2026-09-02

EchoStar's Hughes Satellite Internet Unit Files for Bankruptcy Protection as Satellite Broadband Competition Intensifies

Hughes Satellite Systems, the satellite internet business of U.S. telecommunications company EchoStar, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection with a U.S. court on August 2. The filing reflects the growing competitive and financial pressures facing Hughes in the satellite broadband market, while highlighting the challenges confronting traditional satellite network operators as next-generation low Earth orbit (LEO) services such as Starlink rapidly expand. Hughes is a major satellite communications business under EchoStar and has long provided broadband services to remote and underserved areas through satellite networks. Compared with the rapidly expanding LEO satellite constellations, Hughes has relied primarily on a traditional satellite broadband business model, leaving it under increasing competitive pressure from emerging providers such as Starlink in terms of network speed, latency, and pricing. The bankruptcy filing did not come unexpectedly. EchoStar had previously raised concerns about Hughes' ability to maintain operations and meet its debt obligations. Hughes Satellite Systems has now formally entered the Chapter 11 process to restructure its financial position and address its existing debt obligations. Traditional Satellite Broadband Models Face Growing Pressure to Transform Hughes’ financial difficulties also reflect the rapid transformation of the competitive landscape in satellite broadband. Historically, the market was dominated by geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) satellite operators. However, the large-scale deployment of LEO constellations such as Starlink has significantly raised both the technical requirements for satellite broadband services and customer expectations. LEO satellites offer lower network latency and can provide greater capacity and broader coverage through large-scale satellite constellations. As a result, they are becoming increasingly important competitors in the remote-area and fixed satellite broadband markets. Traditional GEO satellite operators therefore face not only the risk of customer losses, but also growing pressure to invest in network upgrades and new service models. In the U.S. market in particular, Starlink has rapidly expanded across consumer, enterprise, aviation, maritime, and government markets. According to Reuters, Starlink has continued to emerge as an important source of revenue for SpaceX, with its subscriber base reaching approximately 12 million users in the second quarter of 2026. The growth further highlights the competitive pressure that LEO satellite broadband is placing on traditional satellite network operators. EchoStar Also Undergoing a Transformation Across Satellite and Terrestrial Communications Notably, as Hughes enters bankruptcy proceedings, EchoStar itself is undergoing a major restructuring of its assets. EchoStar previously reached an agreement with SpaceX to sell 65 MHz of wireless spectrum assets valued at approximately US$19.6 billion. SpaceX plans to use the spectrum and associated terrestrial network assets to expand Starlink beyond its current Direct-to-Cell services toward a more comprehensive mobile communications network. The development demonstrates the accelerating convergence of satellite communications and terrestrial mobile networks. SpaceX is no longer positioning Starlink solely as a traditional satellite broadband service, but is instead seeking to combine satellites, terrestrial infrastructure, and mobile spectrum to build a more integrated communications network.

2026-09-02

3GPP Completes 6G Service Requirements Study: AI, Integrated Sensing and Communication, and Immersive Communications Emerge as Core Applications

The 3GPP SA1 working group has completed its Release 20 study on “6G Use Cases and Service Requirements”, with the findings compiled in Technical Report TR 22.870. The study lays the groundwork for subsequent standardization efforts covering 6G system architecture, radio access networks, and core networks. Conducted over approximately two years, the study comprehensively examined potential services, use cases, functional requirements, and performance requirements for future 6G networks. The findings indicate that 6G will go beyond simply increasing mobile network speeds and instead evolve toward AI-native networking, integrated sensing and communication, immersive communications, ubiquitous connectivity, and convergence between communications and computing. According to the 3GPP study, TR 22.870 covers approximately 161 use cases, 473 potential requirements, 243 consolidated potential requirements, and 22 KPI tables. These cover a broad range of areas, including system and operational aspects, AI, Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC), Ubiquitous Connectivity, Immersive Communication, massive communications, and industrial and vertical applications. AI and Communications Convergence: 6G Moves Toward AI-Native Networks AI is regarded as one of the key capabilities of 6G. The 3GPP study includes a range of AI-related use cases, including collaborative communications among AI agents, AI/ML model training and inference, and user-experience optimization for generative AI (GenAI) applications. Under this vision, 6G networks will not merely serve as data transmission channels for AI applications, but may also provide resources for AI model training, inference, and computing, creating a more closely integrated architecture connecting networks, devices, and AI services. For example, 6G could provide computing resources for AI text-to-video generation, AI model inference, and XR content rendering, further enabling communication-computing coordination. 3GPP further points out that the role of future 6G networks is expected to evolve from traditional “data transmission channels” into data producers, data consumers, and computing service providers. In addition to transmitting data, networks will process new types of information, including AI model data, sensing data, and Digital Twin data, while exploring new architectures such as In-Network Computing. ISAC Becomes a Key 6G Capability, Further Integrating Communications and Sensing Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) is another major development direction for 6G. By integrating wireless communications and sensing capabilities, future networks could use wireless signals to detect and track people, vehicles, drones, robots, and other objects, supporting applications such as smart transportation, industrial automation, and security monitoring. Under this approach, base stations and network equipment would no longer serve solely as connectivity infrastructure, but could also function as environmental sensing infrastructure, providing information about location, movement, and surrounding conditions. The 3GPP study also covers the collection and processing of sensing data, as well as support for mission-critical sensing services. Immersive Communications to Drive XR, Digital Twins, and New Human-Machine Interactions In the area of immersive communications, 3GPP identifies Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), Mixed Reality (MR), holographic communications, telepresence, and Digital Twins as important 6G application areas. While 5G has primarily focused on enhanced mobile broadband, 6G is expected to pursue greater levels of real-time responsiveness, immersion, and multisensory interaction, enabling users to engage in more natural remote interactions through visual, auditory, and potentially other sensory modalities. These capabilities could drive new services across entertainment, healthcare, education, manufacturing, and enterprise collaboration. Ubiquitous Connectivity and Satellite Communications Integrated into the 6G Architecture 3GPP's 6G study also identifies Ubiquitous Connectivity as a major development direction, emphasizing the need for future networks to provide broader coverage and support diverse types of devices and network environments. Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) are also included in the study, covering coordination between satellite systems and terrestrial mobile networks. Future 6G networks are expected to further integrate terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks to provide services such as positioning, timing, and wide-area connectivity, while extending coverage to areas that are difficult for conventional terrestrial networks to reach. 6G Applications Extend Further into Industrial and Vertical Sectors In addition to AI, ISAC, and immersive communications, 3GPP has included smart factories, collaborative robots, Industrial IoT, Digital Twins, smart grids, drones, and autonomous systems in its 6G study. For example, 6G could support collaboration among multiple mobile robots by integrating sensing, communications, and computing capabilities. Robots could obtain real-time environmental information, make decisions, and coordinate with one another. Critical infrastructure such as smart grids could also leverage 6G to provide real-time data transmission and monitoring capabilities. From “Higher Speeds” to an “Intelligent Network Platform” Overall, the 3GPP SA1 6G study demonstrates that the technological vision for 6G extends well beyond that of simply being the next generation of mobile communications. Compared with 5G's emphasis on mobile broadband, low latency, and massive IoT, 6G will further integrate AI, communications, sensing, computing, and data capabilities to create a new type of intelligent network platform capable of supporting intelligent decision-making and service delivery. 3GPP indicates that future 6G standardization will build on the findings of this study and advance the development of subsequent system architectures and technical specifications. At the same time, 6G will maintain interoperability and evolutionary compatibility with existing 5G systems while addressing requirements related to security, resilience, sustainability, and energy efficiency. The study results are expected to serve as an important foundation for the subsequent development of 6G specifications in 3GPP Release 21.

