Sparkle Expands Jordan-Europe Digital Corridor
Sparkle, Italy’s leading international service provider, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Jordan’s NaiTel and consultancy iLevant to extend the EU‑funded GreenMed submarine cable through Jordan. The partnership will integrate the subsea system with Jordan’s terrestrial fiber and interconnection platforms, creating a new digital corridor linking Europe and Asia via the Eastern Mediterranean. Jordan, already a landing point for BlueMed and Blue & Raman cables, will strengthen its role as a strategic gateway on the India‑Middle East‑Europe Economic Corridor. The project is backed by the European Commission’s Connecting Europe Facility program.
Why the Big Three Telcos' Satellite Joint Venture Is Good for America
AT&T, T‑Mobile and Verizon announced a joint venture to create a unified, standards‑based direct‑to‑device (D2D) satellite platform. The venture pools spectrum and technical resources, allowing any compliant satellite constellation and handset to work across all three carriers. Existing carrier‑satellite agreements...
NextNav Joins OCUDU Ecosystem Foundation to Advance Open Source 5G and 6G Integrated Sensing and PNT
NextNav Inc., a veteran in terrestrial positioning, navigation and timing, announced its membership in the Linux Foundation’s OCUDU Ecosystem Foundation. The collaboration will embed the 3GPP Positioning Reference Signal into the open‑source CU/DU code base, enabling integrated sensing and communications...
The Buildout: Nextlink, Vistabeam Start BEAD Activations
Nextlink activated the nation’s first BEAD‑funded fixed‑wireless tower in Bienville Parish, Louisiana, unlocking service for 104 locations and tapping $18.5 million of state funding. The company has secured a total of $95.6 million in BEAD grants across 11 states, backed by AMG...
From Reachability to Resilience: The GCC’s Connectivity Journey
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has transformed from limited fixed‑line reach to a world‑class mobile ecosystem within a generation. Opensignal’s Q1 2026 data shows less than 3% of connected time on 2G/3G, far below the 21.6% average in non‑GCC MENA markets....
Ericsson Elevates Wireless WAN From Failover to Foundational
Ericsson unveiled new networking systems, including the Cradlepoint W2255 adapter and upgraded NetCloud Wireless WAN orchestration, to shift wireless WAN from a backup role to a core network layer. The solution blends 5G SA (Release 17) and LEO satellite links, offering up...
ZTE Showcases at GSMA M360 LATAM 2026, Driving Future Business Model Restructuring - AI & Network Two-Way Integration
ZTE showcased its AI‑Native network strategy at the GSMA M360 LATAM 2026 summit, emphasizing a two‑way integration of artificial intelligence and telecommunications. The company highlighted a 20% increase in 5G cell throughput and a 38% reduction in power consumption achieved...
The Friday File: US Operator JV; Nokia; Ericsson
U.S. carriers AT&T, T‑Mobile and Verizon announced a joint venture to deploy satellite‑based direct‑to‑device connectivity, aiming to fill coverage gaps in rural and underserved areas. Nokia appointed Siemens executive Emma Falck as president of its Mobile Infrastructure unit to accelerate...
MaxLinear Targets AI Driven 5G Backhaul with Trinity Platform
MaxLinear unveiled Trinity, an AI‑enabled, cloud‑managed wireless backhaul platform that supports up to 10 Gbps bidirectional speeds. Built on the URX850 system‑on‑chip, Trinity consolidates multiple radio functions, cutting component count, power draw and system cost. The company claims the solution can...
BSNL Kavach: How to Recharge Phone Without Sharing Mobile Number
BSNL introduced Kavach, a free service that generates a temporary virtual number for offline prepaid recharges, allowing customers to keep their real mobile number private. Launched on International Women’s Day 2026, the feature targets safety concerns especially for women in...
Iran Is Threatening Undersea Cables. The World’s ‘Digital Chokepoints’ Have Never Been More Vulnerable
Iranian state-linked media floated a plan to levy fees on operators of undersea internet cables passing through the Strait of Hormuz, signaling a new geopolitical threat to the world’s digital infrastructure. The proposal follows recent warnings that the Hormuz corridor,...
Telconet, C3ntro to Launch CSN-2 AI Backbone
Telconet and C3ntro Telecom announced CSN-2, a new subsea‑terrestrial fiber system linking Veracruz, Mexico, to Apalachee Beach, Florida, with branches to Galveston and a potential connection to Bonita Beach. The cable integrates with C3ntro’s Tikva terrestrial network, creating a continuous...
