News

TIM follows its rival Fastweb+Vodafone in refusing to renew its contact with Italy’s largest tower company

On Monday, Italy’s largest mobile operator Telecom Italia (TIM) announced that it will not renew its Master Service Agreement (MSA) with tower giant Infrastructure Wireless Italiane (INWIT) in 2030, based on a change-of-control clause exercised by INWIT in 2022.

The move follows news last week that TIM’s local rival Fastweb+Vodafone is also seeking to terminate its agreement with INWIT. In this case, the operator says that INWIT did not exercise its change-of-control clause, which would allow it to terminate the agreement in March 2028. If this claim is found to be true, TIM has clarified that it will also terminate the agreement at this earlier date.

INWIT, currently Italy’s largest tower operator, was founded in 2015 via the spinning-off of TIM’s passive mobile infrastructure. The company subsequently merged with Vodafone Italia’s tower unit and continued to grow, with its infrastructure footprint today spanning around 26,000 towers across the country.

In recent years, both TIM and Fastweb+Vodafone have complained that INWIT’s fees are too high, driving them to seek alternative options.

As such, TIM and Fastweb+Vodafone recently announced their commitment to launch a new infrastructure joint venture, which aims to deploy up to 6,000 towers across Italy. This business, the companies claim, will allow the operators to improve operational efficiency and align costs with the European average.

INWIT, however, contests the legality of the MSA terminations and arguing that its fees are in line with international benchmarks.

“This action is unlawful and lacks industrial rationale,” INWIT said. “The contract remains valid and effective until 2038; it is in line with market conditions and creates value for all parties involved.”

“Any attempt to terminate the contract early must be considered instrumental and aimed at exerting undue pressure on Inwit to renegotiate the terms of the MSA,” the company added in response the Fastweb+Vodafone announcement, saying it “has instructed its lawyers to take action in all appropriate venues, including seeking injunctive relief, to fully protect its interests and those of all stakeholders.”

INWIT also argues that the decision to shift to a new tower provider will cause unnecessary overbuild and be bad for the nation’s digital development.

“Infrastructure duplication has no industrial, economic or environment logic, requires biblical implementation time and would slow down much-needed development of 5G,” said INWIT in a statement.

If the cancellations do progress, both operators say will seek to negotiate a migration plan with INWIT to ensure that customers will be unaffected by the decision.

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Three bits of FTTx news, plus two international projects: … [visit site to read more]

Partner Article

Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison CEO Vikram Sinha is positioning the company as a key enabler in the island nation’s AI renaissance

Speaking to journalists at MWC 2026, Indosat CEO Vikram Sinha reiterated the company’s ambition to pivot from a traditional telco to an “AI-native” powerhouse, saying success could help ‘fast track’ the nation towards its Golden Indonesia 2045 Vision goals.

“Our purpose is to empower Indonesia. The country is on a journey to become a developed nation […] and we believe that AI can be a great enabler,” said Sinha.

Calling AI Indosat’s “North Star”, Sinha explained the company’s approach to the technology as being built on three distinct pillars: first, embracing AI within its telco operations; second, evolving into an AI TechCo providing sovereign cloud services; and, finally, acting as a “nation shaper” for Indonesia’s future.

Indosat is already wholeheartedly embracing this first step, with Sinha emphasising that the company must first transform itself with AI before setting its sights further afield.

“We want to become an AI-native telco and embed AI into everything we do,” he said.

Indonesia perfectly positioned to become an AI leader

While many nations are racing to adopt AI, Sinha argues that Indonesia possesses unique structural advantages that make it ideal for AI development. To demonstrate this, he presented the “AI five-layer cake” – a model encapsulating five key foundational elements for AI success (Energy, Chips, Infrastructure, Models, and Applications), first made popular by NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang.

When it comes to the first of these elements – energy – Indonesia is very well positioned, generating substantial surplus power each year.

“When you talk about building AI factories and sovereign AI, a lot of countries struggle on energy, water, land. Indonesia has it in abundance,” said Sinha.

