Qvantel to present fruits of Optiva merger at MWC 2026
GLOBAL 14:00

Qvantel to present fruits of Optiva merger at MWC 2026

Qvantel will introduce its expanded BSS and monetisation suite at Mobile World Congress 2026, integrating enhanced agentic AI capabilities having completed its acquisition of fellow vendor Optiva. The upgraded Qvantel Flex Suite aims to deliver agile, end-to-end BSS functions, while drawing on intelligent features including GenAI-powered agents. AI agents in Qvantel Flex Suite include pre-made programmes for self-service, cataloguing, operations and B2B sales. Alternatively, operators can utilise the Qvante

FCC to permit all-broadband 900 MHz licences supplanting narrowband land radio
UNITED STATES 13:57

FCC to permit all-broadband 900 MHz licences supplanting narrowband land radio

The US FCC has adopted new rules designed to unlock higher bandwidth in 900 MHz frequencies allocated to enterprise use cases including utilities and critical infrastructure. The regulatory update allows for the 10 MHz allocation, spread across 896-901 MHz and 935- 940 MHz ranges, to be deployed differently on a county-by-county basis, potentially opening up all of this spectrum in some markets for broadband wireless services, such as private LTE and 5G networks. Since 2020, the US 900 MHz band has been tra

Accelleran and Firecell agree merger to introduce EU-sovereign private 5G offer
EUROPE 13:55

Accelleran and Firecell agree merger to introduce EU-sovereign private 5G offer

Accelleran is preparing to merge with fellow private 5G vendor Firecell in a bid to forge a pan-European powerhouse serving private cellular-enabled industrial plants and enterprises. Existing product lines from Firecell and Accelleran will remain supported following deal closing, with Firecell's current CEO Claude Seyrat staying in post to lead the merged entity going forward. The merger is supported by a EUR 7.9 million investment round led by existing investors in the French and Belgian vendors, Matterwa

Spanish mobile lines top 63 mln in December, users port 497K numbers
SPAIN 13:43

Spanish mobile lines top 63 mln in December, users port 497K numbers

A total of 497,164 mobile numbers were ported in Spain in December 2025, up 4.5 percent year on year, according to the latest mobile sector data from the CNMC that complements the regulator's fixed segment update. December saw the total number of active mobile (voice, internet) lines rise by over 1.5 million year on year to 63.0 million, with M2M lines more than doubling to 40.6 million.

Broadband Forum says User Services Platform reference code becomes available in prplWare and RDK-B firmware
GLOBAL 13:43

Broadband Forum says User Services Platform reference code becomes available in prplWare and RDK-B firmware

Broadband Forum (BBF) announced that the reference stack for embedding its user services platform (USP) tool into customer premises equipment has been introduced by two leading open source broadband middleware providers. The Open Broadband USP Agent (OBUSPA) has been integrated with the RDK-B software kit and prpl Foundation's prplWare. PrplWare 4.1 includes support for OBUSPA version 10.0.6, with the latest reference iteration scheduled to roll out in April alongside prplWare 5.0. Operators using RDK-B cur

Ericsson asks Delaware court to set aside Acer 4G and 5G patent claims
UNITED STATES 13:40

Ericsson asks Delaware court to set aside Acer 4G and 5G patent claims

Ericsson has sued Acer in Delaware's district court in a bid to dismiss Acer's accusation that US operators breached 4G and 5G patents by deploying Ericsson's mobile site equipment, reports Reuters. The case is named Ericsson Inc vs Acer Inc, U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware, No. 1:26-cv-00176.

Airspan expands digital DAS offering in European markets with launch of MobileAccess products
EUROPE 13:33

Airspan expands digital DAS offering in European markets with launch of MobileAccess products

Airspan has announced the availability of private 5G-capable digital distributed antenna systems (DAS) from its MobileAccess range in European markets. The European launch builds on MobileAccess's existing foothold in the US, advancing Airspan's overseas growth strategy. It caters to enhanced in-building cellular delivery systems, including private, enterprise-grade networks that make use of 3.7 - 4.2 GHz spectrum carved out for private 5G in the UK and elsewhere in Europe. These antenna systems are additio

Finnfund provides USD 5 mln towards solar power for MTN South Sudan sites
SOUTH SUDAN 13:30

Finnfund provides USD 5 mln towards solar power for MTN South Sudan sites

Finnish development financier Finnfund has announced a USD 5 million follow-on investment in Communication & Renewable Energy Infrastructure (CREI) in South Sudan. It is backed by the European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus (EFSD+) under the Africa Connected programme. Finnfund has now invested USD 10 million in CREI altogether. Finnfund's financing supports the modernisation and expansion of solar-hybrid energy systems for MTN South Sudan's 499 telecom sites under a ten-year Energy as a Service (ESC