Wireless Now Comcast's Top Priority, CEO Says
Comcast has declared wireless its top priority, with Xfinity Mobile hitting 9.73 million lines after a record Q1 addition of 435,000. The company is shifting toward premium mobile offerings, launching the $45 Mobile Plus plan and seeing a 30% uptake on...
Ribbon Partners with Salesforce
Ribbon Communications and Salesforce announced a partnership that embeds Ribbon’s Session Border Controller Cloud‑Native edition (SBC CNe) and Policy and Routing Engine (PSX) into Salesforce’s Agentforce Contact Center. The integration enables cloud‑native, containerized voice routing and security for both AI‑driven and...
Worldwide RAN Market Remained Stable in 1Q 2026 – Dell'Oro
Dell'Oro’s Q1 2026 report shows the worldwide Radio Access Network (RAN) market staying within a narrow –4% to +4% year‑over‑year band for the fifth straight quarter. Revenue, excluding services, rose at a low‑single‑digit pace, extending the modest growth seen in 2025. Growth...
AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon Join Forces to Eliminate Mobile Coverage Dead Zones
AT&T, T‑Mobile and Verizon announced a joint venture aimed at eradicating mobile dead zones across the United States, with a focus on rural and underserved areas. The carriers will pool limited spectrum and partner with satellite providers to deliver direct‑to‑device...
Vodafone Ireland Named Best Fixed Broadband in Independent Real World Testing
Vodafone Ireland has been crowned Ireland’s Best Fixed Broadband by independent benchmarker umlaut, achieving a 962‑point score out of 1,000. The award follows a decade of Best‑in‑Test mobile accolades, underscoring consistent performance across both fixed and mobile networks. Fibre now...
Analysis: Verizon Digital Twin Changes How Operator Sees Itself
Verizon has completed a nation‑wide digital twin of its tens of thousands of cell sites, combining 3D models, drone‑captured imagery, and AI analytics. The system reduces storm‑damage assessments from several hours of manual climbs to roughly 15 minutes of automated...
AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon Pool Spectrum in JV to Eliminate U.S. Wireless Dead Zones
AT&T, T‑Mobile, and Verizon have agreed in principle to form a joint venture that pools their limited spectrum to eradicate wireless dead zones, especially in rural and underserved U.S. areas. The collaboration will blend terrestrial networks with satellite direct‑to‑device (D2D)...
Rakuten Mobile's Q1 EBITDA Improves on Subs Growth
Rakuten Mobile posted a modest EBITDA of just over ¥1 billion ($6.6 million) in Q1, marking a steady improvement from the ¥102 million it recorded a year earlier. The operator’s subscriber base grew to 10.4 million, driving a 23.9% revenue surge to ¥108 billion (about...
Telecom News: VEON, Deutsche Telekom, T-Mobile, Kyivstar
VEON lifted its 2026 revenue growth outlook to 11‑14% after a 17% first‑quarter revenue jump to $1.1 billion, driven by a 57.7% surge in digital services. Deutsche Telekom raised its 2026 EBITDA forecast to roughly $52.3 billion, buoyed by strong premium‑plan demand...
Wireless’ D2D Combo Move
AT&T, T‑Mobile and Verizon announced a joint venture to launch a satellite‑based direct‑to‑device (D2D) network aimed at eradicating wireless dead zones in rural and underserved markets. The JV will act as a wholesale intermediary, purchasing satellite capacity from providers such...
Sidus Space Inc (SIDU) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
Telesat Corporation reported 2025 revenue of $418 million and adjusted EBITDA of $213 million, while ending the year with $510 million in cash and $1.7 billion of debt maturing in December 2026. Management announced a three‑month delay of full global Lightspeed service to Q1 2028,...
Labor to Consult with Telcos on Key Telco Legislation Reforms
The Australian Labor government announced it will consult telcos on reforms to the Telecommunications Act 1997 and the National Broadband Network Companies Act 2011, aiming to accelerate fibre rollouts and upgrades in multi‑dwelling units. The changes, driven by industry lobbying,...
Utah Broadband Awarded $23 Million From USDA’s ReConnect
Utah Broadband secured almost $23 million from the USDA’s ReConnect program, split evenly between a grant and a loan, to build a 315‑mile fiber‑to‑the‑premises network in northern Utah. The project will deliver up to 10 Gbps symmetrical speeds to more than 3,000...
