Budget Thuis to start services on Open Dutch Fiber network
NETHERLANDS 06:53

Budget Thuis to start services on Open Dutch Fiber network

Budget Thuis has signed an agreement to offer services on the Open Dutch Fiber network. The ISP will launch its fibre broadband and TV services first in Amsterdam, followed by the rest of ODF's footprint, which mainly covers large cities. No details on pricing were disclosed. 

Italian govt approves EUR 3 bln EdgeConneX data centre in Lombardy
ITALY 06:51

Italian govt approves EUR 3 bln EdgeConneX data centre in Lombardy

Italy's Council of Ministers has granted "primary national strategic interest" status to a planned EUR 3 billion data centre campus by EdgeConneX in the Lombardy region. The project encompasses three next-generation facilities with more than 300 megawatts of capacity and is expected to generate a further EUR 5 billion in indirect investment, said the government.

Samsung expands One UI 8.5 availability and extends device interoperability features
GLOBAL 06:34

Samsung expands One UI 8.5 availability and extends device interoperability features

Samsung Electronics has begun expanding availability of its One UI 8.5 software interface across current Galaxy smartphone and tablet models, extending support beyond the Samsung Galaxy S26 series and Galaxy A57 5G to additional Galaxy devices released since the Galaxy S23 series. The company said One UI 8.5 introduces additional AI integration intended to improve productivity and personalise user experiences. The update expands AI-assisted functions including image editing and content generation capabiliti

CityNet TV adds Film Package
AZERBAIJAN 06:29

CityNet TV adds Film Package

Azerbaijan pay-TV platform CityNet TV, run by the ISP CityNet, has introduced its new Film Package for ZAN 2 per month. The package includes more than 3,000 films and over 300 series across a wide range of genres in 4K quality. Alongside multiple language options, the package also includes films dubbed in Azerbaijani. The package also contains more than 100 films featuring sign language.

Silknet adds new countries to Roaming Pass
GEORGIA 06:29

Silknet adds new countries to Roaming Pass

Georgian operator Silknet has expanded the coverage of its Roaming Pass to Armenia and Azerbaijan. Earlier, the service was available in EU countries and Turkey. New countries are planned to be added soon.

Saima Telecom launches 600 Mbps bundle with TV
KYRGYZSTAN 06:28

Saima Telecom launches 600 Mbps bundle with TV

Kyrgyzstan operator Saima Telecom has introduced to customers its new tariff plan Saima 600 + O!TV. The tariff includes fixed broadband service at up to 600 Mbps, as well as the IPTV service O!TV from the operator Nur Telecom, trading under the O! brand. The plan also includes access to six online video services, including Wink from Rostelecom. The monthly subscription costs KGS 1,690.

J:Com establishes R&D centre and begins Wi-Fi 8 trials
JAPAN 06:24

J:Com establishes R&D centre and begins Wi-Fi 8 trials

Japanese cable operator J:Com has established a new research and development centre as part of a broader programme focused on communications and network technologies, with initial work to include trials of the next-generation Wi-Fi 8 wireless standard beginning in June 2026. The operator said the R&D centre was established in April 2026 to support long-term research and technology development, with a focus on technologies intended to support future customer services and regional communities.

Rostelecom to cooperate with universities
RUSSIAN FEDERATION 06:18

Rostelecom to cooperate with universities

Russian national operator Rostelecom has signed cooperation agreements with universities during the exhibition Digital Industry for Industrial Russia, which took place in Nizhny Novgorod. The operator will cooperate with Central University on accreditation of IT services for companies, and work with Presidential Academy on an online training programme on AI, development of DevOps and other subjects. At least 2,000 students are expected to participate in the programme annually.

Vodafone Germany to replace old TV receivers with GigaTV Home by 2027
GERMANY 06:17

Vodafone Germany to replace old TV receivers with GigaTV Home by 2027

Vodafone Germany announced plans to gradually replace approximately 400,000 older TV receivers, including GigaTV.Net, Giga Cable Box 1, and Horizon boxes, with its latest generation of receivers, the GigaTV Home, by the end of 2027. Head of Consumer Business at Vodafone Matthias Lorenz said the switch to GigaTV Home means a wider range of features for customers to watch video content. Moreover, Vodafone will offer a new GigaTV Home Sound system from mid-June.

