Vodafone Ukraine installs solar panels at 100 base stations
UKRAINE 23 JUN

Vodafone Ukraine installs solar panels at 100 base stations

Vodafone Ukraine announced it has installed solar panels at 100 of its base stations in 14 regions. Solar energy is expected to cover almost 30 percent of the power needs. The operator plans to continue the project, which is especially important in the face of attacks by Russian armed forces on Ukrainian power infrastructure.

Burkina Faso inspects telecom infrastructure to boost security
BURKINA FASO 23 JUN

Burkina Faso inspects telecom infrastructure to boost security

Burkina Faso has launched a nationwide inspection of public telecommunications infrastructure to protect digital assets and improve internet access, Ecofin reported. The ICT ministry launched a 10-day inspection ending 24 June to evaluate fibre-optic networks, technical equipment, power systems, and other critical telecommunications facilities. The ministry outlined its goals to safeguard public investments, prevent service disruptions, improve infrastructure performance, and steadily enhance public connect

Telefonica Deutschland joins Blue Planet for concept trial of agentic 5G slicing
GERMANY 23 JUN

Telefonica Deutschland joins Blue Planet for concept trial of agentic 5G slicing

Telefonica Deutschland has completed a proof of concept (PoC) with Ciena's Blue Planet to gauge agentic AI's capability in drawing up complex telecom offerings such as advanced 5G network slices. The joint concept trial was delivered as part of an ongoing transformation of Telefonica Deutschland's OSS systems aimed at achieving higher levels of network autonomy. AI agents are being tested in Telefonica Deutschland's Multi-Domain Service Orchestration environment, which aims to facilitate end-to-end orchestr

E& brings 5.5G connectivity to world's tallest hotel
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES 23 JUN

E& brings 5.5G connectivity to world's tallest hotel

E& UAE has deployed 5G-Advanced (5.5G) connectivity at Ciel Dubai Marina, the world's tallest hotel. This deployment delivers ultra-fast, low-latency indoor connectivity to support the growing demand for seamless digital experiences across premium hospitality spaces, from high-speed browsing, video calling and content streaming to connected guest services, smart building applications and operational communications in dense, high-footfall spaces. In collaboration with Ericsson, E& UAE engineered and deployed

MTS Belarus expands LTE network with beCloud
BELARUS 23 JUN

MTS Belarus expands LTE network with beCloud

MTS Belarus launched more than 70 new LTE base stations in May, using the infrastructure of state-owned operator beCloud. The coverage and capacity of the network increased in almost 50 sites across the country. The network expanded in the cities of Minsk, Mogilyov, Baranovichi and Bobruysk, as well as in numerous smaller sites. Around 70 percent of newly-deployed base stations work on the 1,800 MHz band.

Meta expands smart glasses range with cheaper models
GLOBAL 23 JUN

Meta expands smart glasses range with cheaper models

Meta is expanding its range of smart glasses with three new models under its own brand. Built with its existing partner EssilorLuxottica, the Meta Glasses come with a cheaper price, starting at USD 299, and the company's own Muse Spark large language model to power AI applications.

Vodafone Ireland survey highlights nostalgic mobile phone memories
IRELAND 23 JUN

Vodafone Ireland survey highlights nostalgic mobile phone memories

New research from Vodafone Ireland shows that staying connected with family and friends (66%), accessing social media (54%) and banking, budgeting and managing finances (32%) are the top three reasons for using a mobile phone. This is based on a survey of 500 mobile phone users in Ireland aged 40+, as Vodafone marks 25 years of operating in the country. By comparison, voice calls were the main use of mobile phones in 2001, with SMS/text messaging emerging as a key feature.

Czech operators cover train tunnels with 5G
CZECH REPUBLIC 23 JUN

Czech operators cover train tunnels with 5G

Czech operators have installed their 5G equipment in the infrastructure deployed by the Czech national railway carrier in train tunnels on the corridor from Prague to Brno and Ostrava. The operators will provide data and voice services in the tunnels on their own, using the shared infrastructure.

Rostelecom subsidiary Bulat launches new line of base stations
RUSSIAN FEDERATION 23 JUN

Rostelecom subsidiary Bulat launches new line of base stations

Russian national operator Rostelecom said that its subsidiary Bulat launched the first units of mobile base stations compatible with the 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1,800 MHz, 2,100 MHz, 2,300 MHz and 2,600 MHz bands. The capacity of the signal processing unit also was improved on the new lines of base stations, as well as new functions added for flexible deployment by operators. Base stations from Bulat are used on LTE and GSM networks.

Asurion appoints new President, Chief Revenue Officer
GLOBAL 23 JUN

Asurion appoints new President, Chief Revenue Officer

Global tech care company Asurion has appointed Kausik Rajgopal as President and Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) from 22 June 2026. He will be responsible for the group's global revenue organisation, overseeing its customer and partner growth strategy; and will report to CEO Guru Gowrappan. He has over 25 years of experience in the technology and financial services sectors, most recently as EVP of Strategy, Corporate Development and Partnerships at PayPal. 

Which? allowed to proceed with iCloud legal claim against Apple
UNITED KINGDOM 23 JUN

Which? allowed to proceed with iCloud legal claim against Apple

UK consumer group Which? has been given the go-ahead from the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) to proceed with a GBP 3 billion opt-out collective claim against Apple on behalf of iCloud storage customers. Which? claims that Apple has given preferential treatment to its own cloud storage service, thereby forcing Apple device owners to use the iCloud service. This has in turn restricted market competition and led to customers overpaying for their monthly iCloud subscription. 