Feds Announce $73M in UBF Money for Rogers and Xplore Fibre Projects in New Brunswick
The Canadian government has allocated more than $73 million from the Universal Broadband Fund to support two fibre‑optic projects in New Brunswick. Rogers will receive $40.7 million to connect 15,254 households across 288 rural communities, while Xplore will get $32.4 million for 12,393...
Ripple Fiber to Invest $80 Million in Arizona Expansion Effort
Ripple Fiber announced an $80 million investment to launch its first fiber‑optic network in Arizona, its 11th state of operation. The rollout will initially serve Oro Valley and Sahuarita, with construction slated to begin this month and early June respectively, and...
Wi-Fi 8 Is Closer than You Think. Here’s What You Need to Know
Wi‑Fi 8 (802.11bn) is expected to hit enterprise deployments in 2027‑2028, shifting the narrative from raw speed to ultra‑high reliability. The standard promises roughly 25% gains in throughput, latency stability, and packet‑loss reduction, while adding spectrum‑efficiency tricks like non‑primary channel access...
Malatsi Touts LEOs for SA’s Digital Future
South Africa’s communications minister Solly Malatsi urged the fast‑track deployment of low‑Earth‑orbit (LEO) satellite services to close persistent broadband gaps, emphasizing that international operators can serve now while respecting national interests. He highlighted that Starlink remains barred for not meeting...
How to Make Sure End-to-End Encrypted RCS Messaging Is Enabled on Your iPhone
Apple released iOS 26.5, adding end‑to‑end encryption to Rich Communication Services (RCS) messaging on iPhone. RCS, introduced with iOS 18, now offers secure typing indicators, delivery receipts, and high‑quality media when texting Android users. Encryption is enabled by default for carriers that...
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Orange Plans Subsea Cable Linking Europe to South Africa
Orange Group and a consortium of African telcos have signed an MoU to build the Via Africa submarine cable, a new subsea link connecting Europe to South Africa. The system will land in the UK, France, Portugal and several West...
Nokia Appoints Emma Falck to Lead Mobile Infrastructure Business Amid AI-Native 5G and 6G Push
Emma Falck, formerly Siemens’ EVP of Smart Infrastructure Buildings, will become President of Nokia’s Mobile Infrastructure business on September 1, 2026. Her appointment coincides with Nokia’s acceleration of AI‑native 5G Advanced and the development of future 6G networks. Nokia’s strategy emphasizes a...
Proximus Q1 2026 Revenue Impacted by Global Weakness as Fiber, Mobile Subscribers and Cost Efficiency Drive Domestic Growth
Proximus Group posted Q1 2026 revenue of €1.524 bn ($1.66 bn), a 6.2% decline driven primarily by weakness in its Global division. Domestic operations offset the dip, adding 17,000 mobile postpaid lines, 10,000 broadband customers and expanding its fiber footprint to 2.665 m...
Ofcom: Gigabit Broadband Available to 89% of UK Homes
Ofcom’s Connected Nations Spring Update shows gigabit‑capable broadband is now available to 89 percent of UK homes, covering 27.1 million premises as of January 2026. Full‑fibre access has risen to 82 percent, adding over a million households in the past six months. Unserved homes...
Telecom News: Mavenir, MagtiCom, Ericsson, Telekom Slovenije
Mavenir has secured a contract with Georgian operator MagtiCom to roll out advanced 4G and 5G small‑cell infrastructure, with beta deployments slated for Q2 2026 targeting residential, office and enterprise sites. The deal follows a successful trial and promises to improve...
Telecom News: Ripple Fiber, Telekom Srbija, MTFComm
Ripple Fiber announced an $80 million fiber rollout in Arizona, targeting over 50,000 homes and businesses in Pima County with multi‑gigabit plans starting at $40. Telekom Srbija completed a record €1.95 billion (≈$2.1 billion) Eurobond, drawing $13.9 billion of investor demand to refinance debt...
FCC Moves Closer to Banning some Foreign-Made Phones
The Federal Communications Commission is poised to prohibit the recognition of device‑testing labs in countries that lack reciprocal trade agreements, phasing out non‑compliant labs within two years. At the same time, the agency will streamline certification for U.S. labs and...
Airtel Maximum Limit for Mobile, DTH and Broadband Connections in One Airtel
Bharti Airtel has rebranded its Airtel Black offering as One Airtel, keeping the service unchanged but updating the name. The bundle allows up to 20 primary postpaid mobile, DTH and broadband connections, with each mobile line supporting nine add‑on lines...
