News/Telecom
Well, I never! Turkey blocks Grok AI chatbot after it insulted President Erdogan
Turkey has blocked access to Grok, Elon Musk's AI chatbot, after it generated responses that authorities said included insults to President Tayyip Erdogan. This marks Turkey's first ban on an AI tool and highlights growing concerns about political bias and content control in artificial intelligence systems. What you should know: A Turkish court ordered the ban after Grok reportedly generated offensive content about Erdogan when asked certain questions in Turkish. The Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK), Turkey's telecommunications regulator, implemented the block, citing violations of Turkey's laws that make insults to the president a criminal offense punishable by up...
read Jul 1, 2025DoJ approves HPE’s $14B Juniper acquisition with wireless asset divestitures
The U.S. Department of Justice has approved Hewlett Packard Enterprise's $14 billion acquisition of Juniper Networks after reaching a settlement agreement that requires significant divestitures from HPE. The deal, which strengthens HPE's position in AI infrastructure and networking, will proceed under strict conditions designed to preserve competition in the enterprise wireless LAN market. What you should know: HPE must divest key wireless networking assets and license critical software to maintain market competition. HPE will sell its Instant On WLAN campus and branch network switching business, including all related assets, intellectual property, R&D personnel, and customer relationships to a DoJ-approved buyer...
read Jun 24, 2025Can you satisfy my query now? Verizon launches Gemini-powered AI customer service with 90% accuracy
Verizon has launched an AI-powered customer service assistant built on Google's Gemini technology, designed to handle complex customer inquiries through the revamped My Verizon app. The initiative represents a significant shift toward AI-driven customer support while maintaining human oversight, as the telecom giant seeks to streamline service operations and improve customer experience efficiency. What you should know: The new Verizon Assistant can manage a wide range of customer tasks that traditionally required human representatives. Customers can use the AI tool to manage upgrades, add new lines, ask billing questions, and find savings opportunities through the My Verizon app. The system...
read Jun 23, 2025Huawei unveils 6 strategies to dial in 5G-A networks monetization
Telecom operators worldwide face a familiar challenge: they've invested billions in 5G infrastructure, but generating meaningful revenue from these networks remains elusive. Now, Huawei's carrier business group is pushing a new strategy centered on 5G-Advanced (5G-A)—an enhanced version of 5G that promises faster speeds, lower latency, and more sophisticated network management capabilities. Speaking at MWC Shanghai 2025, James Chen, president of Huawei's carrier business group, outlined how operators can finally unlock the revenue potential of their 5G investments. His message was clear: the window for 5G-A monetization is open, but success requires strategic focus on differentiated services, industry-specific solutions, and...
read Jun 3, 2025LG Uplus debuts liquid-cooled AI data center prototype
LG Uplus is pioneering liquid cooling technology for AI data centers with a new demonstration facility in South Korea, marking a significant shift in how telecom companies approach thermal management for high-density computing. This initiative represents a growing recognition that traditional air cooling methods cannot efficiently handle the intense heat generated by modern AI workloads, requiring innovative cooling technologies to enable sustainable expansion of AI infrastructure. The big picture: LG Uplus has launched a liquid cooling demonstration room at its Pyeongchon 2 Internet Data Center in Anyang to validate sustainable cooling technologies for AI-focused facilities. The testing environment is designed...
read May 27, 2025Chinese operators deploy AI-powered RAN at massive scale
Chinese telecom operators are making waves with the commercial deployment of AI-powered radio access network (RAN) automation at a scale unmatched by their Western counterparts. While global telecom companies continue to experiment with network intelligence, China's operators have successfully implemented Level 4 automation across their networks, demonstrating significant real-world benefits in energy efficiency and operational performance. This advancement represents a critical competitive advantage in the race to maximize 5G network capabilities through intelligent, closed-loop automation systems. The big picture: At MWC25, AI-powered network intelligence dominated discussions as vendors showcased how generative AI and machine learning can optimize telecom networks and...
