Telekom Srbija Group and its subsidiary Mtel are upgrading fibre connectivity between Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina using Ciena’s coherent optical technology, as the operator looks to boost cross-border capacity and prepare its network for rising data demand.

The upgrade will see Ciena’s 6500 packet-optical platform deployed on a new 150km fibre route between the two countries, enabling transmission speeds of up to 800Gb/s. Telekom Srbija said the higher-capacity, lower-latency link will support growing traffic from 5G services and hyperscale customers, while strengthening regional connectivity in Southeast Europe.

The project is being delivered in partnership with local systems integrator IGMAKO Smart Solutions.

Katarina Subotić, Chief Sales Officer at Telekom Srbija, said this is a “significant upgrade” to the operator’s network and enables it to launch “cutting edge technologies”.

Global smartphone revenues climbed to a record US$135 billion in the fourth quarter of 2025, rising 7% year-on-year as higher prices and strong demand for premium devices offset ongoing pressure on shipments.

Counterpoint Research said the quarter marked the first time the average selling price (ASP) of smartphones crossed the US$400 mark, driven by consumers increasingly opting for higher-end models and rising component costs for manufacturers.

The analyst house said premiumisation remained the main growth engine for the market, with vendors benefiting from consumers upgrading to more expensive devices despite shortages of memory chips pushing up production costs. Demand for silicon from AI servers and accelerators has tightened supply, feeding through into higher handset prices.

Counterpoint senior analyst Shilpi Jain said the combination of higher ASPs and resilient consumer demand delivered a “positive quarter” for the industry. “Consumers continued to upgrade to higher-priced devices in both developed and emerging markets, where year-end promotions, financing options and trade-in offers helped drive value growth,” she said.

Apple was the clear standout, delivering its strongest fourth quarter since 2021 and generating US$76 billion in revenue, up 11% year-on-year. Research director Jeff Fieldhack said growth was largely driven by the iPhone 17 series, with the Pro Max variant posting the strongest year-on-year performance. Demand remained strong across North America, Latin America and Asia-Pacific.

Apple accounted for 57% of total smartphone revenue in the quarter, up from 54% a year earlier. Samsung followed in second place with an 11% share, unchanged year-on-year, while Oppo and Vivo each captured 5%. Xiaomi accounted for 4% of total revenues.

Looking ahead, Counterpoint warned that rising component costs could weigh on volumes in 2026. Research director Tarun Pathak said ASPs are expected to continue climbing as premiumisation deepens and demand grows for AI-enabled features, but elevated memory prices and broader cost pressures will likely squeeze shipments. “Vendors will increasingly need to focus on value growth

and portfolio optimisation rather than chasing volume,” he said.

News

Starlink, a subsidiary of SpaceX, is trying to change the government’s broadband playbook, a new leaked document reportedly reveals.

By Brad Randall, Broadband Communities

States are being sent riders from Starlink that list caveats to the service the company will eventually give to broadband serviceable locations (BSLs) under government’s massive broadband push, known as the BEAD program.

The revelation comes after several “concerned states” reached out to broadband.io, according to Doug Adams, an admin for the website.

Adams said the riders, which he posted a copy of online, were marked as confidential.

His post describes the brewing conflict the riders signal, which also demand that Starlink be paid 50% upfront.

“Even though the rider insists that Starlink is paid 50% upfront, Starlink isn’t required to increase capacity before it is requested by BSLs,” Adams wrote. “This flies in the face of the NTIA’s June 6 guidance”

In his post, Adams also said multiple contacts at state broadband offices told him NTIA was urging states not to sign the riders.

His analysis of the rider continued.

“Starlink is asking to be paid (in arrears) for BSLs already subscribed and if at any point in time, a BSL tried service but cancelled, Starlink still wants these locations to be considered ‘served’.”

SpaceX, which operates Starlink as a wholly owned subsidiary, has thus far been granted more than any satellite provider in the program, according to Connected Nation’s BEAD tracker.

As has been previously reported, revised guidance to BEAD last year ordered bureaucrats to find more cost-efficient means of delivering broadband. As a result, the attractiveness of low-Earth orbit satellite connectivity has boosted for states seeking cheaper alternatives to fiber.

Of proposals analyzed by Connected Nation so far, Starlink has thus far been awarded over $733 million.

