggregates two separate uplink channels and dynamically selects the faster path, delivering...
Rowboats and Solar Panels: The Reality of Connecting Rural Africa
Satellite provider SES is scaling managed communications sites across sub‑Saharan Africa, using solar‑powered towers linked to LEO, MEO and GEO satellites. The company handles everything from design to long‑term operation, serving remote villages where roads are impassable and diesel generators...
Letter: A Sharp-Toothed FCC Is Needed More Than Ever
James B. Potter’s letter rebuts calls to dismantle the Federal Communications Commission, arguing that deregulation has already weakened the agency’s stewardship of the public spectrum. He points to shrinking engineering staff, the abandonment of the Local Studio Rule, and relaxed...
Centre Acts to Prevent Damage to Underground Utilities During Telecom Cable Laying: Scindia
Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia announced that the government has rolled out multiple safeguards to protect underground utilities, including drinking water pipelines, during telecom cable installations. The 2024 Telecommunication Right of Way Rules empower public entities to set conditions and claim...