2026-09-02

TelecomTV: Telcos Shift AI Deployments Toward Monetization, with GPUaaS and AI Factories Emerging as Key Opportunities

According to the latest “Telco AI: State of the Market” report from GSMA Intelligence, global telecom operators are gradually shifting their AI strategies from improving operational efficiency toward commercial models that can generate direct revenue. The report found that 35% of telco AI deployment initiatives announced over the past six months have explicitly identified revenue targets, indicating that operators are increasingly viewing AI as a new source of revenue growth rather than simply a tool for reducing costs and improving network efficiency. GSMA Intelligence categorizes the commercial opportunities for telco AI into three tiers. GPU-as-a-Service (GPUaaS), sovereign AI, and vertical industry solutions are regarded as the areas with the greatest growth potential. The second tier includes managed AI services and enhanced enterprise service offerings, while business models such as foundation-model training and open AI markets continue to face greater challenges in achieving commercial viability. Among these opportunities, AI Factories are emerging as an important component of telcos’ AI strategies. AI Factories are dedicated data centers that integrate high-performance computing, data resources, and AI infrastructure, transforming large-scale data and computing capabilities into services such as automated decision-making, predictive analytics, and AI agents. GSMA Intelligence estimates that AI Factories could potentially generate an approximately 5% increase in revenue for mobile operators, while providing telcos with an opportunity to directly enter the rapidly growing AI infrastructure market. GSMA Intelligence further notes that even capturing a relatively small share of enterprise demand for AI infrastructure could generate significant new data center revenue for telecom operators. If 5% to 10% of cloud revenue were converted into AI infrastructure services provided directly by telcos, service revenue growth could increase by approximately 1.5 to 3 percentage points. If the conversion rate reached 20%, the potential uplift in service revenue growth could reach approximately 5 percentage points. Another major market opportunity is sovereign AI. GSMA Intelligence reports that sovereign AI is gradually becoming a mainstream trend across regions. The United States and Canada are currently among the most advanced markets, with approximately 40% of telcos having already launched related products or services. Even in Latin America, where adoption is currently the lowest, around 20% of telcos have introduced some form of commercial sovereign AI service. Demand for sovereign AI is being driven primarily by highly regulated sectors such as financial services, healthcare, and defense, with particularly strong demand in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. In the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America, regulatory requirements such as data residency are important drivers of sovereign AI services. Telcos have an inherent advantage in this area because of their local networks, data centers, and regulatory compliance capabilities, enabling them to provide AI services that meet data sovereignty requirements. However, GSMA Intelligence also warns that telecom operators face a scale disadvantage in capital investment if they seek to expand further into AI infrastructure. Hyperscalers have been increasing AI-related capital expenditure at a rapid pace in recent years. In 2025, for example, Amazon, Google, and Microsoft invested approximately US$92.3 billion, US$54.4 billion, and US$53.0 billion, respectively, in AI-related infrastructure and investment. By comparison, major Chinese telecom operators collectively invested approximately US$19.6 billion in AI infrastructure in 2025, while telecom operators in Germany and the United Kingdom each invested around US$3.6 billion. The substantial gap in investment scale highlights the challenge facing telcos: while they possess advantages in network infrastructure and local data centers, competing directly with major cloud providers in AI computing and data center markets will require significantly greater capital investment and economies of scale. Overall, the GSMA Intelligence study indicates that telco AI is moving from an “efficiency improvement” phase toward a "revenue monetization" phase. Going forward, operators’ AI strategies are expected to extend beyond network automation, customer service, and operational optimization into emerging markets such as GPUaaS, AI Factories, sovereign AI, and enterprise AI solutions. However, the ability to build competitive AI infrastructure with limited capital resources—and to establish differentiated offerings against hyperscalers such as Amazon, Google, and Microsoft—will be critical to determining whether telecom operators can successfully monetize AI and turn it into a sustainable source of future growth.

