Virgin Media adds streaming channels for '8 out of 10 Cats' and 'Pointless'
UNITED KINGDOM 14:16

Virgin Media adds streaming channels for '8 out of 10 Cats' and 'Pointless'

Virgin Media is adding two new FAST channels for TV customers. These are based on the popular TV programmes '8 out of 10 Cats' and 'Pointless'. Operated by the producer Bankay Rights, the channels are provided at no extra cost for all Virgin TV360 and Stream customers, directly from the set-top box. Virgin offers 37 such streaming channels.

Clear Mobitel plans 5G FWA service in Wales
UNITED KINGDOM 14:12

Clear Mobitel plans 5G FWA service in Wales

UK regulator Ofcom is consulting on plans to apply electronic communications code powers to the company Clear Mobitel. The consultation closes on 29 June. Based in Wales, Clear Mobitel is planning to build a 5G network to offer fixed-wireless access services. It expects to target residential as well as business customers, and offer wholesale access. The operator will focus on Wales, targeting around 25,000 customers within the first five years.

Padtec boosts enterprise Wi-Fi with enhanced security and management
BRAZIL 13:53

Padtec boosts enterprise Wi-Fi with enhanced security and management

Brazilian fibre optic equipment manufacturer Padtec has enhanced its Enterprise line of access points with a new solution offering intelligent management and advanced web browsing security. This improvement comes from a partnership with Dominus Cyber, a cybersecurity firm representing NetExperience and Ring Zero Networks in Brazil.

Brazil to expand mobile connectivity on highways for road safety
BRAZIL 13:50

Brazil to expand mobile connectivity on highways for road safety

The Ministry of Communications (MCom) is working on expanding mobile connectivity on Brazilian highways for road safety reasons. Currently, out of 122,397 kilometres of federal highways, 65,156 km have 4G coverage and 13,139 km have 5G reception. MCom is striving to extend this coverage, particularly in strategic corridors.

French telecom investments decline 15% in 2025
FRANCE 13:46

French telecom investments decline 15% in 2025

French telecom operators and towercos reduced their combined investments for the fourth consecutive year in 2025 to an estimated EUR 10.3 billion, according to the latest 'Telconomics' analysis compiled by regulator Arcep. This spending, which excludes the cost of spectrum, was down from the peak of EUR 14.8 billion recorded in 2021. On a year‑on‑year basis, telecom investments decreased 15 percent, following mid‑single‑digit declines in 2024 and 2023, to a level just below the expenditure recorded in 2018.

Czech mobile ID app user base exceeds 1 mln
CZECH REPUBLIC 13:42

Czech mobile ID app user base exceeds 1 mln

The user base of the Czech ID mobile application eDoklady has exceeded the threshold of 1 million, according to a statement from the governmental digitisation and information agency DIA. The threshold of 1 million downloads was regisered on 25 May. The mobile application, which was launched by DIA in January 2024, is being downloaded, on average, by 5,000 new users per week.

Sunrise poaches chief consumer officer main brand from CH Media
SWITZERLAND 13:30

Sunrise poaches chief consumer officer main brand from CH Media

Swiss operator Sunrise said it has appointed Wolfgang Elsaesser as its new chief consumer officer main brand, and member of the executive committee, effective from 01 July. Elsaesser joins Sunrise from media company CH Media, where he served as chief executive officer of CH Media TV, responsible for the strategic and operational management of the television and streaming business. He was also a member of the executive board of CH Media.

Dialog Axiata to power National Vesak Zone 2026
SRI LANKA 13:22

Dialog Axiata to power National Vesak Zone 2026

Sri Lankan operator Dialog Axiata has partnered with the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs as Official Digital Partner of the 2026 National Vesak Zone in Matara. Dialog has launched the National AI Vesak Greeting Card Competition 2026, powered by Dialog 5G Ultra, enabling communities nationwide to celebrate Vesak through connectivity and AI-powered experiences.