read May 24, 2025Why AI traffic won’t break mobile networks
Despite industry concerns about artificial intelligence creating traffic spikes that could overwhelm mobile networks, expert analysis suggests these fears may be overblown. Mobile networks have historically adapted to new data-hungry applications, and AI traffic appears poised to follow this pattern rather than creating unprecedented strain on infrastructure. The big picture: Industry experts are skeptical about predictions that AI traffic will overwhelm mobile networks, pointing to historical patterns of network adaptation to new technologies. The telecommunications industry has a long history of successfully accommodating data-intensive applications from streaming video to mobile gaming. Mobile networks have consistently evolved to meet growing capacity...
read May 23, 2025Telecom giants advance 5G networks across Middle East
Global telecom operators are rapidly advancing beyond basic 5G implementation into more sophisticated technological territories, with significant developments in 5G Advanced, AI integration, and IoT applications. These initiatives reflect the industry's broader transformation toward intelligent, autonomous networks capable of supporting next-generation services while addressing sustainability concerns. The innovations happening across Kuwait, Turkey, Spain, and other regions demonstrate how telecom providers are leveraging multiple technologies simultaneously to create more capable and efficient infrastructure. The big picture: Telecom operators worldwide are deploying 5G Advanced capabilities enhanced by AI, edge computing, and specialized spectrum allocations to enable more sophisticated network applications. Ooredoo Kuwait...
read May 21, 2025UAE telco e& launches 5G network slicing for businesses
UAE's e& is rolling out significant 5G and edge AI infrastructure enhancements to address the increasing demand for specialized enterprise connectivity solutions. The telecom provider's introduction of commercial 5G network slicing marks a strategic advancement in how businesses can secure dedicated network resources for mission-critical applications, while partnerships with Qualcomm and Ericsson strengthen the company's technological capabilities in AI and radio network infrastructure. The big picture: e& UAE has launched commercial 5G network slicing for enterprises, offering customized connectivity solutions with reserved capacity for critical applications across manufacturing, public safety, and port operations. The new offering leverages e&'s 5G standalone...
read May 16, 2025Airtel deploys AI fraud detection system in North India’s Haryana
Airtel's new AI-powered security solution marks a significant advancement in telecom cybersecurity, offering real-time protection against digital fraud across multiple communication platforms. As online scams grow increasingly sophisticated beyond simple OTP fraud schemes, this preventative approach to blocking malicious websites before users can access them represents a shift from reactive to proactive security for millions of mobile and broadband customers. The solution's automatic integration for all Airtel users in Haryana, at no additional cost, signals a potential new standard in telecom security offerings. The big picture: Airtel has launched what it claims is the world's first AI-powered real-time fraud detection...
read May 8, 2025FCC Chair urges faster spectrum allocation for wireless growth at DC event
US wireless industry leaders are emphasizing the critical relationship between spectrum allocation, artificial intelligence, and national technological leadership. At CTIA's 5G Summit in Washington, DC, industry figures highlighted how spectrum shortages could hamper America's ability to compete globally in wireless technology—an issue with implications across sectors from economic development to national security, particularly as AI becomes increasingly mobile. The big picture: Former FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, now CTIA's president and CEO, positioned wireless leadership as fundamental to broader technological dominance, declaring that "countries that lead the world in wireless will lead in every technology-enabled sector that will define the next...
read May 3, 2025Nokia upgrade enables EXA to expand global fiber capacity by 15%
Telecommunications infrastructure continues to reshape itself around artificial intelligence's explosive data demands. EXA Infrastructure's significant optical network upgrade with Nokia technology represents a critical evolution in the global fiber backbone that powers AI development. This partnership highlights how infrastructure providers are retooling to address the dual challenges of meeting unprecedented bandwidth requirements while simultaneously improving energy efficiency – a balancing act that will determine which networks can effectively support the AI economy. The big picture: EXA Infrastructure is boosting its global optical network capacity by 15% through Nokia's advanced 1.2 Tbps per-channel upgrade, representing a significant technological leap from systems...