2026-08-03

LEO Satellite Industry Update: SpaceConnect Launches to Advocate for NGSO Policies, Rocket Lab to Acquire Iridium in $8 Billion Deal

The global low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite industry has seen two major developments. On one hand, Amazon, Iridium, Telesat, and Globalstar have jointly established SpaceConnect, a new industry association aimed at advancing policy reforms for the non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) satellite sector. On the other hand, Rocket Lab has announced an US$8 billion acquisition of Iridium, strengthening its vertically integrated capabilities across satellite manufacturing, launch services, and satellite operations. Together, these developments underscore the accelerating consolidation and intensifying competition within the global satellite communications industry. SpaceConnect Launches to Advance NGSO Satellite Policy Initiatives SpaceConnect was founded by Amazon, Iridium, Telesat, and Globalstar to represent the interests of the NGSO satellite industry and advocate for regulatory and policy reforms. The organization is led by David Redl, former Administrator of the U.S. National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), who serves as Chief Executive Officer, while Julie Kearney, the inaugural Chief of the FCC's Space Bureau, has been appointed General Counsel. The organization plans to focus on a broad range of policy issues, including spectrum management, satellite licensing and regulatory modernization, government procurement of commercial satellite services, and efforts to encourage the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to review and update Equivalent Power Flux Density (EPFD) regulations in response to the rapid expansion of NGSO satellite constellations. Notably, SpaceX and AST SpaceMobile—two major players in the rapidly growing Direct-to-Device (D2D) satellite communications market—are not members of the alliance. Industry analysts attribute their absence to longstanding disagreements over spectrum allocation, orbital resource management, and competitive market strategies. For example, SpaceX has previously opposed regulatory filings related to Amazon Leo, while Iridium and AST SpaceMobile have maintained ongoing disputes over spectrum usage. In addition, SpaceX has already established a strong competitive position through favorable regulatory momentum at the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and its expanding global market presence, reducing the need to participate in an industry coalition. Market observers also speculate that SpaceConnect may eventually collaborate with major mobile network operators—including T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon—to advocate for regulatory frameworks that promote D2D satellite services and foster greater market competition. Rocket Lab to Acquire Iridium for US$8 Billion, Accelerating Vertical Integration In a separate landmark transaction, Rocket Lab announced that it will acquire Iridium for approximately US$8 billion through a combination of cash and stock. The transaction has been unanimously approved by the boards of both companies and is expected to close in mid-2027, subject to customary regulatory approvals. The acquisition comes amid a broader wave of consolidation across the satellite industry, following major developments such as Amazon's acquisition of Globalstar and SpaceX's landmark IPO, highlighting increasingly intense competition among global satellite operators. Iridium currently operates a constellation of 80 LEO satellites utilizing L-band spectrum to provide worldwide communications services. The company supports more than 500 partners and 2.55 million active subscribers, with business operations spanning satellite Internet of Things (IoT), Direct-to-Device (D2D) communications, Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) services, and mission-critical communications. In recent years, Iridium has been actively advancing its NTN Direct platform and has successfully demonstrated two-way messaging capabilities. The company aims to establish the world's first 3GPP-compliant NB-IoT and D2D satellite service, providing global coverage while lowering both technical and commercial barriers for device manufacturers and ecosystem partners deploying satellite IoT applications. Rocket Lab Chief Executive Officer Peter Beck stated that combining Iridium's established satellite infrastructure, global spectrum assets, and commercial customer base with Rocket Lab's satellite manufacturing and launch capabilities will create a fully integrated aerospace company capable of competing more effectively with vertically integrated rivals such as SpaceX/Starlink and Amazon/Globalstar. Iridium Chief Executive Officer Matt Desch added that as satellite networks continue to converge with terrestrial mobile communications, the combined company will be well positioned to accelerate innovation across IoT, aviation, maritime, PNT, and national security applications, while expanding commercial opportunities for next-generation Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN).

2026-08-03

Ookla: Current 5G Networks Fall Short of Supporting Next-Generation AI Applications

Network testing and analytics firm Ookla has released a new study indicating that while today's 5G networks can support certain generative AI services, they remain insufficient for emerging applications such as augmented reality (AR), multimodal AI, and Physical AI. Key limitations—including network latency, uplink bandwidth, and performance under heavy traffic—suggest that global 5G infrastructure is still some distance away from fully meeting the demands of the AI era. According to Ookla, most existing 5G networks are already capable of supporting text-based large language models (LLMs) and conversational AI services. Text-based LLM applications typically require network latency below 50 milliseconds (ms), a benchmark already achieved in 18 of the 22 markets evaluated. Meanwhile, conversational voice AI generally requires latency below 40 ms, with 13 markets meeting this threshold. However, significant gaps remain for more demanding, real-time AI applications. Ookla noted that AR and multimodal AI require end-to-end latency below 30 ms to deliver an acceptable user experience, while the long-term target should be under 10 ms. Among the 22 markets surveyed, Singapore was the only one to meet the 30 ms benchmark, recording an average latency of 24.6 ms. No market has yet achieved the 10 ms target. The report also highlighted that several major markets have yet to meet even the baseline latency requirements for text-based LLMs. The United States, India, South Korea, and Spain currently struggle to consistently achieve the 50 ms threshold. South Korea, for example, ranks second globally in 5G download speeds, yet its continued reliance on 5G Non-Standalone (NSA) architecture and C-band time-division duplex (TDD) spectrum results in higher latency because uplink transmissions must wait for allocated time slots. As a result, multi-server latency testing recorded an average of 53 ms, demonstrating that high download speeds do not necessarily translate into low-latency performance. Beyond latency, Ookla identified uplink bandwidth as an increasingly critical indicator of AI network readiness—potentially even more important than download speed. Fewer than half of the mobile operators evaluated worldwide currently provide the 20 Mbit/s uplink throughput required for AR and multimodal AI applications. Network congestion further compounds the challenge, with latency increasing by 3.7 to 11.4 times under heavy traffic conditions. In addition, connectivity differences among cloud service providers can significantly affect application performance; in Australia, for example, latency between different cloud platforms can vary by nearly 100 ms. Looking ahead, Ookla expects Physical AI applications—including robotics, smart manufacturing, and industrial automation—to place the most stringent demands on mobile networks. To prepare for the AI era, the firm recommends that telecom operators accelerate the deployment of 5G Standalone (SA) networks, network slicing, uplink capacity optimization, and improvements to cloud connectivity architecture. These upgrades will be essential to delivering the low latency, high reliability, and real-time communication capabilities required by next-generation AI services.

