Ericsson, China Mobile and Chinese handset maker Oppo revealed on Wednesday they have successfully tested network slicing at the consumer device and app level on a live 5G Standalone (SA) network.

The test – which was carried out on China Mobile’s commercial 5G SA network in the city of Dezhou in Shandong province – leveraged existing network capabilities, and covered application scenarios including uplink for livestreaming, short video download and upload, multiple functionalities with AI-powered glasses, and providing a robust connection for mobile gaming.

For example, the application-level slicing test detected when short videos or uplink livestreams were buffering on Oppo devices, which then automatically notified the user and offered to switch the traffic to a dedicated slice for better connectivity if the user agreed to do so. Combined with radio resource partition, network resources were prioritized and allocated to short-video or uplink livestreaming apps.

China Mobile said slicing option enables uplink livestreaming and short-video to achieve a more than a twofold improvement in network performance, while latency for gaming scenarios was reduced by at least 30%.

For Oppo’s AI glasses – which use cloud-based AI agents and sport an object recognition feature – China Mobile and Ericsson leveraged user-level slicing and latency-priority scheduling technologies for the uplink and downlink to reduce round-trip time latency for object recognition by at least 30%.

Ericsson said the test successfully achieved fine-grained resource allocation and isolation at both the user and application levels, delivering validated results for typical services in terms of guaranteed throughput and latency optimization on the existing 5G network.

That said, Ericsson added that the commercial deployment of these slicing capabilities “still requires further ecosystem maturity and broader support from commercial terminals.” Ericsson, China Mobile and Oppo said they will collaborate to jointly advance that ecosystem.

Rome, 14^th of May 2026

Sparkle, the first international service provider in Italy and among the top global operators, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with NaiTel, the telecom arm of Aqaba Digital Hub, and iLevant Ltd, to extend the GreenMed submarine cable system through the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, supporting the development of a new digital connectivity corridor linking Europe and Asia.

Under the agreement, the parties will work to integrate the GreenMed subsea with terrestrial fiber networks and regional interconnection platforms in Jordan, strengthening connectivity resilience across the Mediterranean and supporting the development of diversified digital infrastructure connecting Europe and Asia.

Jordan, through Aqaba Digital Hub, already serves as a landing point for the BlueMed and the Blue & Raman submarine cable systems, further reinforcing its role as a strategic terrestrial gateway on the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).

Eyad Abu Khorma, Founder and CEO of Aqaba Digital Hub, said: “Jordan is uniquely positioned at the intersection of major global connectivity routes linking Europe and Asia. The extension of GreenMed toward Jordan represents a natural next step in strengthening diversified and resilient digital infrastructure across the region. We are pleased to continue our collaboration with Sparkle, a leading global operator, on advancing a new digital corridor that integrates subsea and terrestrial networks, further reinforcing Jordan’s role as a strategic gateway connecting Europe, the Middle East and Asia.”

Enrico Bagnasco, CEO of Sparkle, commented: “This agreement marks a further milestone in the development of GreenMed and confirms the strength of our long-standing collaboration with NaiTel and iLevant. Expanding the system across Jordan enables the connection of strategic digital ecosystems and fosters new development opportunities across the Mediterranean region and beyond.”

GreenMed has received funding from the European Commission under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) programme.

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. As a leading player in the submarine cable industry, Sparkle owns and manages a network of more than 600,000 km of fiber stretching across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, the Americas, and Asia. Sparkle’s sales team has a global presence, with representatives in 32 countries.

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

About NaiTel

NaiTel is the telecom arm of Aqaba Digital Hub and a licensed telecom operator in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. NaiTel focuses on the development of telecommunications infrastructure and connectivity platforms, including fiber networks, peering services through AqabaIX, and international connectivity solutions, supporting regional digital ecosystems. Through its infrastructure and strategic initiatives, NaiTel enables carriers, digital platforms, and enterprises to access resilient connectivity across Jordan and the wider region.

Find out more about NaiTel by following its LinkedIn profile or visiting the website naitel.jo

About Aqaba Digital Hub
Aqaba Digital Hub is MENA’s leading digital infrastructure provider and the home of Jordan’s largest carrier-neutral, AI-ready data center. Its services include fiber internet, Jordan’s fastest-growing Internet exchange point (IXP), cloud platforms, VSAT, and subsea cable landing facilities, among others. ADH enables enterprises and technology providers to scale operations, accelerate digital services, and expand their regional impact.

