Satcoms company ST Engineering iDirect, has announced a strategic partnership with Q-KON, a premier African satellite engineering and service provider, to launch an initiative called Intuition Unbound across Africa.

This collaboration, say the partners, will significantly lower barriers to entry for Q-KON and its customers, enabling businesses and organisations of all sizes to access premium satellite ground technology while accelerating time to market.

Q-KON will provide satellite capacity and teleport facilities in South Africa, while ST Engineering iDirect will deliver Intuition Unbound’s flexible, scalable and secure satellite ground connectivity.

This model, it is claimed, will foster a more competitive market landscape and establish a strong foundation for new service providers and enterprises to join the ecosystem and build differentiated value-added services.

Intuition Unbound leverages scalable infrastructure, advanced virtual network operator (VNO) capabilities, and global bandwidth management technologies to redefine how connectivity is accessed and delivered. Built on an as-a-service model, Intuition Unbound delivers flexible, scalable, and secure satellite ground connectivity without the heavy upfront capex commitments traditionally required.

Through the partnership with Q-KON, ST Engineering iDirect says it will provide predictable and transparent pricing and deliver SLA-backed performance with enterprise-grade compliance and security.

Dr Dawie de Wet, Group CEO of Q-KON calls the partnership “a game-changer for our customers” that “maps a way forward to deliver sustainable, competitive GEO satellite services”.

Brian Jakins, SVP Global Sales at ST Engineering iDirect, adds: “By making advanced satellite technology accessible to smaller providers and emerging-market customers, we are unlocking innovation and growth where connectivity is essential. Our partnership with Q-KON represents a major step toward making premium satellite ground networks accessible to all.”

Together with Q-KON, ST Engineering iDirect is expected to commence deployment of Intuition Unbound across Africa by mid-2026. ST Engineering iDirect plans to expand Intuition Unbound into additional regions globally, extending the benefits of flexible, scalable, and secured satellite ground connectivity worldwide.

Four interesting items from around the industry: … [visit site to read more]

Two bits of international news, some federal dollars, and another FTTx expansion project: … [visit site to read more]

Pakistan on Tuesday raised US$507 million in the country’s 5G spectrum auction, selling 480MHz of spectrum against a target of 597MHz.

Three operators – Jazz, Zong and Ufone – won frequencies to roll out next-generation mobile services and faster digital connectivity in the country.

The auction took place over three rounds on the same day. The results were announced by Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman Hafeez Ur Rehman. IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja and Information Minister Attaullah Tarar were also present at the announcement.

The sale included two lots (blocks of radio frequency spectrum) in the 700MHz band, all five lots in the 2300MHz band, all 19 lots in the 2600MHz band, and 22 out of 28 lots in the 3500MHz band.

One of three lots of 700MHz spectrum went unsold, as did six of the available 28 lots of 3500MHz spectrum. The entire 1800MHz and 2100MHz spectrum on offer remained unsold.

Jazz emerged as the largest buyer, securing 190MHz of spectrum, including 50MHz in the 3500MHz band, 70MHz in the 2600MHz, 50MHz in the 2300MHz and 20MHz in the 700MHz.

Ufone acquired 180MHz, including 120MHz in the 3500MHz band and 60MHz in the 2600MHz band. Zong bought 110MHz in the auction, including 50MHz in the 3500MHz band and 60MHz in the 2600MHz band.

The PTA Chairman noted that spectrum scarcity had long been the biggest challenge for Pakistan’s telecom sector and suggested that the country was entering a new technological era with the launch of the auction.

The PTA chief also highlighted an interesting change of policy: Pakistan is to be the first country in Asia to abolish right-of-way (RoW) charges, reducing them from PKR36,000 (US$128.85) per kilometre to nil to facilitate telecom infrastructure expansion and fibre deployment.

The new auction will not only introduce 5G services but should also significantly improve 4G quality. Improvements in 4G services are expected within 4-5 months; 5G services are expected to be launched in major cities within six months.

A reason for recent delays in the auction seems to have been the wait for the PTA to announce its decision on the proposed merger between Ufone 4G and Telenor Pakistan. This is now expected later today.

Press Release

50 government-funded mast upgrades have now been activated in Wales as part of the Shared Rural Network (SRN) – a programme brokered by the UK government and joint-funded with mobile network operators to improve mobile coverage in rural areas. Across the whole of the UK, 119 masts are now live as part of the SRN.

