Singtel and SK Telecom forge partnership to pioneer 6G development

Singtel and SK Telecom forge strategic partnership to pioneer 6G development

Singapore Telecommunications (Singtel) and SK Telecom (SKT) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) committing to a two-year collaboration focused on developing next-generation networks, with a particular emphasis on 6G technology.

This strategic partnership aims to significantly enhance network performance and security, elevate customer experience, and drive innovation across the telecommunications industry.

The head of ICT infrastructure at SK Telecom, as...

22 July 2024 | 6G

Bridging the digital divide: How a coalition is tackling smartphone affordability

The digital divide, a chasm that has long separated billions from the opportunities of the internet age, may soon begin to narrow.

This week, the GSM Association (GSMA) announced the formation of the "Handset Affordability Coalition," a pioneering alliance of mobile operators, device manufacturers, international organisations, and financial institutions. This global initiative aims to revolutionise access to affordable smartphones worldwide for low- and middle-income populations,...

12 July 2024 | 5G

Nokia to acquire Infinera and sell submarine network business for €350M

Nokia to acquire Infinera to boost optical networks and sell submarine network business for € 350 million

Nokia has announced an agreement to acquire Infinera, a global supplier of innovative open optical networking solutions and advanced optical semiconductors.

The transaction values Infinera at $6.65 per share, equating to an enterprise value of US$2.3 billion, as shared by the company. This represents a 28% premium to Infinera's closing share price on June 26, 2024, and a 37% premium to the trailing 180-day volume-weighted average price.

The acquisition structure allows...

28 June 2024 | Networks

Nokia unveils world’s first immersive voice and audio call technology

Nokia unveils world's first immersive voice and audio call technology

Even as these little pocket computers have made the leap from mobile devices to indispensable digital hubs, smartphone communications have languished in the audio doldrums. It's a bold claim, but Nokia reckons that it's managed to achieve the "world's first immersive voice and audio call," powered by a new codec.

The demonstration marked an industry first when Nokia enabled a live immersive audio and video call over a commercial 5G network in Finland between Pekka Lundmark,...

12 June 2024 | 5G

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

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

Vodafone UK completes 3G shutdown to enhance 4G/5G services

Vodafone UK has followed EE's announcement this week by officially shutting down its 3G mobile network nationwide. This transition allows for the repurposing of related radio frequencies to bolster the faster 4G and 5G services.

While Vodafone claims the switch-off is complete as of this week, it slightly missed its initial target of finishing by the end of January 2024. Additionally, a "small number of locations" with "UK security significance" and some remote rural areas will...

28 February 2024 | 5G

SK Telecom and Intel develop low-latency 6G Core tech

SK Telecom (SKT) has collaborated with Intel to successfully develop technology that can significantly reduce communication delays in 6G Core networks.

The Core network acts as the gateway for all voice and data traffic from a user's mobile device to access the internet. As networks become more complex with 5G and 6G, communication delays within the Core network have increased, making it difficult to provide the speed and reliability needed for advanced services like...

2 February 2024 | 6G

Comcast agrees to stop misleading ’10G’ marketing

Comcast has agreed to discontinue its "Xfinity 10G Network" brand name following a ruling that deemed the term misleading. The decision, handed down by the National Advertising Review Board (NARB), comes after challenges from industry rivals.

Verizon and T-Mobile both challenged Comcast's advertising of "10G," a term cable companies have used since 2019 to refer to potential 10Gbps connections. Those speeds are much faster than what Comcast's standard cable networks can currently...

1 February 2024 | Broadband