Spanish FTTH lines hit 17.8 mln in December, led by Digi
SPAIN 13:15

Spanish FTTH lines hit 17.8 mln in December, led by Digi

The total number of active fibre to the home (FTTH) connections in Spain reached 17.8 million in December 2025, up around 1.3 million year on year but only 23,710 sequentially, according to the latest official monthly update from sector watchdog CNMC that complements its mobile report. Fibre connections account over 90 percent of the fixed line total of 19.54 million, the latter up from 18.49 million a year earlier.

Finnish govt to criminalise unauthorised possession of jammers
FINLAND 13:14

Finnish govt to criminalise unauthorised possession of jammers

The Finnish Government said it has submitted a legislative proposal to Parliament to amend the Act on Electronic Communication Services in order to criminalise the unauthorised possession and importation of devices intended to cause deliberate radio interference, known as jammers. The Ministry of Transport and Communications (LMV) said the proposal would enable their confiscation. Unauthorised use of jammers is already banned and the proposal would distinguish jammers from radio equipment and make regulatio

Norwegian 'Digital Shield' contributes to 35% drop in bank fraud losses in H1 2025
NORWAY 12:48

Norwegian 'Digital Shield' contributes to 35% drop in bank fraud losses in H1 2025

Security measures by the Norwegian telecom sector appear to be a major reason for a 35 percent drop in bank fraud losses over six months, said telecoms regulator Nkom, referring to figures from the Financial Supervisory Authority (Finanstilysnet). In the second half of 2024, fraud losses amounted to NOK 616 million but this dropped to NOK 404 million in the first half of 2025. This follows the introduction of the Digital Shield in November 2024, making it harder for criminals to carry out scams via mobile p

Telefonica activates Edge B2B service
SPAIN 12:38

Telefonica activates Edge B2B service

Telefonica has launched commercial Edge Computing services for enterprises and public administrations in Spain, as part of a plan announced last month to transform legacy copper exchanges into mini data centres. The Spanish operator said the commercial B2B offer is now active across five cities – Madrid, Valencia, Seville, Bilbao and La Coruña – bringing processing capacity closer to local companies and reducing latency.

SWEDEN 12:31

Sweden makes national mobile roaming possible at times of heightened alert

Swedish telecoms regulator PTS said national mobile roaming will now be possible at times of heightened alert. This follows two years of preparations by Sweden's mobile operators to make it possible to enable national roaming at short notice. If one network ceases to function, customers will be able to switch to another one by changing the settings on their network.

SWEDEN 12:19

Tele2 Sweden says Norrland mobile network use surges 70% after 35,000 sq km expansion in 5 years

Tele2 Sweden said it invested billions of kronor in its mobile network from 2021 and 2025 and in Norrland, it expanded the network by 35,000 square km and usage there has risen by some 70 percent. Norrland refers to Sweden's northernmost five counties and covers 261,292 square kilometres or 59.1 percent of Swedish terrain. 

UNITED KINGDOM 12:08

EE, TalkTalk, Vodafone get most broadband complaints in Q3 - Ofcom

EE, TalkTalk and Vodafone are the most complained about broadband providers in the UK with 10 complaints each per 100,000 customers, according to the latest data from Ofcom (Q3 2025). Complaints from broadband customers about EE remained the same compared to Q2 2025, with TalkTalk and Vodafone both seeing an increase in complaints. Plusnet was the least complained-about broadband provider with 4 complaints, compared to an industry average of 8 complaints per 100,000 customers.

FINLAND 11:57

DNA to build mobile base station in Siikainen after petition from local residents

Telenor's Finnish operator, DNA, said it will construct a new mobile base station this spring on the Hirvijarvi road after 70 local residents signed a petition last year asking it to improve services there. The project has progressed in cooperation with the municipality of Siikainen in the Satakunta region of Finland. The base station will improve services even several kilometres away and will enhance reception for summer cabin visitors as well as permanent residents.

