ESA, Spain boost cooperation on Iris2 satellite network
SPAIN 10:22

ESA, Spain boost cooperation on Iris2 satellite network

Spain's space agency AEE and the European Space Agency (ESA) have signed a letter of intent to deepen cooperation on satellite connectivity, with a focus on the European Union's Iris2 programme. The agreement highlights Spain's role as a leading contributor to low earth orbit (LEO) activities within ESA efforts supporting the secure communications initiative.

Swedish watchdog plans new hearing on price calculation model for access to fixed networks
SWEDEN 10:08

Swedish watchdog plans new hearing on price calculation model for access to fixed networks

Swedish telecoms regulator PTS said it plans to hold another consultation at the end of August or early September concerning a new model for calculating cost-oriented prices for access to fixed networks, and to provide a basis for assessing whether or not prices are fair and reasonable. It held a hearing on this issue in 2025. The model package will contain input data, cost calculations and output data based on a fictitious operator. PTS will publish an updated model reference document (MRD) setting out the

Chile's ClaroVTR to air 2026 World Cup in 4K HDR
CHILE 10:03

Chile's ClaroVTR to air 2026 World Cup in 4K HDR

Chilean operator ClaroVTR (America Movil) has confirmed that customers of its Claro and VTR brands will be able to view the 2026 FIFA World Cup in 4K HDR, the highest resolution currently available. The 2026 FIFA World Cup host feed will distribute all matches in native 2160p HLG (4K HDR) at 59.94 fps, meaning a 50 Hz region such as Chile simply convert the refresh rate from 60 Hz to 50 Hz.

Peru 4G speeds up to average 12.8 Mbps in April
PERU 09:44

Peru 4G speeds up to average 12.8 Mbps in April

Claro once more headed the 4G mobile internet speed ranking in Peru in April, averaging a download speed of 13.22 Mbps, according to monthly data published by the regulator Osiptel. Across all operators, the average 4G speed was 12.82 Mbps, with Entel coming in second (12.74 Mbps), ahead of Bitel (12.71 Mbps) and Movistar (12.32 Mbps).

US Congress seeks details of AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon scam prevention action
UNITED STATES 09:43

US Congress seeks details of AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon scam prevention action

David Schweikert, chair of the US Congress Joint Economic Committee, has written to the big three mobile operators, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon, to ask for additional information to be shared regarding their scam prevention policies. Schweikert, a Republican legislator from Arizona, joined ranking committee member and Democratic New Hampshire representative Maggie Hassan to urge the US carriers to comply with their request, which follows testimony from officials and experts at a bipartisan committee hearing

Orange France brings back Hello 5G promo to target festival‑goers
FRANCE 09:39

Orange France brings back Hello 5G promo to target festival‑goers

Orange France announced an ad hoc boost to its network capacity to avoid congestion at two dozen music festivals taking place later this year. Coinciding with the deployment of these technical measures, the company is also bringing back the 'Hello 5G' time‑limited promotion, first introduced in September 2025. Under this marketing initiative, a dedicated app enables owners of eSIM‑compatible smartphones to test the Orange mobile network free of charge, without changing operator or mobile plan. The offer wil

Beyon formalises KWD 825 mln public-private partnership to develop Kuwaiti fixed telecom network
KUWAIT 09:37

Beyon formalises KWD 825 mln public-private partnership to develop Kuwaiti fixed telecom network

Beyon has signed a public-private partnership (PPP) agreement with the Kuwaiti ministry of communications and the Kuwait Authority for Partnership Projects (KAPP) as the winner of the national fixed telecoms network development project. Investments are expected to exceed KWD 825 million over the 50-year partnership term, financed by the project company to avoid a financial burden on the state. The scheme aims to develop, finance and maintain the fixed network through a modern operating model based on the es

Bharti looking to increase stake in BT - report
UNITED KINGDOM 09:31

Bharti looking to increase stake in BT - report

Indian group Bharti Enterprises is looking to potentially boost its stake in BT to just under 30 percent, reports Reuters citing three unnamed sources familiar with the matter. This would increase its BT holding to just below the limit where it would be required to make a full takeover offer.

