News

The Texas Comptroller’s office has officially commenced the application process for more than $3.8 billion in funding to advance broadband infrastructure across the state. This substantial investment, administered by the Broadband Development Office (BDO), combines federal dollars from the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program with state contributions from the Texas Match Assistance Program (TMAP). The initiative aims to extend reliable high-speed internet service to over 245,000 unserved and underserved locations, encompassing homes, businesses, and schools.

Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock described access to high-speed internet as a necessity in the modern era, critical not only for education and business but also for healthcare and daily life. He underscored that expanding broadband connections, especially in rural and underserved communities, is a transformative step that supports job creation, stimulates local economic development, and equips Texans across all ZIP codes with essential tools to thrive in a connected economy.

The official Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA), published on the Texas SmartBuy website on June 26, provides detailed guidelines for prospective applicants. Eligible projects must focus on deploying broadband with minimum speeds of 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload, with latency at or below 100 milliseconds, to meet the program’s benchmarks for service quality. Applications are being accepted through August 1, 2025, via the state’s BEAD Application Portal, where applicants can also find application guidance and register for program updates.

The BEAD funding of $3.3 billion from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) is supplemented by an additional $500 million from the state’s TMAP, designed to assist applicants in meeting matching fund requirements. Eligible applicants include cooperatives, nonprofits, public-private partnerships, private companies, and local governments, reflecting a broad eligibility to attract diverse entities capable of accelerating broadband deployment.

This effort marks part of Texas’s ongoing commitment to close the digital divide, which saw the establishment of the BDO within the Comptroller’s office in 2021. The BDO is charged with overseeing broadband expansion activities and additional programs such as the Broadband Infrastructure Fund and the Pole Replacement Program, ensuring a comprehensive suite of funding opportunities beyond BEAD and TMAP.

However, in a related development earlier this year, the BDO paused all grants and contracts associated with the federal State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program in March 2025 due to federal government realignment and the need to ensure compliance with evolving program guidelines. This pause highlights the complexities of coordinating broadband initiatives amid shifting federal priorities, though the pause has not directly affected the newly opened BEAD and TMAP grant application window.

Prospective applicants had the opportunity to ask questions about the NOFA during a formal public inquiry period in May, with responses made publicly available by mid-June, reflecting transparency efforts by the BDO to assist applicants in navigating the funding process effectively.

As Texas moves forward to deploy this transformative broadband infrastructure funding, the successful expansion of high-speed internet access remains a crucial priority for enabling equitable economic and social participation across the state’s diverse regions.

Source: Noah Wire Services
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News

The Government of Kenya, through its Ministry of Information, Communications, and The Digital Economy and the ICT Authority, is advancing plans to install a high-capacity fibre optic cable along the Isiolo–Mandera corridor. This initiative is part of the broader Horn of Africa Gateway Development Project (HoAGDP), which is funded by the World Bank. The project aims to enhance digital connectivity not only within Kenya’s northern regions but also by establishing cross-border links to Ethiopia and Somalia, fostering regional digital integration and improved access for underserved communities.

As an essential step toward realising this vision, the ICT Authority has launched an Early Market Engagement (EME) process. This non-binding consultation invites suppliers, contractors, service providers, and other industry stakeholders to contribute insights on the upcoming procurement opportunities, technical requirements, and delivery strategies. The engagement seeks to ensure a competitive, transparent procurement process that encourages innovation and delivers value for money. The planned procurement spans the installation of backbone fibre optic infrastructure, cross-border connectivity with Ethiopia and Somalia, last-mile fibre installations, public WiFi in critical public institutions, networking equipment supply, and supportive civil works including solar power to enhance network resilience.

The HoAGDP, approved in 2020 with $750 million in financing from the World Bank, extends beyond digital connectivity. It encompasses the upgrading of the 740-kilometre Isiolo-Mandera Regional Road Corridor to bitumen standards, aimed at improving the movement of people, goods, and trade facilitation across Kenya’s North Eastern region. The digital infrastructure, including the fibre optic cable running alongside this corridor, is expected to directly benefit over 3.2 million residents by improving access to social services, internet connectivity, and economic opportunities.

