Musashino City partners NTT on autonomous public transport trials
JAPAN 06:21

Musashino City partners NTT on autonomous public transport trials

The City of Musashino in Tokyo has signed a cooperation agreement with NTT East and NTT Mobility to support the introduction of autonomous driving technologies into local public transport services. The agreement, signed on 16 June, aims to address public transport challenges including bus driver shortages, an ageing population and changing mobility requirements. The partners said they will work towards the deployment of autonomous transport services in Musashino, with a focus on operating in complex urban e

Optical interconnect market to exceed USD 39 bln by 2030 - TrendForce
GLOBAL 06:18

Optical interconnect market to exceed USD 39 bln by 2030 - TrendForce

The market for co-packaged optics (CPO) and near-packaged optics (NPO) is expected to grow from approximately USD 100 million in 2025 to more than USD 39 billion by 2030, according to new research from TrendForce. The rapid expansion of AI training and inference workloads is increasing power consumption, rack densities and cluster sizes in AI data centres, making data interconnects a more significant factor in overall infrastructure design and energy efficiency.

Iren completes Nostrum acquisition to expand European AI presence
SPAIN 06:16

Iren completes Nostrum acquisition to expand European AI presence

Australian AI infrastructure company Iren has completed its acquisition of Spanish data centre developer Ingenostrum, marking its entry into the European market. The acquisition adds approximately 490 MW of secured, grid-connected power capacity in Spain, along with an additional development pipeline. Iren said the transaction also brings a team of more than 50 employees covering development, engineering, construction and operations.

Swoop signs MVNO wholesale agreement with TPG Telecom
AUSTRALIA 06:14

Swoop signs MVNO wholesale agreement with TPG Telecom

Australian operator Swoop Holdings has entered into a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) wholesale agreement with TPG Telecom through its subsidiary Moose Mobile, effective 16 June 2026. Under the agreement, Moose Mobile will gain wholesale access to TPG Telecom's national mobile network, supporting mobile services for residential, business and wholesale customers across Australia. Swoop said the TPG partnership is expected to improve the gross margin percentage of its mobile business over the 2027 to 2

Korea to chair new ITU smart city AI standards group
GLOBAL 06:12

Korea to chair new ITU smart city AI standards group

South Korea's Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) has secured a leadership role in the development of international standards for AI-enabled smart cities following the establishment of a new focus group within the International Telecommunication Union's standardisation sector. The institute said it led the creation of the Focus Group on AI for Smart Sustainable Cities and Communities (FG-AI4SSC), which was approved at the recent meeting of the ITU Telecommunication Standardization S

SKT to give AI agents formal roles in workplace operations
KOREA, REPUBLIC OF 06:10

SKT to give AI agents formal roles in workplace operations

SK Telecom (SKT) has announced a new phase of its AI transformation programme, dubbed "AX Innovation 2.0", aimed at further integrating AI into employee workflows and organisational processes. The initiative builds on the operator's earlier AI transformation efforts, which focused on improving operational efficiency. According to SKT, the new programme is intended to redesign working practices more fundamentally and extend the use of AI across business functions.

Applications open for AUD 50 million connectivity programme in Queensland
AUSTRALIA 06:06

Applications open for AUD 50 million connectivity programme in Queensland

The Australian and Queensland governments have opened applications for the AUD 50 million Local Digital Priority Projects (LDPP) grant programme, which aims to improve digital connectivity, access to online services and digital capability across South East Queensland. The programme is jointly funded by the two governments, with the Australian government contributing AUD 40 million and the Queensland government providing AUD 10 million.

KDDI to launch Sharp smartwatch and smart ring through au accessory range
JAPAN 06:03

KDDI to launch Sharp smartwatch and smart ring through au accessory range

KDDI and Okinawa Cellular Telephone will launch two new wearable devices from Sharp through the au +1 collection accessory range on 9 July, with pre-orders opening on 16 June. The products comprise the Sharp Karada Mate Watch smartwatch and the Sharp Karada Mate Ring smart ring, both of which will be sold through the au Online Shop.

