SLT-Mobitel launches 5G network in Sri Lanka
SRI LANKA 19 DEC

SLT-Mobitel launches 5G network in Sri Lanka

Lankan operator SLT-Mobitel has commercially launched its 5G network for local consuemrs. The operator says its 5G service launch follows investments in high-capacity fibre routes and modern wireless infrastructure.

Dialog Axiata launches 5G network, connects 1.5 million subscribers
SRI LANKA 19 DEC

Dialog Axiata launches 5G network, connects 1.5 million subscribers

Sri Lanka operator Dialog Axiata has commercially launched its Dialog 5G Ultra service. Dialog says its 5G network is powered by over 220 live 5G sites serving 1.5 million subscribers. Dialog secured a 100 MHz spectrum block in the 3500 MHz frequency band and a 200 MHz block in the 27 GHz band at the recently 5G spectrum auction held by the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL).

3 UK launches last-minute Christmas sale
UNITED KINGDOM 19 DEC

3 UK launches last-minute Christmas sale

3 UK has launched a last-minute Christmas sales, with offers on the latest phones, SIM plans and Home Broadband available from 18 December 2025 to 07 January 2026. For example, customers can save up to GBP 144 on the iPhone 17 Pro with unlimited data, calls and texts from GBP 40 upfront and GBP 58 per month (GBP 26 airtime and GBP 32 per month device plan).

Telefonica Germany adds RedCap to 5G Plus Pack, forms AI partnership with Capgemini
GERMANY 19 DEC

Telefonica Germany adds RedCap to 5G Plus Pack, forms AI partnership with Capgemini

Telefonica Germany is offering RedCap in combination with its 5G Plus Pack until December next year. Customers can add RedCap free of charge to existing mobile contracts and benefit for an unlimited amount of time if they book the option between 17 December 2025 and 15 December 2026. Users can activate the 5G Plus Pack including RedCap for all 5G Plus-enabled O2 mobile plans on the Mein O2 app, on the Mein O2 customer portal under "Bookable Data Options", by calling the service hotline or in O2 shops.

Telefonica activates voice over 5G calls nationwide
SPAIN 19 DEC

Telefonica activates voice over 5G calls nationwide

Telefonica has officially launched Voice over New Radio (VoNR) technology on its 5G standalone (SA) network in Spain, claiming to be the first operator to do so nationwide. The operator said VoNR delivers substantially improved voice quality with greater clarity and stability while allowing users to make calls alongside data-intensive activities such as high-definition video streaming and cloud gaming.

Digita deploys 5G private network at Outokumpu's Kemi mine
FINLAND 19 DEC

Digita deploys 5G private network at Outokumpu's Kemi mine

Digita said it will deploy a 5G private network for Outokumpu's Kemi mine to enable digitisation and automation there. The benefits are consistent coverage and capacity throughout the mine, support for live video to assess rock quality and optimise production, better occupational safety, support for drones and remotely controlled equipment, and progress towards increasing automation.

Tigo invests COP 85 bln in Bogota 5G and fibre upgrade
COLOMBIA 19 DEC

Tigo invests COP 85 bln in Bogota 5G and fibre upgrade

Tigo Colombia (Millicom) said it has invested over COP 85 billion this year alone to significantly expand and upgrade its fixed and mobile infrastructure in Bogota. The company, which has recently been cleared to merge with Movistar Colombia, has reinforced more than 1,700 mobile sites and carried out 275 upgrades to fixed networks in the country's capital, benefiting some 2.4 million mobile and 200,000 landline customers.

Peruvian operators ink 5G concession contracts, commit to connecting 1,731 rural localities
PERU 19 DEC

Peruvian operators ink 5G concession contracts, commit to connecting 1,731 rural localities

Peru's Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC) announced that the concession contracts for the allocation of 5G-compatible frequencies in the 3.5 GHz band have been signed with the operators Claro (America Movil), IntegraTel, Entel and Bitel (Viettel). The operators have committed to investing a total of USD 502.9 million and to close connectivity gaps by bringing 4G to over 180,000 users in 1,731 underserved localities over the next four years.