ST Telemedia GDC partners Alibaba Cloud on AI adoption in Singapore
SINGAPORE 06:17

ST Telemedia GDC partners Alibaba Cloud on AI adoption in Singapore

ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC) has partnered with Alibaba Cloud and Tech Talent Assembly, an affiliated association under Singapore's National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), to support adoption of generative and agentic AI technologies among enterprises, developers and students in Singapore. The programme is expected to support up to 1,000 participants.

NTT West partners Avita on avatar services for autonomous EV buses
JAPAN 06:07

NTT West partners Avita on avatar services for autonomous EV buses

TT West, NTT Business Solutions and Avita have entered into a business partnership to develop an avatar-based communication service for autonomous electric buses as the companies seek to support the commercial deployment of autonomous transport services and address regional mobility challenges in Japan. The initiative will focus on development of a service called "Bus Aba", which will use avatars inside autonomous EV buses to provide passenger communication and information services.

NTT Docomo adds Tobila anti-fraud technology to expanded mobile security plans
JAPAN 06:04

NTT Docomo adds Tobila anti-fraud technology to expanded mobile security plans

NTT Docomo will launch two new versions of its Anshin Security service on 27 May, adding anti-fraud capabilities including nuisance call blocking, AI-based scam detection and deepfake image analysis as the operator expands smartphone security offerings. The new plans incorporate nuisance call and SMS filtering technology from Tobila Systems. The new services, branded "Anshin Security Standard Plan Fraud Countermeasures Plus" and "Anshin Security Total Plan Fraud Countermeasures Plus", add three functions to

NEW ZEALAND 06:02

Infratil highlights growth in CDC, One NZ and Kao Data portfolios

New Zealand-based  infrastructure owner Infratil reported growth across its digital infrastructure and telecommunications assets during FY26, with data centre operator CDC, New Zealand telecommunications provider One NZ and UK data centre operator Kao Data all recording operational expansion despite differing market conditions. CDC reported EBITDAF of AUD 393 million for FY26 (up 19% YoY), supported by new capacity additions and increased customer demand.

JAPAN 05:58

NEC and Takenaka develop private LTE signalling system for cranes

NEC Communication Systems (CS) and Takenaka Corporation have developed a crane load signalling radio system based on private LTE using sXGP and completed long-term field trials at construction sites, with commercial deployment through a rental model beginning in May 2026 in partnership with Actio. The system is designed for crane load handling operations at construction sites, where ground workers and crane operators require immediate communication to coordinate lifting and positioning activities. 

JAPAN 05:56

BBIX and BBSakura add multi-carrier support to OCX Mobile Access

SoftBank's IX subsidiary BBIX and BBSakura Networks have expanded their OCX Mobile Access service to support multiple mobile network operators, enabling customers to access different carrier networks using a single SIM card. The enhancement adds support for KDDI's network alongside existing SoftBank connectivity within Open Connectivity eXchange (OCX), the cloud-based networking platform jointly developed by the two operators.

JAPAN 05:55

NTT and Tokyo Metropolitan University sign cybersecurity research agreement

NTT Security Japan has signed a joint research agreement with Tokyo Metropolitan University to develop technologies for analysing infrastructure used in social engineering attacks, including phishing and fraud. The research will focus on techniques for identifying and collecting information about infrastructure exploited in social engineering attacks, as well as methods for analysing that data to support more effective defensive measures.

SINGAPORE 05:52

Alibaba Cloud expands AI platform with new agentic AI tools and infrastructure

Alibaba Cloud has announced a series of updates to its AI portfolio, including a new AI-native cloud platform, agent development tools, infrastructure enhancements and the international availability of its latest large language model. The announcements were made at the company's first international Qwen Conference in Singapore and are aimed at supporting enterprise adoption of AI agents and agentic AI applications.

