Ooredoo Kuwait advances AI network strategy with NWDAF deployment
KUWAIT 13:24

Ooredoo Kuwait advances AI network strategy with NWDAF deployment

Ooredoo Kuwait deployed the 3GPP-standardized Network Data Analytics Function (NWDAF) across its 5G Core. By leveraging AI and machine learning to analyze real-time network, service, and user data, NWDAF enables proactive network management, rapid anomaly detection, and optimized service quality, the operator said. 

Zain Jordan upgrades Ericsson BSS on Red Hat for postpaid offers
JORDAN 13:23

Zain Jordan upgrades Ericsson BSS on Red Hat for postpaid offers

Ericsson and Zain Jordan announced the next phase of the upgrade of Zain's Business Support Systems (BSS), to cover also postpaid subscribers. Ericsson will deploy cloud-native Ericsson Billing on Red Hat OpenShift within Zain's private cloud. The agreement introduces the Ericsson Telco DataOps Platform to deliver real-time data streaming, proactive customer experience management, and network optimization for AI-driven autonomous operations. To accelerate time-to-market for new offers, the scope also incorp

Du and Khalifa University publish '6G blueprint for telcos'
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES 10:54

Du and Khalifa University publish '6G blueprint for telcos'

UAE-based operator Du has published its first whitepaper, 'The Intelligence Network: A 6G Blueprint for Telcos'. It was developed by Du Infra in collaboration with the Digital Future Institute at Khalifa University. It presents a blueprint for AI-native, autonomous and monetisable telecom infrastructure, exploring how telecom operators can evolve into intelligence infrastructure providers. Du has published the paper on its LinkedIn feed.

Verizon offers rewards for network damage convictions in California
UNITED STATES 10:34

Verizon offers rewards for network damage convictions in California

Verizon has unveiled a USD 25,000 reward scheme in California for information leading to the arrest and conviction of people involved in network vandalism. This comes after vandals cut multiple fibre cables in recent days, leaving thousands of Verizon customers in Los Angeles and parts of Southern California without service. 

IQ Fiber boosts South Carolina operations with Orangeburg Fiber acqusition
UNITED STATES 09:56

IQ Fiber boosts South Carolina operations with Orangeburg Fiber acqusition

Florida-based IQ Fiber has acquired the network assets of Orangeburg Fiber, expanding its footprint in South Carolina and extending services to the City of Orangeburg. IQ Fiber is investing in the acquisition and network deployment in Orangeburg, with additional service addresses to come online by end-2026. IQ Fiber offers full-fibre broadband plans from USD 65 per month, with the XGS-PON network supporting symmetric speeds up to 10 Gbps.

Afghan government signs USD 1 mln deal for 11 rural telecom towers
AFGHANISTAN 09:25

Afghan government signs USD 1 mln deal for 11 rural telecom towers

Afghanistan's ICT ministry has signed a USD 1.1 million contract with major telecommunication companies to install eleven towers in Takhar, Samangan, Baghlan, Paktia, Paktika, Khost and Logar provinces to expand mobile and internet coverage in remote and underserved areas, independent news agency Pajhwok reported. The new sites will be built under the Afghanistan Telecom Regulatory Authority's (ATRA) eleventh Telecom Development Fund (TDF) project. The contracts were awarded to Atoma, Etisalat Afghanistan a

Claro gifts data and calls to prepaid clients in Colombia earthquake zones
COLOMBIA 09:17

Claro gifts data and calls to prepaid clients in Colombia earthquake zones

Claro has announced a bundle of free data and calls for prepaid users in zones affected by this week's earthquake in western Colombia. Clients in the Choco, Valle del Cauca, Risaralda, Quindio and Caldas departments will receive 2 GB data and unlimited calls and texts, valid for seven days. The company said its engineering teams are working on stabilising the network following an increase in traffic and power outages.

UK ranked 33rd out of 23 global countries for telecoms sector health
GLOBAL 09:02

UK ranked 33rd out of 23 global countries for telecoms sector health

Kearney's inaugural Global Telecom Health Index report ranks the UK 33rd out of 34 countries for the overall health of its telecoms sector. The study shows that 24 of the 34 healthiest telecoms markets worldwide have three or less mobile operators - which deliver better networks, improved investment and enhanced long-term sector performance. The Index ranks 34 countries using 20 measurements across commercial strength, financial performance, market structure, network quality and customer satisfaction.