2026-08-03

Dell'Oro: AI-RAN Revenue to Reach $35 Billion Over Five Years, Emerging as a Key Enabler for 6G Networks

According to the latest report from research firm Dell'Oro Group, the adoption of AI in radio access networks (RAN) is accelerating, positioning AI-RAN as one of the telecommunications industry's most significant growth areas. Dell'Oro forecasts that cumulative AI-RAN revenue will reach US$35 billion over the next five years. The firm also raised its outlook for the GPU RAN segment, projecting that the market will exceed US$1 billion by the end of 2030. However, Stefan Pongratz, Vice President at Dell'Oro Group, noted that while AI-RAN adoption is progressing rapidly, its primary value lies in improving network efficiency and transforming operational models rather than creating new demand. As a result, AI-RAN is not expected to expand the overall RAN market or significantly alter telecom operators' long-term revenue growth trajectory. Even as equipment vendors introduce AI-related software subscription services, the additional revenue generated by AI-RAN is expected to remain relatively modest through 2030. On the technology front, Dell'Oro believes AI-RAN will become a critical enabling technology during the later stages of the 5G era and will be fully integrated into 6G networks from the outset. The adoption of AI is expected to transform RAN architecture from a traditional connectivity layer focused on performance and spectral efficiency into an adaptive platform capable of intelligent automation, virtualization, and differentiated service delivery, providing a foundational platform for future intelligent networks. In terms of near-term market development, Dell'Oro expects initial AI-RAN deployments to focus primarily on AI-for-RAN applications, where AI is used to optimize the performance of existing RAN infrastructure rather than deploying fully AI-native RAN architectures. Early adoption is expected to center on single-purpose use cases, non-GPU architectures, distributed RAN (D-RAN) deployments, and 5G networks. As technologies mature and business models evolve, AI-RAN is expected to expand into a broader range of deployment scenarios. Dell'Oro also noted that the early phase of AI-RAN deployment will largely involve upgrading existing network infrastructure rather than replacing it entirely, allowing incumbent RAN equipment vendors to maintain their competitive advantage. According to the firm's estimates, Huawei, Ericsson, Nokia, ZTE, and Samsung together accounted for approximately 96% of global RAN market revenue in 2025, and these five vendors are expected to remain the dominant players in shaping the AI-RAN market and driving its technological evolution during the initial stages of deployment.

2026-06-05

AT&T CEO keeps LEO options open

• CEO John Stankey once again sang the praises of AT&T's fiber and wireless convergence strategy during the Q1 earnings call • In the D2D market, he's looking for a strong wholesale relationship – one that could expand beyond AST SpaceMobile • But as far as the threat from D2D, he reiterated that satellites don't work well indoors and AT&T itself has spent a lot of money to improve cellular service inside buildings At AT&T, it's all about convergence, which usually refers to the fiber/wireless bundle that the company touts, exemplified in its new OneConnect plan that offers new customers “one flat monthly price” for internet and wireless connectivity. But there's also the notion that satellite connectivity will be part of the mix.  “I think we're naturally positioned to add those capabilities on to the great integration we've already done to be a converged access provider,” AT&T CEO John Stankey said during today's Q1 earnings call.  He went on to talk about the awesomeness of fiber for its superior performance and lower cost per bit. But circling back to satellite, he acknowledged AT&T's long-time relationship with AST SpaceMobile in the direct-to-device (D2D) space and the work that SpaceX and Amazon Leo are doing.  He suggested that he's open to working with another low Earth orbit (LEO) player in addition to AST SpaceMobile. “My goal would be that I have a good, strong wholesale relationship, and it may not just be with one of them,” he said. “It may be with more than one of them, and that we architect this in a way that we can continue to manage the traffic on our network and control packets so that we are able to offer that end-to-end integrated service on a heterogeneous network.” Satellite D2D as threat  Addressing the question du jour about satellite D2D posing a threat to terrestrial wireless networks, he said there's a lot to be done in getting LEO constellations up and working for D2D.  “I think it will happen, but I don't think it's going to be a straight line from here to there. There's all kinds of challenges to work through these things,” he said.  Related AT&T’s Stankey shares perspective on competition from LEO satellites One is getting satellites up in the air. Another is keeping them in orbit. He didn't mention it, but AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird 7 satellite failed to reach the correct altitude when it was launched last weekend and it had to be de-orbited.  Satellite players also need to get the right spectrum portfolio in place and work through issues related to power and interference, he said.  Then there's the physics. “Satellite works really good outdoors. It doesn't work very good indoors,” he said, adding that it's sometimes lost on people that “we have spent literally decades investing in communications infrastructure in this country to raise service levels and performance.”  Related MWC 2026: Can Elon Musk’s Starlink Mobile defy physics? AT&T spends about $1.5 billion a year to upgrade hospitals, stadiums, hotels and universities to make sure the connectivity works inside buildings, and “you can’t just flip a switch and get that done,” he said.  AT&T’s OneConnect He also talked about the OneConnect plan, which targets new customers with the bundled wireless/fiber offering. It's a BYOD plan for consumers with unlocked devices; customers are hanging onto their devices longer and they're more accustomed to porting them from one carrier to the next, he said.  “We want to tailor this plan to make sure that we can receive those customers and then attach them to a network construct that drives churn down,” he said. “One of the best things we have to drive customer retention and customer lifetime value is by pairing fiber broadband with wireless.” Analyst's take on convergence theme In a report for investors today, MoffettNathanson's Craig Moffett noted that AT&T has re-segmented its results to highlight the stuff they care about (mobility and fiber, grouped under the moniker “Advanced Connectivity,”) and the stuff they don't (copper, under the heading “Legacy”). “While the numbers are new, however, the narrative is by now relatively familiar. All this re-segmentation is in service of selling investors on the notion of convergence,” he said. Whether investors buy into that is another matter. Moffett pointed out that once AT&T's fiber expansion is complete, it will still have a converged footprint that covers no more than about a third of the U.S. Related AT&T pitches wireless, home internet in new ad In that third of the U.S., “AT&T will compete against a cable operator with a cost (and consumer price) advantage in offering a similar converged bundle, and against price-based stand-alone offerings from FWA and increasingly, LEO satellite,” Moffett said.  “As we've warned many times, ‘convergence’ is an elevated name for ‘discounts.’ The product doesn't work any differently. The costs of providing the two services aren't any lower together than apart,” Moffett said. “It's only the prices, and the margins, that are lower.”  By the numbers AT&T added 294,000 new postpaid phone customers in Q1, which was better than most analysts predicted. But its prepaid phone losses of 72,000 were much worse; analysts were expecting a loss closer to 35,000 in prepaid.  The company added 273,000 consumer fiber customers in the quarter. Internet Air, its fixed wireless access (FWA) offering, totaled 239,000 net additions.  Commenting on what AT&T's results mean for its stock, New Street Research analyst David Barden summed it up thusly: “The results were okay. Just okay. And okay results should be seen as a slight positive by the investors.” 

