Vodafone, Samsung complete call using vRAN solution and new Intel chipset
EUROPE 3 MRT

Vodafone, Samsung complete call using vRAN solution and new Intel chipset

Vodafone and Samsung have completed the first call in Europe using Samsung's virtualised RAN (vRAN) solution and the Intel Xeon 6 SoC. This successful validation of the new Intel chipset builds on an existing Open RAN deployment in Germany. The milestone was achieved with partners Wind River (cloud platform) and Dell Technologies (server), with the solution set for commercial deployment in 2026. This will allow Vodafone to manage fewer systems and less hardware, while also lowering costs and energy use.

'We need scale, pro-technology regulation and more speed' - Murtra
EUROPE 3 MRT

'We need scale, pro-technology regulation and more speed' - Murtra

Telefonica's executive chairman Marc Murtra has again stressed the need for the European Union (EU) to promote the consolidation of the telco sector to boost its strategic and technological sovereignty in an intervention at MWC26 in Barcelona. "We need larger companies, with more resources, more risk capacity, better coverage and the ability to make deeper technological investments," he said.

SNS-JU awards EUR 116 mln funding to 20 6G research projects
EUROPE 3 MRT

SNS-JU awards EUR 116 mln funding to 20 6G research projects

The EU's Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking (SNS-JU) has allocated EUR 116 million in public funds to 20 R&D projects aligned with European 6G research and innovation. Announced at Mobile World Congress 2026 in Barcelona, this additional cohort of 6G and beyond-5G projects takes the total number supported by the SNS-JU to 100. The joint undertaking will invest another EUR 270 million this year and into 2027. Since 2021, SNS-JU has supplied EUR 630 million in public funds, provided through the EU'

Deutsche Telekom to offer new Starlink D2D service in Europe from 2028
EUROPE 3 MRT

Deutsche Telekom to offer new Starlink D2D service in Europe from 2028

Deutsche Telekom is partnering with Starlink to expand mobile coverage with the latter's direct-to-device satellite services. Telekom, which already works with Starlink on the services in the US, said it expects to have the D2D services available in ten European countries by 2028. The company will cover particularly challenging areas, for example due to nature conservation requirements or demanding topography, with Starlink's V2 next-generation mobile technology, to enable compatible smartphones to connect

EU backs telco digital sovereignty project with EUR 75 mln for edge infrastructure
EUROPE 3 MRT

EU backs telco digital sovereignty project with EUR 75 mln for edge infrastructure

Telefonica and the European Commission announced the launch of EURO-3C, a EUR 75 million project to build a pan-European sovereign infrastructure combining telecommunications, edge computing, cloud and artificial intelligence capabilities. Unveiled at Mobile World Congress, the initiative aims to accelerate Europe's digital and industrial transformation through a federated, open and secure model. 

XGN, X1 launch commercial 5G Broadcast rugged smartphone at MWC
EUROPE 2 MRT

XGN, X1 launch commercial 5G Broadcast rugged smartphone at MWC

XGN Global, operating in Ireland and the US, and X1 Mobile (US) have announced the launch of the first commercial 5G broadcast rugged smartphone at MWC in Barcelona. The device is able to receive 5G Broadcast TV signals and has been developed specifically for first responder solutions.

Open Cosmos unveils ConnectedCosmos LEO network
EUROPE 2 MRT

Open Cosmos unveils ConnectedCosmos LEO network

European space infrastructure company Open Cosmos announced at Mobile World Congress the launch of ConnectedCosmos, a low Earth orbit satellite constellation designed to deliver secure communications and operational resilience to public and private sectors worldwide. The Ka-band network aims to reduce reliance on non-European mega-constellations and link Open Cosmos' Earth Observation platform with a new sovereign connectivity backbone for real-time data access.

GSMA and ESA launch EUR 100 mln fund to boost AI, 6G and space-mobile innovation
EUROPE 2 MRT

GSMA and ESA launch EUR 100 mln fund to boost AI, 6G and space-mobile innovation

GSMA Foundry and the European Space Agency (ESA) announced new funding worth up to EUR 100 million to drive innovation at the intersection of mobile and space industries. The financial commitment, provided by ESA, aims to accelerate projects in artificial intelligence for non-terrestrial networks (AI x NTN), direct-to-device (D2D) communications, 5G/6G hubs and early-stage 6G technologies.

