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]

Ethio Telecom revealed on Sunday it lined up several vendor deals to modernise its telecoms network at last week’s Mobile World Congress, with one agreement with Ericsson already signed and others with Huawei and ZTE in the pipeline.

Ethio Telecom is currently in the midst of a large-scale network expansion and modernization programme, which includes expanding infrastructure coverage, enhancing 4G capacity, advancing 5G expansion, extending rural mobile network connectivity, and expanding and modernizing both radio access and core network functions – all in service of its “Next Horizon: Digital & Beyond” strategy.

To that end, Ethio Telecom CEO Frehiwot Tamru met with senior executives from Huawei, ZTE, Ericsson, and Nokia at MWC26 to explore advanced technology solutions to optimise its network infrastructure and prepare it to support emerging technologies, including AI-enabled network capabilities.

Ethio Telecom said it successfully concluded key negotiations with all of them. One agreement with Ericsson was finalized and signed on Thursday, while negotiations with ZTE were concluded, and discussions with Huawei (which holds a significant share of Ethio Telecom’s network infrastructure) “progressed substantially and are nearing finalization.”

The deal with Ericsson involves expansion, upgrade, 4G layering, and deployment of new capabilities across 1,500 mobile sites within the Ericsson network-managed circle, which Ethio Telecom said will boost 4G coverage and capacity while expanding its 5G footprint.

The deal also specifically targets 75 rural solution sites with tailored mobile solutions aimed at bridging both the coverage and usage gaps in rural areas that have no access to commercial power. Ericsson will also upgrade of 502 existing 3G sites to be 4G-ready.

Ethio Telecom said the project will add expand LTE services to 157 additional towns within Ericsson’s circle, increasing the total number of connected towns to 276, while boosting population coverage by 45%, reaching an overall 85% population coverage in the region.

Meanwhile, Ethio Telecom said it met with Nokia to review the successful completion of a proof of concept (PoC) for innovative technology solutions, and discuss preparations for a joint launch of an Innovation Excellence Centre to strengthen innovation, learning and digital capacity development in Ethiopia.

Ethio Telecom said it also held discussions with various global operators, solution providers, and technology innovators at MWC26 to explore new collaboration opportunities and drive digital transformation.

Contributed Article

At the Huawei TECH Cares Forum, industry leaders and partners joined to discuss digital inclusion and why embracing AI requires a foundation of digital skills as well as infrastructure.

In recent years, the global mobile ecosystem has made incredible strides in improving digital inclusion, from vastly expanding coverage in hard-to-reach areas to making devices cheaper and more widely available. But despite this significant advancement, there is still much to be done to create a more digital equitable society, especially as AI momentum continues to build.

“We have seen AI progress so much over the last year,” said Huawei’s CEO of ICT Business Group, Yang Chaobin, while noting that “this progress has not benefited everyone”.

The AI era could come late to billions of people

According to figures from ITU, there are 2.2 billion people that still lack access to the mobile internet, with a further 300 million who have access but do not use it, as revealed by a GSMA report. This means that while millions of people are accessing AI tools and services in their daily lives, over a quarter of the planet’s population are still lacking access to basic mobile services.

“We need to start talking about people and stop just talking about algorithms,” said Cosmas Zavazava, Director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). “The AI era offers life-changing possibility for change, but only if we can deliver it for everyone.”

“The digital divide is the defining challenge of our time,” he added.

Yang echoed this sentiment.

“AI will shape the future. But before we can make that future a reality, we need to build more critical digital infrastructure, including high-speed networks and powerful computing facilities,” he said.

Delivering this connectivity to hard-to-reach areas is a key part of Huawei’s role as a global citizen. The company joined the ITU’s Partner2Connect initiative at its inception in 2022, aiming to connect more than 120 million people in remote areas by the end of 2025. In fact, by the end of last year, Huawei had far exceeded this target, bringing coverage to 170 million people in remote areas across more than 80 countries.

Huawei’s Yang Chaobin reveals Huawei has surpassed its Partner2Connect targets at the TECH Cares summit

Part of this target had been reached by leveraging Huawei’s rural connectivity solutions, including its RuralStar product line’s latest evolution, RuralCow. This solar powered base station operates without fibre or microwave links, providing non-line of sight coverage up to 30km. This means that remote communities that lack the supporting connectivity and power infrastructure can still benefit from robust wireless coverage.

For operators, it also means that the business case for reaching these rural communities is clearer, reducing the time to ROI from 5-10 years to ‘less than 1.5 years’, according to Huawei.

However, as Marina Madale, Executive for Sustainability and Shared Value at MTN, notes, while “the coverage gap is narrowing, the usage gap remains substantial.”