Vodafone Germany inks open access network agreement with Deutsche GigaNetz
GERMANY 13:22

Vodafone Germany inks open access network agreement with Deutsche GigaNetz

Vodafone Germany has signed a letter of intent for a long-term wholesale agreement with Deutsche GigaNetz. This will enable 500,000 households and businesses to subscribe to Vodafone's internet, TV and telephony services over the Deutsche GigaNetz network from 2027. By 2030, Deutsche GigaNetz aims to extend its networks by 1 million FTTH connections.  Deutsche GigaNetz currently operates fibre-optic networks in approximately 200 cities and municipalities in twelve federal states in Germany.

Qorvo introduces latest RF switch line-up
GLOBAL 13:19

Qorvo introduces latest RF switch line-up

Qorvo is rolling out a new family of RF switches designed to strip away complexity in cellular and wireless traffic scenarios. The US vendor is sampling three models. An SP4T wideband switch, the QPC6114, delivers high-isolation signal separation of over 65 decibels in 5G radios and advanced drone communications. The QPC6122 is a compact wideband RF switch tailored to smaller module and drone profiles. Finally, the QPC6188 is configured for flexible wideband RF routing to maintain linearity across signal pa

Iliad Italia relaunches Top 300 Plus and 250 Plus rates on 8th anniversary
ITALY 13:14

Iliad Italia relaunches Top 300 Plus and 250 Plus rates on 8th anniversary

Iliad Italia has marked the eighth anniversary of its arrival in Italy by relaunching its premium Top 250 Plus and Top 300 Plus plans, this time prolonging them until at least 30 June, and announcing a new ad campaign featuring Australian model and actress Megan Gale. The rates come with 250GB and 300GB of data at 5G speeds, plus 25GB and 30GB for EU roaming, for EUR 9.99 and EUR 11.99 a month respectively.

South African govt steps up use of mobile handsets to identify illegal foreign nationals using biometric readings
SOUTH AFRICA 13:09

South African govt steps up use of mobile handsets to identify illegal foreign nationals using biometric readings

The Department of Home Affairs says it will accelerate the use of handheld mobile devices to verify the legal status of foreign nationals in South Africa, MyBroadband reported. According to Leon Schreiber, minister of home affairs, the devices will enable officials to access departmental systems to determine a person's immigration status remotely. Schreiber answered questions in Parliament about the number of foreign nationals in the country without valid documentation and the measures the department is tak

TAIWAN 13:06

FET to distribute Amazon Leo satellite services in Taiwan

Far EasTone Telecommunications (FET) has signed a distribution agreement with Amazon Leo, to become an authorized distributor of its low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite network services for businesses and civilian public sector organizations in Taiwan. FET reports it will leverage its network operations experience and information and communication systems integration capabilities to provide Taiwanese customers with connectivity that can augment traditional networks and reach beyond existing service footprints.

UNITED STATES 13:00

Wiliot expands collaboration with AT&T on supply chain AI deployments

IoT platform company Wiliot has expanded its collaboration with AT&T Business to support the deployment and operation of its Physical AI platform across enterprise supply chain environments. The companies said the collaboration formalises a systems integration and device certification model intended to support large-scale deployments, network operations and future data service delivery for AT&T enterprise customers.

UNITED STATES 12:57

Plume flags hidden proxy network running from Android TV streaming boxes

Plume's Security Labs unit has published insights into a proxy threat affecting certain Android TV streaming boxes that instructs them to relay unauthorised traffic through residential broadband connections. Issued on 28 May, the study attributes the threat to a hidden software package installed in SuperBox devices, an Android-based streaming STB sold through authorised dealers and third-party marketplaces such as eBay

ZAMBIA 12:50

MTN Zambia launches 5G Penta Band product for indoor connectivity with Huawei

MTN Zambia has launched the first 5G Penta Band Indoor Solution in Africa which is a major milestone in Zambia's digital transformation journey.