2026-04-17

Satellite D2D moving into the mainstream for mobile players – GSA

Direct-to-device (D2D) satellite connectivity generated considerable excitement at last month's Mobile World Congress with a plethora of announcements from operators. (See Orange among first partners for Vodafone, AST satellite JV; Eurobites: Deutsche Telekom goes with Starlink for satellite fill-in.) Mobile operators are teaming up with satellite players in their droves, both for mobile broadband connectivity and increasingly D2D services, in order to extend the reach of their 5G networks to far-flung corners of the world. According to a recent overview of the 5G market by the Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA), this trend is only set to grow. In the meantime, 5G New Radio (NR) non-terrestrial network (NTN) standards are also evolving to support a standardized approach to integrated 5G and satellite service offerings. During a webinar titled "GSA Snapshot: 5G networks, spectrum & devices," Joe Gardiner, market analyst at CCS Insight and a member of the GSA research team, said GSA figures to March 31 show that 97 operators in 70 countries have announced they are investing in satellite D2D technology. More partnerships have been unveiled subsequently, including in Japan (SoftBank and Starlink) and Costa Rica (Starlink with Liberty Costa Rica and Kölbi). "There's a lot of interest in this area, but there's also a lot of interest and movement towards 3GPP standards, and the convergence of the terrestrial and the non-terrestrial standards map" starting with 3GPP Release 17, Gardiner observed. He pointed in particular to Skylo, which is following a standards-based approach and already has D2D partnerships with operators such as Orange in France, Verizon and Vodafone IoT. (See Orange set to claim European satellite first; Skylo's trajectory toward the 'standardized sky' looks to include multiple orbits; MWC2026: Skylo makes universal connectivity a reality; Vodafone IoT teams with Skylo for satellite connectivity.) "Other players are [also] looking to use the standards-based approach, and looking to purchase the spectrum that's compatible with the standards," Gardiner said. He pointed here to the recent announcement by Amazon that it has signed a deal to acquire satellite specialist Globalstar, and "part of the reason that took place was because of the spectrum assets that Globalstar has." (See Amazon nets Globalstar for $11.5B, signs new Apple pact.) Gardiner added that a "lot of trials are taking place that are looking at the next stage of the standards, Release 18 with 5G NR NTN services." For instance, he referenced the trial announced by the European Space Agency (ESA), together with Airbus Defence and Space, Eutelsat OneWeb, and industry partners in November 2025. In addition, Spain's Sateliot is following the standards-based approach and has launched a Series C financing round to raise €100 million (US$117 million) to help fund the deployment its IoT-focused 5G satellite constellation. (See Eurobites: Sateliot seeks €100M in Series C funding for space-based 5G push.) "We expect more trials like this to take place over the next few months and years," Gardiner said. He also noted that there is a "movement towards using mobile satellite services (MSS) spectrum," although the drawback with this spectrum is the current lack of compatible mobile devices on the market. 5G advancing at pace Meanwhile, Ian Fogg, a research director at CCS Insight, who also works within the research team at the GSA, provided a brief overview of 5G developments to date, including the ongoing move towards 5G standalone (SA) and 5G Advanced networks.