UNITED STATES 11:31

Fidium announces new 5 Gig, 8 Gig fibre broadband tiers

Fidium, US fibre broadband and network provider, has announced the launch of new 5 Gig and 8 Gig symmetrical speeds and Wi-Fi 7 technology for customers. This increases the highest fibre broadband speed available from Fidium from 2 Gig to 8 Gig, delivering a 4-fold boost to real-world download/upload performance. The new plans will be available to customers from April 2026, starting with select fibre-eligible homes in New Hampshire, Maine, California and Texas - before expanding to more markets at a later d

CARIBBEAN 11:20

5G Americas to wind down operations

Mobile industry association 5G Americas said its board of governors has approved a plan to dissolve the organisation and wind down operations, with the closure expected on 27 February 2026. The decision marks the end of a two-decade mission to serve as a key forum for operators and vendors across the Americas throughout multiple generations of wireless network technology.

EUROPE 11:19

Ovzon Q4 revenue rises 159% and earnings surge, plans mobile satellite terminal centre of excellence

Ovzon has announced higher revenue from both its Satcom service segment and its mobile satellite terminal segment in the fourth quarter of 2025 and said higher volumes are driving improvements in profitability. Revenue in Q4 was up by 159 percent and EBITDA climbed 576 percent. Its plans for 2026 include the establishment of a mobile satellite terminal centre of excellence.

UNITED KINGDOM 11:07

UK plans new law forcing tech firms to remove abusive images within 48 hours

The UK government has announced a new law giving tech firms 48 hours to take down non-consensual intimate images or face fines. An amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill will impose a legal obligation on tech firms to remove this content within 48 hours of it being reported to them. Platforms failing to take action could be fined up to 10 percent of qualifying global revenue, or have their services blocked from operating in the UK. This is part of new laws to protect women and girls from abuse.

GLOBAL 10:55

Dazn, Matchroom Boxing sign new deals in US, UK, Australia

Global sports streaming platform Dazn has extended a long-term partnership with Matchroom Boxing with a new 5-year deal in the US and UK. The extended agreement covers a year-round schedule of over 30 shows worldwide a year, combining original content with premium live boxing events. Matchroom Boxing has also signed a new partnership with Dazn's Foxtel Group in Australia to give Australian audiences on Kayo Sports with access to seven major boxing events in 2026. 

ITALY 10:54

Eviden, Almaviva team up to drive Italian smart transport systems rollout

Eviden, part of French ICT group Atos, has partnered with Italian digital innovation firm Almaviva to support the national rollout of Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems (C-ITS) in Italy. The agreement aims to reinforce C-Roads Italy – part of the EU-funded C-Roads initiative – which has been tasked with deploying vehicle-to-infrastructure communication technologies to reduce accidents, ease congestion and advance Europe's transition to automated mobility.

UNITED KINGDOM 10:48

Vodafone UK, 3 UK accepts pre-orders for new Google Pixel 10a

Vodafone UK and 3 UK are now accepting pre-orders for the new Google Pixel 10a smartphone. Vodafone is offering the device from GBP 21 per month, with a GBP 20 upfront cost. This is based on a 3-year Phone Plan at GBP 14 per month, and 2-year 5GB Airtime Plan at GBP 7 per month - rising to GBP 9.50 per month in April 2027 and GBP 12 per month in April 2028).

SPAIN 10:36

Cellnex to showcase latest next-gen infrastructure at MWC 2026

Spain-based European infrastructure operator Cellnex said it will take advantage of its appearance at Mobile World Congress Barcelona 2026 to showcase the company's latest advances in network resilience and connectivity. With rising data consumption and new mobility demands, the company will present practical applications spanning national transport, mission‑critical communications, energy‑efficient network deployments and enhanced indoor coverage.

Just In

14:00

Qvantel to present fruits of Optiva merger at MWC 2026

13:57

FCC to permit all-broadband 900 MHz licences supplanting narrowband land radio

13:55

Accelleran and Firecell agree merger to introduce EU-sovereign private 5G offer

13:43

Spanish mobile lines top 63 mln in December, users port 497K numbers

Commentary

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Odido shareholders face tricky exit after abandoned IPO

2 FEB 13:49

KPN results show little bother from the competition

2 JAN 13:21

Open Dutch Fiber's new management team takes up turnaround challenge

15 DEC 2025 13:56

Video market set for slower growth ahead

Background

16 FEB 00:17

The week in telecoms: Cisco rides AI investment wave and European telcos invest in South America

9 FEB 01:54

The week in telecoms: hyperscalers vie for capex crown, Telenor and Vodafone profit from smaller footprints

2 FEB 00:45

The week in telecoms: Verizon sparks fears of US price war, Apple beats Samsung in Q4, Telekom ramps up fibre marketing

26 JAN 00:31

The week in telecoms: Netflix and Ericsson all about cash, EU sketches out rip-and-replace and copper transition plans