read May 1, 2025AI-powered IoT firm 1NCE secures $60M for US expansion
German IoT connectivity provider 1NCE has secured $60 million in new funding to enhance its AI capabilities and expand its presence in the rapidly growing US IoT market. This latest round, the company's largest to date, brings its total funding to $160 million since 2017 and positions the company to capitalize on increasing enterprise demand for integrated IoT connectivity and management solutions powered by artificial intelligence. The big picture: 1NCE is strengthening its position in the IoT ecosystem by enhancing its SaaS platform with AI capabilities while doubling down on the US market. The company plans to launch new products...
read Apr 25, 2025AMD and KDDI team up to boost 5G virtual network performance
KDDI and AMD's new partnership marks a significant step in Japan's 5G infrastructure development, bringing chiplet-powered processing to mobile networks. The collaboration aims to address the growing demand for 5G capacity while prioritizing energy efficiency—a critical balance as mobile data consumption continues to surge globally. This partnership also highlights the strategic importance of processor architecture in preparing telecom networks for AI integration. The big picture: Japanese telecom giant KDDI will deploy AMD's 4th Generation EPYC processors across its 5G virtualized network infrastructure, with nationwide implementation beginning in 2026 following a testing phase in 2025. Why this matters: The partnership addresses...
read Apr 24, 2025Telecom updates: SaskTel invests, Airtel Uganda fights spam
Telecommunications infrastructure investment is surging globally in 2025, with providers focusing on 5G expansion, fiber deployment, and innovative service offerings. Recent developments highlight a strategic pivot toward network modernization and specialization, with telecom companies increasingly leveraging AI technology and open-source solutions to improve service delivery. These investments reflect the growing importance of connectivity as digital infrastructure becomes critical to economic development, particularly in underserved and rural communities. The big picture: Major telecom providers worldwide are making substantial infrastructure investments to modernize networks and extend connectivity to underserved areas. SaskTel leads with a CAD 465.9 million investment in Saskatchewan for 2025-26,...
read Apr 24, 2025AI powers Chinese tech giant ZTE’s Q1 results, company reports
Chinese tech giant ZTE is leveraging artificial intelligence across its business segments to drive financial growth and expand its market position. The company's Q1 2025 results demonstrate how strategic AI integration is helping technology providers diversify revenue streams beyond traditional telecommunications infrastructure, particularly as global demand for AI-powered solutions accelerates across enterprise and consumer markets. The big picture: ZTE reported CNY 32.97 billion ($4.50 billion) in Q1 2025 revenue, representing a 7.8% year-over-year increase as the company successfully capitalized on AI-driven market opportunities. Net profit reached CNY 2.45 billion, reflecting the company's successful execution of its AI strategy across multiple...
read Apr 22, 2025Ookla partners with Deloitte and Heavy.AI to improve network analysis
Ookla's new strategic partnerships with Deloitte and Heavy.AI mark a significant advancement in network analytics capabilities for the telecommunications industry. These collaborations combine Ookla's connectivity intelligence with specialized expertise in consultancy and GPU-accelerated analytics, promising to transform how telecom providers, governments, and infrastructure companies visualize, analyze, and optimize network performance at unprecedented scales. The big picture: Ookla has formed partnerships with both Deloitte and Heavy.AI to enhance network analytics capabilities and enable data-driven decision-making for telecom stakeholders worldwide. The collaboration with Deloitte combines Ookla's connectivity insights with Deloitte's consultancy services to improve network performance understanding and strategy development. The partnership...
read Apr 22, 2025Airtel and partners test AI, digital twins on 5G in India
The convergence of 5G, extended reality, and AI is ushering in a new era for manufacturing in India, with significant implications for industrial operations and workforce development. This strategic partnership between telecommunications, technology, and automobile manufacturing giants represents a notable step in India's Industry 4.0 evolution, bringing together communications infrastructure, advanced computing, and industrial expertise to create more intelligent and adaptive manufacturing environments. The big picture: Bharti Airtel, Ericsson, and Volvo Group have formed a research partnership to integrate Extended Reality, Digital Twin technologies, and AI within manufacturing environments using 5G Advanced networks. The collaboration will use Volvo's Bangalore Factory...
