Telecom 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, including 5G upgrades and rural connectivity programs.
• Multiple operators are restructuring their businesses by spinning off infrastructure assets or adopting open-source technologies to improve operational efficiency.

Key details: SaskTel’s comprehensive infrastructure plan prioritizes both urban 5G deployment and rural connectivity expansion.

• The company will construct 5 new cell sites and upgrade 170 existing sites to 5G technology.
• Fiber optic broadband will be extended to 60 additional communities across Saskatchewan.
• The Aurora Program aims to bring connectivity to 30 Indigenous and northern communities specifically.

Behind the numbers: Telecom companies are exploring innovative business models to maximize infrastructure value while controlling operational costs.

• Hrvatski Telekom is spinning off its passive mobile infrastructure assets into a new subsidiary, with completion expected by Q3 2025.
• Aussie Broadband has replaced proprietary VMware solutions with SUSE open-source platform across its co-located data centers in Australia.

Industry innovations: AI integration is emerging as a competitive differentiator in telecommunications service offerings.

• Airtel Uganda has launched East Africa’s first AI-powered spam alert service that automatically identifies suspicious messages by scanning over 250 parameters.
• Vietnamese operators are collaborating on network API development to create new service opportunities.

Where we go from here: The telecommunications industry continues evolving with network modernization initiatives that reflect changing consumer demands and technology lifecycles.

• Legacy networks are being phased out, with A1 Serbia shutting down its 3G network to reallocate resources to newer technologies.
• Emergency communication systems are being enhanced, with AIS and NBTC testing mobile emergency alert systems.