Neo Space Group Selects ThinKom ThinAir Antenna for Multiple Airlines
Neo Space Group (NSG) has selected ThinKom’s ThinAir Ka2517 phased‑array antenna for installation on Saudia’s A320s and Riyadh Air’s upcoming A321neo fleet. Integrated by RAVE Aerospace, the kit will deliver multi‑orbit inflight connectivity through SES’s Open Orbits platform, offering up...
IEEE Program Aims to Connect the Billions Who Are Still Offline
Nearly 30% of the world—over 2 billion people—remain offline, prompting IEEE Future Networks’ Connecting the Unconnected (CTU) program to accelerate 5G/6G‑based connectivity solutions. In 2025 the CTU challenge attracted 245 submissions from 52 countries, selecting 20 winners, of which 14 earned...
T-Mobile 5G Advanced Network Achieves World First with Ericsson AI RAN Innovation
Ericsson and T‑Mobile have launched large‑scale commercial trials of an AI‑native Scheduler with Link Adaptation on T‑Mobile’s live 5G Advanced network. The neural‑network‑driven software runs on Ericsson’s TCO‑optimized hardware, predicting radio conditions in real time. Trials showed roughly a 10%...
FCC Walks Back Router Update Ban Before It Bricks America's Network Security
The FCC reversed its earlier ban that would have stopped firmware and software updates for foreign‑made consumer routers, extending waivers until at least Jan. 1, 2029. The original policy, announced in March, placed all non‑U.S. routers on a Covered List, prohibiting...
New Law Prompts ABC Minnesota/North Dakota to Design New Telecommunications Safety Training Program
A new Minnesota law effective Jan. 1, 2026 requires underground telecom installers to complete a 40‑hour safety certification when working within ten feet of existing utilities or using directional drilling. ABC Minnesota/North Dakota, in partnership with NCCER and the Minnesota Cable...
Sateliot, Turkcell Verify 5G NTN Connections
Turkcell partnered with Sateliot to demonstrate non‑terrestrial 5G (NTN) connectivity for IoT devices, conducting live trials in Barcelona and Istanbul. The tests linked Sateliot’s low‑Earth‑orbit satellites with Turkcell’s terrestrial 5G network, achieving seamless integration and continuous device coverage beyond the...
LPTV Broadcasters Association Urges Carr to Approve 5G for Broadcast
The LPTV Broadcasters Association has written to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr urging the commission to fast‑track a rulemaking that would permit low‑power television stations to use the 3GPP 5G Broadcast standard. The request follows HC2 Broadcasting’s experimental licenses for 5G...
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Iran's Vice President Criticises Continued Internet Restrictions Her Own Government Put in Place
Iran’s Vice President for Women and Family Affairs Zahra Behrouz‑Azar publicly criticized the government’s ongoing internet blackout, arguing it cripples the country’s digital economy. The restrictions, in place since the February 28 war with the United States and Israel, have left...
GTT EnvisionDX Accelerates Quoting for Secure Networking with Real-Time Pricing Available for 11 Million Global Locations
GTT Communications launched EnvisionDX, the next‑generation version of its Envision platform, adding real‑time quoting and ordering for networking and security services across more than 11 million validated business locations. The upgrade leverages GenAI‑driven address validation and an API‑first architecture to generate...
Teleste and Vecima Partner on Open DAA Solution
Teleste and Vecima Networks announced a partnership to deliver an open, interoperable Distributed Access Architecture (DAA) solution for European cable operators. The offering combines Vecima’s Entra vCMTS cloud‑native virtualized cable access core with Teleste’s Remote PHY node portfolio, backed by...
Ericsson Joins Nordic Alliance Aiming to Improve Regional Competitiveness
Ericsson has joined the newly formed Nordic Compass alliance, which brings together the largest Nordic companies and foundations to drive initiatives in capital markets, deep‑tech, defence and energy. The alliance, also joined by Nokia, is positioned as a faster‑moving alternative...
A Networking Revolution at AWS
Amazon Web Services unveiled a unified, custom networking stack that replaces heterogeneous vendor hardware with a single ASIC‑based switch architecture and its own Linux‑derived NetOS. The current platform delivers 51.2 Tbps across 64 × 800 Gbps ports, and a next‑generation version will double capacity...