Telia adds drones, quad bikes to remote mobile coverage offering
SWEDEN 23 JUN

Telia adds drones, quad bikes to remote mobile coverage offering

Telia presented a new offering in Sweden to provide temporary mobile coverage in emergency situations or remote locations. Rikslaenk is a modular offering that can draw on a range of solutions, including drones, quad bikes and tripods, to bring coverage to hard-to-reach parts of the country.

UNITED KINGDOM 23 JUN

Virgin Media O2 to start 2G network shutdown in summer 2029

Virgin Media O2 has announced plans to start switching off its 2G network from summer 2029 as part of is Mobile Transformation Plan. This follows the successful withdrawal of 3G services by end-2025, and will allow spectrum to be reused for more efficient and faster 4G and 5G networks.

GLOBAL 23 JUN

Nokia to pitch expanded AI agent roadmap and rApp-ready SMO interface at DTW

Nokia is present at this year's DTW Ignite event to highlight its expanded roster of AI agents, including a new Agent Library rolled out in the latest iteration of its Autonomous Networks Suite. The announcement comes as Nokia is working with Google Cloud to implement several agents in its service assurance platform. At DTW 2026, Nokia is additionally spotlighting broader AI-driven frameworks to advance its IP, fixed, and optical network portfolios, providing a basis for higher levels of network autonomy, w

POLAND 23 JUN

Orange wins tender for remote mobile coverage for Polish military

Orange Poland has won a tender announced by the Polish Cyberspace Resources Centre of the Armed Forces. The operator will ensure the coverage of commercial GSM/LTE/5G networks in areas without commercial interest for investment, in particular in the area of the East Shield Programme. The contract is worth PLN 177.7 million and  will be funded under the EU tool SAFE. The contractor will provide the military with base stations.  

AFRICA 23 JUN

Sub-Saharan Africa to lead global 5G growth with over 10-fold subscriber increase by 2031

Sub-Saharan Africa's transition to advanced connectivity is moving at a rapid pace and the region is forecast to lead global 5G subscription growth, surging from roughly 30 million users in 2025 to 370 million by 2031, according to the latest Ericsson Mobility Report. Total mobile subscriptions in sub-Saharan Africa are projected to reach 1.31 billion by 2031, up from 1.05 billion in 2025.

RUSSIAN FEDERATION 23 JUN

Samsung, Huawei lead foldable phone market in Russia

Russian sales of foldable smartphones totaled 42,000 units in January to May of this year, according to a study from the operator MTS. Sales revenues amounted to RUB 3.9 billion. Sales of such devices increased by more than 50 percent in the past two years, while the average retail price declined by 16 percent to RUB 92,600.

EUROPE 23 JUN

Microamp wins EU funding to advance AI-RAN platform for 6G-era links

Microamp, a Poland-based 5G mmWave vendor, has been awarded EUR 6.5 million from the EU's scale-up platform for deep tech business models. The capital from the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator consists of a EUR 4 million equity investment and a EUR 2.5 million grant award. Microamp will use the cash to advance its upcoming Any-G mmWave AI-RAN Wireless platform, tailored to AI-capable mmWave links in the 6G era.

GLOBAL 23 JUN

Smartphone prices to hit record high as volumes fall 12% in 2026 - Omdia

Total global smartphone shipments are set to contract by 12.2 percent year-on-year in 2026, according to the latest forecast from Omdia that contrasts with the researcher's earlier prediction of a 7 percent annual contraction. The expected year-end total of 1.093 billion units represents a decline of 152 million units compared with 2025 and shows that rising component costs and geopolitical uncertainty are prompting vendors to move away from low-cost, high-volume models, driving a structural change in the m

GLOBAL 23 JUN

Samsung's UFS 5.0 flash chip set for Q4 production

Samsung announced it will commence production of its Universal Flash Storage (UFS) 5.0 chip in Q4, amid speculation it could be incorporated into Galaxy S27 smartphones next year. The vendor plans to supply several variants of its flash storage chip in capacities ranging up to 1 TB. 

NIGERIA 23 JUN

Lebara Nigeria launches LebaraPlay entertainment platform

Lebara Nigeria has introduced LebaraPlay, a mobile-first digital entertainment platform aimed at delivering premium content to the MVNO's customers. The platform differentiates Lebara by offering services beyond standard voice and data. Accessible to both Lebara subscribers and non-subscribers, LebaraPlay offers a diverse catalogue of entertainment tailored for today's mobile audiences, such as micro-drama series, music, and lifestyle programming.

UNITED KINGDOM 23 JUN

Currys says 1 in 3 Brits holding onto their first mobile phone

New research from UK tech retailer Currys shows that 1 in 3 Brits are still holding onto their first phone phone, of which 25 percent are old Nokia phones. The average home has 30 unused devices, with UK households hoarding more than 880 million unused devices nationwide. Mobile phones are the most commonly hoarded device, with 4 in 5 Brits keeping old mobile phones. 

MADAGASCAR 23 JUN

Airtel Madagascar introduces 035 prefix to support customer growth

Airtel Madagascar has introduced the new 035 mobile prefix, a key milestone in its ongoing network expansion and customer growth. According to the operator, the new prefix is a direct response to a surging subscriber base, which is now nearing 5 million monthly active users. This rollout is designed to accommodate future growth.

UNITED KINGDOM 23 JUN

EE promotes Safer SIMs offering with new Toy Story 5-inspired campaign

BT Group's mobile network EE is launching a cinema activation inspired by the new Disney/Pixar film 'Toy Story 5'. Developed in partnership with Digital Cinema Media (DCM) and WPP Media, the campaign launches nationwide on 19 June to help families discuss online safety. It includes a co-created 30-second film with the Toy Story characters helping a family about tech, safety and growing up in a connected world.

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