Wi-Fi 7 strengthens Wi-Fi/5G convergence
Wi-Fi 7 has introduced deterministic scheduling and resource reservation that have improved reliability and enabled tighter Wi-Fi/5G convergence, while venue-funded indoor investment and identity-based authentication have provided operators with greater control over traffic steering.
Kapsch Launches EcoTrafiX Connected Tolling Platform
Kapsch TrafficCom has launched the EcoTrafiX platform and has demonstrated simultaneous toll processing from 5G Network V2X and 5.9 GHz direct C‑V2X, validating a unified back-office for agency toll management and interoperability.
Nokia prioritises AI-focused network infrastructure
Nokia has reported modest sales growth and lower operating profit as it has shifted to prioritise network and mobile infrastructure, driven by optical and data centre demand from AI and hyperscaler customers and increased R&D and acquisition costs.
5G-HUB: Integrating Terrestrial and Satellite 5G
The 5G-HUB project has demonstrated integrated terrestrial-satellite 5G enabling resilient, continuous mission-critical services, has developed smart gateways and dual-mode terminals, and has validated vertical handover and dynamic resource orchestration aligned with GOVSATCOM objectives.
SoftBank and Ericsson deploy AI to optimise massive MIMO
SoftBank and Ericsson have deployed an AI-driven external control system to dynamically optimise massive MIMO coverage at Tokyo venues, have used one-minute user distribution data to adjust beams and have reported a 24% increase in 5G downlink throughput.
Virgin Media O2 expands 5G SA to over 500 UK sites
Virgin Media O2 has expanded its 5G Standalone network to over 500 UK sites after Dorset activations, and has linked the rollout to a £700m transformation plan to boost coverage, capacity and low-latency support for enterprise and consumer services.
AT&T reports FY results, targets 40m fibre locations
AT&T has reported fourth-quarter and full-year results, has exceeded its 2025 guidance, and has outlined plans to extend fibre to more than 40 million US locations while emphasising convergence of fibre and mobile services and higher-margin enterprise offerings.
NEC to launch sub-6GHz massive MIMO radio in 2026
NEC has developed a sub-6GHz massive MIMO radio that has delivered up to 54% downlink and 48% uplink throughput improvements, has cut power consumption and size, and has extended vRAN fronthaul to 40 km ahead of a 2026 commercial release.
Entel Peru activates up to 100 MHz in 3.5 GHz 5G band
Entel Peru has expanded active 3.5 GHz 5G bandwidth from 20 MHz to 80–100 MHz, citing capacity and latency improvements, and has aligned the upgrade with a planned investment exceeding $200 million in nationwide mobile networks.
Rohde & Schwarz, Qualcomm and Motorola demo 5G Broadcast
Rohde & Schwarz, Qualcomm and Motorola have demonstrated a 5G Broadcast proof of concept in São Paulo, delivering live television and ancillary services to Motorola handsets and have reported no interference with existing mobile networks.
Vodafone Germany 2026 network expansion plan
Vodafone Germany will execute 10,600 construction and upgrade projects in 2026, including 5G upgrades and expanded O-RAN deployment, targeting broader coverage and increased capacity amid rising data demand.
Hyundai Mobis launches 5G telematics control unit
Hyundai Mobis announced a 5G multi-function telematics control unit for autonomous and software-defined vehicles, targeting completion of development by H1 2026 and expansion into the global connected-vehicle market.
Ericsson launches 5G-native Advanced location services
Ericsson will embed high-precision positioning in its 5G Standalone core, delivering RTK sub-10cm outdoor and sub-metre indoor accuracy from Q1 2026, with integrated APIs for enterprise verticals.
India reaches 400 million 5G subscribers
India's 5G subscriber base reached 400 million by end‑2025, supported by rapid network expansion and 518,854 base stations, positioning it second globally behind China.
AT&T 5G integrated into 2026 Mitsubishi Outlander
AT&T will embed multi‑mode 5G (SA and NSA) and LTE into the 2026 Mitsubishi Outlander, combining terrestrial and satellite links to support OTA updates, infotainment and software‑defined vehicle services.