Rural towns and villages throughout Wales are benefiting from faster, more reliable mobile coverage as one of the latest government-funded 4G network upgrades were switched on. It means residents, local businesses and community organisations in areas including Ysbyty Ifan, Pentrefoelas, Capel Celyn, Painscastle, Hay-on-Wye, Llanigon, Tregoyd, Doly-y-Gaer, Clwydyfagwyr, Pontsticill, Torpantau, Llanddewi, Dolau, Llandegley, Crossgates, Abbeycwmhir can now take advantage of better connectivity.

These activations also bring enhanced connectivity to Eryri National Park and Bannau Brycheiniog National Park. These activations also bring coverage from all four mobile network operators to the equivalent of over 3,477 km of roads across Wales.

The boost to coverage has been carried out by upgrading existing mobile masts, meaning communities can benefit from improved connectivity without the need for additional infrastructure.

The improvements will enable residents, tourists and businesses to access reliable 4G coverage from all four mobile network operators – EE, Three, VMO2 and Vodafone – helping close the digital divide between urban and rural communities and boosting economic growth across the nations.

Ben Roome, CEO of Mova said:

“Upgrading 50 EAS masts in Wales shows the strength of a shared, neutral programme. Every site benefits every operator, every community and every mobile user. Together, they represent practical steps toward fairer, more resilient connectivity across rural Wales. Since the launch of the Shared Rural Network, 4G coverage from all mobile network operators has increased from 66% to 81% of the UK, an expansion equivalent to the combined size of Wales and Northern Ireland.

“With more upgrades planned, we remain focused on ensuring rural communities are included in a digitally connected UK.”

Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens said:

“Access to fast and reliable mobile coverage is increasingly important for residents, businesses and community organisations in rural communities all over Wales. Hitting this milestone is an important step in our mission to grow the Welsh economy, supporting businesses to succeed and creating opportunities in every corner of Wales.”

Since the Shared Rural Network programme began in 2020, an additional 34,000 square kilometres – an area equivalent to roughly 1.5 times the size of Wales or 4.6 million football pitches – are receiving coverage from all four operators, EE, Three, VMO2 and Vodafone across the UK.

Through the SRN programme, the UK government and the UK’s four mobile network operators have already provided4G coverage to an additional 280,000 premises and 16,000km of the UK’s roads.

The UK government is investing £184 million to upgrade Extended Area Service (EAS) masts to provide coverage from all four mobile operators.

Mobile operators have also invested over £500 million to target ‘partial not spots’ across the UK, where customers can only access 4G if they are signed up with a mobile network operator that is active in the area.

Four interesting news bytes from around the industry to catch up with: … [visit site to read more]

Thai operator True Corp revealed a three-year strategic roadmap on Monday to transform itself from telco to ‘techco’, with a focus on strengthening the customer experience and driving ‘AI-first’ growth.

True broke its techco strategy down into “four big moves”, the centrepiece of which is making AI a core engine across its operations, from strategic decision-making and operational efficiency to delivering superior customer experiences.

“We are moving beyond the traditional telco-centric, focused primarily on subscriber growth and entering a new phase of transformation as an AI-first organization while remaining firmly focused on customer-centricity,” said True Corp group CEO Sigve Brekke. “With AI, True will embed intelligence across networks, services and digital platforms. This represents a complete reset of operations, moving toward touch-free, predictive and increasingly autonomous operations that enhance both performance and customer experience.”

True said its ‘AI-First’ strategy includes not only developing new AI-driven products and improving efficiency and automation across business functions, but also expanding AI access and skills for employees, customers and society in general, which is another of the “four big moves” in its techco strategy.

True said it plans to upskill 100% of its workforce with AI foundation skills by 2026 and has launched 10 AI scholarships for advanced studies in the United States and China, including programs developed in collaboration with MIT and Chulalongkorn University.

“True is not only adopting AI internally. We are working to upskill 12 million Thai citizens through a comprehensive AI literacy program, build an AI-enabled platform for enterprises, and strengthen AI infrastructure together with partners across the ecosystem,” said Brekke.

True’s other two “big moves” in its techco push include elevating end-to-end customer experience across the entire lifecycle by strengthening network capabilities for its 5G and fixed broadband services and integrating both into a seamless digital ecosystem across all customer touchpoints, and driving growth in its B2C and B2B customer segments.

On the consumer front, True will expand its ‘Beyond Connectivity’ portfolio, including content platforms, home AI solutions, cybersecurity services and gaming and digital lifestyle services. True plans to leverage data-driven insights and an AI-powered personalization engine to deliver tailored offers for families.