JAPAN 05:50

NTT and Kubota test hybrid D2D connectivity for remote farm machinery

NTT, Kubota and NTT Docomo have completed a joint trial of communications technologies designed to support the remote operation and monitoring of robotic agricultural machinery in mountainous areas. The demonstration combined mobile and satellite communications links with adaptive video transmission technology to address connectivity challenges in rural environments where mobile network coverage can be affected by terrain and physical obstructions.

KOREA, REPUBLIC OF 05:46

SK Telecom adds YouTube Premium Lite to T Universe subscription platform

SK Telecom (SKT) has launched a new YouTube Premium Lite offering through its T Universe subscription aggregation platform, expanding its portfolio of digital content subscriptions. The new package provides access to YouTube Premium Lite for KRW 7,900 per month, below the standard subscription price cited by the company for Android and iOS users. YouTube Premium Lite allows users to watch most videos without advertising interruptions and includes offline downloads and background playback. The service does n

NEW ZEALAND 05:44

One NZ launches AI Trust Hub as public demands greater transparency

One New Zealand has launched a public-facing AI Trust Hub designed to provide customers with information about how AI is used in the delivery of its products and services. The launch follows findings from the operator's 2026 AI Trust Report, which indicates that New Zealand consumers are placing greater emphasis on transparency, accountability and human oversight as AI becomes more widely adopted.

KOREA, REPUBLIC OF 05:42

KT launches Tving subscription bundle with monthly consumer benefits

Korea Telecom (KT) has launched a new subscription product that combines access to streaming service Tving with a selection of monthly consumer benefits, expanding its portfolio of bundled subscription offerings. The new "Tving Life Subscription Pack" allows subscribers to choose one benefit each month from a range of options, including vouchers for convenience store chain GS25, retailer Daiso and health and beauty chain Olive Young, as well as access to Kakao Emoticon Plus or a one-month Snow VIP subscript

NEW ZEALAND 05:38

ThreeNow to stream New Zealand domestic basketball leagues free from 2027

Sky NZ and Basketball New Zealand (BBNZ) have extended their broadcast partnership in a deal that will make domestic basketball competitions available live and free-to-air on ThreeNow from 2027. Under the agreement, all matches from the Sal's National Basketball League (NBL), G.J. Gardner Homes Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa and Rapid League will be streamed live on ThreeNow, while continuing to be available on Sky Sport and Sky Sport Now. 

EUROPE 05:36

Toyota Motor Europe joins 5GAA as gold member

Toyota Motor Europe has joined the 5G Automotive Association (5GAA) as a gold member, expanding the organisation's membership across the automotive, telecommunications and technology sectors. The association said the move strengthens its ecosystem of more than 100 members, which collaborate on connected mobility technologies and connectivity solutions for transport applications.

INDONESIA 04:49

Biznet deploys Ciena WL5e for 400G submarine connectivity across Java, Sumatra, Bangka Islands

Indonesian digital infrastructure company Biznet has deployed Ciena's WaveLogic 5 Extreme (WL5e) on the international link of its submarine cable Biznet Nusantara Cable System-1 (BNCS-1), providing inter-island connectivity across Java, Sumatra and Bangka Islands. This deployment is designed to provide 400G connectivity across the islands of Java, Sumatra, and Bangka.

Just In

06:53

Budget Thuis to start services on Open Dutch Fiber network

06:51

Italian govt approves EUR 3 bln EdgeConneX data centre in Lombardy

06:34

Samsung expands One UI 8.5 availability and extends device interoperability features

06:29

Silknet adds new countries to Roaming Pass

Commentary

5 MEI 10:55

KPN: the art of making one-offs structural

4 MEI 14:25

Open Dutch Fiber outlook: time to restart roll-out?

20 APR 10:36

Netflix back to organic growth and doing just fine

11 FEB 12:29

Odido shareholders face tricky exit after abandoned IPO

Background

23 MEI 23:42

The week in telecom: Starlink ready to go public, Singapore telco M&A and Google courts AI subscribers at I/O

18 MEI 00:31

The week in telecom: US operators mount rural satellite challenge, Cisco cashes in on AI boom

11 MEI 00:53

The week in telecom: Lumen, NTT turn to data centre market to revive growth, Hutchison exits UK

3 MEI 23:05

The week in telecoms: big tech faces costs of AI boom and Wi-Fi market consolidates