Moving up the ‘cake’ to chips and infrastructure, Indosat has already begun deploying GPU-based AI infrastructure and is scaling its data centre ambitions alongside global technology partners.  Sinha highlighted the country’s efficient cost structure as a significant competitive advantage, with Indosat currently building data centres at roughly half the cost of those in Europe or the US.

“Because we are a low-ARPU (Average Revenue Per User) market, we have to be efficient. This makes our cost structure one of the best in the world for global customers,” he said, adding that the country’s unique geopolitical position also made it an attractive location for investment. “Indonesia has a clear philosophy of ‘friends to all’, with trade agreements with both the US and China.”

Partnerships with companies such as NVIDIA and Google Cloud are intended to accelerate the build-out of the ecosystem while ensuring local control over data and applications.

“In early days, when you talk about building infrastructure, you’re talking about building roads and highways. Now it is all about building digital infrastructure,” said Sinha. “This mission-critical for Indonesia.”

Finally, when it comes to AI models and applications, Indosat is building its own solution: the Sahabat AI platform.

Building sovereign AI infrastructure and ecosystems

Launched in 2024 and powered by NVIDIA GPUs, Sahabat AI is an open-source LLM designed specifically for Bahasa Indonesia and regional languages. Unlike general-purpose global models, Sahabat has been created as a “sovereign AI” ecosystem for Indonesia.

“We are not trying to compete with ChatGPT or Gemini,” said Sinha. “We want to focus on sovereign sensitive data and local language and cultural nuances.”

By providing the necessary compute power and infrastructure for Sahabat domestically, Indosat is fostering a local ecosystem for startups and innovators to co-create applications in essential sectors like agriculture, healthcare, and education.

Sinha is particularly adamant about the importance of keeping data and innovation within national borders to avoid “digital colonisation,” a risk he views as the greatest threat to emerging economies.

“We want to move from being a consumption market to a country which is into infrastructure and co-creation,” he said.

AI: The great equaliser

Beyond the commercial opportunity, Indosat is positioning AI as a driver of broader economic and social development. With a population of around 280 million spread across more than 17,000 islands, Sinha believes AI can play a critical role in addressing structural challenges in Indonesia.

“AI is a great equaliser,” he said. “We are looking at AI from a growth mindset – how it can empower humans.”

That philosophy shapes the company’s early use cases. One initiative uses AI to detect fraud and scam activity across the network. According to Sinha, the system has already blocked more than two billion suspicious communications and flagged millions of potential scammers.

“Our job is not only to connect, but also to protect,” Sinha said.

Other applications are focused on healthcare and agriculture, two sectors where digital tools could help bridge gaps in access and expertise. AI-enabled services could help doctors make faster diagnoses or provide farmers with more precise insights.

Crucially, Indosat says it is prioritising deployment beyond major urban centres.

“It has to help the most deserving,” Sinha said, describing how early AI initiatives were piloted in rural eastern Indonesia rather than the metropolis of Jakarta.

Ultimately, Sinha sees the operator’s AI strategy as closely tied to Indonesia’s long-term development ambitions. By combining connectivity, compute and local innovation, he believes the country can evolve from a digital consumer to a global creator economy.

“If the country is doing well, all of us will do well,” he said.

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Press Release

Nokia announced that it has been selected by Virgin Media O2 (VMO2) for a major new multi‑year 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) deployment and modernization program across the UK. The agreement builds on more than two decades of strategic collaboration between the companies. It marks a significant milestone as Virgin Media O2 continues its mission to deliver the country’s most reliable and high‑performance 5G network with its Mobile Transformation Plan.

Under the new deal, Nokia will supply its latest-generation AirScale RAN portfolio, including ultra-capacity modular baseband, and energy-efficient, future-proofed Massive MIMO radios. Leveraging Nokia’s comprehensive technology roadmap, Virgin Media O2 will benefit from improved spectral efficiency, coverage, capacity, and throughput, ensuring strong 5G performance today while laying the foundation for 5G‑Advanced capabilities.