IQE and Tower sign multi-year InP wafer supply agreement for AI data centre optics
UNITED KINGDOM 06:02

IQE and Tower sign multi-year InP wafer supply agreement for AI data centre optics

UK-based chip wafer supplier IQE and Tower Semiconductor have signed a multi-year agreement covering the supply of indium phosphide (InP) epiwafers for optical connectivity technologies used in AI-driven data centre infrastructure. Under the agreement, IQE will supply InP epiwafers for use in several of Tower Semiconductor's silicon photonics platforms. The companies said the collaboration will support the development and production of optical technologies including 200Gb/s-per-lane pluggable transceivers,

Digicel Fiji launches customer-focused 'With You' brand campaign
FIJI 06:00

Digicel Fiji launches customer-focused 'With You' brand campaign

Digicel Fiji has launched a new brand campaign, titled "With You", centred on the role of connectivity in customers' daily lives. The campaign focuses on how people use communications services to stay in touch with family and friends, manage everyday responsibilities and remain connected during significant life events. According to the operator, the initiative reflects a repositioning of its role from that of a network provider to a service that customers rely on in their day-to-day activities.

Sharon AI expands Vast Data partnership with planned 600PB AI storage deployment
AUSTRALIA 05:58

Sharon AI expands Vast Data partnership with planned 600PB AI storage deployment

Australian cloud infrastructure provider Sharon AI has expanded its partnership with Vast Data, committing to deploy 600 PB of the Vast AI Operating System across its AI cloud infrastructure. The companies said the platform will serve government, enterprise, research and AI-focused customers across Australia and the Asia-Pacific region, forming the data layer for Sharon AI's sovereign AI infrastructure.

NTT Docomo and SoftBank to launch Aquos R11 smartphone
AUSTRALIA 05:56

NTT Docomo and SoftBank to launch Aquos R11 smartphone

NTT Docomo has announced that it will launch the Aquos R11 SH-51G smartphone in Japan in early July 2026, with pre-orders opening on 16 June. The device will be available through all Docomo sales channels and forms part of the operator's summer handset portfolio. SoftBank has also confirmed that it will offer the Aquos R11 from early July 2026, with reservations opening on 16 June. The operator said the device will support 5G services and will be available through its SoftBank brand.

AUSTRALIA 05:53

Regional Connectivity Program completes fibre links for Tasmania's west coast

Two telecommunications infrastructure projects funded through the Australian government's Regional Connectivity Program have been completed, connecting the west coast Tasmanian communities of Zeehan and Tullah to the state's existing fibre network. The projects were delivered with co-investment from Hydro Tasmania and regional operator 42-24 in partnership with TasNetworks. According to the government, the new links will provide residents, businesses and visitors with access to more reliable and higher-capa

UNITED STATES 05:50

DataBank secures USD 1.45 bln to support data centre expansion

US data centre operator DataBank has closed two financing transactions worth a combined USD 1.45 billion to support growth initiatives and the expansion of its Red Oak campus in Texas. The financing package comprises an USD 800 million revolving credit facility and a USD 650 million increase to the company's existing construction financing for the Red Oak campus. The revolving credit facility, which matures in 2031, will be used for general corporate purposes, including working capital, capital expenditure

KOREA, REPUBLIC OF 05:49

SKT passkey platform receives top software quality certification

SK Telecom (SKT) said its Passkey authentication solution has received Grade 1 GS (Good Software) certification from the Telecommunications Technology Association (TTA), the highest level available under the programme. GS certification is a national software quality certification scheme based on ISO/IEC standards that evaluates software across criteria including functionality, security and reliability.

KOREA, REPUBLIC OF 05:48

KT provides advance payments to suppliers amid memory price increases

Korea Telecom (KT) has provided advance payments to suppliers to help secure memory components amid rising prices and supply chain pressures affecting the global technology sector. KT said geopolitical risks in the Middle East, currency fluctuations and higher raw material costs have contributed to instability in global supply chains. The operator also cited increased demand for memory and other key components driven by large-scale AI investments and data centre expansion by major technology companies.