2026-04-13

Amazon CEO Targets Mid-2026 Launch for Amazon Leo Service

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said Amazon’s satellite constellation is scheduled to launch service in mid-2026, in a letter to shareholders on Thursday. Jassy did not share a more specific timeframe for the rollout, but pointed to what he described as the constellation’s unique benefits in terms of performance, cost, and integration with Amazon Web Services (AWS). “The performance will be stronger (about six to eight times better on uplink, and two times better on downlink) than what customers have access to now. Second, this performance will come at a lower cost than alternatives,” Jassy said, seemingly hinting that Amazon Leo will cost less than Starlink. “And third, Leo will seamlessly integrate with AWS to enable enterprises and governments to move data back and forth for storage, analytics, and AI,” Jassy added. Amazon currently has a three-terminal lineup ranging from a portable design to Leo Ultra, which can support download speeds of up to 1 Gbps. Jassy shared his perspective on the potential value of the investment alongside investments Amazon has made in rural delivery and robotics. Earlier this year, the company advised investors that its spend on Amazon Leo will reach more than $1 billion just this year. “Amazon could be successful for a long time without investing this way in robotics, faster rural delivery, and broadband connectivity for underserved customers and geographies. But, we believe we can invent ways to change what’s possible for customers, are hungry to do so, and are confident these investments will yield meaningful growth and return on invested capital for the company,” Jassy wrote in the letter. Amazon has launched 241 satellites in the constellation after the most recent launch last weekend with United Launch Alliance. Chris Weber, the company’s vice president for Leo Business, recently said during SATShow Week that there are more than 200 satellites in the company’s processing facility at Cape Canaveral, and Amazon is planning for 20-plus launches this year as it scales the constellation. Weber also gave some insight into how Amazon plans to start service for the constellation, rolling out initially in two bands, one in the northern hemisphere and one in the south, Weber said. As more satellites are launched, expanding the coverage zones, the bands will extend toward the equator and the poles. Both bands already have ground infrastructure installed and running. When a geography goes live, it will provide services to all categories of customers: consumers, businesses, and governments.

2026-04-01

Network programmability APIs offer monetisation opportunity for telcos – GSMA

• Three years after launch, the GSMA says its Open Gateway has seen huge take up • The network API initiative has found success in anti-fraud solutions and payments • Mixed with AI, APIs will play a key role in future programmable networks, according to the GSMA’s head of networks, Henry Calvert Three years after the launch of the GSMA’s Open Gateway, the API initiative is moving from one of ambition and growth to a project focused on delivering monetisation opportunities for network operators. Today, 86 operator groups, representing more than 300 networks and 80% of global mobile connections, have signed up to a common API framework. Alongside them, more than 60 channel partners – spanning hyperscalers, aggregators and communications platform-as-a-service (CPaaS) providers – are commercialising network APIs at scale, according to the GSMA. Initially, Open Gateway went live at MWC23 with just eight Camara APIs, but now the GSMA reports more than 300 instances of 20 different Camara APIs commercially launched in 65 markets around the world. Speaking with TelecomTV during the recent MWC26 show in Barcelona, the GSMA’s head of networks, Henry Calvert, said: “Open Gateway still has good momentum. Very good momentum. I can’t believe we had an MoU [memorandum of understanding] that we started back in 2023… we’ve got over 80% of mobile connections. They’re live… they’re being used. And we’ve been seeing very impressive growth, well over 130% growth in the revenues,” he stated, though quite what those revenues amount to is not public knowledge. Initial success has been driven by the adoption of APIs in three key areas: Fraud prevention, quality on demand (QoD), and mobility and location. In terms of fraud prevention, multi-operator launches in dozens of countries around the world are enabling banks and retailers to verify identity, detect SIM swap fraud, and secure transactions in real time. Quality-on-demand (QoD) APIs, meanwhile, enable applications to request enhanced network performance for online payments, streaming, gaming, autonomous vehicles, drone safety and other mission-critical operations. And APIs that enable edge discovery, geofencing and device intelligence are helping developers to produce apps that can adapt in real time based on where a device is and how it is performing. Much of the initial successes have been anti-fraud use cases and payments, but Calvert said this is now expanding into other spaces. “When I look at the demand side, outside of the fintech industry, we see that automotive and aviation are really asking for the connection and the ability of the connection. Anti-fraud is the data, business, identity and everything that we’re doing now, but we’re trying to get into the connectivity business, which will make a lot more sense and create a lot more value for operators.” AI and APIs With AI top of the agenda at MWC26, the GSMA is also seeing it impact its API projects, as operators and vendors explore how agentic AI-based systems can automate the way network APIs are discovered, selected and combined. In Barcelona, the likes of Mplify and Colt, Orange and Google Cloud, as well as Nokia and AWS with Orange and du respectively, all showed off API/AI demos. Telefónica and Nokia, for example, launched pilots showing how agent-to-agent (A2A) protocols and the Model Context Protocol (MCP) can orchestrate tasks across AI agents, enabling automatic API discovery, intelligent selection of network capabilities, chaining of multiple APIs, secure entitlement checking and goal-driven workflows without manual intervention. “Agentic AI turns static APIs into dynamic, self-optimising building blocks, letting enterprises integrate telco capabilities into their systems with minimal effort,” explained Calvert. This combination of AI and APIs is vital on the route to programmable networks, he added, noting that the goal is to make connectivity itself more adaptable and responsive to enterprise needs. “It’s having all the context about that connection and that service… that is more programmable for the end user,” he said. As Calvert explained, this is less about exposing individual APIs and more about enabling enterprises to shape how networks behave. “No one API is going to make the difference… you have to get a number of APIs together,” he explained, pointing to a model where capabilities such as identity, location and network performance are combined depending on the use case. Programmability is driven by context. Rather than simply providing access to network functions, operators are exposing the data and controls needed to adapt services on demand. “It’s having all the context about that connection and that service… that is more programmable for the end user,” said Calvert. This marks a shift from static connectivity to something closer to the cloud model, where infrastructure can be configured in real time. As Calvert noted, enterprises are already accustomed to programmable compute and storage – and are beginning to expect the same from connectivity. For operators, this evolution is closely tied to monetisation. “We’re trying to get into the connectivity business… because fundamentally, that’s what you’re asking for in the value of that connection,” he said. “For enterprises, it’s fulfilling something instantaneously, rather than putting in a purchase order and waiting six months.” Calvert noted that “the value is incremental to the operator as well,” highlighting how APIs could help move the telecom sector towards a more cloud-like, usage-based model.

