BROWSING: 5G
Operators tread carefully – weighing 5G SA costs, complexity, payoffs
Operators are moving through the gears with 5G SA and 5G-Advanced, balancing cap-ex constraints, operational complexity, and uncertain returns. While slicing, RedCap, and private 5G show promise, most are prioritizing efficiency and targeted enterprise services over big spending – reflecting the industry’s search for...
Editorial Report: Navigating the 5G cloud-native transition
For many CSPs, the 5G focus has turned to the transition to a new cloud-native core, a new service-based architecture and more dynamic service management and orchestration. CSPs are also looking to monetize their 5G investments and improve customer experience by tapping into key...
Reliance Jio dominates 5G FWA market in India
Reliance Jio Infocomm ended January with 4.8 million 5G FWA subscribers, followed by Bharti Airtel with over 800,000. In sum – what you need to know: Jio leads the pack – India reached 5.7 million 5G FWA users by January 2025, with Reliance Jio holding an...
China reaches nearly 4.4 million 5G base stations
Penetration of 5G services in China already reached 75.9% In sum – what you need to know: 5G boom continues – China has surpassed 4.39 million 5G base stations as of March 2025, with 5G user penetration reaching 75.9%. Digital economy grows fast – Core digital...
Starlink stalled in India, says telecom minister
The minister emphasized that Starlink must ensure that user terminals are registered domestically before a license can be granted In sum – what you need to know: License on hold – Starlink has not yet received approval to operate in India, as it must fulfill regulatory...
Fujitsu unveils 1FINITY for global network push
Fujitsu plans to transfer four of its group companies and their related companies to 1FINITY In sum – what you need to know: New spin-off, new strategy – Fujitsu will launch 1FINITY on July 1, 2025, consolidating its network products business, including optical gear and O-RAN-compliant...
BSNL to launch 5G after 4G stabilization: Minister
BSNL has installed 90,000 4G towers, with 76,000 already commissioned In sum – what you need to know: BSNL to launch 5G after 4G stabilizes – India’s state-run BSNL will only switch to 5G once its 4G network, now nearing 100,000 towers, meets quality benchmarks. No...
The state of 5G – chart smashes, heritage flops and sleeper hits
FWA is paying the bills, but the 5G market is still chasing dreams. For all the frustration about 5G money-making, FWA has been a revelation for operators; here we consider the impact and implications of FWA for telecoms, plus network gains with NSA and...
KDDI, AMD partner to advance 5G virtualized networks
KDDI plans to start deploying this technology across Japan starting in 2026 In sum – what you need to know: KDDI to deploy AMD-powered 5G by 2026 – Japanese operator KDDI will adopt AMD’s 4th Gen EPYC processors to boost the performance and energy efficiency of...
Airtel acquires spectrum from Adani to boost 5G expansion
Airtel will deploy 100 megahertz of spectrum in both Gujarat and Mumbai, and 50 megahertz each in Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu In sum – what you need to know: New frequencies for 5G spectrum – Bharti Airtel is acquiring 400 megahertz of 26GHz...
Advantages of US manufacturing of telecom equipment (Reader Forum)
As 5G becomes vital to national infrastructure, U.S.-based production offers security, supply chain control and long-term growth for America’s digital future Manufacturing the next generation of cellular telecommunications equipment within the United States offers numerous advantages, particularly from the perspective of ensuring national security. As...
Nokia misses Q1 targets, gains ground with T-Mobile in the US, enterprises everywhere
In sum – what to know Weak quarter, bright spots – Nokia missed Q1 expectations with a 36% shortfall in operating profit, driven by a one-off €120m charge in Mobile Networks, despite strong growth in enterprise and regional US sales. Enterprise and Infinera gains – enterprise...
Ericsson super-charges open, smart 5G with €200m Irish R&D boost
In sum – what to know: Open 5G investment – Ericsson is investing €200m in Athlone, Ireland, to develop open, programmable 5G tech that supports dynamic multi-vendor networks. Automation-first platform – funding will go on its automation latform and RAN apps to optimize performance, tuning, and...
