News 

AST SpaceMobile has been awarded a $43 million contract to support the US Space Development Agency (SDA), expanding its role in government satellite communications 

The agreement follows successful in-orbit testing of AST SpaceMobile’s BlueWalker-3 satellite under a previous contract in February last year. The company will deploy its Block 2 BlueBird satellites, which feature large phased-array antennas spanning 2,400 square feet, to improve connectivity. 

The SDA, part of the US Space Force, is responsible for advancing space-based capabilities to support military operations. AST SpaceMobile’s technology will contribute to strengthening communications in this sector. 

“This second contract supporting the SDA underscores the confidence in AST SpaceMobile’s innovative technology and its potential to support critical government missions,” said Chris Ivory, Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Government Business of AST SpaceMobile in a press release. 

“We are deploying groundbreaking technology to create robust and resilient communications solutions and to enable new use cases for the U.S. government.”  

AST SpaceMobile holds 3,500 patent and patent-pending claims and develops technology for both commercial and government applications.  

Join us at Connected America next month, 11-12 March in Dallas. Get discounted tickets here! 

Also in the news:
Mavenir and O2 Telefónica Germany renew cloud-native partnership
SAIC and Huawei partner to develop new smart EVs
PODCAST: The fight to win hearts and minds for rural broadband

Five significant buildouts and upgrades to note from metros around the US: … [visit site to read more]

News 

Telefónica Germany has renewed its collaboration with Mavenir, signing a five-year contract extension to transition its 4G and 5G voice services to Mavenir’s cloud-native IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) technology 

O2 Telefónica Germany has signed a five-year contract extension with Mavenir to upgrade its 4G and 5G voice services with Mavenir’s cloud-native IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) technology. 

The deal strengthens Mavenir’s role in O2 Telefónica Germany’s network evolution, replacing its virtualised IMS (vIMS) with a more flexible, scalable cloud-native IMS platform. The upgrade covers both fixed and mobile networks, serving the operator’s entire customer base. 

Mavenir’s IMS solution supports Voice over LTE (VoLTE) and Voice over New Radio (VoNR), ensuring seamless voice continuity across 4G and 5G networks. The cloud-native design, using stateless microservices and containerization, enables fast service deployment on public or private clouds. 

“It was a natural decision to extend our successful technology partnership with Mavenir, which has helped us to deliver our best ever quality of service to our customers and optimise our investment in agile network innovation,” said Matthias Sauder, Director Networks at O2 Telefónica in Germany in a press release. 

“Mavenir’s clear leadership in network functions virtualisation led to its initial selection and has since delivered transformative new capabilities across our operations. As the world embraces the opportunities being created by artificial intelligence and automation to open interfaces for digital transformation, Mavenir’s Cloud-Native IMS will be a core enabling platform for our ongoing network evolution and unlocking new routes to value for our business and our customers.” 

O2 Telefónica Germany recently received a ‘very good’ rating in the 2025 Mobile Network Test by connect magazine. The extended partnership with Mavenir aims to further improve service quality and accelerate digital transformation. 

Ethio Telecom launched seven new cloud-based enterprise services on Wednesday – ranging from banking and push-to-talk communications to cattle management – which it says are designed to streamline operations and elevate customer service.

The new cloud-based core banking solution, targeted at micro-finance institutions and savings and credit cooperatives, promises to modernize their operations, expand their reach, drive financial inclusion and enable scalable growth by eliminating the need for costly on-premises infrastructure.

The solution is also integrated with Ethio Telecom’s Telebirr mobile money platform, which it says enables convenient and secure mobile payments for loan disbursements, repayments, and savings contributions.

Ethio Telecom also launched a push-to-talk/video (PTT/PTV) service aimed at sectors such as security, construction, transportation and hospitality that use trunked radio systems for communication. The PTT/PTV service offers a cost-effective cellular-based alternative that uses regular smartphones and also supports multimedia messaging, location-based services and geofencing.

Meanwhile, the real-time digital cattle tracking solution leverages RFID, GPS and mobile technologies to enable farmers and ranchers to monitor their livestock in real time, track their location, and assess their health status. The service is also integrated with Telebirr, and additionally provides a service for streamlining insurance claims.

Other cloud-based services include an education management system to optimise learning environments and administration, an office collaboration and productivity solution, a cloud-based contact centre offering and an integrated ERP solution that consolidates key functions such as finance, HR, supply chain and customer relationship management onto a unified system hosted on Ethio Telecom’s cloud.

Ethio Telecom said it has over 456 enterprise customers and partners using its cloud and data centre services.

News from around the world plus the American southwest: … [visit site to read more]

Telefónica has announced a US$1.2 billion deal to sell its entire stake in its Argentinian unit to Telecom Argentina, though the transaction could be blocked by government intervention over competition concerns.

In a brief statement, Telefónica said the deal is part of its strategy to reduce exposure in Latin America and create value for shareholders. The announcement follows speculation about Telefónica divesting from multiple Latin American markets, including Mexico and Peru.