O2 Satellite supports 24-hour, 92km challenge across Snowdon
UNITED KINGDOM 09:22

O2 Satellite supports 24-hour, 92km challenge across Snowdon

Virgin Media O2's new O2 Satellite service is supporting a new endurance challenge by TV personality Spencer Mathews. He is attempting a 24-hour, 92km trek across Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) in Wales, using the satellite connectivity service to stay connected in remote sections of the mountain. The O2 Satellite service is now live on Snowdon for the first time. It will allow him to stay in contact with the support team, navigate in real-time, and access weather updates and live location sharing.

Nicaragua fixed internet lines surge 24% to over 496,000
NICARAGUA 09:18

Nicaragua fixed internet lines surge 24% to over 496,000

The number of fixed internet connections in Nicaragua reached a record 496,765 at the end of 2025, up 24.3 percent year on year, according to the latest data from telecom sector regulator Telcor. The rise was attributed in part to a 15 percent annual growth in installed fibre cables to 52,510 kilometres.

Community Fibre to launch Unlimited UK eSIM in June
UNITED KINGDOM 09:11

Community Fibre to launch Unlimited UK eSIM in June

Community Fibre, London-based fibre broadband provider, plans to launch a new Unlimited UK Mobile eSIM in June. This will provide unlimited UK 5G data, calls and texts for GBP 15 per month for Community Fibre broadband customers, or GBP 17 per month for non-broadband customers. The new mobile offering has been developed in partnership with app developer Zappter and Gamma Communications. Existing Community Fibre broadband customers will be able to order additional Unlimited Mobile eSIMs for family members. T

Iraqi communication commission pledges faster 5G roll-out
IRAQ 09:10

Iraqi communication commission pledges faster 5G roll-out

The Iraqi Communications and Media Commission (CMC) has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing the nation's digital infrastructure, accelerating 5G network expansion and drawing global investments into the telecommunications sector, Iraq-Business News reported. Speaking at a forum, CMC executive director Baligh Abu Kalal outlined Iraq's vision for a new phase of digital governance. The formal commitments include speeding up the nationwide roll-out of 5G networks to establish a modern digital infrastructure.

CONGO, THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE 08:59

DRC telecom operators seek government support to avert network failures

Telecom operators in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are urging the government for critical infrastructure support to help them fix persistent network failures, Ecofin reported. They have highlighted four specific problems affecting network quality, including unstable electricity supply, repeated cuts and damage to fibre-optic networks, and insecurity along certain transport routes that make technical sites difficult to access. They emphasise that a severe shortage of radio spectrum and deep infrastr

UNITED KINGDOM 08:53

Wildanet expands fibre network to Bude and surrounding areas

Cornish broadband provider Wildanet plans to expand its full-fibre network to connect more than 2,000 premises in the town of Bude and surrounding areas. This will be funded with through a combination of its commercial investment and the UK government's Project Gigabit programme. Households and businesses will have access to broadband speeds of up to 2 Gbps.

COLOMBIA 08:51

Colombia doubles Amazon fibre backbone investment to COP 1.4 tln

Colombia's Ministry of Information Technology and Communications (Mintic) announced that the government has doubled its investment in the Fibre Optic Initiative for the Amazon to COP 1.4 trillion (around USD 340 million) to guarantee what it describes as one of the country's most important digital infrastructure projects for digital divide areas. The funding, up from COP 683 billion, follows government approval of a designation that secures long-term financing and continuity for the project.