Claro Paraguay activates country's first 5G network with USD 35 mln investment
PARAGUAY 19 DEC

Claro Paraguay activates country's first 5G network with USD 35 mln investment

Claro (America Movil) has become the first operator to launch 5G services in Paraguay after securing 200 MHz of spectrum in the 3.5 GHz band earlier this year. The network has been activated across 12 major cities, including Asunción, Ciudad del Este, Encarnación, Coronel Oviedo and Pedro Juan Caballero following an initial investment of around USD 35 million.

TrueBusiness, SymptomTrace to jointly develop 5G Patient Digital Twin service
THAILAND 19 DEC

TrueBusiness, SymptomTrace to jointly develop 5G Patient Digital Twin service

TrueBusiness, a unit of Thai operator True, has teamed up with SymptomTrace, a Taiwan-based health-tech startup focused on AI-driven chronic-disease management, to co-develop the 5G Patient Digital Twin service. The service highlights advanced contactless sensor technology for health vitals monitoring, enabling faster and more efficient care. Health data from sensors is processed at the end point with Edge AI analytics, delivering data in real-time over the True 5G network to a central AI platform, where pa

EU SNS-JU allocates EUR 240 million for 2026-2027 research projects
EUROPE 19 DEC

EU SNS-JU allocates EUR 240 million for 2026-2027 research projects

The EU's Smart Networks and Services joint undertaking (SNS JU) has announced its two-year work programme for 2026-2027, including USD 240 million for research and innovation activities. About EUR 22 million will invested in five projects through its Research & Innovation Work Programme for 2026, with a further EUR 220 million distributed before end-2026 for the final cohort of R&I Work Programme projects, set for delivery in the following year. Next year's R&I slate will act as a bridge between previous wo

EU to draft net neutrality guidelines for 5G network slicing
EUROPE 19 DEC

EU to draft net neutrality guidelines for 5G network slicing

EU telecoms regulator Berec is calling for input on 5G network slicing in an effort to set guidelines for the market on how to ensure the services comply with the EU's 'net neutrality' rules. Berec said some stakeholders have expressed concern about the compatibility of new 5G slicing services with the EU's Open Internet regulation, and the European Commission has also called for greater legal certainty. As a result, the assembly of EU telecom regulators plans to draft additional guidance for the market.

MALAYSIA 19 DEC

CelcomDigi launches The MediHub 5G-powered smart health service for employees

Malaysian operator CelcomDigi has launched The MediHub, a 5G-powered healthcare facility designed to provide employees with access to professional healthcare services directly from the workplace. Located at CelcomDigi Hub, the smart health service supports holistic employee wellbeing, offering physical and mental health services through virtual consultations with licensed medical practitioners, psychiatrists and psychologists.

GERMANY 19 DEC

Deutsche Telekom reports mobile data up 30% in 2025

Deutsche Telekom has recorded nearly 5,000 petabytes of data traffic flowing through its mobile network in Germany in 2025, up 30 percent compared to last year. Telekom said it is now operating 128.000 antennas for its mobile network, including 108,000 providing 5G. Telekom covers 99 percent of the population in Germany with 5G, and 99.6 percent with LTE.

UNITED STATES 19 DEC

Verizon Business launches 5G FWA service with network slicing

Verizon is launching a network slicing service for businesses, to deliver optimised internet performance on the 5G network. Named 5G Network Slice - Enhanced Internet, this is new fixed-wireless solution that delivers extra upload capacity, unlimited data and service level guarantees.

GERMANY 19 DEC

Telefonica Germany accelerates mobile network expansion

Telefonica Germany said it is accelerating the expansion of its mobile network in Germany. This year, the company implemented around 8,000 expansion measures, up from the previous record of approximately 7,500 expansion measures recorded last year. Telefonica has built more than 600 new mobile sites this year to further improve coverage and expanded mobile coverage to 150 previously underserved areas. The network now runs on 29,000 mobile sites, and 5G reaches around 99 percent of the population. Telefonica

KOREA, REPUBLIC OF 19 DEC

LG Uplus MVNO launches fraud and injury insurance

LG Uplus subsidiary LG Hello Vision's MVNO Hello Mobile announced four types of "Peace of Mind Insurance Rate Plans" that include compensation for damages from financial fraud such as voice phishing, violent crimes, and fractures and injuries. The combination of "reasonable monthly rate plans" in the KRW 10,000 to 30,000 range and Lotte Insurance product benefits guaranteeing up to KRW 5 million (KRW 1 million for financial fraud) is expected to provide appeal to middle-aged and older customers and value-co

JAPAN 19 DEC

BBIX and BBSakura add SIM Option Feature to Open Connectivity eXchange

BBSakura Networks and SoftBank-owned IX provider BBIX said their private cloud service Open Connectivity eXchange (OCX) will support SIM Option Feature, which includes Data Usage Monitor, SIM Speed Control  and IMEI Lock. This SIM Option Feature can be enabled individually for each SIM within OCX Mobile Access. By using these features, customers can implement finely tuned, circuit-by-circuit configuration tailored to their specific usage requirements and operational policies.