In recent bilateral discussions under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Kenya and Ethiopia reaffirmed their commitment to completing the cross-border fibre optic connection as part of this project. They emphasized enhancing digital services, including access to digital jobs and emerging technologies, as integral to socio-economic development and trade facilitation. Both countries have also been working collaboratively on complementary infrastructure projects to boost connectivity and quality of life in border regions, such as road constructions and access improvements in clean water, healthcare, and education.

Set against a backdrop of strategic regional cooperation, the HoAGDP also seeks to strengthen cross-border infrastructure more broadly. Alongside the fibre optic installation, the project includes the construction of physical infrastructures like bridges over the River Dawa to facilitate trade and movement between Kenya and Ethiopia. This comprehensive approach aims to unlock economic potential, improve regional mobility, and integrate digital and transport networks to foster sustainable development and economic resilience in the Horn of Africa.

The project is scheduled for completion by June 2028 and represents a significant step toward transforming the digital and physical infrastructure landscape of the region. By inviting diverse industry stakeholders to contribute during the early tendering phase, the Kenyan government hopes to shape a robust digital ecosystem that supports innovation, connectivity, and regional economic integration.

Source: Noah Wire Services
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News

Vodafone Greece has outlined an ambitious €1 billion investment plan for the period 2024 to 2029, with a firm focus on expanding and upgrading the country’s telecommunications infrastructure. Central to this strategy is the accelerated development of the fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) network and the enhancement of the 5G mobile network, positioning the company not merely as a connectivity provider but as a comprehensive technology partner for households and businesses alike.

Currently, Vodafone’s fibre optic coverage reaches 360,000 households and businesses, with projections set to increase coverage to 500,000 by the end of 2024 and to 850,000 by 2028. While active fibre connections remain modest relative to coverage, a steady rise is noted, driven in part by government-backed subsidies such as the Gigabit Voucher and Smart Readiness coupons that encourage consumer uptake. Parallel to fixed network expansion, Vodafone’s 5G network already covers over 91% of the Greek population, with plans to extend this to 94% coverage by March 2025.

This expansion drive includes significant infrastructural upgrades beyond conventional land-based networks. Most notably, Vodafone has completed a state-of-the-art submarine fibre optic cable landing station in Tympaki, Crete. This station is set to serve as a hub for major international undersea cable systems, including the India-Europe-Xpress which is already operational, and the forthcoming 2Africa cable system. The 2Africa project, described as the world’s largest subsea cable system, will enhance connectivity between Africa, Europe, and Asia, delivering unprecedented capacity and reliability to Greece. With a capacity of up to 180 terabits per second, 2Africa is anticipated to elevate Greece’s standing on the global digital map and help transform it into a key telecommunications hub throughout the Mediterranean.

Vodafone’s strategic repositioning under its new leadership includes a focus on new market opportunities within the ICT sector, particularly supporting the digital transformation of small and medium-sized enterprises. The company has already engaged in over 30 digitalisation projects for the public sector in recent years, with contracts valued at €325 million. This broad approach signals a commitment not only to infrastructure but also to leveraging digital technologies to support the evolving needs of both businesses and public administration in Greece.

Competition in the fibre market has intensified with the recent entry of the Public Power Corporation (DEI), which is expanding coverage primarily in urban areas where Vodafone already operates. While overlap remains limited for now, Vodafone’s CEO Achilleas Kanaris anticipates increased competitive pressure as DEI continues its rollout. On the consumer side, there is a discernible trend in Vodafone’s mobile business: contract plans are growing, whereas prepaid subscriptions are declining, with many users migrating to subscription-based services. Similarly, the subscriber base for Vodafone’s subscription TV services continues its upward trajectory.

Addressing persistent rumours regarding the future of Vodafone Greece, Kanaris was unequivocal: the company is not for sale. He emphasised that the Greek market remains profitable and promising, dismissing speculation that his appointment was linked to preparations for a sale.

In summary, Vodafone Greece is undertaking a comprehensive transformation and significant investment aimed at securing its role as a pivotal player in Greece’s digital future. Through substantial infrastructure projects, strategic market manoeuvres, and a clear vision to be more than just a connectivity provider, Vodafone is positioning itself as a catalyst for broader economic and technological advancement in the region.