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Rome/Valencia, 30 January 2026

Sparkle, the first international service provider in Italy and among the top global operators, and Valencia Digital Port Connect (VDPC), the Spanish telecommunications infrastructure company developing the Barracuda submarine cable project in collaboration with private equity firm Teset Capital, announce a strategic agreement to land the Barracuda submarine cable at Sparkle’s Genoa Landing Platform.

The Barracuda project will establish the first direct high-capacity, low-latency submarine route between Spain and Italy, creating a 1,070 km digital bridge between Valencia and Genoa. Designed with an “open cable system” architecture, Barracuda will feature 12 fibre pairs, each with a capacity of 32 Tbps (Terabits per second). The project has an estimated total investment of €100 million and is scheduled to be completed in three years, with operations expected to begin in 2028.

Under the agreement, Barracuda will land at Sparkle’s Genoa Landing Platform, a scalable infrastructure designed to offer a turnkey, highly resilient and secure submarine cable landing on the Western European coastline. Through this infrastructure, the cable will reach Sparkle’s Genoa Digital Hub in Lagaccio, an open and neutral colocation facility and interconnection point with other submarine cables and European terrestrial networks as well as Internet Exchange Points already present in the facility. By landing in Genoa, VDPC will gain immediate access to major European hubs, avoiding the cost, time and administrative complexity of deploying a proprietary landing infrastructure.

As part of the broader agreement, Sparkle will also acquire infrastructure assets on the Barracuda submarine cable system between Valencia and Genoa and colocation in Valencia Cable Landing Station, a fully neutral, scalable infrastructure designed for Barracuda and up to three additional submarine cable systems. This additional capability will strengthen Sparkle’s connectivity in the Iberian Peninsula, serving the local as well as the growing West African market, thus further reinforcing its strategic footprint in the Mediterranean region.

“This agreement represents an important step in our strategy to position Genoa as a key gateway to Europe,” said Enrico Bagnasco, CEO of Sparkle. “The landing of Barracuda will strengthen and expand the city’s digital ecosystem, while the additional capacity on the system allows us to further expand our resilient, high-performance Mediterranean network and better serve international connectivity demand”.

Enrique Martín, CEO at Valencia Digital Port Connect said “This agreement with Sparkle marks a key milestone in the Barracuda project and confirms that we are advancing in line with our strategic roadmap. Securing Genoa as our landing point and welcoming Sparkle as a long-term customer reinforces Barracuda and Valencia Cable Landing Station as strategic assets for international partners confirming the credibility of. our ambition to have the system fully operational by 2028”.

About Sparkle

Sparkle is TIM Group’s Global Operator, first international service provider in Italy and among the top worldwide, offering a full range of infrastructure and global connectivity services – capacity, IP, SD-WAN, colocation, IoT connectivity, roaming and voice – to national and international Carriers, OTTs, ISPs, Media/Content Providers, and multinational enterprises. A major player in the submarine cable industry, Sparkle owns and manages a network of more than 600,000 km of fiber spanning from Europe to Africa and the Middle East, the Americas and Asia. Its sales force is active worldwide and distributed over 32 countries.

Find out more about Sparkle following its X and LinkedIn profiles or visiting the website tisparkle.com

About Valencia Digital Port Connect, S.L.

VDPC is a Spanish telecommunications infrastructure company headquartered in Alicante. Its mission is to establish a next-generation, neutral, and sustainable international connectivity hub in the Valencian Community through the deployment of advanced colocation infrastructure, terrestrial interconnection networks, and submarine connectivity solutions. VDPC is leading the development of the Barracuda submarine cable connecting Valencia with Genoa, including a data center and neutral cable landing station on the Valencian coast. The team is composed of seasoned professionals with executive backgrounds in telecom multinationals, the industrial sector, and academia.

Find out more about VDPC following LinkedIn profiles or visiting the website valenciadigitalport.com 

Sparkle Media Contacts

sparkle.communication@tisparkle.com

X: @TISparkle

Valencia Digital Port Connect Media Contacts

Pablo de Santiago

34. +34.679.607.604
35. pablo@desantiago.com

Indian telco Bharti Airtel announced on Thursday it is giving all of its 360 million customers free access to Adobe Express Premium for a year.

