Day One of Digital Transformation World 2026 kicked off with a focus on speed – the runaway pace of AI evolution, the breakneck pace at which enterprises must work together to adapt, and the scramble to take advantage of opportunities as they evolve.

In his opening keynote, TM Forum Chairman Steffen Roehn remarked that as the pace of AI acceleration becomes increasingly overwhelming, speed of collaboration becomes a competitive advantage.

Level Four autonomous networks – in which AI assumes control over decision-making in specific scenarios – are now a reality. Against the backdrop of such rapid evolution, telcos are well-placed to become the trust layer that allows the AI economy to function.

TM Forum CEO & President Nik Willets underlined the importance of trust in what he dubbed the ‘Race to 2030’, in which operators will need to grasp their opportunity to compete in the AI economy. He noted that while 72% of enterprises claim to have high levels of trust in the functionality of their AI agents, just 18% are able to offer regulator-ready evidence to support these claims.

Willets outlined that while architecture certainly still matters, ODA (open digital architecture) must go further, evolving from composable to AI-native to facilitate network autonomy while offering regulation-defensible control layers and AI governance frameworks. Willets described AI-native ODA as effectively the blueprint for building and operating an AI-native telco.

Unlocking impact at scale

But how can telcos translate this ‘AI hope’ into high volume growth? This was the question posed by former Axiata CEO and current advisor to the operator group’s board, Vivek Sood. In emerging markets, AI must help operators to grow sustainably and scale effectively to bring down the cost per GB – because ultimately, AI must help operators deliver value to customers. Sood outlined how traditional AI use cases can demonstrably make networks more efficient – in terms of pipeline quality, infrastructure rollout and operations, energy performance, and capital efficiency – and highlighted that the next step is to monetise this by unlocking AI impact at scale across the enterprise.

TIM Italy CEO Pietro Labiola emphasised how trust, not speed, is now the key parameter for telcos – and that they must demonstrate this by becoming the assurance layer, taking control of data as the issue of AI sovereignty becomes increasingly pressing. Sood agreed, noting that customers in emerging markets are more willing to pay for security and an improved quality of experience. Operators cannot assume that they can continue merely to sell connectivity for revenue – they have to invest in building marketplaces that provide more value to the customer. Sood highlighted that operators must view efficiencies as new growth opportunities.

However, creating differentiation through experience is of course a challenge. Keppel’s Manjot Singh Mann noted that even if AI enables telcos to offer improved customer experiences, they should not expect to charge more for this. The growth opportunities are around increasing efficiencies and reducing costs – telcos must be able to create new business models and revenue pools around AI, rather than expecting to offer more of the same.

This Industry Viewpoint was authored by Gerry Christensen

The outbound enterprise calling landscape is standing on the precipice of its most profound structural shift since the inception of the STIR/SHAKEN framework. For years, the telecommunications industry has wrestled with a fractured trust ecosystem where bad actors thrived on malicious anonymity, and legitimate businesses were forced to pay a premium just to prove they weren’t scammers. … [visit site to read more]

Chinese vendor Huawei has announced a patent licensing royalty rate of US$0.50 per device for products compliant with the Wi-Fi 7 standard, as it seeks to provide greater transparency around its intellectual property licensing framework.

The company said the rate would apply to consumer-grade Wi-Fi 7 devices and that licences could be obtained either through bilateral agreements or via patent pools under FRAND (fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory) terms.

Huawei described the move as part of its commitment to creating a transparent and predictable licensing environment while supporting continued innovation across the wireless ecosystem.

Wi-Fi 7 is designed to deliver higher throughput, lower latency and improved reliability compared to previous generations, supporting emerging applications and next-generation digital services.

Huawei claims to be one of the largest holders of declared standard-essential patents related to Wi-Fi 7, having spent more than a decade developing technologies that contributed to the standard. The company added that its patent licence agreements had covered more than 1.2 billion consumer electronic devices worldwide by the end of 2024.

The vendor has been active in patent pool licensing initiatives. In 2022, Huawei joined the Sisvel Wi-Fi 6 patent pool as a founding member and has since extended its participation to the Sisvel Wi-Fi Multimode pool, which covers both Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 7 technologies.

Huawei said the multimode pool offers vendors a streamlined approach to accessing essential patents across multiple Wi-Fi generations through a single licensing platform.

Huawei Chief Intellectual Property Officer Alan Fan said: “Huawei continues to facilitate collaborative licensing models that balance the interests of innovators and implementers, further reinforcing its leadership in shaping a transparent and efficient global Wi-Fi licensing environment.”

It’s being widely reported that Indian telecommunications company Reliance Jio is planning to develop and launch its own low Earth orbit (LEO) constellation of 1,600-1,650 satellites at an altitude of about 650 kilometres in the next two to three years.

The aim of the project, whose cost has been estimated at between US$10 billion and US$15 billion, is to offer broadband and direct-to-device (D2D) services, according to local news reports, albeit this has not apparently been confirmed by the telecom giant.

Nevertheless what does seem inarguable is that the company has submitted a proposal to this effect to regulator the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), which is evaluating the configuration and technical architecture.

As India’s Economic Times news service points out, if the proposal becomes reality it will be the first time an Indian company has entered the LEO segment.

It will have a lot of catching up to do. Starlink has 10,000 or so satellites already in space, way ahead of rivals like Amazon Leo (about 300 in orbit on the way to 3,200) or Eutelsat OneWeb (over 650 satellites in space so far). India’s Bharti Group, a Reliance rival, is the second largest stakeholder in Eutelsat OneWeb after the French government. 