Rostelecom starts repairs of Kamchatka-Sakhalin submarine link
RUSSIAN FEDERATION 08:38

Rostelecom starts repairs of Kamchatka-Sakhalin submarine link

Russian national operator Rostelecom plans to carry out repairs of its subsea fibre-optic line connecting Kamchatka and Sakhalin at the Ust-Bolsheretsk village from 12-15 August. Repairs will be carried out due to critical erosion of a section of the coast in the Sea of Okhotsk where the land-based segment of the fibre cable emerges from the water. The company completed the first, land-based portion of the work in 2025, deploying a new section of the route and connecting with the cable at sea. During the re

Ennoconn closes Kontron tender with 48% stake
GLOBAL 08:15

Ennoconn closes Kontron tender with 48% stake

Ennoconn's tender offer for additional shares in Kontron has closed, with the company reaching a 48.36 percent stake in Kontron. The takeover target said the deal had received foreign investment clearance in Germany, and met all the other required conditions for completion, which is now planned for 20 August. As no majority stake was acquired, Kontron will continue as an independent company.

China Tower's H1 profit jumps more than 30% despite 1.8% revenue decline
CHINA 07:57

China Tower's H1 profit jumps more than 30% despite 1.8% revenue decline

China Tower posted operating revenue of CNY 48.69 billion for the first half of 2026, which represents a decrease of 1.8 percent year-on-year. EBITDA amounted to CNY 30.25 billion, down 11.6 percent year-on-year, with an EBITDA margin at 62.1 percent. Profit jumped 30.1 percent to CNY 7.48 billion.

DR Congo universal service fund agrees to subsidise operators for first 40 sites
CONGO, THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE 07:30

DR Congo universal service fund agrees to subsidise operators for first 40 sites

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has begun its universal connectivity programme by deploying mobile network infrastructure in 40 rural and peri-urban locations, Bankable reported. On 08 August, the Universal Service Development Fund (FDSU) signed subsidy agreements with Airtel, Orange, Vodacom and Africell to extend mobile network coverage at the underserved localities, with each operator managing ten sites. This will bring mobile, internet and messaging services to roughly 258,000 residents who c

GLOBAL 11 AUG

NGMN outlines agentic AI roadmap towards Level 4 autonomy in mobile networks

The Next Generation Mobile Networks (NGMN) Alliance has published its current view on pathways to agentic AI adoption in cellular infrastructures. NGMN's third-phase Network Automation and Autonomy paper provides a reference framework to assist with the selection of network components capable of driving agentic AI-based automation. The analysis aims to benchmark available open-source ecosystems for agentic deployment along with relevant technology standards, and also examines key factors in achieving safe,

INDIA 11 AUG

Ceragon sales growth accelerates to 14% in Q2

Ceragon reported second-quarter sales growth of 14.2 percent year-on-year to USD 93.9 million, reversing Q1's 4.1 percent revenue decline. India's revenue share soared by 13 percentage points sequentially to 48 percent, outranking all of Ceragon's other operating markets, with second-place North America falling 15 pp to 22 percent. Ceragon had disclosed India bookings worth USD 120 million for the seven months from January to end-July.

GHANA 11 AUG

Telecel Ghana boosts UHAS campus network connectivity with new 4G site

Telecel Ghana has upgraded its network infrastructure at the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) in the Volta Region by commissioning a dedicated 4G network site. The installation expands network capacity and boosts high-speed mobile connectivity across the university campus and surrounding communities. The upgrade is part of Telecel Ghana's broader nationwide network expansion initiative aimed at delivering faster, more reliable service across the country.

IRELAND 11 AUG

Vertiv to expand operations in Ireland, creating up to 300 new jobs

Vertiv, global provider of critical digital infrastructure, plans to extend its manufacturing and testing operations in Ireland, creating up to 300 new jobs. It will submit an application with Donegal County Council to expand its Letterkenny facility by an additional 7,000 sq mt. The investment is supported by the Irish government through IDA Ireland.

NORTH AMERICA 11 AUG

Zhone seals North American distribution partnerships

Zhone has entered a strategic pact with North American distributors Alliance Corp and Tessco Technologies to strengthen product availability and implementation of its broadband access offering. The partners will band together to create an end-to-end offering targeting carrier rollouts of next-generation broadband technology, spanning procurement, deployment and maintenance support.