True said it will also continue its evolution from product-centric telecom provider to trusted digital solutions partner for enterprises and SMEs, combining big data analytics, AI, security, integrated platforms, cloud computing and 5G/fibre connectivity. True also said it will boost its partnerships with global hyperscalers to co-develop solutions that help businesses modernize operations.

True said its techco roadmap aims to capitalise on three major trends in Thailand: (1) consumers increasingly becoming both creators and consumers of data across work, entertainment, healthcare and learning, (2) acceleration of AI adoption, and (3) digital infrastructure unlocking new regional growth engines.

“These trends represent a major opportunity to create new value in the digital economy,” Brekke said.

Press Release

Strategic Cooperation Agreement Between Turkcell and Huawei

[Barcelona, Spain, March 2, 2026] – Turkcell (NYSE: TKC) (BIST: TCELL), Türkiye’s leading telecommunications and technology company and global information and communications technology leader Huawei have signed three significant Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2026 held in Barcelona, Spain. Through these agreements, the parties further strengthened their long-term strategic collaboration to shape the future of telecommunications.

The agreements encompass advancing AI capabilities and applications, accelerating the evolution of 5G networks, and driving forward-looking research into next-generation and autonomous network technologies, demonstrating the partners’ shared commitment to innovation leadership and next-generation digital transformation.

Strategic Collaboration on 5G Evolution and Leading Network Innovations

Under the first agreement, the companies aim to develop sustainable and technologically leading networks by leveraging the latest technologies within Turkcell’s infrastructure.

The strategic collaboration places a strong focus on 5G Advanced technologies, aiming to accelerate the testing, validation, and commercialization of innovative solutions. Within this framework, the parties will work together to expand the 5G SA architecture, speed up 5G service launches across consumer (B2C), home (B2H), and enterprise (B2B) segments, and develop innovative solution designs to address increasing connectivity demands and emerging traffic needs. The partnership also covers the development of 5G use cases, including support for initiatives such as 5G New Calling, and FWA applications. In addition, the collaboration encompasses advanced technology implementations such as AI-powered fault detection and predictive maintenance solutions in fiber infrastructure, cross-data center GPU pooling and collaborative AI training infrastructure services, as well as Super WAN wide-area network solutions that deliver secure, high-capacity, and low-latency connectivity for enterprise customers.

Strategic Collaboration on 6G and Autonomous Network Technologies

The second agreement establishes a strategic collaboration framework focused on technical research and innovation in the evolution of AI-native autonomous network architectures. The partnership aims to develop forward-looking strategies toward the goal of fully autonomous networks, while advancing the research, testing, and validation of next-generation network technologies.

Within the scope of this collaboration, Turkcell and Huawei plan to conduct joint studies on AI-native autonomous networks, next-generation technology research and use cases. The partnership also includes joint demonstrations, proof-of-concept activities, and contributions to relevant standardization efforts as key components of the cooperation.

Strategic Collaboration to Unlock AI Power

As the third agreement within the broader strategic partnership, Turkcell and Huawei have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on advancing artificial intelligence infrastructure, cloud platforms, and next-generation AI applications. The collaboration aims to strengthen AI capabilities, accelerate the development of innovative use cases, and support the creation of a robust AI ecosystem in Türkiye.

Through this partnership, Turkcell and Huawei will jointly explore the development of advanced AI platforms, support the training of next-generation AI models, and work together on solution co-design, proof-of-concept initiatives, and industry-focused AI applications. By combining Huawei’s global expertise in AI and cloud technologies with Turkcell’s strong digital infrastructure and ecosystem leadership, the collaboration aims to accelerate intelligent transformation across industries.

About TURKCELL: 

Turkcell is a technology and telecommunications company headquartered in Türkiye, offering a unique portfolio of voice, data and IPTV services over its mobile and fixed networks along with digital consumer, enterprise and techfin services. Turkcell Group operates in three countries: Türkiye, Belarus and Northern Cyprus. Listed on both the NYSE and BIST since July 2000, Turkcell remains the only dual-listed company on these exchanges. Read more at www.turkcell.com.tr

This Industry Viewpoint was authored by Chris Brill, Field CTO at Myriad360

The traditional data center playbook is dead. Companies are inventing entirely new categories of infrastructure solutions in real time, because the old ways can’t scale fast enough to meet demand. … [visit site to read more]