Through its platform, ADH connects businesses to key partners and opportunities, ensuring competitive advantages in a dynamic digital landscape. Its commitment to innovation and sustainability drives forward-looking solutions, reinforcing Aqaba’s role as a premier connectivity hub. Find out more about ADH by following its LinkedIn profile, emailing us at info@adh.jo, or visiting our website at http://www.adh.jo.

About iLevant Limited

iLevant Limited is an international consultancy and advisory firm specializing in digital infrastructure, connectivity strategy, and technology-driven solutions. The company supports telecommunications operators, infrastructure providers, and investors in the planning, development, and implementation of large-scale connectivity and digital infrastructure projects across global markets.

Sparkle Media Contacts:

sparkle.communication@tisparkle.com

X: @TISparkle

Naitel Media Contacts:

info@adh.jo

The continued expansion of Lightpath is now taking the company beyond its metro roots and into the longhaul fiber business. The New York-based fiber builder and operator has announced plans to build out a new diverse route between Columbus, Ohio and Chicago, Illinois. … [visit site to read more]

Press Release

Investors including Canalink, GUILAB, International Mauritania Telecom, Orange Group, Orange Côte d’Ivoire, Sonatel, Silverlinks, announce the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to initiate the Via Africa submarine cable project, confirming a shared ambition to develop international connectivity, to support traffic growth and to strengthen the resilience of networks across the African continent.

This brand-new system aims to connect Europe to South Africa — including landing points in the United Kingdom, France and Portugal — with destinations along the Atlantic coastline such as the Canary Islands, Mauritania, Senegal, Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria, with extensions further south supporting increased connectivity diversity and improved resilience for countries along the route.

A consortium-based subsea infrastructure

The Via Africa system is managed as a consortium, enabling participating partners seeking autonomy and sovereignty to co-invest in the infrastructure and take part in its governance. This robust and proven model allows investors to participate directly in the decisions regarding the design, deployment and exploitation of the system and contribute to decisions that best meet their needs. The initial telco and digital player partners are open to additional partners potentially joining the project in the future.

Enhancing resilience and connectivity diversity across Africa

The new open cable project is designed to contribute to greater diversity and resilience of international connectivity serving Africa, by providing a different subsea route than existing infrastructure and strengthening the robustness of regional connectivity.

Next steps for the project

As part of the initial phase of the project, consortium members will jointly finance a cable route study to identify the optimal cable route that balances resilience, technical feasibility and overall economic efficiency.

In parallel, the consortium is preparing the procurement process for selecting a cable supplier, marking the next step in the development of the system.

Heirs Insurance Group has announced the launch in Nigeria of its multi-language generative AI assistant, Prince AI, which, it says, marks a major milestone in its digital transformation journey and reinforces its commitment to making insurance simple, accessible and inclusive.

With Prince AI, Heirs Insurance, which describes itself as Nigeria’s fastest-growing insurance group, says it becomes the first insurer in Nigeria to deploy a multi-language generative AI assistant. The AI-powered assistant delivers instant, intelligent responses not only to customer requests about Heirs Insurance products, but also to broader insurance enquiries, helping users understand coverage options, assess their needs, and identify the right policies for their unique situations.

Language is a key part of this offering. Prince communicates fluently in multiple local and international languages, including English, Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese and many more.

Beyond handling enquiries, the AI assistant enables customers to purchase and renew policies, and initiate and track claims. The chatbot is available across WhatsApp, the SimpleLife Mobile App, and the Heirs Insurance website, delivering seamless, always-on service experience across multiple digital touchpoints.

Peace Okhianmhense-Philips, Chief Digital Officer, Heirs Insurance Group, explains: “By embedding generative AI into our customer experience, we are not only improving speed and efficiency but also humanising insurance. This innovation allows us to connect more meaningfully with our customers, anticipate their needs, and deliver support that is instant, intelligent and accessible.”

Built on adaptive intelligence, the AI Assistant continuously refines its capabilities through every interaction. Personalised counsel is also offered if required.

Heirs Insurance Group, the insurance arm of Heirs Holdings, a leading pan-African investment company, serves both corporate and individual customers across Nigeria.

If there’s one part of the continental US that it’s been particularly hard to build out new intercity fiber, it’s what they call the Northern Tier. The lack of population density always made the business case hard to justify.  But in the era of hyperscalers and AI, that route is finally getting attention, and Lumen Technologies is looking to expand across it. … [visit site to read more]

News

The FCC is moving closer to banning the recognition of device testing labs and certification bodies in foreign nations without reciprocity agreements.

