A few interesting items from around the industry at midweek: … [visit site to read more]

South African operator Cell C and Odine, a technology partner driving innovation in telecom and enterprise networks, have announced the signing of a proof of concept (PoC) agreement to pioneer artificial intelligence (AI)-driven network quality enhancement technologies.

The joint initiative aims to significantly improve network quality and deliver uninterrupted connectivity across Cell C’s network.

The partners say the PoC will demonstrate that, by leveraging an AI-based solution developed by OdineLabs, the wholly owned R and D subsidiary of Odine, Cell C will be able to enhance connection continuity and improve the user experience on its mobile network. This initiative also supports Cell C’s capex-light strategy, which allows it to deliver superior service quality while optimising infrastructure investment.

Through this collaboration, Odine says it applies its innovation-driven model that integrates consultancy, system integration, and AI-powered product development to help Cell C build agile and future-ready infrastructure. By leveraging automation and advanced AI orchestration, OdineLabs says it will enhance Cell C’s network to ensure high quality, reliability, resilience and efficiency.

Schalk Visser, Chief Technology Officer at Cell C, says: “By exploring how AI can proactively enhance network quality, we’re taking meaningful steps towards delivering a more consistent and reliable experience. This PoC will help us understand how advanced insights and automation can keep our customers connected without interruptions so they can confidently work, learn, and stay in touch wherever they are.”

Alper Tunga Burak, Chairman & CEO of Odine, adds: “At Odine, we believe AI will fundamentally reshape the way telecom operators deliver value. This collaboration with Cell C reflects our shared vision of building agile, future-ready networks that prioritise customer experience. In line with this vision, the strategic focus we place at OdineLabs on advanced research and innovation is enabling us to transform next-generation network quality enhancement from a forward-looking concept into a practical and scalable reality for operators and their customers. »

A bit of M&A and a couple expansions: … [visit site to read more]

Indian operator Vodafone Idea (Vi) has expanded its strategic partnership with tech giant Ericsson to modernise its postpaid services while supporting its ongoing network expansion across the country.

Since 2024, Ericsson has deployed new 5G and 4G sites, layer additions on existing sites and HPSC (high-performance small cell) towers across ten circles.

Ericsson says it will continue to strengthen Vi’s network footprint through deployment and integration of new network sites, capacity augmentation, and coverage expansion. These efforts will lead to enhancing indoor coverage, improving data capacity, and supporting Vi’s ongoing efforts for expanding 5G and 4G connectivity.

Also, building on the successful migration of hundreds of millions of Vi prepaid subscribers to Ericsson Charging in 2023, Vi has now chosen to deploy cloud-native Ericsson Charging to support and expand its postpaid subscriber segment and deliver innovative postpaid offers.

This deal expands Ericsson’s existing footprint in Vi’s prepaid subscriber segment to include the postpaid business as well, making Ericsson a major pan-India supplier of online charging solutions for both prepaid and postpaid customers.

The new agreement also empowers Vi with a selection of new Ericsson Telco IT AI Apps, giving it greater control and flexibility over its charging platform and ensuring it can deliver reliable, efficient and future-proof services to its subscribers. Vi will leverage AI applications including Anomaly Detection for Charging Applications, Order Fallout Detection and Prediction, Capacity Forecast for Telco Cloud Stack and Intelligent Usage Analysis for Charging to enhance service delivery, improve customer experience, and drive efficiency.

Ericsson says its Convergent Charging System will enable real time charging for voice, VOLTE, SMS and data services across consumer and enterprise businesses. The new system will be more flexible, scalable and cost efficient and will allow Vi to launch new services faster. The upgrade will not only improve operational efficiency and customer experience but also help prepare Vi’s network for 5G standalone.

A demonstration of satellite-enabled voice calls over a 3GPP-compliant non-terrestrial satellite network for connected vehicles, is take place at Mobile World Congress 2026 – with the help of a very impressive partnership.

Satellite broadband systems provider Viasat and Cubic³, which supplies global connectivity solutions for software-defined vehicles and other high-value mobile assets, in association with wireless technologies giant Qualcomm Technologies. and Fraunhofer IIS, a world leader in application research, have announced a demonstration that will showcase a voice call conducted over satellite, enabling vehicles to maintain voice connectivity when cellular networks are patchy or unavailable.

This milestone, as it is described, will show that voice communications – a critical benefit for driver safety and emergency access – can operate reliably beyond the reach of terrestrial networks.

The demo brings together several advanced technologies to demonstrate how always-on connectivity can be integrated into modern software-defined vehicles (SDVs). This includes Viasat’s highly reliable satellite network, Cubic³’s global connectivity management platform (CMP) and hybrid eSIM, Qualcomm Technologies’ Snapdragon Auto 5G Modem-RF Gen 2 platform, and the NESC voice codec from Fraunhofer IIS, with additional technical support from Amarisoft.

By extending voice services beyond cellular coverage, say the partners, automakers can ensure drivers remain connected for emergency assistance and critical safety applications, regardless of location. The demonstration also lays the foundation for future NTN-enabled vehicles as consumer expectations on data services increase and technology evolves to meet growing demand.