Telecom Argentina stated that the acquisition will be financed through loans and that it plans to invest in fibre and 5G deployment in the coming years, while also expanding its capabilities in video on demand, IoT, corporate services, fintech, e-commerce, AI, and cloud services.

Telecom Argentina CEO Roberto Nobile said: “With this transaction, Telecom once again demonstrates its commitment to continued investment in Argentina, despite the current macroeconomic conditions, which provide certainty and stability for private and competitive investment.”

Argentina’s telecoms regulator ENACOM and competition authority CNDC have been instructed by President Javier Milei to investigate whether the deal would create a monopoly.

A translated statement from the Office of the President warned that the acquisition could give Telecom Argentina control over 70% of the country’s telecommunications services, effectively creating a monopoly that has benefited from decades of state support.

“If this is the case, the national government will take all necessary measures to prevent it,” the statement added.

Telecom Argentina and Telefónica originally acquired divisions of the state-owned monopoly ENTel in 1990, when Argentina moved to privatise its telecoms sector.

BubbleRAN and Taiwan’s Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) are thrilled to announce their collaboration to demonstrate Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC), a foundational technology for 6G networks, at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2025 in Barcelona. 

This joint effort highlights the transformative potential of ISAC, merging sensing and communication capabilities, effectively creating new business opportunities and redefining the role of cellular networks in future industry.

The collaboration between BubbleRAN and ITRI brings this vision to life with a proof-of-concept (PoC) demonstration powered by BubbleRAN’s 5G O-RAN platform and ITRI’s cutting-edge AI-driven algorithms. The PoC features a real-time sensing xApp that spatially locates user terminals and constructs power and interference heatmaps using sounding reference signals and I/Q samples transported via the O-RAN stack. 

The sub-millisecond sensing capability opens the door to a plethora of applications that demand low latency, including:

• High-Accuracy Localization & Tracking – Ideal for warehouse automation and precise device movements;
• Imaging, Mapping, and Environment Reconstruction – Essential for smart cities and virtual city simulations;
• Augmented Human Senses – From telemedicine to pollution monitoring;
• Posture & Gesture Recognition – Applicable to smart homes and autonomous vehicles.

“This collaboration marks a major milestone toward groundbreaking innovations in 6G, where  our combined expertise in applied research is key to success. Together with BubbleRAN, we are shaping a future where science and innovation address real-world challenges”, says Dr. Pang-aAn Ting, Vice President and General Director of ITRI.

“This solution is the first step toward enabling real-time optimization of the next generation radio access network based on ISAC.” added  Mikel Irazabal, Principal Engineer at BubbleRAN.

The full demonstration will be showcased March 3–6, 2025, at the booth 6E9 during MWC Barcelona 2025. Attendees are invited to explore this cutting-edge development in 6G technology and witness how real-time sensing is poised to transform industries and drive new business models.

From the legendary Maasai warriors to the annual great migration of wildebeest and zebra, Kenya has no lack of cultural and natural wonders. One thing the country does lack, however, is the application of digital technologies. According to data from the Communications Authority of Kenya, just 58% of Kenyans were connected to the Internet in 2024.

Call from the silent world

« Kuwa Nawe, Kua Nawe. » Thirteen-year-old student Melisa Ngami uses sign language to express this Swahili phrase, which means, « Be with you, grow with you ».

Melisa studies at Machakos School for the Deaf, which is located more than 60 kilometers from downtown Nairobi. Like all teenagers, the students at this school are curious about the world.

« My learners are visual learners. They can hear sometimes. They need to see something to relate with it. Because they use their eyes to learn, and learning has been quite hard, » explains Kenneth Bidan, Teacher, Machakos School for the Deaf.

Schools in Kenya are mainly limited to traditional teaching methods, where teachers write on a blackboard and students take notes. This is not sufficient for enabling curious students to learn new things. Moreover, the unbalanced distribution of educational resources in Kenya exacerbates learning challenges for deaf students.

Technology delivers an answer

Today, teachers and students at Machakos School for the Deaf are witnessing positive changes. This is thanks to Huawei’s TECH4ALL initiative, together with UNESCO and the Government of Kenya, including the Ministry of Education, Kenya Institute of Special Education, Ministry of IC&DE and ICT Authority. Including Machakos School for the Deaf, the project has so far connected 30 schools to the Internet through optical fiber networks, in turn transforming them into inclusive digital schools.

Machakos’ students can now unlock the potential of visual learning and access a wealth of online materials such as images and videos. More intuitive and easily digestible content allows the students enjoy a more relaxing and pleasant learning experience.

« On the Internet, I can learn sign language quickly, and also learn English and Math. I have become more confident,”signs Melisa Ngami, a student at Machakos School for Deaf.

Using the high-speed all-optical network, Kenya Institute of Special Education (KISE) provides live distance learning classes and high-quality online teaching materials for Machakos School for the Deaf, allowing students to interact with KISE’s education experts in real time.