Source: Noah Wire Services
Total Telecom is trialling AI tools for content generation – please flag any errors!

The North Atlantic will be getting another cable along the ocean floor, this time on a southerly path. Google says its latest transatlantic project, which it calls Sol, will connect Florida directly with Spain, with stops in Bermuda and the Azores. The new infrastructure will complement the Nuvem cable system, which should come online next year. … [visit site to read more]

Telecom industry is using blockchain technology more and more to strengthen security and enhance identity management. Blockchain offers a strong framework for managing identities and safeguarding consumer data through the use of a decentralized ledger, making identity theft and data breaches practically unheard of.

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 By ensuring secure transactions and communications, this improves customer confidence and complies with regulations. The use of blockchain technology to offer revenue assurance and stop fraud is another noteworthy trend. Fraudulent activities such as roaming and subscription fraud cause telecom carriers to suffer significant losses. Because of its transparent and unchangeable ledger, blockchain ensures correct billing and minimizes revenue leakage by assisting in the real-time detection and prevention of fraudulent transactions. For telecom businesses, this improves operational efficiency and profitability.

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 Key Growth Drivers:

• Fraud Prevention: Blockchain enables real-time, immutable data verification, minimizing SIM swap and call termination fraud.

• Smart Contracts: Automating interconnect agreements and billing using blockchain smart contracts improves accuracy and reduces processing time.

• Roaming and Identity Management: With blockchain, telecoms can streamline roaming services and securely authenticate users across borders.

• 5G & IoT Integration: As 5G and IoT adoption expands, blockchain helps manage billions of device identities and data exchange securely.

For media inquiries, interviews, or access to the full market report, please contact:

Divya Paidimalla
 IndustryARC
 www.industryarc.com

Press Release

Leading network infrastructure provider Zayo Europe has deployed Ciena’s optical technology to launch a new German network covering 3,000km of fibre across 8 core domestic metros including Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg, Dusseldorf and Berlin. The network also extends to a 14th key hub across the border in Strasbourg, France.

With Ciena’s Reconfigurable Line System (RLS) and WaveLogic 6 Extreme (WL6e) solutions, Zayo Europe can now offer universal 400G wave services across key German markets, with the scope to scale to 800G and 1.6Tb/s in the future as required. This will enable Zayo Europe’s customers to meet the rising data demands driven by increased AI adoption and cloud usage.

“Germany is a key strategic market for Zayo Europe, and with the EU pushing to advance AI capabilities across the continent, there’s a pressing need for networks within Germany that can support these new workloads. Our approach to service delivery, utilising the latest generation optical networking technology powered by Ciena, enables us to provide our customers with ultra-low latency connectivity and unparalleled support for AI and cloud services.” said Colman Deegan, CEO, Zayo Europe.

“There’s a growing need for high-capacity networks across Germany to meet the demands of an increasingly digital economy. As a Carrier Managed Services partner leveraging Ciena optical technology, Zayo Europe can offer differentiated wavelength services across its entire European footprint, including key long haul routes across Germany.” said Virginie Hollebecque is Vice President and Leader of EMEA at Ciena.

Ciena’s WL6e is the industry’s first high-bandwidth coherent transceiver using state-of-the-art 3nm silicon to drive significant economic benefits for operators, including a 50% reduction in space and power per bit. Ciena’s 6500 RLS is a compact, simple-to-deploy, photonic layer solution that improves scalability, reduces footprint, and offers more flexibility and programmability.

How is the German connectivity market changing in 2025? Join the discussion at Connected Germany 2025 live in Munich 

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News

A report from the Sydney Morning Herald says that the job cuts will be felt “across the board”

Today, media reports suggest that Australian telco Telstra is preparing to cut “hundreds” of jobs in the coming week.

The report, quoting anonymous sources, suggests that the cuts will be made across the business as part of ongoing cost cutting measures.

The news should come as little surprise. Telstra has been under increasing pressure from investors to cut costs in recent years, with inflation and energy costs cutting into the company’s bottom line. Last year the company cut 2,800 workers in an effort to save up to A$350 million, noting at the time that more job cuts

The financial pressures on Telstra come at a time when the company is increasingly leaning into AI to streamline its operations. Earlier this year, the company announced its ‘Connected Future 30’ strategy, aiming to greatly increase the company’s usage of AI by the end of the coming decade.