Adobe Express (formerly Adobe Spark) is Adobe’s content creation tool with AI-powered features like instant background removal, custom image generation, and one-tap video editing, premium Adobe Stock assets, over 30,000 professional fonts, 100GB cloud storage, and advanced features like auto captions and instant resize, with seamless sync across devices.

Airtel said its partnership with Adobe enables its customers to produce professional-quality content, regardless of their design experience. The offer targets everyone from creators, influencers and students to SMEs, entrepreneurs and marketers, as well as ordinary consumers. Adobe Express supports English, Hindi, Tamil and Bengali.

The Adobe Express Premium subscription – which Airtel says normally costs INR4,000 (US$43.50) a year – will be available to all Airtel customers, including mobile, Wi-Fi and DTH customers. Customers can access the subscription by logging on to the Airtel Thanks App, with no credit card requirement.

« This partnership is about more than technology. It is about empowering millions of Indians with cutting-edge AI tools to create and innovate,” said Siddharth Sharma, CEO of connected homes and director of marketing at Bharti Airtel, in a statement. “From a student crafting their first resume to a small business owner designing a poster or a creator editing videos for followers, we want to empower every Airtel customer with the tools for self-expression.”

News

The launch means all African nations on the Mediterranean have now launched 5G

This week, Libya’s second largest state-owned telco, Almadar Aljadid, has announced the launch of 5G in parts of the capital, Tripoli.

For now, the launch is limited to just central parts of the city, but citywide coverage – and, indeed, nationwide coverage – will take place in stages, according to the company.

The company said the launch represents a significant boost in service quality for customers, as well as noting the technology’s potential to support key industries like healthcare and education.

2025 was a remarkable year for North Africa’s mobile markets, with Tunisia launching 5G in February, Egypt in June, Morocco in November, and Algeria in December. Now, with Libya’s launch, the entire region has formally entered the 5G era.

Keep up to date with all the latest telecoms news with the Total Telecom newsletter

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News

Despite efforts to expand capacity, semiconductor players are struggling to keep pace with demand

As the AI boom continues to gain momentum, two of the world’s leading chipmakers, SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics, are warning that their expansion plans will not move fast enough to ease supply chain bottlenecks.

The companies, both which reported their latest financial results this week, said that the memory chip supply crisis would be unlikely to alleviate for the next two years despite their best efforts.

“We are planning a substantial increase in our capital expenditure in 2026 as AI-driven demand is likely to continue,” said Kim Jae-june, executive vice-president of Samsung’s memory business, as reported by the Financial Times. “But supply shortages are likely to worsen as capacity expansion is expected to be limited this year and next.”

SK Hynix has plans to invest 19 trillion won ($12.9bn) in the construction of a semiconductor packaging facility in Cheongju, while Samsung is investing 60 trillion won ($41.5 billion) in its P5 factory in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, which broke ground in November last year.

Both investments are driven by the surge in demand for High Bandwidth Memory (HBM), a crucial part of AI accelerators and data centre GPUs, as well as other memory chip technology; SK Hynix says it expects the HBM market to continue to grow significantly between 2025 and 2030, with projections indicating a compound annual growth rate of 33% until 2030.

However, the additional capacity being generated from these new facilities will take time to realise.

“Demand is growing sharply, but it takes time to expand capacity, so the mismatch in demand and supply is worsening, pushing chip prices higher,” added Song Hyun-jong, president of SK Hynix, in the same FT report.

The extent of the memory bottleneck is already being felt acutely across the world. The cost of dynamic random access memory (DRAM), for example, has skyrocketed since 2024, and is set to double again this year.

At the same time, the industry is also in the midst of a significant shift, moving from the current HBM3E technology to the more advanced HBM4. These next generation memory chips will offer higher data transfer speeds (exceeding 1 TBps per stack) and more than double the bandwidth of HBM3E, making them ideal for AI data centres.

SK Hynix is currently the global leader in this latest memory design, accounting for roughly 60% of the overall market, according to Macquarie Equity Research. Samsung, however, is expected to soon challenge this position, beginning production of its own HBM4 chips next month.

Needless to say, this memory bottleneck is making both SK Hynix and Samsung very rich.

SK Hynix reported a net profit of 97.15 trillion won ($67.9 billion), up 46.8% year-on-year, while Samsung saw profits rise to 45.21 trillion won ($31.6 billion, up 31.2% year-on-year.

