AST SpaceMobile stock soars following Verizon partnership announcement

AST SpaceMobile stock soars following Verizon partnership announcement

AST SpaceMobile, a provider of satellite-to-phone services, saw its stock soar recently after announcing a partnership with Verizon. This deal follows the company's recent agreement with AT&T to provide remote coverage across the United States.

AST SpaceMobile is constructing satellites to deliver broadband service directly to unmodified smartphones, tapping into the emerging "direct-to-device" communications market. The company's chairman and CEO, Abel Avellan, hailed the...

30 May 2024 | AT&T

BT to slash additional £3B in costs following full-fibre rollout peak

BT to slash additional £3 billion in costs following full-fibre rollout peak

BT has launched a new set of cost-saving initiatives worth £3 billion, following the completion of significant investments in its UK full-fibre broadband network, which prompted a rise in dividends.

The company saw a slight increase in revenue, reaching £20.8 billion—a 1% increase from the previous year—fueled by increased broadband prices, strong fibre product sales via Openreach, and growth in its consumer division.

However, even with increased revenue, the...

28 May 2024 | Networks

AT&T’s new ‘Turbo’ charge raises net neutrality concerns

AT&T is now charging mobile customers an additional $7 per month for faster wireless data speeds with a new "Turbo" add-on. AT&T says the add-on is "built to support high-performance mobile applications, like gaming, social video broadcasting, and live video conferencing, with optimised data while customers are on the go."

The new fee comes just a week after the FCC voted to restore net neutrality rules that prohibit internet service providers from blocking, throttling, or...

3 May 2024 | 5G

T-Mobile closes acquisition of Mint owner

T-Mobile has completed its acquisition of Ka'ena Corporation, the parent company of the direct-to-consumer prepaid wireless brands Mint Mobile and Ultra Mobile, as well as the wholesale wireless provider Plum.

The Un-carrier announced the completion of the transaction on Thursday, stating that the combination creates a "win-win" situation by pairing the complementary brands with T-Mobile's industry-leading 5G network. T-Mobile plans to maintain the distinct brands' entrepreneurial...

2 May 2024 | 5G

Global firms join SONIC Labs initiative for Open RAN testing

Digital Catapult has announced that its SONIC Labs initiative, focused on developing Open RAN technology, is launching a new phase with the introduction of several international companies into its program. These companies will utilise the newly established outdoor testing facility in West London, exploring the practical applications and benefits of Open RAN in a real-world setting.

Open RAN technology seeks to revolutionise the telecoms industry by promoting interoperability among...

25 April 2024 | 5G

Glance eyes full US expansion with telco partnerships

Glance, a Google-backed Indian startup known for its smartphone lockscreen platform, is intensifying its efforts to penetrate the US market. This follows a recent pilot program with Verizon and Motorola.

Glance's platform offers customised content such as news feeds, local events, sports updates, media content, and interactive games without requiring additional app installations. The company has already made significant strides in the Indian market, Southeast Asia, and Japan after...

24 April 2024 | Operators

EU antitrust chief warns against telecoms mergers  

EU competition chief Margrethe Vestager has issued a stern warning against further consolidation in the bloc's telecommunications industry, countering a recent EU report that advocated for mergers among operators to bolster networks.

Speaking at a conference in Brussels, Vestager forcefully rejected the notion that more concentrated national telecoms markets would lead to better outcomes.

"No evidence suggests that more concentrated national markets lead to better...

18 April 2024 | 5G

FCC denies spectrum request for Starlink’s mobile service

SpaceX's plans to expand Starlink to provide mobile services have encountered a roadblock as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) dismissed the company's application to use several spectrum bands.

Starlink – the satellite internet division of SpaceX – is seeking approval to use up to 7,500 second-generation satellites with spectrum in the 1.6 GHz, 2 GHz, and 2.4 GHz bands to provide mobile services.

However, the FCC's Space Bureau ruled this week that SpaceX's...

28 March 2024 | 5G

Ofcom’s consumer protections ‘fall vastly short’

Ofcom has introduced new rules aimed at better protecting UK mobile customers against unexpected roaming charges while using their phone abroad and at home.

Following the UK’s exit from the European Union, EU ‘roam like at home’ rules – and UK law requiring mobile operators to alert customers of roaming charges when they start to roam – have ceased to apply. Since then, many operators have voluntarily continued to send their customers alerts.

However, a review...

26 March 2024 | 5G

CMA raises concerns about proposed Vodafone-Three merger

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has expressed concerns over the proposed merger between Vodafone and Three, two of the UK's four major mobile network operators.

The regulator launched its initial Phase 1 investigation in January after the two companies announced a joint venture agreement last year that would combine their 27 million customers under a single network provider.

The CMA's 40-day Phase 1 review aimed to identify whether the deal could lead to a...

22 March 2024 | 5G