“We will embrace AI, as every business will need to, and we expect the pace of change over the next five years to be extraordinary,” said CEO Vicki Brady at the strategy announcement earlier this year.

As part of this transformation process, Brady said that more jobs would likely be at risk due to “AI efficiencies”.

“We don’t know precisely what our workforce will look like in 2030, but it will be smaller than it is today,” she said.

In contrast to these staffing cuts, Telstra’s willingness to bet on the long-term efficacy of AI is clear to see. Earlier this year, the company announced the creation of an AI joint venture (JV) with Accenture, into which it will invest A$100 million annually for the next seven years. The business will reportedly help the operator in modernising its data and AI platforms, as well as capitalising on emerging AI use cases, like AI agents.

Telstra says its ultimate goal is to “rationalise” its roster of AI vendor partners, reducing its data and AI suppliers from 18 companies to just the Accenture JV and a similar JV with Australian AI firm Quantium.

As of December 2024, Telstra had around 31,000 full time employees.

How is AI changing the telecoms landscape in 2025? Keep up to date with all the latest developments with the Total Telecom newsletter

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News

Charges also include violating US sanctions against Iran, money laundering, and obstruction of justice

This week, a US judge has dismissed a request from Huawei to dismiss the majority of charges brought against it by the US government.

The indictment, which dates to January 2019, accuses Huawei and various subsidiaries of numerous crimes, including defrauding and misleading financial institutions, stealing intellectual properties from US companies, and money laundering.

Perhaps most notable among these charges are those related to illegally bypassing US sanctions on Iran and North Korea by trading via its partner company, Skycom. The issue notably came to a head in December 2018, when Huawei’s CFO, Meng Wanzhou – also the daughter of the company’s founder, Ren Zhengfei – was detained in Canada after the United States Department of Justice requested her arrest for allegedly circumventing US sanctions. What followed was a protracted extradition battle that saw Meng remain under house arrest in Canada for three years.

Meng was finally released in 2021, having reached a deferred prosecution agreement with the US government. As part of the agreement, Meng admitted having misled HSBC about the company’s dealings with Iran, in violation of US sanctions.

In addition to these sanction-related counts, indictment alleges that, between 2000 and 2018, Huawei had practised the “deliberate and repeated misappropriation of intellectual property” from US companies.

Huawei has denied all wrongdoing and had sought to dismiss all but 3 of the 16-count indictment levied against it, arguing that the counts variously lacked evidence, violated due process, or simply did not state a legal offense.

In a 52-page document, however, US District Judge Ann Donnelly rejected the motion.

“Dismissal of charges is an extraordinary remedy reserved for extremely limited circumstances implicating fundamental rights,” read the document, with Donnelly noting that Huawei’s arguments were premature when “it is not yet clear what the defendant did”.

Based on a prearranged schedule, the trial is expected to take place May 6, 2026.

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Partner Article 

Building autonomous networks was one of the hottest topics at this year’s DTW conference in Copenhagen, with operators increasingly advancing towards Level 4

Network operators have long aspired to build ‘zero touch’ networks: communication systems that are fully autonomous, adapting to users’ needs in real-time without the need for any manual human intervention. But while this final step remains out of reach – at least for now – major progress is being already made by the industry in automating their networks, unlocking major efficiencies and cost savings.

What exactly do we mean when we talk about the term ‘autonomous networks’? TM Forum provides a useful framework to answer this question, with their Autonomous Network Level (ANL) Model helping operators to assess their current level of network autonomy. These Levels range from 1 to 5; Level 1 represents no autonomy at all, while Level 5 denotes a fully autonomous, self-driving network, with no human intervention at all.

With the integration new technologies, particularly the use of AI agents and predictive AI, CSPs are rapidly climbing through the ANLs, with many on the brink of achieving ANL4. This means their networks are highly autonomous across various domains, with the system making automated decisions based on predictive analysis and AI modelling, with only minimal human oversight.

Achieving the crucial step to ANL4 was the focus on a masterclass on the final day of DTW called ‘ANL4 Solution Packages Blueprint: From Vison to Deployment’, explaining why ANL4 is so valuable and how to implement existing solution packages.