AFRICA 11 AUG

IHS revenue rises 10% in Q2

IHS Towers has reported a 10.4 percent year-on-year increase in second quarter revenue from continuing operations to USD 428.6 million, excluding USD 42.4 million from the Latin America (Latam) segment, which is classified under discontinued operations. Organic revenue increased 0.5 percent, driven by constant currency growth of 2.2 percent, supported by higher contributions from colocation, lease amendments, new sites and price escalations. This performance offset a 3.7 percent inorganic revenue headwind r

GLOBAL 11 AUG

Over 100 operators worldwide complete 3G shutdown - study

More than 100 mobile operators around the world have now completed 3G network shutdowns to free up spectrum for 4G and 5G services, according to a new study by the Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA). The report identifies 313 operators across 89 countries and territories that have either completed, planned or are in the process of switching off their 2G and 3G networks, driven by the need to upgrade infrastructure, boost capacity and reduce energy consumption.

UNITED KINGDOM 11 AUG

Cornerstone, TIP announce mobile infrastructure site partnership

Cornerstone, UK mobile infrastructure provider, and Telecom Infrastructure Partners (TIP) have agreed a new long-term partnership to support telecoms site management across the UK. The Strategic Portfolio Agreement creates a streamlined renewal framework for TIP-managed sites, simplifying processes and boosting operational efficiency. The partners will created a shared portfolio of telecoms sites operating under the framework, and adopt a consistent approach to telecoms site renewals.

ICELAND 11 AUG

Icelandic hearing considers separate or integrated telecoms and cybersecurity policies

The Icelandic Ministry of Infrastructure is running a preliminary consultation concerning a proposed green paper on telecommunications and cybersecurity. The government is reviewing its cybersecurity policy and formulating a new policy and action plan for telecommunications. It is considering whether to develop one integrated policy or two separate but compatible policies. It is inviting comments by 22 August from members of the public, businesses, public organisations, municipalities, the academic sector a

IRAQ 11 AUG

Korek Telecom criticises Iraqi regulator's operational suspension order

Korek Telecom has criticised a statement from Iraq's Communications and Media Commission regarding the suspension of its operations, according to the New Region. The Kurdistan-based operator said that a previous agreement had been reached with higher authorities and argued that the commission lacks the legal power to enforce the decision. Korek described the commission's move as part of a series of arbitrary measures driven by the political faction governing the commission's administration.

RUSSIAN FEDERATION 11 AUG

Megafon tests private 5G equipment made in Russia

Russian operator Megafon has tested its first private 5G network in its own telecom equipment laboratory, reports Forbes.ru. The company said it confirmed its readiness for the seamless transition of existing LTE networks to 5G using domestic base stations, including in companies with high reliability and information security requirements.

SPAIN 11 AUG

MasOrange mulls keeping Huawei or adding Nokia and Samsung as network suppliers - report

MasOrange, the telecommunications group created following the merger between Orange Spain and Masmovil, is reconsidering its mobile network supplier strategy, opening the door to retaining Huawei or bringing in Nokia or Samsung as additional vendors, according to unnamed sources cited by Expansion. The shift casts doubt on a July 2024 agreement that had planned to phase out Chinese equipment and transition the network entirely to Sweden's Ericsson by 2029.

Just In

15:31

Megafon deploys indoor network at Volga Arena in Nizhny-Novgorod

15:30

Google updates Pixel range with increase in phone prices, predictive health on smartwatch

14:22

Rostelecom up 11% in Q2, EBITDA grows 9%

14:21

Beeline expands coverage in Moscow residential buildings

Commentary

11 AUG 10:49

Can Ziggo Group creation improve visibility for the Dutch market?

2 JUL 11:26

Canal Plus misses chance to strengthen Dutch business, time for exit?

23 JUN 09:56

ACM blocks Delta/Glaspoort deal - what can KPN do?

5 MEI 10:55

KPN: the art of making one-offs structural

Background

9 AUG 23:44

The week in telecom: Starlink's mobile ambitions and LEO challengers, plus Hollywood studios try streaming shorts and sports

2 AUG 23:37

The week in telecom: Telcos resist economic slowdown in Q2 while big tech gears up for more AI investment

26 JUL 23:19

The week in telecom: Samsung works on foldable challenge, US telcos try FMC

19 JUL 23:41

The week in telecom: OnePlus exits tough smartphone market and Apple takes on OpenAI