From affordability of devices and data plans, limited digital literacy, and rural energy constraints, there is still much work to be done to improve rural connectivity.

Human-centred and locally-driven AI

Challenges around access and usage are even more pronounced when it comes to AI. AI models built in local languages for remote communities are few, and those that do exist are typically heavily biased due to the limited training data available. For Africa, a continent with thousands of languages, over 75 of which have more than a million speakers, this means a significant portion of the population is cut off from the AI ecosystem and wider economy.

“We need to move from simply integrating technologies like AI, to building more holistic AI readiness,” said Jing Fang, Project Officer at UNESCO’s regional bureau for science and culture in Europe, noting that young people must be taught to “critically engage” with technology to understand risks such as misinformation and algorithmic bias.

Sylvia Poll, Senior Gender and Youth Advisor to the ITU Secretary-General, agreed, warning that data inequality can make entire regions “invisible” in AI systems. Without local datasets and local developers, algorithmic bias may compound existing inequalities in these societies.

“Inclusivity must be a design choice,” said Kenya’s Special Envoy on Technology, Ambassador Philip Thigo. “The greatest divide will be between those who have access and those who have not.”

“This is an existential challenge for developing nations,” he added.

Digital education beyond barriers 

But if the local connectivity infrastructure is limited and localised AI models are not yet mature, are millions of people in developing nations doomed to fall behind in AI adoption?

Not necessarily.

Part of the solution, the panelists said, lies in a more agile approach to digital learning. Huawei’s DigiTruck programme, launched in 2019, has supported the training of more than 130,000 people in 21 countries using converted buses as mobile classrooms. This gives students and adults alike the chance to access AI and digital connectivity – often for the first time – and receive training by specialists and local experts.

This type of training will be key to securing these regions’ economic future.

“Connectivity is not a privilege, it’s an economic necessity,” said Madale. “No single player can close this gap alone. We need an ecosystem of collaboration.”

The consensus at the forum was clear: infrastructure deployment, inclusive AI governance, and scaled investment in skills must advance together if AI is to deliver prosperity for the many, not for the few.

Keep up to date with all the latest telecoms news with the Total Telecom newsletter

Also in the news
World Communication Award Winners 2025
Ofcom clears the way for satellite-to-smartphone services
LG Uplus’s AI voice call app glitch leaks user data

Press Release

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – Terrapinn, the global events company, is delighted to announce the acquisition of FMS: the Future of Memory and Storage from Conference Concepts Inc. FMS is widely regarded as the world’s most important and credible event dedicated to memory and storage technologies.

Held annually in Santa Clara, California, FMS has spent two decades as the essential meeting point for the global memory ecosystem – from leading semiconductor manufacturers to system architects and hyper-scalers. The acquisition comes at a pivotal moment as the industry faces an “unprecedented mismatch” in supply and demand, driven by the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) and the surge in demand for High-Bandwidth Memory (HBM).

“We are absolutely delighted to announce the acquisition of Future of Memory and Storage,” said Terrapinn CEO Greg Hitchen. “FMS is a significant addition to our global portfolio of technology events. We look forward to serving the memory and storage industry and will ensure that the technical excellence and authority of FMS is maintained, and then surpassed, as we invest in its next phase of global growth”.

FMS was created and nurtured by  Lance Leventhal and Chip Stockton, principals of Conference Concepts Inc, growing it from its roots as the Flash Memory Summit into an all-encompassing industry showcase.

Chip Stockton, President of Conference Concepts Inc, said: “We have created a really important event for the memory and storage community and have carefully nurtured it over many years. But we now feel it is the right time to pass it on to a larger company for its next phase of growth. We are really impressed by Terrapinn’s commitment to the sector and are sure they are the right fit to take FMS forward while ensuring a seamless transition for all our customers and stakeholders”.

The 20th-anniversary edition, FMS 2026, is scheduled for August 4–6, 2026, at the Santa Clara Convention Center. The event will feature a multi-stream conference, a large-scale global exhibition, and a Technical Pro Series focused on the infrastructure enabling the next generation of AI, data centers, and automotive applications.

Conference Concepts Inc was represented by John McGovern of Grimes, McGovern and Associates.

Terrapinn would like to thank Chip Stockton, John McGovern, our advisers and team.

About Terrapinn: Terrapinn is a global events company with businesses in the USA, Australia, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. www.terrapinn.com

About Conference Concepts Inc: Founded in 1994, Conference Concepts is a professional conference management company focused on cutting-edge technologies and high-growth technical events.

For further information please contact: rob.chambers@totaltele.com