ASIA 19 DEC

Samsung and Anritsu secure first PTCRB certification for 5G NTN testing

Samsung and Anritsu have obtained what they describe as the industry's first PTCRB certification covering RF conformance test cases for 5G New Radio non-terrestrial networks (NR NTN). The certification applies to Anritsu's New Radio RF Conformance Test System ME7873NR and was achieved through joint verification using a Samsung NR NTN modem chipset. PTCRB approval of NR NTN test cases marks the formal start of the device certification process for 5G NR NTN terminals.

SLOVAKIA 18 DEC

Slovak Telekom increases 5G coverage to 99% of population

Slovak Telekom has raised the coverage of its 5G network to 99.1 percent of the country's population, reports Zive. The coverage expanded by 2.4 percentage points since its last update, with 5G services made available in 151 additional villages. The operator provides 5G SA services across the country.

POLAND 18 DEC

Poland starts new consultations on 26 GHz band

Polish telecommunications regulator UKE announced the third round of unofficial consultations on the optimal term of allocation of the 24.3-27.3 GHz band. Similar market consultations were carried out in 2020 and early 2024, and the regulator does not exclude further rounds before moving ahead with the allocation of the frequencies. During consultations in 2024, telecom operators said the 26 GHz band did not need to be released earlier than in 2026, due to the absence of suitable end-user devices on the mar

BRAZIL 18 DEC

Brazil's Mhnet Telecom rolls out 5G in Maravilha and Romelandia

Brazilian regional operator Mhnet Telecom has officially launched 5G technology in Maravilha and Romelandia, two cities in the interior of the state of Santa Catarina. The 5G launch in Maravilha and Romelandia coincides with Mhnet Telecom's 23rd anniversary, with operations in five states and service to more than 300,000 customers.

EUROPE 18 DEC

Acceleran and Eridan partner to supply private 5G equipment

Private 5G vendor Acceleran and 5G radio supplier Eridan announced plans to market a joint private 5G system combining Eridan's private 5G radio units with Acceleran's fronthaul and midhaul equipment. The agreement pairs Eridan's Ultra-Clean Signal radio unit (RU) and Acceleran's centralised/distributed unit (CU/DU) platform, with full interoperability as both products are designed to meet Open RAN standards. The product will be available globally at some stage, but will initially be marketed toward US and

EGYPT 18 DEC

Vodafone Egypt renews partnership with football star Salah as 5G ambassador

Vodafone Egypt has announced the renewal of its partnership with Egyptian and international football star Mohamed Salah, who will continue his role as the company's ambassador for 5G technology. The renewal coincides with the operator's achievement of the widest 5G coverage in Egypt, now spanning more than 3,000 urban areas nationwide, up from around 2,000 since June.

Just In

19 DEC 16:42

SLT-Mobitel launches 5G network in Sri Lanka

19 DEC 16:19

Dialog Axiata launches 5G network, connects 1.5 million subscribers

19 DEC 15:56

UK govt to ban AI-enabled nudification apps to protect women, girls

19 DEC 15:42

3 UK launches last-minute Christmas sale

Commentary

13:56

Video market set for slower growth ahead

11:38

Netflix buys Warner Bros to deepen content catalogue

11:11

KPN's mixed performance in Q3 raises questions for strategy day

15:26

Stock markets breaking records but what happened to Odido's IPO plans?

Background

01:04

The week in telecom: Wi-Fi bolt-ons take off to boost broadband growth, video market works on consolidation

01:39

The week in telecom: Netflix wins bidding for Warner Bros, Apple poaches new execs, Samsung debuts trifold

13:51

Proximus vs. Telenet: Proximus performs better in Q3 while Telenet uses up cash

14:16

Proximus Domestic still struggling with low margins