Orange to expand D2D satellite services with AST-Vodafone venture
EUROPE 2 MRT

Orange to expand D2D satellite services with AST-Vodafone venture

Orange has signed MoU agreements with AST SpaceMobile and Satellite Connect Europe to bring D2D (Direct-to-Device) satellite services to more markets, following its partnership with Skylo in France. Satellite Connect Europe, the Luxembourg-based "SatCo" joint venture between AST SpaceMobile and Vodafone, has recently confirmed plans for five European ground stations to support its open access D2D connectivity offering for MNOs, powered by AST SpaceMobile's low Earth orbit constellation. Orange said that a f

Radarxense Contributes to 6G JCAS Development at Mobile World Congress Barcelona
EUROPE 27 FEB

Radarxense Contributes to 6G JCAS Development at Mobile World Congress Barcelona

Radarxense, a specialist in energy-efficient radar-based traffic monitoring solutions, will participate in the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona as part of its involvement in the FNS 6G Consortium. The company plays an active role in supporting the development of future 6G Joint Communication and Sensing (JCAS) applications by providing high-accuracy ground truth measurement data for validation purposes.

Open letter asks European Commission to tackle digital service deterioration
EUROPE 27 FEB

Open letter asks European Commission to tackle digital service deterioration

Twenty-nine civil society organisations have written an open letter to the European Commission urging action against the growing deterioration of digital services. Technology companies lock in consumers and business customers in order to "degrade their services without fear of consequences". They commonly populate websites and apps with advertisements and spam content, and remove or degrade useful features, the letter says.

Vodafone, AST confirm name, senior management for mobile satellite JV
EUROPE 27 FEB

Vodafone, AST confirm name, senior management for mobile satellite JV

Vodafone Group has announced the formal launch of Satellite Connect Europe, an open access direct-to-device satellite broadband provider connecting mobile network operators across Europe. The entity was announced in 2025 as a JV between Vodafone and its satellite partner AST SpaceMobile.

EUROPE 27 FEB

Luxembourg's OQ Technology secures EUR 25 mln venture debt financing from EIB

OQ Technology, a Luxembourg-based satellite operator specialising in 5G connectivity from space, has raised EUR 25 million in long-term financing from the European Investment Bank (EIB) under the InvestEU programme. The capital is being provided through the EIB's Venture Debt facility, which is dedicated to financing the growth stage of innovative start-up companies within the EU. OQ Technology will use the funds towards the development of its planned LEO (Low-Earth-Orbit) constellation of more than 20 soft

EUROPE 27 FEB

Cellnex FY revenues up 6% to EUR 4.2 bln, net loss widens on restructuring costs

Spanish operator Cellnex Telecom, Europe's largest mobile towers company, reported revenues up 5.8 percent to EUR 4.2 billion in 2025, attributed to new sites and co-locations as well as contractual escalator clauses. The company's free cash flow accelerated to EUR 350 million, compared to EUR 328 million a year earlier, thanks to solid recurring cash generation and lower capital intensity. However, net losses widened to EUR 361 million, compared to EUR 28 million in 2024, reflecting the one-off impact of i

EUROPE 26 FEB

Nfon overshoots FY adjusted EBITDA guidance as revenue rises 2%

European cloud communications service provider Nfon said it achieved stable growth in 2025 in a challenging environment characterised by dynamic change. According to preliminary and audited results, full year adjusted EBITDA expanded by 2.4 percent to EUR 12.6 million, slightly above guidance issued last November (EUR 11.5 mln to EUR 12.5 mln). Revenue rose by 2 percent year on year to EUR 89.1 million and recurring revenue made up 92.1 percent of that total, compared with 92.9 percent in 2024.

EUROPE 26 FEB

Sopra Steria targets return to annual revenue growth after 2% rise in Q4

IT services and consulting group Sopra Steria is forecasting a lasting return to positive organic revenue growth, targeting a 1-2 percent rise for the whole of 2026. This follows two consecutive years of negative performance, with drops of 2.2 percent and 0.5 percent in 2025 and 2024 respectively. As expected, the fourth quarter marked the start of the recovery, after group revenues increased organically by 1.8 percent to EUR 1.49 billion (-2.9% in Q3). Geographically, France (+1.6%) and the UK (+8.8%) both