« We offer online and offline training and courses for teachers and students with special educational needs,” says Dr. Zipporah Nudge a lecturer at the Department of Hearing and Communication Difficulties for KISE. “We have live streaming for students learning. We also have online classes for teachers.”

Dr. Nudge believes that the network can save time and resources, and ensure consistent course quality and educational resource distribution across the country.

“We ensure that whatever content is shared reaches the students, live from KISE. And the students will be getting the same materials as those that are in urban centers, even in the remotest parts of this country,” she adds.

Connecting Kenya with optical networks

Digital technologies are critical to the development of modern education. Lamine Mamadou Sow, Chief of Education, UNESCO Regional Office for East Africa, states that one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals is to provide quality and inclusive education as well as lifelong learning opportunities for all.

Connectivity, capabilities, and content are the three key dimensions for education development.

« We see ICT as an equalizer because ICT has the potential to reach out to disadvantaged children and people on low-incomes wherever they are in rural places. It’s a bridge,” explains Sow.“It’s something that can provide equity and inclusion in education so that all children can have equal access to learning opportunities and quality education resources. I am delighted to see that the DigiSchool project was successfully launched with the support of UNESCO, partners, and Huawei’s TECH4ALL initiative. »

Connectivity is the first step in transforming into digital schools. Huawei’s all-optical access and FTTR-B solutions enable all-optical Wi-Fi connections and high-speed networks for online courses and live classes, empowering students and teachers with digital capabilities. The 30 all-optical digital schools so far connected consist of 4 girls’ schools, 6 schools for deaf children, and 20 standard primary and secondary schools.

The project has benefited more than 12,000 teachers and students in remote areas of Kenya.

Huawei also supported M-PESA Foundation Academy, which serves talented but economically disadvantaged students with demonstrated leadership potential, and has a high-speed fibre network and campus-wide Wi-Fi provided by Safaricom.  According to Paul Ngugi, Head of Technology and Learning Innovation at M-PESA Foundation Academy, the academy integrates digital technologies into teaching to cultivate talent for Kenya’s digital future.

« The high-speed all-optical network co-provided with Huawei turns our vision into reality and drives the development of digital education,”states Ngugi.

Kenya is transforming digitally at a rapid pace. The government has launched the Digital Superhighway Project, which involves constructing a high-speed fiber network spanning 100,000 km that will, among other outcomes, connect all schools in Kenya by 2030.

Thomas Bwaley, Director for Programmes & Standards for the ICT Authority, explains that, « Cooperating with partners such as Huawei, the Kenyan government provides high-speed Internet and Wi-Fi connectivity for educational institutions using all-optical access technologies. This can improve learning experiences and allow students in remote area to have the same opportunities as those in developed regions, bridging the education gap across the country.”  

The Kenya Digital Superhighway Project will connect 100,000 institutions and markets across Kenya. The increasing number of fiber connections in the last mile will drive the digitalization of a diverse range of industries, including e-commerce and healthcare.

“Now we are building 25,000 public Wi-Fi hotspots and 1,450 digital hubs to bridge the digital divide and boost Kenya’s digital economy,” says Bwaley. 

With MetroConnect underway down in Florida, there should be plenty of regional and last mile news to take a look at this week.  Here’s a start: … [visit site to read more]

Press Release

[Algiers, 21 Feb, 2025] Algeria Telecom and Huawei jointly announced the official launch of the national 400G WDM project, building an all-optical premium transmission foundation covering the whole country, helping Algeria accelerate the development of its national digital economy.

As the largest telecommunications operator in Algeria, Algeria Telecom has always been committed to promoting the national digital transformation. This cooperation with Huawei aims to enhance the level of Algeria’s network infrastructure by introducing the most advanced 400G ultra-high-speed optical network technology to provide stronger support for the development of the digital economy. Additionally, this network is future-oriented, laying an ultra-high-speed, low latency and sustainable foundation towards intelligence era.

Huawei, as a leading global provider of information and communication technology solutions and smart devices, has rich experience and technical accumulation in the field of optical communication. The 400G ultra-high-speed optical network solution provided by Huawei for Algeria Telecom will have the characteristics of large bandwidth, high reliability, and low latency, which can meet the growing digital business needs in Algeria.

More specifically, the implementation of this project will help Algeria achieve the following goals:

• Improve network speed and capacity: The 400G ultra-high-speed optical network will provide higher bandwidth and transmission speed than the existing network, enabling Algeria to better cope with the increasing data traffic demand.
• Promote the development of the digital economy: The ultra-high-speed optical network will provide a solid foundation for the development of Algeria’s digital economy and promote the vigorous development of emerging industries such as e-commerce, cloud computing, and big data.
• Improve people’s livelihood services: A high-speed and stable network will provide better Internet experience for the Algerian people and promote the improvement of digital service levels in fields such as education, medical care, and government affairs.

Algeria Telecom and Huawei will cooperate closely to jointly promote all-optical network development. Both sides will give full play to their respective advantages to ensure the smooth delivery and stable operation of the network. It is believed that with the joint efforts of both sides, Algeria will embrace a more digital and intelligent future.