read Apr 17, 2025AI is reshaping the mobile industry in 5 key ways in 2025
Mobile World Congress 2025 has definitively transformed AI from an emerging technology to a foundational element across the mobile industry. With over 109,000 attendees and 2,900 exhibitors, the Barcelona event showcased how artificial intelligence is now embedded in everything from smartphone chips to network infrastructure. This mainstreaming of AI signals a significant shift in how mobile technology will develop, with implications reaching far beyond premium devices into midrange phones, wearables, and telecommunications infrastructure. 1. More Phone Makers Are Going All In on AI Honor and Oppo unveiled ambitious AI initiatives that signal major strategic shifts in mobile technology development. Honor...
read Apr 14, 2025Dell and AMD partner to bring AI directly into telecom networks
Dell Technologies and AMD are joining forces to integrate AI capabilities directly into telecom networks, targeting communications service providers (CSPs) who need to optimize 5G operations while developing new revenue streams. This strategic partnership combines Dell's telecom expertise with AMD's advanced silicon technology, creating solutions that bring artificial intelligence to where network data resides—enabling CSPs to implement innovations in network automation, optimization, and security. The big picture: Dell Technologies has expanded its AI for Telecom solution suite using AMD's EPYC CPUs and Instinct GPUs, creating an integrated platform that brings AI capabilities directly into telecommunications networks. This partnership aims to...
read Apr 14, 2025Extra non-terrestrial: Open RAN, AI, and satellite tech shaping the bridge from 5G to 6G
The future of wireless technology is taking shape with Open RAN, AI integration, and non-terrestrial networks emerging as key components likely to transition from 5G to 6G systems. As 6G research continues, these complementary technologies are already demonstrating their potential to transform wireless infrastructure through disaggregation, intelligent automation, and expanded coverage capabilities—creating a roadmap for the next generation of connectivity. The big picture: Open RAN technology has reached an inflection point in its development cycle and is "starting to take off," according to Kalyan Sundhar, VP and GM of Wireless Network Infrastructure and O-RAN at Keysight Technologies. Speaking from Mobile...
read Apr 14, 2025Near future connectivity: China’s 5G push to contribute $2 trillion to economy by 2030
China's mobile technology sector is driving unprecedented economic growth, with 5G adoption rapidly transforming the nation's digital landscape. A new GSMA report highlights how mobile technologies will contribute $2 trillion to China's economy by 2030, representing 8.3% of GDP, with manufacturing expected to account for 40% of this economic impact. This acceleration demonstrates how advanced mobile infrastructure is becoming a cornerstone of China's economic strategy and provides insights into one of the world's most advanced digital ecosystems. The big picture: China has already surpassed 1 billion 5G connections in 2024, with adoption rates projected to reach 88% by the end...
read Apr 12, 2025VIAVI’s digital twin technology lets telecom operators safely test AI in virtual networks
Digital twins are emerging as essential tools for testing AI integration in telecommunications networks, offering realistic virtual environments to validate complex technologies before deployment. VIAVI Solutions is pioneering this approach with its RAN Digital Twin, which creates a comprehensive virtual replica of radio access networks by combining synthetic traffic with real data from various sources to ensure AI algorithms make correct decisions in network environments. The big picture: Telecom operators face increasing complexity in testing AI features within their networks, driving innovation in validation tools that can simulate real-world conditions. VIAVI's RAN Digital Twin solution allows operators to create accurate...
read Apr 12, 2025Nokia partners with telecom giants on spectrum sharing and cloud networks
Nokia is accelerating telecom innovation through strategic partnerships that showcase next-generation network capabilities. The company has established three significant collaborations in Malaysia and Saudi Arabia, each focusing on different aspects of network infrastructure evolution. These partnerships demonstrate how shared infrastructure, cloud-based radio access networks, and AI-powered data center solutions are collectively driving telecom transformation while enabling cost efficiencies and performance improvements. The big picture: Nokia is expanding its technology ecosystem through strategic partnerships with major telecom operators in multiple regions to advance networking capabilities. Nokia's collaborations with Maxis in Malaysia and both Tawal and Zain in Saudi Arabia highlight innovation...
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