ANL4 and the core network

The first part of telco networks to benefit from the ANL4 transformation will be the core. It is here that we find several well-defined use-cases that are becoming increasingly viable with the increase integration of AI into telco networks.

Chief among these use cases is the integration of AI agents. These agents have enormous potential across the telecoms industry, from advanced customer-facing chatbots to virtual assistants for telecoms engineers. But perhaps the most impactful role of AI agents will take place within the network itself, helping to automate the fault demarcation process.

Traditionally, fault demarcation has required manual analysis across multiple network layers and domains to discover and correct the root cause of network issue. AI agents can automate a large part of this process, using machine learning models to correlate alarms, analyse logs, and isolate the source of a fault in real time. This allows operators to respond faster and reduce mean time to repair and service disruption.

However, letting AI agents loose in the core network must be done with great caution. The core is an environment where a single automation misstep could impact thousands or potentially millions of customers, hence reliability is paramount. Specialised, telecoms-specific AI models will be required to meet these demands, and strict guardrails will be needed before the highest levels of automation can be reached.

In addition to helping operators react to network faults more efficiently, AI is also helping them to anticipate and avoid them altogether. Predictive AI is increasingly being applied to day-to-day operations and maintenance (O&M) within the network, particularly for monitoring and managing risks like signalling storms. By combining this technology with a digital twin of the network, capable of simulating a myriad of scenarios, operators can quickly visualise and assess their network’s vulnerabilities.

In short, the core’s journey to ANL4 will see it become increasingly predictive and preventative when it comes to maintenance, and self-healing when faults do occur.

ANL4 in action in Asia

Many of the above use cases are already being seen in action in some of the most advanced markets in the world. At the masterclass at DTW, two operators –  Telkomsel and China Mobile–were singled out by TM Forum as being ‘outstanding’ in this regard. Having undertaken a thorough evaluation of their autonomous core network high stability evaluation, the two companies received their formal certification at the event and were invited to share key success stories.

Telkomsel receives the company’s ANL CSP certificatate from TM Forum’s Autonomous Networks Program Director, Olta Vangieli

China Mobile receives the company’s ANL CSP certificatate from TM Forum’s Autonomous Networks Program Director, Olta Vangieli

China Mobile has notably already achieved operational ANL4 in eight key core use cases, including private network provisioning, complaint resolution, change monitoring. The company is also nearing ANL4 across multiple additional domains, including IP backhaul, RAN fault management, core complaint handling, and core fault management. Combined, this work has reportedly achieved an 80% reduction in major network faults and saved more than 7 billion kilowatt hours of electricity.

Indonesia’s Telkomsel has also made great strides, sharpening its focus on core network stability and intelligent operations. Their progress includes a significant shift in their network design, using AI to help support network architecture design. This has made the network significantly more flexible, building in redundancy by design and allowing specific elements to be bypassed for quick service recovery. Combined with predictive AI that can anticipate and negate risks to the network, Telkomsel is well on its way to achieving zero outages in its core network.

Collaboration and building solution packages

Naturally, building more intelligent telecoms network is a hugely complicated task. The sharing of best practice across the industry will be a key factor in success and is something that the TM Forum and its partners have sought to facilitate over the past 6 years. To this end, various solution packages have been co-developed by industry to promote best practices for operators on this journey.

At the masterclass, for example, Huawei’s Michael Wang shared the ANL4 high-value scenario solution package, featuring end-to-end guidance on core network fault management. From designing intelligent O&M, to network optimisation strategies and best-practice case studies, the solution package provides a valuable blueprint for operators to take begin their own network transformation projects.

TM Forum and its industry partners are currently calling for volunteers throughout the industry to further optimise the released standards and collaboratively define more high-value solution packages, three of which are planned to be released by the end of the year.

ANL4 is achievable today

With numerous positive examples already on display in various markets worldwide, and with increasingly sophisticated standardisation materials broadly available, operators’ path to ANL4 is becoming clearer. As momentum continues to build, it will not be long before the most advanced operators fully achieve this goal and begin setting their sights on the lofty goal of ANL5.

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