InternetNZ survey highlights unequal online experiences across nation
NEW ZEALAND 00:42

InternetNZ survey highlights unequal online experiences across nation

New research from InternetNZ indicates that online experiences in New Zealand vary significantly across different communities, with higher reported levels of harm and concern among Maori, Pacific peoples and people with disabilities. The findings come from Internet Insights 2025, an annual survey commissioned by InternetNZ as a measure of internet use and attitudes. The study, conducted by Verian between 25 November and 8 December 2025, surveyed 1,003 New Zealanders aged over 18, with a reported margin of e

GSMA plans affordable 4G smartphone pilots in six African countries this year
AFRICA 3 MRT

GSMA plans affordable 4G smartphone pilots in six African countries this year

The GSMA has announced that the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda have been selected by the GSMA Handset Affordability Coalition for pilots to introduce affordable 4G smartphones this year. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the GSMA and by the G6 group of leading African operators and original equipment manufacturers (OEM) partners formalises the cooperation. A current challenge is the surge in the global cost of memory prices. The GSMA and coalit

Accenture to acquire Ookla for USD 1.2 billion
GLOBAL 3 MRT

Accenture to acquire Ookla for USD 1.2 billion

Accenture is expanding in the network benchmarking business with a takeover of Ookla and its related platforms Speedtest, DownDetector, RootMetrics and Ekahau. The acquisition is expected to help it reach new customer groups interested in network quality, beyond the telecom operators served by Accenture's existing unit Umlaut. The takeover of Ookla from publisher Ziff Davis will cost USD 1.2 billion cash. 

Italian inflation up sharply to 1.6% in February
ITALY 3 MRT

Italian inflation up sharply to 1.6% in February

Italy's main domestic inflation rate (NIC) climbed to 1.6 percent annually in February, up from 1.0 percent in January, according to preliminary data from statistics agency Istat. The rise was primarily due to higher unprocessed food, tobacco and transport prices, partly offset by lower transport prices, partly offset by lower processed food and energy prices.

KPN wins Umlaut network test in 'photo finish' with Odido
NETHERLANDS 3 MRT

KPN wins Umlaut network test in 'photo finish' with Odido

KPN has come first in Umlaut's latest benchmark of Dutch mobile networks, with just one point advance on rival Odido. KPN achieved 988 out of 1,000 points in the tests, Odido had 987 points, and Vodafone came third with 972 points. All three had excellent results, according to the researcher. 

Satellite direct-to-device market to be worth USD 12 billion in 2030 - Omdia
GLOBAL 3 MRT

Satellite direct-to-device market to be worth USD 12 billion in 2030 - Omdia

The global satellite direct-to-device (D&D) services market is projected to reach 411 million monthly active users and generate USD 11.99 billion in revenue by 2030, Omdia forecasts. This represents mean annual growth rates of 80.1 percent for users and 49.4 percent for revenue from 2026 to 2030.

Consumer eSims grow 43% in 2025
GLOBAL 2 MRT

Consumer eSims grow 43% in 2025

The number of eSims shipped in 2025 grew by 18 percent, reaching a new high of 605 million, according to industry data presented by the Trusted Connectivity Alliance (TCA). This is driven by growing adoption of eSims by 5G network operators, consumers and IoT device makers. The TCA estimates consumers alone activated 43 percent more eSims last year. 

Deutsche Telekom markets Leica Leitzphone in Germany
GERMANY 2 MRT

Deutsche Telekom markets Leica Leitzphone in Germany

Deutsche Telekom is marketing the new Leica Leitzphone powered by Xiaomi in Germany. The smartphone is equipped with a triple camera system developed by Leica, in which the 1-inch main camera with 50 megapixels and 23 mm equivalent focal length is complemented by an ultra-wide angle lens with 50 MP and 14mm focal length, and a 200 MP periscope telephoto lens with optical zoom (75-100mm). It is therefore aimed at professional photographers and content creators.