2026-03-16

From framework to scale: Accelerating autonomous networks at MWC 26

Last year, we unveiled our Autonomous Network Operations framework — a blueprint for Communication Service Providers (CSPs) to move beyond siloed automation toward self-healing, "zero-touch" networks. Today, we’re pivoting from networks that merely use AI for insights to intelligent agents capable of sensing, reasoning, and taking autonomous action. As we head into Mobile World Congress (MWC) Barcelona, we’re demonstrating how this shift is becoming a reality. By embedding AI into the heart of operations, companies like Deutsche Telekom and Vodafone are reducing operational complexity and turning connectivity from a utility into a value-creating engine. Product innovation: The engine of the agentic telco A key goal of the industry is to achieve Level 4 to 5 autonomy: a network that identifies, diagnoses, and fixes its own problems without human intervention. To do this, the underlying data platform must be as dynamic as the network itself. Over the last year, we’ve evolved our Cloud Spanner Graph and Vertex AI to handle the "dual nature" of telcos: the need for high-speed, real-time response for alarm correlation, combined with deep, historical pattern detection. Today, we’re refining our platform to support these autonomous operations through:    •The network digital twin: The network digital twin has evolved from a static map into a dynamic, temporal graph that represents the network’s live physical and logical state. It captures real-time performance and fault conditions while allowing agents to query historical states — such as the network’s appearance five hours or days ago — to perform instant, accurate root-cause analysis.    •Unified graph data layer: We’re breaking down the silos between operational and analytical data. By leveraging Spanner Graph for digital twins and federated graph analytics through BigQuery, telcos can interoperate between real-time updates and deep historical analysis without complex, slow ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) processes.    •Real-time predictions with GNN: Operators can now train Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) on their network digital twin data in Vertex AI. They can then use the trained GNN models, along with Spanner’s ML.PREDICT capability and the real-time data in the network digital twin, to move from monitoring to predicting, mathematically tracking how a failure might propagate, and resolving it before it impacts subscribers. Solution updates: Accelerating time-to-value One of the biggest hurdles to achieving Level 4 to 5 autonomy is manual delays caused by disconnected legacy systems. We’re launching new tools to replace bottlenecks with a unified, automated system:    •Open-source data foundation: To accelerate adoption, we’re releasing our telco data pipeline and data models source code on GitHub. CSPs can now implement unified industry-standard ontologies without manual schema mapping.    •New telco agents: In partnership with FutureConnections, we’re launching two new proof-of-value agents:        ºData steward agent: An agentic workflow that automates data governance to ensure digital twins remain accurate.        ºAutonomous network agents: Currently being trialed by One NZ, these agents manage voice core and OSS networks, moving beyond monitoring to active execution — like independently rerouting traffic or resetting network settings to restore call quality the moment a drop is detected. Ecosystem momentum: Innovation in action True autonomy requires a vibrant ecosystem. This year, we’re highlighting several key milestones:.    •MasOrange & NetAI: We’re working with NetAI to deliver GraphML-based AIOps. Together, we’ve launched a pilot project with MasOrange that demonstrates how specialized partner models can run on Google Cloud’s AI stack to resolve network incidents while providing the confidence for autonomous action.    •Nokia "Network as Code": We’re partnering with Nokia to make networks fully programmable by turning complex technical code into AI agents that understand everyday language. This allows telcos to simply ask the network to perform complex tasks — like prioritizing network resources for critical services like emergency response or remote healthcare — without needing any manual engineering. Looking ahead The agentic AI era is here. By embedding AI into the fabric of a telco’s network, we’re helping operators transform from connectivity utilities into intelligent service providers that continue to delight customers. Join us at MWC: Visit booth #2H40 in Hall 2 to see these solutions in action, including live demonstrations of multi-agent systems, digital twins, and physical AI robots. You can also dive deeper into our approach by downloading our latest whitepaper.

2026-03-16

Qualcomm accelerates 6G trajectory to drive device-to-data-center transformation for leading network providers

As the industry looks beyond 5G, 6G is emerging as the intelligent connectivity and sensing fabric for the world’s AI-centric future. 6G will power a new era of immersive personal AI, physical and industrial AI, while delivering unprecedented operational and power efficiencies for network providers, lowering total cost of ownership and enabling new services and revenue streams. As the leading driver in previous G transitions, Qualcomm is mobilizing the global ecosystem around building an AI-native, power-efficient connectivity and sensing platform, accelerating the industry’s path to 6G-driven transformation and growth. 6G explained: connectivity, sensing and compute working together 6G is being designed as an efficiency-first, AI-native system that presents a generational opportunity for industry growth along three key vectors:     • Connectivity: A generational leap in cellular coverage and capacity to support expanding wireless data demand and uplink traffic driven by users, sensors and edge AI, while improving energy and operational efficiency through wider bandwidths, Giga-MIMO, advanced waveforms and coding, and multi-device paradigms.     • Sensing: Unprecedented wide-area sensing capabilities integrated across the end-to-end network and system architecture for dynamic object detection and classification, using radio signals and multimodal fusion. 6G intelligent networks enable entirely new classes of business services and use cases such as digital twins, drone detection, vehicle traffic monitoring, physical AI applications and much more.     • High-performance compute: As an intelligent and context‑aware platform, 6G enables efficient compute and AI capabilities at every network tier — from devices, to edge, to cloud — to support connectivity, sensing and network management workloads. Through distributed compute, AI and application workloads can be dynamically partitioned and executed across these tiers based on real‑time context and network conditions, improving efficiency, responsiveness and scalability. By virtue of these vectors, 6G will enable network transformation toward an AI-as-a-service model, redefining network edge nodes as sensing and computation nodes, enabling new revenue models and growth in an AI economy, for network providers. How Qualcomm is advancing 6G through research, standards and technology leadership Qualcomm’s device-to-data-center expertise built on leadership in wireless, sensing and high-performance compute technologies, all with unmatched performance-per-watt efficiency, strongly positions the company to lead the ecosystem to a 6G architecture that benefits users and network providers. Qualcomm’s leadership in 6G standards and unmatched technology portfolio across modem-RF, 6G air interface, scalable RAN solutions, autonomous RAN management, AI orchestration, heterogeneous computing, telco server-grade and data center-grade CPU, NPU and AI stacks, make it the globally trusted and established partner for 6G transformation. Qualcomm is driving 3GPP standardization with foundational 6G air interface features that enable ultra-efficient integrated connectivity and sensing. Massive capacity and deep coverage will be enabled with 400 MHz channel bandwidth, power efficient DFT-spread waveforms, cost-effective LDPC coding and non-uniform modulation. The introduction of integrated sensing and communication, and AI-native capabilities in the devices and networks will also enable the convergence of physical AI, sensing and digital twin services. Today, the path toward realizing the 6G vision with 6G prototyping is progressing rapidly:     • New 6G user experiences including agentic and XR experiences with context awareness, distributed compute and multi-device collaboration, as well as new services for personal and physical AI are being prototyped and trialed with leading operators, infrastructure providers and device makers.     • Qualcomm has also validated foundational RF alignment and Giga-MIMO technology over 6G bands across leading infrastructure vendors and in our device-to-RAN testbed.     • The addition of Agentic RAN Management in the Dragonwing RAN Automation Suite offers a roadmap for 6G autonomous networks.     • Our investments in racks, servers, accelerator cards and AI stacks for networks, apps and agents, are building the comprehensive device-to-data-center roadmap for accelerating 6G readiness and transformation. 6G transformation is well under way. At MWC Barcelona 2026, Qualcomm demonstrated breakthroughs and announced new milestones including:     • Foundational 6G evolution, AI-native design for new experiences and sensing-enabled digital twin platforms for new services     • Qualcomm X105 5G Modem-RF — the world's first Release 19-ready modem     • Agentic RAN Management Service and AI enhancements for commercial RAN platforms Attendees of MWC Barcelona can also visit Qualcomm Booth #3E10 located in Hall 3 to see the demonstrations and speak with Qualcomm representatives.