Viettel completes Vietnam's first 5G-Advanced trial
Viettel completed a 5G‑Advanced trial reaching 7.3 Gbps using carrier aggregation across 2.6 GHz, C‑band and mmWave; commercial rollout is planned for 2026 on licensed bands.
NEC to end 4G/5G base station development
NEC will cease development of 4G and 5G base stations, maintain support for installed systems and reallocate investment to software, defence equipment and next-generation standards.
Fixed Wireless Access market outlook
Fixed Wireless Access revenues are forecast to rise about 10 per cent in 2025, with subscriptions projected to exceed 191 million by 2029 as operators expand 5G FWA deployments.
Keysight and Samsung demonstrate NR‑NTN in n252 band
Keysight and Samsung demonstrated live NR‑NTN connectivity in the n252 band using a commercial Samsung modem and Keysight's UXM platform to validate interoperability for direct‑to‑cell deployment.
Kyivstar begins 5G pilot in Lviv with Open RAN plans
Telecom operator Kyivstar has initiated a 5G pilot in Lviv, testing performance and Open RAN architectures; broader deployment depends on security conditions and recovery of national infrastructure.
SoftBank, Ericsson and Qualcomm complete 5G Advanced trial
SoftBank, Ericsson and Qualcomm trialled low‑latency 5G and 5G Advanced on SoftBank’s Tokyo 5G SA network, demonstrating network slicing and about 90% wireless latency reduction in XR tests.
Mitsubishi, AT&T embed 5G in 2026 Outlander
Mitsubishi Motors North America and AT&T will embed 5G connectivity in the 2026 Outlander, enabling faster data, over-the-air updates and expanded connected-car services across future models.
China records CNY1.61tn telecom revenue and 4.83m 5G sites
China's telecom revenue rose 0.9% to CNY1.61tn Jan–Nov; 4.83 million 5G base stations and 1.19 billion 5G users reported, with continued network investment supporting data traffic growth.
Fastweb+Vodafone, TIM agree RAN sharing for 5G rollout
Fastweb+Vodafone and TIM signed a preliminary RAN sharing agreement to accelerate 5G deployment in municipalities under 35,000 residents, subject to Italian regulatory approvals and a final contract in 2026.
VoWiFi in operator voice strategies
VoWiFi extends indoor and underserved-area voice coverage, complements VoLTE and 5G integration, and supports seamless interworking and cost-effective voice services, prompting ongoing operator investment and deployment.
India adds 4,112 5G sites in December
India added 4,112 5G BTS in December, bringing the national total to 518,854; additions slowed from November. Major states led deployments; BSNL plans 23,000 4G sites for future 5G upgrade.
Quectel launches 5G-Advanced automotive module
Quectel introduced the AR588MA, a 5G-Advanced automotive module offering NR-NTN/NB-NTN satellite links, dual-GNSS, DSDA and AEC-Q104 Grade 2 certification for telematics and OTA updates.
Solace Power and NetComm unveil window-mounted 5G CPE
Solace Power and NetComm announced a partnership to develop a window-mounted, wirelessly powered 5G CPE enabling self-installation and potential simplification of fixed wireless access deployments; operator trials planned in 2026.
FR3 role in 5G-Advanced Release 18
FR3, spanning 7.125–24.25 GHz, is included in Release 18 to extend mid-band capacity; deployment will depend on macro co-location, cell planning and realistic indoor performance expectations.
Gogo clears 5G air-to-ground testing; launches service
Gogo completed ATG 5G flight validation across multiple routes, showing download/upload speeds above 80/20 Mbps; it plans a North American commercial rollout from January with initial customer onboarding.
Mobile core developments in AI, edge, resilience and NTN
In 2026, operators and vendors will prioritise AI-enabled automation, edge local breakout, cloud-based disaster protection and satellite NTN integration to enhance core efficiency, resilience and new service monetisation.