BANGLADESH 05:30

Grameenphone starts deployment of 700 MHz spectrum across Bangladesh

Grameenphone reports it has started the nationwide deployment of its recently acquired 700 MHz spectrum to upgrade network performance across Bangladesh. The integration of this low-band spectrum is designed to enhance indoor signal penetration and expand mobile coverage footprint, particularly in rural areas.

MALAYSIA 05:21

Astro's Q1 profit drops to MYR 2 million despite Sooka streaming platform growth

Astro Malaysia's revenue for the first quarter dropped 6.2 percent to MYR 660 million, from to the MYR 702 million on year earlier. The company says this decline reflected softer contributions from subscription, advertising, film and production services in line with seasonal trends. First-quarter ARPU amounted to MYR 93.90, while PATAMI dropped 88 percent to MYR 2 million from MYR 13 million in the year-earlier period.

TURKEY 05:02

Turkcell's Tumbara allowance converter distributes 25 million GB of mobile data in first year

Turkcell has announced that its digital savings service Tumbara distributed 25 million gigabytes of internet data to users during its first year of operation. Over 6.3 million Turkcell customers activated the platform during this period, claiming a total of 11 million individual rewards using accumulated points.

BANGLADESH 04:47

Veon mulls Banglalink-Teletalk merger, partnership with BTCL in Bangladesh

Veon, through its subsidiary Banglalink, has submitted a formal proposal to the Bangladeshi government to merge with Teletalk and form a strategic infrastructure partnership with BTCL. Accordignt to Banglalink CEO Johan Buse, over its 21-year history in Bangladesh, Veon has invested more than USD 2.5 billion, and the company is now prepared to deploy an immediate USD 100 million in fresh capital to support its digital and physical infrastructure development.

MALAYSIA 15 JUN

U Mobile named official broadcast sponsor for FIFA World Cup 2026 on RTMKlik

Malaysian operator U Mobile has been appointed as the official broadcast sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on RTMKlik. The operator will provide its subscribers with access to all 104 of the FIFA tournament matches. In addition, U Mobile subscribers can also win exclusive prizes and fan experiences as part of the campaign.

UNITED STATES 15 JUN

Logix Fiber provides tech firm with Texas wavelength connectivity

Logix Fiber Networks, Texas-based fibre network operator, is expanding its network footprint with a new multi-terabit wavelength deployment for a leading global tech firm. The contract will provide dozens of 400 Gig waves for connectivity between key markets across the state of Texas - including Dallas, Houston, Austin and Forth Worth. Logix Fiber provides fibre connectivity, wavelength services, dark fibre, Ethernet and Dedicated Internet Access (DIA) services to hyperscale, carrier and enterprise customer

GLOBAL 15 JUN

EA launches new in-game advertising platform for brand partners

Electronic Arts (EA) has launched a new platform called EA Advertising for brands to connect directly with audiences through an exclusive EA Sports Partner Programme, creative partnerships, in-game integrations and scalable ad opportunities across the global EA games portfolio. Brands will be able to integrate dynamic, real-time ad placements directly into gameplay, such as custom in-game content or stadium signage. 

UKRAINE 15 JUN

Kyivstar expands 'Chance' fixed broadband offer

Ukrainian operator Kyivstar announced that its fixed broadband tariff plan 'Chance' in eight cities until the end of this year. Customers can take advantage of the offer in Kiev, Dnipro, Poltava, Chernivtsi, Bila Tserkva, Fastiv in the Kiev region, Zhovti-Vodi in the Dnipro region, and Sheptitskiy in the Lviv region and receive broadband at up to 100 Mbps for UAH 50 monthly for the first six months and then UAH 100 per month. Customers covered by the fibre-optic network are offered up to 1 Gbps speeds inste

Just In

06:21

Musashino City partners NTT on autonomous public transport trials

06:18

Optical interconnect market to exceed USD 39 bln by 2030 - TrendForce

06:16

Iren completes Nostrum acquisition to expand European AI presence

06:14

Swoop signs MVNO wholesale agreement with TPG Telecom

Commentary

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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

1 JUN 00:13

The week in telecom: EU telcos push sovereign services as governments question foreign tech investors

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