EUROPE 26 FEB

Orange and Samsung trigger next-phase RAN roll-out

Orange Group has signed an expanded deal with Samsung, teeing up the next phase in their virtualised and Open RAN rollout in European markets. Having delivered multiple pilots since 2023, the multi-national operator has agreed to increase the number of Samsung-supplied vRAN and Open RAN sites scheduled for delivery in 2026. The coming phase incorporates Samsung's AI-powered virtualised RAN, configured for Intel's Xeon 6 system-on-chip running from a single Dell commercial off-the-shelf server. The platform

EUROPE 26 FEB

Fritz! to debut new 5G FWA router at MWC

Fritz! is debuting a new router for the 5G fixed-wireless access market at Mobile World Congress. The Fritz!Box 6835 5G comes with Wi-Fi 7 and support for speeds up to 2 Gbps over 5G networks, thanks to support for five-carrier aggregation (4x4 MIMO) and standalone architecture. It also has a smaller version available for 4G networks, the Fritz!Box 6825 4G fitted with Wi-Fi 6 and download speeds up to 300 Mbps. These are marketed as a primary broadband router or as backup options using the company's Failsaf

EUROPE 26 FEB

Deutsche Telekom meets FY outlook with sales, EBITDA up nearly 3%

Deutsche Telekom has met its outlook for higher annual results, led by its expansion in the US. Revenues rose 2.9 percent in 2025 to EUR 119.1 billion, and adjusted EBITDA after leases increased 2.8 percent to EUR 44.2 billion, while the adjusted net profit was 3.7 percent higher at EUR 9.7 billion. On an organic basis, excluding changes in currency rates, revenues were up 4.2 percent and EBITDA rose 4.7 percent for the year. The German operator forecast further growth in 2026, when adjusted EBITDA is expec

EUROPE 25 FEB

OVHcloud signs up Sopra Steria as IT integrator of on-prem disconnected cloud

OVHcloud has expanded its partnership with IT services and consulting group Sopra Steria through a new collaboration that builds on their shared ambition within the ESTIA (European Sovereign Tech Industry Alliance) initiative unveiled in late 2025. Sopra Steria has become one of the first integrators of OVHcloud's On-Prem Cloud Platform (OPCP), a service designed to set up, automate, and maintain on-premise cloud infrastructure in 'air-gapped' environments that are entirely disconnected from the open intern

EUROPE 25 FEB

Infobip delivers voice API for ESA asteroid impact alert system

Global cloud communications platform Infobip has partnered with the European Space Agency (ESA) to enhance its asteroid impact alert system. By integrating Infobip's Voice APIs, ESA personnel receive instant voice calls, ensuring faster, 24/7 notifications for potential asteroid impacts and significantly improving response times for critical planetary defense.

EUROPE 25 FEB

Copper shutdown progress in Europe but few hard deadlines in place

Europe is making progress with the transition to fibre telecom networks. According to a report compiled by Cullen International for the FTTH Council Europe, on average over half of active access lines on incumbent copper networks have switched to fibre. However, significant disparities exist. While Spain and Norway have stopped selling copper lines entirely, countries such as Germany and Czechia are still heavily reliant on the older copper infrastructure. 

EUROPE 24 FEB

Waystream lifts Q4 sales 60%, aims to boost brand awareness

Waystream has reported a 60 percent year-on-year rise in sales in the fourth quarter of 2025 and became EBITDA-positive after a loss in Q4 2024. It is encouraged by orders from major operator Bahnhof and says improved cash flow will support its aim to raise its brand profile and broaden its range.

EUROPE 24 FEB

EU GovSatCom Hub becomes operational with support from neXat software

NeXat says its satcom management software has supported the launch of the European Union's Governmental Satellite Communications (GOVSATCOM) Hub. The Hub has now become operational and provides EU Member States with access to secure, encrypted satellite communication services under European control. NeXat's appointment to a consortium led by GMV to provide infrastructure for government satellite communications was announced in 2024. NeXat is providing one of the core components of the hub's Business Support

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Background

1 MRT 13:21

The week in telecoms: Paramount tops bidding for WBD, Samsung S26 kicks off MWC showcase

23 FEB 00:28

The week in telecoms: Liberty Global tackles cable vs fibre question, Orange promises dividends and MEA market goes wholesale

16 FEB 00:17

The week in telecoms: Cisco rides AI investment wave and European telcos invest in South America

9 FEB 01:54

The week in telecoms: hyperscalers vie for capex crown, Telenor and Vodafone profit from smaller footprints