“We are delighted to deepen our longstanding partnership with Virgin Media O2 through this important new 5G RAN deal. Our AirScale portfolio is designed to deliver the performance, efficiency, and flexibility required for the UK’s future connectivity needs. We look forward to supporting Virgin Media O2 in building one of the most advanced and reliable 5G Advanced networks in the country.” said Mark Atkinson, Head of Radio Access Network, Nokia. 

Transforming the UK 5G experience

The deployment will enable Virgin Media O2 to improve network quality and accelerate modernization through optimized spectrum utilization and enhanced energy-saving software features. Nokia’s latest GigaSite architecture, Dual‑Band Massive MIMO, and AI‑enabled baseband platforms will support seamless scalability and operational efficiency throughout the rollout. The technology uplift is expected to deliver a more reliable connectivity for Virgin Media O2 customers across the country.

As part of the new engagement, Nokia and Virgin Media O2 will expand their collaboration on joint innovation programs, including pilots and proof of concepts that explore advanced RAN intelligence, automation, and energy-efficient architectures aligned with Virgin Media O2’s Mobile Transformation Plan. This new contract extends Nokia’s role as one of Virgin Media O2’s primary RAN partners, following the previously announced agreement to continue 5G rollout and modernization.

“As we continue to evolve and enhance our award‑winning mobile network with our Mobile Transformation Plan, Nokia remains a key strategic partner in helping us deliver reliable connectivity to our customers. This new agreement allows us to accelerate our 5G rollout, improve performance, and ensure we meet growing demand for high‑quality mobile services both today and in the future.” said Jeanie York, Chief Technology Officer, Virgin Media O2. 

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Intelligent transport solutions company Siemens Mobility has been awarded a contract to deliver the advanced signalling and rail infrastructure technology solution European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 1 for the Mexico City – Querétaron – Irapuato railway corridor.

Siemens Mobility, a separately managed company of technology giant Siemens, will be delivering the solution alongside digital transformation services company Sonda Mexico.

Spanning more than 300 kilometres and serving eleven passenger stations, the project is part of Mexico’s federal initiative to modernise passenger rail infrastructure. This is Siemens Mobility’s first ETCS contract in Mexico.

Siemens Mobility will also deliver, for the first time in Latin America, its TPS.plan software, a powerful train planning system that optimises timetables and rail operations, alongside ETCS Level 1 wayside signalling, an operational control centre and backup, as well as supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems. Consortium partner Sonda will provide telecommunications, CCTV and civil works. 

ETCS is a standardised signalling and control system that enhances rail safety by continuously supervising train speed and movement authority. It replaces fragmented national systems with a common standard.

TPS.plan is a cutting-edge software solution developed by Siemens subsidiary HaCon. This application enables precise timetable and track path optimisation by leveraging microscopic infrastructure modeling to create conflict-free schedules. TPS.plan also simplifies coordination by granting stakeholders full access to the most up-to-date planning status, ensuring efficient and seamless rail operations.

The project, say the partners, will significantly enhance mobility for workers, students and commuters in the Bajío region. By connecting the capital with the states of Hidalgo, Querétaro, and Guanajuato, they add, the line strengthens regional connectivity to Mexico City, boosts economic competitiveness, and aligns with federal goals for sustainable passenger rail

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The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) has refuted media reports claiming that its recently updated technical specs for type-approval of mobile devices is a move to ban or phase out low-cost or entry-level devices.

The new specs, published last Tuesday, include a requirement that all mobile devices seeking type approval – including smartphones, feature phones, and tablets – must use a USB Type-C charging interface. The specs also state that the charging cable must be detachable from the power adapter.

Some local media reports took this requirement as a move to ban existing low-end legacy handsets that mostly use Micro-USB or proprietary charging ports.

In a statement issued Thursday, the CA said this was not the case, clarifying that the new specs only apply to new devices that have not yet been type-approved for sale, importation, assembly or use in Kenya, regardless of price point.

“Phones and tablets that were already type-approved prior to March 24th, 2026, or that are already in circulation and in use by Kenyans, remain fully legal,” the CA said. “There is no ban on the use, ownership, or continued sale of existing stock that was previously approved.”