Keep up to date with all the latest telecoms news with the Total Telecom newsletter

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WhatsApp has become one of the most important communication channels for customer engagement. 

But for resellers offering contact center and omnichannel solutions, adding WhatsApp to the mix often comes with high costs and technical complexity.

Building on our newly established role as an official WhatsApp Tech Provider, PBXware 7.6 makes connecting WhatsApp Business Accounts easier than ever. 

A Major Milestone for Our Partners

This recognition from Meta enables us to streamline the entire setup process, reduce complexity for partners, and ensure that WhatsApp integrations meet the highest platform standards from day one, all directly within PBXware 7.6.

Confidence You Can Count On

Bicom Systems has completed all Meta’s required verification steps and reviews, including business verification, app review, and access verification, both independently and with 360dialog, Meta’s authorized Business Solution Provider (BSP).

This means you can offer WhatsApp confidently, knowing the channel is fully compliant with Meta’s standards.

This verified status helps you:

• Offer fully approved messaging services
• Deploy WhatsApp faster to your customers
• Streamline integration and technical setup

Two Integration Ways and Many Advantages

Flexibility and a simple setup matter when you’re managing multiple clients. That’s why we made sure you can choose between two verified integrations:

Direct Meta API – PBXware Meta Application

Ideal for resellers who prefer effortless setup, full control, and faster onboarding, without any third-party integration fees.

With all Meta approvals handled by Bicom Systems, partners can activate WhatsApp using our approved Meta application and connect directly via Meta’s API. 

And that is what makes the integration effortless, with no complicated setup steps and no extra costs usually associated with third-party BSPs.

Via 360dialog 

Perfect for partners who value an additional support channel through a BSP, benefiting from closer alignment with Meta and faster assistance when needed.

360dialog brings a proven framework that fits seamlessly into Bicom Systems’ ecosystem.

While this approach requires a bit more setup and additional fees than using Bicom’s Meta app, it gives you the flexibility to customize your integration.

Pick the Setup That Works for You

Another great thing is that you’re not limited to Bicom’s verified Meta applications. 

You also have the option to create a branded Meta app, giving you full control over branding and user experience. 

Whether you choose our effortless Meta application or create your own, Bicom Systems’ Integration Team provides comprehensive guides, configuration assistance, and best-practice advice.

Ready to Add WhatsApp?

With Bicom Systems, WhatsApp becomes a native part of your contact center offer, allowing you and your customers to start messaging without delays or third-party dependencies.

Contact our team today to learn more and start offering WhatsApp to your clients with full Meta compliance.

PBXware 7.6 introduces AI-powered features that help resellers and service providers deliver more value, faster, and within the platform you already trust.

AI-generated voice greetings and AI-driven call recording transcription are now built directly into the platform, allowing you to offer smarter and more professional UC solutions without additional tools or complexity.

Let’s see what each one means for you.

PBXware AI Voice Greeting Generation

With the new AI Voice Greeting Generation, PBXware administrators can produce professional-quality voice files in seconds using OpenAI TTS API.

That means your customers can:

• Quickly create IVR messages, voicemail greetings, and announcements.
• Automatically create consistent file names for each greeting or announcement.
• Choose from multiple realistic voices and tones for brand consistency and differentiation.
• Edit or update recordings anytime, regenerate audio, and save the final version for immediate use.

Business Benefits That Speak Volumes

All of this happens directly within PBXware, making voice greeting generation simple to use without any complicated setup or additional tools. 

It can instantly improve the quality of your service offering with:

Polished and Professional Presence

Customers can present a professional presence with every call, helping their business appear more reliable and trustworthy.

Lower Operational Costs

The feature helps businesses manage greetings and announcements without adding extra tasks or overhead, so budgets stay under control.

Consistent Brand Experience

Easily manage greetings and announcements across multiple departments or locations, maintaining a uniform voice and tone that reinforces your brand at every touchpoint.

Stronger Market Differentiation

Offer AI-driven personalized greetings to your UCaaS customers as an optional feature, enhancing value and setting your service apart from the competition.

AI-driven Call Recording Transcription

Another big time-saver in PBXware 7.6 is AI-powered Call Recording Transcription. Every recorded call can now be converted into text right inside the system. 