SPAIN 12:45

Telefonica, Google partner on Spanish sovereign cloud offering

Telefonica has announced a strategic partnership with Google Cloud to deliver a sovereign cloud offering aimed at Spanish public administrations and regulated industries. The move is above all designed to give organisations greater control over data stored in Google Cloud while meeting national requirements on privacy, residency and operational autonomy.

NIGERIA 12:40

Nigerian digital TV switchover could enable NGN 605 bln in new revenue streams

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has said that the television Digital Switch-Over (DSO) on 17 June will open up access to a NGN 605.2 billion advertising market for local broadcasters and content creators, CommunicationsWeek reported. Following the launch, the NBC plans a gradual phase-out of older technology, with analogue television broadcasting scheduled to shut down completely by 31 December 2028. NBC director-general Charles Ebuebu said the switch from analogue to digital broadcasting will he

GLOBAL 12:30

IQE closes strategic funds to pay off debt as FY sales trend lower

Chip wafer supplier IQE has tied up an GBP 81 million strategic fundraising announced in April to pay off debt obligations. The transaction raised GBP 45 million from equity and non-interest bearing convertible notes, issued to strategic investor Macom Technology Solutions. The remaining funds were sourced through a GBP 23 million redemption and reinvestment of existing convertibles, and through a GBP 13 million placing and retail offer. Net proceeds from the fundraising should reach GBP 27.9 million, follo

SAUDI ARABIA 12:22

STC reports 44% surge in Eid Al-Adha network traffic

STC Group said it managed a 44 percent surge in overall data traffic at peak times during the first day of Eid Al-Adha on 27 May compared with 2025. There was a 60 percent rise in 5G traffic alone, reflecting the growing reliance on high-speed digital services during the pilgrimage. The group deployed advanced products and executed roughly 15,000 autonomous actions per hour.

NIGERIA 12:19

Swift Network faces winding-up petition for allegedly failing to pay for network devices

The Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the public advertisement of a winding-up petition against telecom provider Swift Network, CommunicationsWeek reported. Swift faces liquidation over its alleged inability to settle a debt exceeding NGN 115 million for goods supplied. Optics and Wireless counsel Bimbo Adebayo-Ogunlaja requested permission to publish the petition. Optics and Wireless also seeks NGN 70.53 million in accrued interest from a transaction loan, plus general damages for breach of contract.

BENIN 12:04

Benin appoints AI expert Akplogan as minister of digital transformation and innovation

Mahuna Akplogan has been appointed as Benin's minister of digital transformation and innovation in President Romuald Wadagni's first government, Ecofin reported. Akplogan succeeds Aurelie Adam Soule Zoumarou, who had led the ministry since 2017. Akplogan holds an engineering degree in computer science from the University of Technology of Compiegne, awarded in 2008, and a PhD in artificial intelligence from the University of Toulouse, completed in 2013. He has spent most of his career in France.

ITALY 12:02

Fastweb+Vodafone debuts AI assistant ROSS

Italian operator Fastweb+Vodafone has launched ROSS, an artificial intelligence-powered assistant designed to "reduce the burden of routine and organisational tasks". The tool is intended to free up time for higher-value work requiring focus and creativity, said the operator, which inaugurated its proprietary FastwebAI Factory supercomputer back in 2024.

SOUTH AFRICA 11:56

SABC appoints Nyembezi as executive for technology

The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has announced the permanent appointment of Vuyo Nyembezi as its group executive for technology, effective 15 May, after an exhaustive and competitive recruitment process. Nyembezi was already carrying out the role in an acting capacity and provided steady leadership to the technology division at a critical period, the SABC said. Nyembezi has over 20 years of experience in the broadcasting industry and the SABC environment.

Just In

14:16

Virgin Media adds streaming channels for '8 out of 10 Cats' and 'Pointless'

14:12

Clear Mobitel plans 5G FWA service in Wales

13:53

Padtec boosts enterprise Wi-Fi with enhanced security and management

13:50

Brazil to expand mobile connectivity on highways for road safety

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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