IEEE survey finds limited near-term AI impact from 6G
IEEE survey finds 7% view 6G as a primary AI opportunity, suggesting continued focus on 5G. Experts say 6G may prioritise uplink capacity and AI resource allocation.
Ericsson emphasises convergence and scale in private 5G
Ericsson highlights combining private and neutral-host 5G on shared infrastructure, and says scale and group capabilities differentiate its enterprise offering.
Hybrid home gateways for resilient consumer connectivity
Hybrid home gateways integrate multiple access technologies to provide dynamic failover, maintaining continuous consumer connectivity across fibre, 5G and satellite and reducing reliance on a single last-mile technology.
OPPO grants Audi access to 5G patents for connected vehicles
OPPO and Audi agreed a global licence granting Audi access to OPPO's standard-essential 5G patents to integrate connectivity into its connected vehicle lineup and enhance in-car network performance.
Private 5G as infrastructure for industrial operations
Private 5G provides predictable, low-latency on-site connectivity to support industrial AI, automation and edge computing, enabling improved uptime, scalability and security for enterprise operations.
5G Protocol Testing and Network Validation
Overview of 5G protocol testing processes, objectives and challenges, including compliance, interoperability, performance, security and field validation to ensure reliable network operation.
MasOrange makes one-third of 5G sites O-RAN-ready
MasOrange has made about one-third of its Spanish 5G sites O-RAN-ready and integrated Ericsson’s AI-driven automation to improve interoperability, operational efficiency and energy management.
Private 5G adoption driven by industrial applications
Enterprises are adopting private 5G for time-sensitive industrial applications, citing rapid ROI, scalable global deployments and preference for integrated network stacks over mixed-vendor indoor solutions.
Vodafone and Spirent deploy automated 5G voice test platform
Vodafone and Spirent have co-developed an automated validation platform to accelerate testing and deployment of 5G voice core software across Vodafone's European network, reducing upgrade rollout times in early trials.
World Communication Awards 2025 Winners
The World Communication Awards 2025 announced winners across telecom categories following independent judging, recognising providers and vendors for achievements in networks, AI, cloud, security, sustainability and social impact.
Marelli launches 5G RedCap telematics solution
Marelli introduced a 5G RedCap telematics module offering higher throughput and lower latency than 4G, network fallback, regional compliance, and production samples in early 2026 with mass production from 2028.
Celona positions cloud-controlled private 5G for AI
Celona offers cloud-controlled private 5G (AerFlex) to simplify multi-site deployments and support AI-enabled industrial operations, backed by partnerships for edge compute and managed services.
BSNL installs nearly 100,000 indigenously developed 4G sites
BSNL has installed 97,068 indigenously developed 4G sites, 93,511 operational; equipment is 5G-upgradable. Upgrades include power resilience measures; 5G deployment targeted in Delhi and Mumbai by December 2025.
Monetising 5G Standalone Before 6G Rollout
CSPs should shift from selling speed to service-based monetisation of 5G SA, using network slicing, API exposure and end-to-end observability to establish sustainable revenue before considering 6G.
du and Nokia deploy autonomous 5G network slicing
Telecommunications operator du and Nokia deployed autonomous 5G Advanced network slicing that autonomously adjusts RAN policies via machine learning to maintain service levels across enterprise and consumer applications.
Nokia secures RAN contract for Tampnet offshore 5G
Nokia named RAN supplier for Tampnet’s offshore 5G, pairing its radios with Mavenir core; announcement coincides with employee protests over restructuring and planned sale of private 5G assets.
Mimosa presents purpose-built FWA in unlicensed Wi-Fi bands
Mimosa offers rapid-deploy fixed-wireless access using 5 GHz and 6 GHz unlicensed bands, targeting enterprise broadband and carrier offload as a lower-cost alternative to licensed private 5G.
Global Coordination for 6G Standards and Industry Alignment
Operators and vendors urge global harmonisation of 6G standards to ensure efficient migration from 5G, address AI and security challenges, and prioritise sustainability, interoperability and economic viability.