The CA added that type-approved mobile devices that are in shipment and enroute to Kenya or awaiting shipment are also not affected by the new requirements.

The regulator said that the new USB-C specs are intended to promote consumer protection and safety, enhance interoperability and standardization of devices, reduce electronic waste by minimizing the proliferation of incompatible chargers, and align Kenya with emerging global best practices in device manufacturing and sustainability.

ORAN Development Corporation (ODC) has secured $45 million in Series A funding to accelerate deployment of its AI-native radio access network (RAN) platform and expand commercial engagements.

The round was backed by a syndicate of technology companies and telecom operators, including Nvidia, Cisco and Nokia, alongside operators such as AT&T, MTN Group and Telecom Italia. Investment firm Booz Allen Hamilton also participated, with additional backing from Phoenix Venture Partners and existing investor Cerberus Capital Management.

ODC is developing what it describes as an AI-native, open-architecture RAN platform designed to combine communications, sensing and edge computing. The company said it is already working with a number of customers and plans to scale deployments through 2026.

At the core of its strategy is a “distributed compute grid” concept, which aims to transform traditional mobile infrastructure into a platform capable of supporting AI workloads at the network edge. By integrating Nvidia’s Aerial RAN technology, ODC is positioning its platform to move beyond connectivity and enable real-time, low-latency processing for applications such as autonomous systems and industrial automation.

The funding reflects growing industry interest in AI-driven network architectures, as operators and vendors look to evolve 5G infrastructure to support new use cases and future 6G development.

Backers highlighted the potential for AI-native RAN to reshape telecom networks. Executives from Nvidia, Cisco and Nokia pointed to increasing demand for software-driven, edge-based intelligence, while operators including MTN and Telecom Italia emphasised the opportunity to deliver new services and expand digital capabilities.

ODC said the investment will be used to accelerate platform development and expand partnerships, with a focus on scaling deployments of its AI-enabled infrastructure.

News

Pilot Fiber has rolled out high-capacity wavelength services in New York’s metro, upgrading its backbone to support 400-gigabit connections.

By Brad Randall, Broadband Communities

Scandinavian optical networking solutions provider Smartoptics says New York-based Pilot Fiber has enhanced their critically important fiber backbone using their solution.

According to a release provided to Total Telecom, Pilot Fiber, which serves enterprise and financial services sectors in New York City, now provides “wavelength services over an 800G-ready Smartoptics ROADM architecture.”

Joe Fasone, the CEO of Pilot Fiber, said the process went smoothly. As a result, the company is positioned to offer managed, end-to-end wavelength services between its fiber footprint in Manhattan and New Jersey data centers, where many enterprises co-locate critical infrastructure.

“With any new product, you expect some complexity, but we were able to install and test the equipment and bring services online in about two weeks,” he said.

Pilot Fiber’s network already spans more than 300 miles and interconnects over 1,000 commercial buildings, the release says. Their network supports latency- and capacity-sensitive workloads such as trading, quantum experiments and AI inference.

The upgrade replaces or augments portions of Pilot Fiber’s backbone with a 400G-capable design using Smartoptics DCP-R ROADMs and a DCP-2 transponder chassis, according to Smartoptics.

“Flexibility and scalability”

Additionally, Pilot Fiber the aforementioned equipment can be deployed in a compact 2RU footprint, a notable advantage in cramped points of presence across the city.

“What ultimately drove us to Smartoptics was the flexibility and scalability of the platform,” Fasone added.

Fasone also said the two-week turnaround was critical for time-to-market and operational confidence..

For Smartoptics, the deal is part of a wider push into the U.S. market.

“Pilot is building a more automated and resilient service model to support enterprise connectivity in one of the world’s most demanding metro markets,” Smartoptics CEO Magnus Grenfeldt said, noting that the SoSmart management suite provides visibility and a structured path to automate service planning and activation while preserving reliability.

While the release provides technical detail and vendor quotes, it does not disclose pricing, contract terms, or the exact list of data centers connected under the upgrade.

Some AI tools assisted in the crafting of this report.

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