The collaboration builds on the partnership announced by Viasat and Cubic³ in June 2025, which combined satellite and terrestrial connectivity to support global vehicle communications. Cubic³ also intends to work with Viasat to bring future 5GNR satellite services, such as video streaming and seamless voice calls, to the automotive market.

These future applications would leverage Equatys, a jointly held entity being founded by Viasat and Space42. Equatys is designed to enable seamless 5G connectivity across satellite and terrestrial networks, extending services to billions of people and devices globally.

Viasat, Cubic³, and Qualcomm Technologies are active members of the 5GAA (5G Automotive Association), working with industry partners to advance global connectivity standards for the automotive sector.

The global smartphone market is forecast to decline by 13% in 2026, as a prolonged memory chip shortage weighs heavily on production and margins, according to analyst house IDC.

IDC predicts that shipments will total around 1.12 billion units this year, marking the lowest annual figure in more than a decade. The revised outlook represents a sharp downgrade from the firm’s November forecast of. 0.9% decline, issued before the full scale of the memory supply crunch became clear.

Francisco Jeronimo, IDC’s Vice President of Worldwide Client Devices, described the shortage as more than a temporary disruption.

“This is not a temporary squeeze,” he said, calling it a “tsunami-like shock” impacting the entire consumer electronics industry.

Android vendors, particularly those focused on lower-priced devices, are expected to face the most significant pressure. Rising component costs are likely to erode margins in the budget segment, while premium manufacturers are seen as better positioned to absorb higher input costs.

“Apple and Samsung are better positioned to navigate this crisis,” Jeronimo said. “As smaller and low-end-positioned Android vendors struggle with rising costs, Apple and Samsung could not only weather the storm but potentially expand market share as the competitive landscape tightens.”

Nabila Popal, Senior Research Director at IDC, said the impact would extend beyond short-term shipment declines.

“The memory crisis will cause more than a temporary decline; it marks a structural reset of the entire market, fundamentally reshaping long-term total addressable market, the vendor landscape and the product mix,” she said.

IDC expects consolidation among smaller manufacturers as volumes contract. Average selling prices are projected to rise 14% year-on-year to US$523 in 2026, reflecting the upward pressure on component costs.

Memory chipset prices are forecast to stabilise by mid-2027, but IDC cautioned they are unlikely to return to previous levels. As a result, smartphones priced below US$100 could become “permanently uneconomical”, according to Popal.

Regionally, emerging markets – where entry-level smartphones remain in higher demand – are expected to see the steepest shipment declines. The Middle East and Africa is forecast to contract by 20.6% year-on-year, while China and Asia-Pacific (excluding China and Japan) are projected to fall by 10.5% and 13.1% respectively.

Looking further ahead, IDC anticipates a modest 2% recovery in global shipments by mid-2027 as chipset prices stabilise, followed by a stronger rebound of 5.2% in 2028.

This Industry Viewpoint was authored by Josh Whitehurst, Head of Product, First Orion

For years, branded calling was a “nice-to-have,” viewed as an incremental improvement layered on top of outbound communications. That era is over. Branded calling has reached a tipping point, not necessarily in overall adoption volume, but in customer expectations. … [visit site to read more]

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has reportedly decided to take a wait-and-see approach on whether 5G network slicing would violate its regulations on net neutrality.

According to a report from ETTelecom on Thursday, Indian telcos have asked TRAI to revisit its net neutrality rules and make any necessary changes to allow network slicing, which they see as not only a key characteristic of 5G, but a potential generator of new revenues.

Network slicing enables 5G standalone operators to create premium dedicated fast lanes for customers willing to pay more, be it for mission-critical industrial use cases or bandwidth-intensive consumer apps like livestreaming and e-sports.

Critics say that network slicing is another form of differentiated quality of service that they claim goes against the principle of net neutrality, which guarantees open, non-discriminatory access to the internet.

Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel – both of which plan to leverage 5G’s network slicing capabilities – as well as 5G telecoms vendors like Ericsson, have told TRAI that network slicing should be allowed under its net neutrality rules as long as slicing services don’t degrade data speeds for lower-tier users or block users from accessing specific content, the report said.

A TRAI advisor at a panel discussion on Wednesday said the regulator intends to see how network slicing services play out in practice before deciding if they comply with its net neutrality policy, the report said.

That potentially puts telcos in a bind, as it means they would have to launch 5G slicing services with the risk that TRAI might later decide such services violate the policy.

The debate over 5G slicing and net neutrality has come up in other regulatory jurisdictions. In the European Union, the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) is currently holding a public consultation on whether the EU’s net neutrality regulations already allow network slicing, and – if not – whether they should be updated to do so.

In the US, the Federal Communications Commission’s net neutrality rules were repealed in 2017 during US President Donald Trump’s first term. When the Biden administration reinstated the rules in 2024, the FCC said that 5G slicing would violate net neutrality. However, a US court struck down the reinstated rules at the start of 2025.