This feature goes beyond convenience: it gives resellers and service providers a powerful tool to enhance their service offerings with ease.

Here’s how AI-driven Call Recording Transcription helps turn recordings into actionable insights:

Instant Access to Conversations

Quickly review call transcriptions from the CDR Reports page to speed up support, agent training, and issue resolution.

Faster Response Times

Request priority transcription for urgent recordings so action can be taken immediately, without waiting in a queue.

Clearer Review Experience

View subtitles while listening to call recordings to follow and review conversations more easily.

Granular Administrative Control

Administrators get control over who can request on-demand transcriptions, and the system remains organized.

Customizable AI Options

Currently, you can choose your preferred AI provider (OpenAI or Hosted Whisper) and configure it directly in Main Tenant settings. 

Making Recordings Work for You

Call Recording Transcription turns stored recordings into a strategic resource for your business. 

Your customers will appreciate how easy it is to review calls without listening to every second or track important details and records from their conversations.

This feature gives your customers smarter ways to work with the information they already have. 

The Smarter Way Forward

PBXware 7.6 gives you more ways to stand out, while your customers can get more done and communicate clearly at no extra cost or requirement for additional tools.

Adding these AI features to your UC portfolio makes your offering stronger and shows that you provide practical and modern solutions.See how AI can modernize your UCaaS offering and request a demo of PBXware 7.6 to find out how easy it is to bring these features to your customers.

News

Government tax relief could open the door for Idea to find fresh funding

Vodafone Idea could finally be primed for ‘revival’ following the government’s adjusted gross revenue (AGR) relief, according to chairman of Aditya Birla Group, Kumar Mangalam Birla.

Aditya Birla Group currently owns a roughly 9.5% stake in Vodafone Idea.

“For the first time in years, the fog has cleared, allowing the business to look beyond survival and focus on sustainable growth,” wrote Birla in a recently published ‘Annual Reflections’ note.

“A healthy, competitive telecom industry is essential to India’s digital future. India deserves 3 private telecom players. India deserves a successful Vodafone Idea. And this is, once again, an idea whose time has come,” he added.

On December 31, 2025, the Indian government announced that it had frozen Vodafone Idea’s adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues at ₹87,695 crore (~$9.5 billion), following a ruling by the Supreme Court.

The decision means Idea must repay repay just ₹124 crore (~$135 million) per year for the next six years, with further repayments then staggered until 2042.

The government is also reviewing the total owed by Idea, suggesting it could yet be reduced.

The decision not only has huge implications for Idea’s long-term survival, but also for its immediate cash flow, removing a ₹16,400 crore (~$1.78 billion) payment previously due in March 2026.

Vodafone Idea has been struggling to compete under the weight of AGR repayments since they were first announced in 2019. At that time, revised taxes meant the players across the telecoms sector owed roughly a combined $11 billion combined, with Vodafone Idea’s debt the lion’s share.

India’s largest telco, Reliance Jio – then still a relative newcomer to the market – paid off its AGR dues quickly, leaving Idea and rival Bharti Airtel to begin a years-long saga to have the debt reassessed and deferred.

Airtel continued to grow in the years that followed, but Idea was essentially crippled, seeing revenue slide and a steady decline in subscribers as it struggled with cash flow. It also notably hindered the company’s 5G launch; Idea launched 5G in 2025, roughly three years after Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel.

Finally, last year, after years of Idea failing to find additional funding to pay its debts, the Indian government converted a portion of its debt into equity, becoming Vodafone Idea’s largest stakeholder.

Now, with long-term tax relief secured and the immediate liquidity crisis over, Idea may finally be able to seek fresh external investment and plot a path to sustainable growth.

Naturally, this is great news for Idea – and arguably the competitiveness of the Indian telecoms sector at large. However, Idea’s rivals, Bharti Airtel and Tata Group, are frustrated, arguing that they too should receive equitable debt relief from the government. They have even threatened not to pay the latest tranche of repayments.

Their please appear to be falling on deaf ears, however, with Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia saying the companies must first receive a directive from the Supreme Court and should not approach the government directly.

Airtel and Tata owe around ₹48,103 crore ($5.24 billion) and ₹19,259 crore ($2.1 billion), respectively, with repayments due in March.

Keep up to date with all the latest telecoms news with the Total Telecom newsletter

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