African ministers and partners have adopted a declaration agreeing to develop telecoms infrastructure as a strategic pan-African foundation for sovereignty, resilience, inclusion and economic transformation.

The Algiers Declaration on African Telecommunications Sovereignty and Integrated Connectivity (2026–2030) was adopted on Sunday in Algiers at the end of a ministerial summit during the first Global Africa Tech event, which wrapped up on Monday.

The declaration lays out a shared commitment to deliver meaningful and affordable connectivity for all, with priority to rural and underserved communities.

The declaration also calls for building integrated continental infrastructure that links terrestrial, subsea and satellite networks; strengthening local digital infrastructure such as data centres, internet exchange points and trusted cloud capabilities; and protecting critical telecoms infrastructure and enhancing resilience and cybersecurity.

Signatories also pledged to promote trusted, secure, and interoperable digital ecosystems, and invest in human capital and local industry to anchor long-term digital sovereignty.

William Kabogo Gitau, cabinet secretary for Kenya’s Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy (MICDE), said in a Facebook post on Sunday that the Algiers Declaration recognises that the digital divide is not only a development challenge, but a question of sovereignty and that inclusion and sovereignty must advance together.

“As a continent, we must now focus on implementation, coordination, and measurable progress ensuring that this shared vision translates into tangible outcomes for our citizens,” Gitau said. “Africa is moving with clarity and purpose towards a connected, resilient, and sovereign digital future.”

Five priorities for the work ahead

Selma Malika Haddadi, deputy chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), said in a keynote address at Global Africa Tech on Saturday that while various countries across Africa have made individual progress in developing their own digital infrastructure and striking interconnectivity agreements, more needs to be done to unify those efforts for Africa as a whole to reach its full digital potential.

“No matter how interoperable our systems become, no matter how advanced our networks grow, no matter how many platforms, protocols and networks we develop, they will remain incomplete if they are not underpinned by a shared continental and political will,” Haddadi said. “We cannot build systems that connect Africans if we remain disconnected in vision. We cannot build a trusted continental infrastructure without also building trust in one another. We cannot speak of interoperability while tolerating fragmentation of purpose. Pan-Africanism reminds us that Africa rises most strongly when it acts in coherence.”

Haddadi illustrated the scope of the work ahead with statistics from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) showing that mobile broadband covered 86% of Africa’s population at the end of 2024, yet 14% still had no way of connecting at all, especially in rural areas where that figure rose to 25%.

“Even more telling is the usage gap: millions live within network coverage, yet remain excluded by the cost of devices, the cost of data, limited digital skills, and low trust in digital systems,” she said. “This is not a marginal issue for the Africa we are building.”

Haddadi outlined five priorities that should guide work going forward: a resilient and diversified connectivity architecture across land, sea, and emerging space-based systems, closing the usage gap with affordable services and digital literacy, localisation of compute and data capacity, interoperability and reduction of regulatory fragmentation, and cross-border spectrum and technical coordination.

“The moving pieces are already in place,” she said. “What is now required is disciplined alignment, deliberate investment, and collective resolve.”

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

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

The rise of AI is changing not just the data center world, but the network infrastructure that connects it.  It seems like just yesterday that intercity and last mile fiber were things that didn’t get invested in. That has all flipped, and network operators have been moving rapidly to meet demand.  We spoke with Dan Stoll, President of Commercial and Carrier at Fidium, about how the network landscape is evolving. … [visit site to read more]

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.

This Industry Viewpoint was authored by Apoorva Jain, Chief Product Officer at EdgeBeam Wireless

The telecommunications industry has relied on a relatively stable definition of “the Edge” for decades. We’ve treated it as a manageable extension of the cloud or the perimeter of a corporate network, essentially a gateway where a router connects to a local line or a fiber hookup. However, this definition is quickly failing as we move deeper into 2026. We’re no longer managing the “Edge” — we’ve entered the era of the “Frontier Edge.” … [visit site to read more]

Turkcell announced that it has added a 10 Gbps option for its Superonline fibre broadband service, which it says makes it the first such broadband offer in Turkey.

As of Wednesday, Superonline UltraFiber now offer home broadband connectivity packages of 2 Gbps, 5 Gbps and 10 Gbps.

“We take the 1000 Mbps experience, which was previously the highest speed in home internet, to the next level,” said Turkcell GM Dr. Ali Taha Koç in a statement. “For the first time in Turkey, we offer a much stronger and more efficient connection experience by bringing speeds of up to 10 Gbps together with homes.”

The service is supported by UltraFiber’s Wi-Fi 7 Premium modem, launched by Turkcell last year, which supports upload speeds of up to 1 Gbps.

Turkcell said its UltraFiber service combined with Wi-Fi 7 offers a powerful connection infrastructure in cloud-based workflows, live broadcasts and home environments where a large number of devices are connected to the Internet at the same time.

Earlier this month, Turkcell said in its full-year financial results for 2025 that its gained 119,000 net fibre broadband subscribers last year, bringing its total fixed broadband subscriber base to 2.6 million. The operator also said it added 405,000 new households during the year, increasing its total fibre coverage to 6.3 million homes.

Turkcell also reported a fibre take-up ratio of 42%, while its residential fibre ARPU grew 10.3% year on year.

Two bits of FTTX, some middle mile, and some underground: … [visit site to read more]