2026-03-16

Telekom closes the last whitespots in Europe with Starlink satellite-to-mobile

Deutsche Telekom is expanding its network coverage through satellite-based direct connectivity. In partnership with Starlink, Deutsche Telekom will bring mobile communications to areas where network expansion is particularly challenging, for example due to nature conservation requirements or demanding topography. “We provide our customers with the best mobile network. And we continue to invest heavily in expanding our infrastructure,” said Abdu Mudesir, Board Member for Product and Technology at Deutsche Telekom. “At the same time, there are regions where expansion is especially complex due to topographical conditions or official constraints. We want to ensure reliable connectivity for our customers in those areas as well. That is why we are strategically complementing our network with satellite-to-mobile connectivity. For us, it is clear: connectivity creates security and trust. And we deliver. Everywhere.” “We’re so pleased to bring reliable satellite-to-mobile connectivity to millions of people across 10 countries in partnership with Deutsche Telekom,“ said Stephanie Bednarek, VP of Starlink Sales. “This agreement will be the first-of-its-kind in Europe to launch Starlink’s V2 next-generation technology that will expand on data, voice and messaging by providing broadband directly to mobile phones.“ Direct-to-Device: Connectivity Beyond Traditional Cell Coverage The service will operate only in Starlink’s MSS (Mobile Satellite Service) spectrum. The planned direct-to-device services will enable future compatible smartphones to connect directly to satellites. When a modern smartphone loses its terrestrial mobile signal, it will automatically switch to Starlink’s satellite network, enabling access to data, video, voice, and text messaging services. This creates an additional connectivity layer for data and voice services beyond traditional cellular coverage. The number of compatible devices in Europe is expected to grow steadily in the run-up to the planned launch in 2028. Starlink’s next-generation satellite constellation is scheduled to be in place by then. Greater Resilience in Emergency Situations By integrating satellite-based mobile connectivity, Telekom is also increasing the robustness of its mobile network and providing additional safety for customers, particularly in exceptional or infrastructure-constrained situations such as natural disasters or prolonged power outages. The “Everywhere Network”: Always the Best Available Connection Telekom follows a clear principle: customers always receive the best available connectivity. Anytime, anywhere. This is primarily delivered via its high-performance terrestrial network, meaning connections through traditional mobile sites. In Germany, Telekom already provides by far the largest 5G geographic coverage, reaching close to 90 percent of the country’s area. LTE covers more than 92 percent of the area, and voice services are available across up to 99 percent. Starlink’s satellite connectivity will extend the reach of the existing infrastructure when the terrestrial mobile network is unavailable. This creates an integrated network of mobile communications and satellite technology that delivers comprehensive, resilient, and future-proof connectivity, the “Everywhere Network.” The service launch is scheduled for early 2028 in several European Telekom markets, including Germany.

2026-01-12

NT$27 billion, six-year plan to boost next-gen communications

Technology Council briefing on a plan to develop next-generation communications technology. The premier said that as 6G and broadband satellite communications gain global momentum, Taiwan should seize this opportunity to build up its next-generation communications technology industry, in line with President Lai Ching-te's policy vision of advancing the Five Trusted Industry Sectors (semiconductors, artificial intelligence, military, security and surveillance, and next-generation communications). Premier Cho stated that NT$27 billion (approximately US$926.2 million) will be allocated over a six-year period to support the plan, with a focus on three key strategies: deploying critical application services, constructing experimental networks while accelerating technology R&D and trials, and enhancing cross-sector collaborations within the industry ecosystem. The plan will be aligned with the updated third phase of the National Space Technology Long-term Development Program, and will be implemented through a public-private partnership model to build a self-reliant development framework fueled by technology-driven industrial innovation. These efforts aim to deepen international cooperation, strengthen Taiwan's strategic role in the global supply chain and enhance the influence of the nation's next-generation communications industry on international decision-making, thereby positioning Taiwan as a vital and trusted partner in the global democratic community.