AI offerings boost ZTE revenues in Q1
In Q1, ZTE noted it had actively seized AI-driven opportunities across communications infrastructure, computing infrastructure, AI terminals and industry applications In sum – what you need to know: AI lifts Q1 revenue – ZTE reported a 7.8% year-over-year revenue increase in the period, driven by AI-driven...
Vodafone Idea boosts 5G BTS in India in March: Report
India saw the addition of 4,442 new 5G base transceiver stations (BTS) in March 2025, possibly influenced by Vodafone Idea’s recent 5G launch In sum – what you need to know: Vodafone Idea joins the 5G race – India added 4,442 new 5G base stations in...
Vodafone and A1 achieve 5G SA international roaming connection
The roaming connection between Vodafone and A1 was enabled through a 5G SA architecture leveraging Ericsson’s dual-mode 5G Core and SEPP platforms Britain’s Vodafone Group and Austria’s A1 Group have announced a key milestone: a successful 5G Standalone (SA) roaming connection between two separate operator...
India needs more spectrum to fuel 5G expansion, telcos warn
Rahul Vatts, chief regulatory officer at Bharti Airtel, noted that the telecom sector in India will need around 2,000 megahertz of spectrum by 2030 In sum – what you need to know: Spectrum demand surge – India’s private telcos are urging the government to develop a...
Ericsson, Bell Canada boost performance with AI-native link adaptation
Ericsson contributed its edge AI technology and R&D resources, while Bell Canada provided access to its network infrastructure In sum – what you need to know: AI-native link adaptation – Ericsson and Bell Canada completed the world’s first field test of AI-native link adaptation, improving network...
5G, OTT to boost mobile services revenue in Malaysia: Report
5G is expected to represent 84% of total mobile subscriptions in Malaysia by 2029, according to GlobalData In sum – what you need to know: 5G fuels mobile growth – Malaysia’s mobile services revenue is expected to grow at a 3.5% CAGR through 2029, largely driven...
India’s DoT scrutinizes Chinese gear in national 5G networks
The DoT is seeking details about Chinese-made gear still active in local telecoms networks In sum – what you need to know: DoT targets Chinese gear – India’s Department of Telecoms has instructed operators to disclose their Chinese-made equipment, amid concerns over national security risks. Huawei...
BSNL focuses on infra, pricing to compete in India’s 5G market
Earlier this year, BSNL had received interest from three companies for deploying its 5G Standalone (SA) network in Delhi In sum – what you need to know: All-in on 5G – BSNL has upgraded 73,000 4G sites (100,000 by mid-2025) and rolling out 26,000 new towers,...
U Mobile awards deals to Chinese vendors for new 5G network
Malaysia gave the approval to deploy the second 5G network to U Mobile in November 2024 In sum – what you need to know: – U Mobile has selected Huawei and ZTE to deploy Malaysia’s second 5G network, targeting 80% population coverage within a year – The...
Ericsson sees income jump 61% on US surge – but CEO faces exit
In sum – what you need to know: Punchy Q1 results – Ericsson saw net income surge 61% and gross margin jump 48.2% in the first quarter, driven by booming (possibly pre-tariff) network sales in North America – offsetting drops in every other region. CEO shake-up...
KDDI claims Japan’s first direct-to-cell satellite service with Starlink
KDDI is offering this service with Starlink and will expand Japan's land coverage to nearly 100% In brief – why this matters – KDDI launches Japan’s first direct-to-cell satellite service, enabling SMS, location sharing, and emergency alerts via Starlink, with no app or hardware required — a...
Shanghai achieves full 5G metro coverage
According to Shentong Metro Group, which operates Shanghai metro, 80% of the lines have been upgraded to 5G-A In brief – why this matters –Shanghai has become China’s first megacity with full 5G metro coverage across all 21 lines, enhancing real-time operations, predictive maintenance and smart...