NTT DATA/Transatel
BELGIUM 2 MRT

NTT DATA/Transatel

NTT DATA is part of the Japan-based provider of global technology services, and this profile focuses on its operations in Belgium, as well as its subsidiary Transatel, active as IoT MVNO and MVNE. The profile contains information on NTT DATA's current position and strategy. It discusses the company's latest financial figures and gives an overview of its current infrastructure. The report provides details its product portfolio, looks at the market in which NTT DATA/Transatel operates and its competitors, and reports on NTT DATA/Transatel's marketing activities and customer strategy. Lastly, the profile contains Telecompaper's SWOT analysis of NTT DATA/Transatel with a focus on Belgium.

The week in telecoms: Paramount tops bidding for WBD, Samsung S26 kicks off MWC showcase
GLOBAL 1 MRT

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

Netflix has called a stop to the bidding war for Warner Bros Discovery, but Paramount still has to secure approval from regulators and shareholders. Deutsche Telekom, E& and Telecom Italia are rewarding shareholders, while Telefonica and Proximus hold back on dividends. Samsung presented its new flagship range ahead of Mobile World Congress, and Apple is set to surprise this week with its own new devices.

Dutch FTTH Networks 2025
NETHERLANDS 27 FEB

Dutch FTTH Networks 2025

The report Dutch FTTH Networks 2025 describes the state of the Dutch fiber to the home market as per 31 December 2025, and provides figures on market indicators such as Homes Passed, Homes Connected and Homes Activated and network duplication, profiles and analyzes developments at key market players and looks at the market issues which marked the period and set the stage for future development. It also includes our expectations for 2026 and beyond. For this annual FTTH report, we conducted interviews with various market participants. Several major and new players are presented and there are brief discussions on a number of hot issues in the broadband and FTTH market.

Global enterprise ICT spend to hit USD 4 trillion in 2026 - IDC
GLOBAL 27 FEB

Global enterprise ICT spend to hit USD 4 trillion in 2026 - IDC

Global enterprise ICT spend is expected to approach USD 4 trillion this year, rising to over USD 6 trillion by 2029, according to the International Data Corporation. Enterprise ICT is set for 10 percent growth in 2026, driven by rapid AI platform adoption. Spending in the AI platform category is forecast to rise by more than 70 percent.

GLOBAL 27 FEB

Smartphone and PC OEMs set for major market shock amid ongoing memory components crunch - research

An ongoing shortfall in memory components created in part by surging demand in AI data centres will drag global shipments of smartphones and PCs sharply lower this year, marking significant upheaval for the industry. The International Data Corp's Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker forecasts a 12.9 percent annual decline in shipments to 1.1 billion units, pushing smartphone vendors to their lowest annual volume in more than a decade. The updated 2026 forecast has been reduced from IDC's previous projection publi

CANADA 27 FEB

Telus, Rogers top latest Opensignal mobile network experience awards

Telus has come top in 10 categories in the latest Canada Mobile Network Experience Report from Opensignal, winning eight awards jointly and two outright. Rogers Communications won nine awards, five jointly and four outright. Bell and Telus tied for fastest overall Download Speed Experience; Bell won the 5G Download Speed Experience award outright; and Telus and Rogers tied for Consistent Quality and Reliability.

ITALY 26 FEB

Italy consumer confidence up again in February, business morale dips

Italy's consumer confidence climbed again in February to the highest level in four months but overall business morale dipped slightly, according to the latest report from national statistics office Istat. Composite business confidence across the manufacturing, retail, construction and services sectors fell to 97.4 in February from 97.7 the previous month due to falls in manufacturing and market services, partly offset by a rise in retail trade sentiment to 105.1 from 102.5.

ARMENIA 26 FEB

Ucom named best fixed and mobile network in Armenia by Ookla

Armenian operator Ucom has received five awards from Ookla Speedtest, including Fastest Mobile Network in Armenia, Best Fixed Network in Armenia and Best Mobile Network in Armenia. Based on data for the second half of 2025 from the Ookla Speedtest Intelligence platform, Ucom also received the awards Best Mobile Gaming Experience in Armenia and Best Internet Gaming Experience in Armenia.