Of course, the fact that Jio is an Indian company means its LEO plans might be well-received, at least locally, at a time when countries are worrying about digital and data sovereignty, not to mention national security considerations, including worries about operators using interlinked satellites (as Starlink apparently does) for providing internet services.

The argument is that this system allows data to bypass national borders and that data could potentially be routed through hostile jurisdictions or surveillance hubs before reaching its destination. Thus Jio could give India a sovereign communications layer in space.

That does leave a few unanswered questions, however, particularly about capacity and costs. LEO satellites have limited lifespans, so replacement costs need to be factored in. And what about monetisation? One assumes maritime, aviation and enterprise customers along with underserved (and not necessarily high value) rural areas would be target markets.

In addition, as the Economic Times points out, orbital slot allocation through the ITU is highly competitive, and spectrum coordination is complex.

However, Jio can claim one of the largest telecom subscriber bases in the world, so bundling satellite broadband into its existing Jio services could be a useful strategy.

There’s also convergence. Jio’s holding company, Jio Platforms, already operates across telecom, digital services and cloud infrastructure. This would add a, potentially useful, satellite layer and, with it, uninterrupted connectivity across terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks, plus new possibilities in edge computing. 

However, despite some interesting, even exciting, possibilities, the reality is that a Jio LEO satellite service is not yet taking part in a race in which other big names have been competing for some time.

Power is the binding constraint on new GPU deployments. Operators who already hold energized space are looking to convert compute demand into revenue themselves. Colocation facilities and former bitcoin miners are moving up the stack into bare metal and GPU-as-a-Service. And colocation facilities can finance the climb on better terms than the new neoclouds they compete with. … [visit site to read more]

Communication & Renewable Energy Infrastructure (CREI), a telecom energy service and asset management company and part of global corporate group two33, has received a funding boost for the expansion of its renewable energy assets across Africa.

The Facility for Energy Inclusion (FEI), a debt fund conceived by the African Development Bank and managed by Cygnum Capital, which is an investment bank and asset manager, has, along with the Norwegian Investment Fund for developing countries (Norfund), closed a US$90 million long-term debt facility to CREI.

This financing refinances the US$55 million short-term bridge facilities provided by the lenders in 2024 and adds US$35 million of new capital to support CREI’s next phase of growth.

What this means in practice is that the facility will enable CREI to scale its energy-as-a-service model across Africa, providing mobile network operators with sustainable and energy-resilient infrastructure to improve service quality and expand network coverage. This facility is expected to increase over the next 12 months to further support CREI’s continued expansion.

In collaboration with ieng Group, the flagship engineering and network deployment arm of two33 – which specialises in telecom, renewable energy and critical infrastructure – the partners say that this investment is set to transform telecom energy infrastructure across CREI’s target countries. These include Mali, South Sudan and the Central African Republic where the deployment of modern renewable power assets is expected to increase the share of renewable energy in production to nearly 50%.

By bringing sustainable, reliable energy to some of Africa’s most underserved markets, the partners say this financing marks a defining step toward a greener telecom industry – one that reduces its environmental footprint while delivering more efficient and dependable power to operators. 

Ghada Ghotmeh, Chief Investment Officer of CREI Limited, explains: “Building on strong execution across our markets, we have transitioned from bridge financing to a scalable long-term capital structure that supports sustainable growth. By refinancing and expanding the facilities initially provided by FEI and Norfund, we are building on a trusted partnership and positioning CREI to continue investing in energy solutions that power connectivity and economic development across Africa.”

Birgit Edlefsen, Senior Vice President at Norfund, adds: « This second financing to the company, a long-term facility, marks a significant milestone, extending our reach beyond Mali to now include South Sudan and the Central African Republic. It reflects Norfund’s commitment to bringing renewable energy and essential infrastructure to fragile states and challenging markets. By backing CREI, we aim to support economic growth, job creation and greater stability across the region.”

We reported in February that Finnfund, the Finnish development financier and impact investor, had made a follow-on investment in CREI to scale up sustainable telecom energy infrastructure in South Sudan.

Some new terrestrial fiber far away, a new FTTx market back home, a bit of M&A, and some cloud interconnection south of the border: … [visit site to read more]

Telegram is challenging an Indian government order blocking access to its messaging platform, arguing the move violates constitutional protections for free speech and access to information.

The app has been suspended until June 22 after authorities linked several Telegram channels to the alleged leak of questions from India’s national medical entrance examination. The exam was annulled last month amid allegations that papers had been circulated in advance, despite millions of students having already sat the test.

In a 200-page court filing seen by Reuters, Telegram argued that upholding the block would “enable indiscriminate suspension of digital platforms, severely undermining constitutional protections of free speech and access to information.”

The company also said the order was issued on the “impermissible premise that misuse by a subset of users justifies blocking of an entire platform.”

Telegram has long attracted scrutiny from governments and law enforcement agencies due to its emphasis on privacy and its historical reluctance to share user data. The platform has frequently been accused of enabling the spread of illegal content, misinformation and criminal activity through public channels and encrypted communications.

However, Telegram maintains that it cannot be held responsible for the actions of individual users and has argued that blanket restrictions on the platform are disproportionate. The company said targeted enforcement against offending accounts would be a more appropriate response than blocking access for millions of legitimate users.

The case is likely to become a closely watched test of the balance between online free speech and government efforts to combat fraud and criminal activity on digital platforms in one of the world’s largest internet markets.

There was a key bit of consolidation announced in the fiber world yesterday, albeit an in-house project. Great Plains Communications and Ritter Communications will be merging into a single entity under the brand RightFiber. … [visit site to read more]