By Brad Randall, Broadband Communities

New rules being considered by the Federal Communications Commission could have big impacts on the future of electronic devices in the United States.

Under one of the rules, the FCC is considering banning the recognition of device testing labs in nations without a reciprocal trade agreement, an announcement from the agency said last month.

Labs not in compliance with the proposed rules would be phased out within two years if the rules are eventually adopted, the FCC said.

Conversely, the FCC also adopted rules that streamline the approval process for devices testing in U.S. labs or in nations with signed mutual trade agreements.

“The order would also adopt a range of other measures to promote the integrity of the equipment authorization system: require the disclosure of the location and number of employees engaged in FCC-recognized testing, improve the FCC’s post-market surveillance procedures, strengthen enforcement mechanisms, and establish confidential reporting channels for industry participants to raise concerns about violations or national security threats,” the FCC said.

The moves build upon the FCC’s efforts in March, when the agency placed foreign made routers on the FCC’s list of products deemed to pose unacceptable security risks.

Since adopting that rule, the FCC has since taken action to withdraw or deny recognition to, twenty-three facilities deemed “bad labs” by the agency, according to the FCC’s April 30 release.

At the time, the move was billed as in line with President Donald Trump’s strategy for national security, announced in 2025.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump is due to visit China this week, with published reports saying he is set to arrive in Beijing on Wednesday.

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Pasifik Satelit Nusantara (PSN) announced Monday that its long-awaited Nusantara Lima (N5) broadband satellite is now live and ready to connect underserved and unconnected regions across Indonesia, as well as the Philippines and Malaysia.

The Nusantara Lima satellite – which has been in the pipeline since 2022 and was finally launched in September last year – was built on the Boeing 702MP platform and carries a payload of 101 Ka-band spot beams covering all of Indonesia.

According to PSN’s web site, it has established seven ground stations in Aceh, Bengkulu, Banjarmasin, Cikarang, Gresik, Kupang, and Tarakan to support Nusantara Lima’s operations.

While the satellite is designed to provide supplemental coverage for PSN’s SATRIA-1 satellite, which began operations in 2024, the satellite operator said it will also play a “crucial role” in providing connectivity to Indonesia’s « frontier, outermost, and underdeveloped » (a.k.a. 3T) regions.

According to the government’s Antara news agency, PSN president director Adi Rahman Adiwoso said the satellite is also set to support national connectivity in the Philippines, while PSN is currently exploring its potential use in Malaysia.

PSN has already allocated some of Nusantara Lima’s capacity for use in both countries, which each getting access to 20 Gbps, the report said.

“This proves that our neighbouring countries prioritize connectivity independence amid current dynamics of global politics,” Adiwoso said at an inauguration ceremony on Monday, during which he also described Nusantara Lima as “an important symbol for our nation in maintaining our own national independence.”

Several bits of last mile news, a data center project, and some IX growth: … [visit site to read more]

UAE-based satellite player Space42 revealed on Monday it is ready to launch direct-to-device (D2D) satellite services via its geostationary Thuraya-4 satellite via a partnership with non-terrestrial network (NTN) firm Skylo Technologies.

Space42 said that Skylo’s 3GPP-compliant NTN platform has already been integrated with Thuraya-4 and is ready for commercial deployment. The two companies have also tested the platform by completing a bi-directional, real-time voice call on the network with no modified SIM and no changes to existing operator core infrastructure.

Space42 said that commercial deployment of Thuraya’s D2D service will begin across Thuraya-4’s coverage footprint across 37 countries on a rolling basis as it secures the necessary regulatory approvals and operator agreements in each target market.

“This partnership advances Space42’s strategy to become a global NTN leader, extending Thuraya-4’s reach through an interoperable connectivity layer that enables satellite and terrestrial networks to function as one unified system,” said Ali Al Hashemi, Space42’s CEO of space services, in a statement.

“Space42’s decision to select Skylo’s standards-based architecture for Thuraya-4 validates what we have built: a carrier-grade connectivity layer where satellites function as a natural extension of mobile networks, not a parallel system,” added Skylo co-founder and CEO Parthsarathi Trivedi.

Thuraya-4 – which went live in November 2025 after being launched into orbit earlier in the year – is designed to integrate seamlessly with terrestrial networks to support Space42’s broader strategy to develop and launch 3GPP-compliant D2D satellite services.

In September last year, Space42 and Viasat launched their Equatys JV, which aims to leverage 100 MHz of harmonized MSS spectrum already allocated across more than 160 markets to offer D2D services globally.