UNITED KINGDOM 26 FEB

Average UK broadband prices drop by 6 percent in 2025 - Ofcom

Average UK broadband prices fell by 6 percent in 2025, with prices falling especially for faster services, according to the latest annual pricing and consumer engagement report from regulator Ofcom. The research also shows that SIM-only mobile plans are getting more popular, accounting for 50 percent of pay-monthly mobile subscriptions in 2025, up from 44 percent in 2024. Average prices for SIM-only plans with unlimited data fell by 8 percent in real terms in 2025, with SIM-only deals available from as low

UNITED KINGDOM 26 FEB

Vodafone, Plusnet lead 2026 Expert Reviews Broadband Awards

Vodafone UK has been named Broadband Provider of the Year at the 2026 Expert Reviews Broadband Awards, the second year in a row it has won this award. It also took home the Best for Speed, Best for Streaming, Best for Bundles, Best for Online Gaming, and Most Recommended awards. The six awards highlight the company's performance across value, speed and entertainment; with Vodafone also being 'Highly Recommended' in the remaining six categories.

NETHERLANDS 26 FEB

Netherlands comes first in European mobile QoE benchmark by MedUX

The Netherlands has the highest quality of experience on mobile networks in Europe. The country achieved a score of 4.51 out of 5 in the research by MedUX. Denmark, Norway and Sweden followed in the rankings of a total 33 countries. The results are based on around 180 million tests and some 39 billion radio samples, in an effort to provide a user-based picture of mobile network performance in Europe following the wide-scale roll-out of 5G. 

AFRICA 26 FEB

African smartphone market rises 14% in Q4

African smartphone shipments rose 14 percent year-on-year to 23.1 million units in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to new research from Omdia. They were supported by expanding device-financing options across East, West and Southern Africa. Stabilising currencies, accelerating 4G adoption and early-stage 5G uptake in markets such as South Africa and Egypt also contributed, alongside festive season promotions and channel-led affordability initiatives.

NETHERLANDS 26 FEB

VodafoneZiggo leads rise in Dutch telecom media spend in January

Above-the-line media spending by telecom operators in the Netherlands jumped 30 percent in January, to around EUR 22 million. The main increase was at the VodafoneZiggo group (Vodafone, Ziggo and Hollandsnieuwe), and KPN's brand Youfone also advertised more than a year ago. Odido reduced spending and no longer had the largest share, according to the figures from Nielsen.

ITALY 26 FEB

Vodafone Italia tops Altroconsumo 4G and 5G network rankings

Vodafone Italia has again come out on top in the mobile network performance rankings published by consumer body Altroconsumo, based on tests carried out via its CheBanda app from 01 January to 31 December 2025. Altroconsumo said tests performed on 5G networks across all Italian regions gave Vodafone a total points score of 131,609, well ahead of TIM (Telecom Italia) on 71,769 followed by Fastweb, WindTre and Iliad on 66,071, 60,465 and 41,855 respectively.

GLOBAL 26 FEB

Top eight CSPs to exceed USD 710 bln in capex in 2026 - TrendForce

The combined capital expenditure by the world's eight largest cloud service providers (CSP) is projected to exceed USD 710 billion in 2026, representing year-on-year growth of approximately 61 percent, according to research from TrendForce. The forecast covers Google, Amazon Web Services, Meta, Microsoft, Oracle, Tencent, Alibaba and Baidu. TrendForce said the increase reflects continued procurement of Nvidia and AMD GPU platforms alongside expanding investment in in-house application-specific integrated ci

PERU 25 FEB

Peruvian fixed internet lines up 9%, Claro surpasses Movistar

The number of active fixed line internet accesses in Peru reached 4.38 million at the end of the final quarter of 2025, up 9.2 percent year on year, according to the latest update from telecom regulator Osiptel. The October to December period saw the number of active fibre-to-the-home accesses in Peru climb around 21 percent year on year to 3.61 million, equivalent to over 82 percent of the fixed broadband total, resulting in more than 94 percent of users accessing download speeds above 100 Mbps.

Just In

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KDDI launches Starlink Direct international roaming in the US

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SKT advances modular and CXL-based AI data centre strategy

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LG Uplus CEO Hong Beom-sik outlines AI voice strategy at MWC26 keynote

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Australia sees 211-day average approval time for new mobile towers

Commentary

11 FEB 12:29

Odido shareholders face tricky exit after abandoned IPO

2 FEB 13:49

KPN results show little bother from the competition

2 JAN 13:21

Open Dutch Fiber's new management team takes up turnaround challenge

15 DEC 2025 13:56

Video market set for slower growth ahead

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