FRANCE 08:47

Starlink hikes prices in France with entry‑level plan rising to EUR 35/month

Starlink has increased the monthly rate of its French entry‑level residential plan by EUR 6, following the revamp of its satellite broadband offers in late March. As a result, the 100 Mbps tier is now priced at EUR 35 per month for new and existing customers. Equipment rental remains included in the subscription and is available to new sign‑ups at no extra charge, subject to a one‑off fee of EUR 19. The 200 Mbps option and the top‑tier Max plan have also increased by EUR 6 to EUR 45 and EUR 65 per month res

MOROCCO 08:43

Morocco's Inwi and public utility company Onee agree new programme to accelerate infrastructure expansion

Moroccan operator Inwi has announced a new strategic collaboration with its long-standing passive infrastructure partner Onee (Office National de l'Eau et de l'Electricite). The partnership aims to extend high-capacity fibre-optic network infrastructure in the country through joint projects focused on resource sharing. Alongside infrastructure modernisation and expansion, the areas of collaboration will include cyber security, data management and network intelligence, supporting resiliency and service deliv

UNITED STATES 08:28

US prepares USD 2 bln CHIPS Act funding for nine quantum innovators

The US Department of Commerce has provisionally agreed to back nine quantum computing developers with USD 2.01 billion in CHIPS Act appropriations: GlobalFoundries, IBM, Atom Computing, Diraq, D-Wave, Infleqtion, Quantinuum, PsiQuantum and Rigetti. A letter of intent (LoI) signed with each developer sets out the amount of investment proposed by the Commerce Department and its entitlement to a non-controlling minority stake to generate returns for the US taxpayer. Under these plans, IBM and GlobalFoundries w

GERMANY 08:21

Tele Columbus lifts Q4 revenues by 4%, driven by internet & telephony segment

German operator Tele Columbus has recorded a 3.7 percent year-on-year increase in revenues in the fourth quarter of 2025 to EUR 105.7 million, driven by Internet & Telephony turnover, which went up by 8.7 percent to EUR 60 million. Normalised FY EBITDA decreased by 9.7 percent to EUR 168.4 million, on the back of lower own work capitalised (OWC) and the absence of positive prior-year effects from the release of accruals related to signal fees.

ITALY 08:20

Vultr opens 33rd cloud data centre region in Milan

Cloud infrastructure provider Vultr said it has opened a new cloud data centre region in Milan, expanding its global footprint to 33 locations and strengthening its presence in Europe. The Milan site is Vultr's 9th European region, alongside cities including Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London, Madrid and Paris, and is aimed at supporting local enterprises and developers with infrastructure for high-performance and AI workloads.

NETHERLANDS 08:14

Open Dutch Fiber outsources passive network management to Circet

Open Dutch Fiber (ODF) is handing management of its passive fibre network in the northern provinces of the Netherlands to contractor Circet. The five-year deal includes managing PoP sites and deploying home connections at high-rise buildings. It follows a similar contract between the companies in the south of the country. 

NETHERLANDS 08:06

Techone acquires IT services provider Roma

Techone's unit IRIS has acquired Roma ICT Diensten and Roma Cloud Diensten. The takeover brings additional expertise in desktop management, cloud solutions and cybersecurity for the Dutch IT provider.

GERMANY 08:04

T-Systems, SVA to develop AI platform for German public administration

The German Federal Ministry for Digital Transformation and State Modernisation (BMDS) said it has awarded a contract of just under EUR 250 million to T-Systems International and SVA System Vertrieb Alexander to develop a sovereign AI platform for public administration. The platform provides a backbone for the development, operation and use of artificial intelligence applications. One of the first applications is KIPITZ, which will test how AI applications can operate in a sovereign, secure and scalable mann

GLOBAL 07:47

Oura plans IPO as smart ring's paid subscribers near 5 mln

'Smart' ring vendor Oura said it has submitted a draft registration statement to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) concerning a proposed initial public offering (IPO) of its common stock. The number of shares to be offered and the price range have not yet been determined, and the IPO would follow an SEC review, subject to market and other conditions. Earlier this month, Oura said it was last valued at approximately USD 11 billion, adding that this made it "the world's most valuable standalone

Just In

10:22

ESA, Spain boost cooperation on Iris2 satellite network

10:08

Swedish watchdog plans new hearing on price calculation model for access to fixed networks

10:03

Chile's ClaroVTR to air 2026 World Cup in 4K HDR

09:44

Peru 4G speeds up to average 12.8 Mbps in April

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

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

27 APR 14:33

Virgin Media O2: from coax to fibre and 80% coverage in 2028