A bit of FTTx and a bunch of AI: … [visit site to read more]

Operator Yas Tanzania and technology giant Ericsson have announced the first commercial deployment in Africa of Ericsson’s AIR 3285 radio, supporting what they describe as a major step forward in network performance and user experience across the country.

The deployment follows a successful trial and forms part of Yas Tanzania’s ongoing network modernisation and expansion, supporting its ambition to strengthen digital infrastructure and expand access to high-quality connectivity across the country.

Ericsson is supplying the AIR 3285 radios and supporting deployment and integration, helping enhance network capacity and performance. This, it says, enables more reliable and higher-quality connectivity for everyday use cases such as e-learning, remote work and live streaming, while improving user experience in high-traffic environments such as large events, and laying the foundation for new digital services that support inclusive growth.

The enhanced 4G capabilities will enable greater digital inclusion by improving access to high-speed connectivity for individuals and businesses, while also supporting the introduction of advanced digital services such as Internet of Things (IoT) and smart city use cases.

Ericsson’s AIR 3285 is a dual-band frequency division duplexing (FDD) massive MIMO radio weighing only 31kg, making it the lightest in its class. Its optimised weight and size simplify rollouts in high-capacity sites, helping operators meet growing demand for uplink capacity.

It offers up to four times higher uplink capacity and two times higher downlink capacity than traditional 4T/4R solutions, supporting improved network performance and efficiency.

Ericsson and Yas Tanzania say they have a long-standing partnership, including the launch of 5G services in 2022 and the modernisation and expansion of the operator’s 4G network.

Company News

M&A

The acquisition stands to bridge SpaceX’s engineering ecosystem with next-generation developer intelligence.

Edited by Brad Randall, Broadband Communities

June 23, 2023 — SpaceX has announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Anysphere, Inc., the creator of the popular AI-powered coding assistant Cursor.

According to a Form 8-K filed with the SEC, the all-stock transaction values Cursor at an implied equity value of $60.0 billion.

Under the terms of the agreement outlined in the Form 8-K, SpaceX will merge a wholly owned subsidiary into Cursor, which will continue operating as a wholly owned subsidiary of the aerospace giant. Cursor shareholders will also receive SpaceX Class A common stock, with the share exchange ratio determined by the stock’s 7-day volume-weighted average price prior to closing.

The acquisition bridges SpaceX’s engineering ecosystem with next-generation developer intelligence, potentially supercharging software automation for Starlink.

The transaction is subject to standard regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026, SpaceX’s SEC filing stated.

Automating the future of network deployment

As massive tech mergers signal a broader shift toward deep AI integration, the broadband sector is already finding ways to leverage this intelligence at the network level.

To see how these computational breakthroughs translate into localized, real-world utility, don’t miss the session “AI in Action: Improving the Resident and Support Experience“ at the Broadband Communities Summit 2026.

Happening on August 26 at 3:35 PM in Room 310A-C, this panel features leaders from RealPage, Apartment SEO, and RUCKUS Networks discussing exactly how AI is shifting from experimental tech to an operational powerhouse.

Secure your pass today to learn how to harness the AI revolution for your networks.

Some AI tools also assisted in the crafting of this report.

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News

A broad coalition of telecom trade associations is warning that rapid AI expansion is causing a critical shortage of U.S. memory chips.

Edited by Brad Randall, Broadband Communities

June 23, 2026 — A coalition of major trade associations—including tech and telecom leaders like NCTA, ACA Connects, NTCA, and the Telecommunications Industry Association, alongside healthcare technology groups MDMA and AdvaMed, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, and retail giants via the Retail Industry Leaders Association and the National Retail Federation—has raised alarms over an emerging memory chip shortage they say threatens to disrupt supply chains and drive-up costs across multiple sectors.

In a June 3 letter addressed to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, the groups outlined the critical challenges posed by surging demand for memory chips driven by the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) data centers.

The letter emphasizes the “unprecedented surge in the price of memory chips and reduced supply of these chips for manufacturing and consumer-facing industries.”

Widespread industry disruptions

It also warns of immediate and near-term impacts, including rising prices for everyday electronics, increased costs for telecommunications infrastructure, and risks to sectors ranging from automobile production to medical device manufacturing. Federal contractors, particularly small businesses, also face potential delays and disruptions in fulfilling procurement commitments, the June 3 letter argues.

Market imbalances persist

Despite significant U.S. investments to boost chip manufacturing, the coalition asserts that market imbalances persist.

They urge the government to “work with memory chipmakers and chip buyers to assess steps that can be taken to address this imbalance” and protect consumers, workers, and businesses alike.

Proposed measures include accelerating capacity expansion domestically and in allied countries, leveraging trade and investment agreements to strengthen supply chains, and adjusting regulatory frameworks to support faster sourcing and innovation.

Additionally, the letter conveys a spirit of partnership, stating the signatories “stand ready” to discuss solutions.

The organizations also underscore their alignment with the administration’s broader economic goals, aiming to “bolster the strength of the U.S. economy, resilience of our supply chains, and prosperity of our citizens and businesses.” As AI continues transforming technology landscapes, ensuring balanced and reliable access to memory chips is now front and center on the policy agenda.

FMS 2026

With surging AI demands putting unprecedented strain on the global tech ecosystem, the industry is also racing to evolve.

Discover the solutions firsthand at The Future of Memory and Storage | FMS 2026, happening August 4–6 at the Santa Clara Convention Center. Featuring an elite lineup of keynote speakers, deep-dive sessions into HBM, CXL, and advanced data center strategies, FMS 2026 is where the technology community maps out what comes next. Secure your pass now to connect with the global innovators redefining data scaling.

Some AI tools also assisted in the crafting of this report.

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Two network expansions and a bit of non-commercial support: … [visit site to read more]

Some last mile news, an intercity optical buildout, and some possible M&A: … [visit site to read more]

Day One of Digital Transformation World 2026 kicked off with a focus on speed – the runaway pace of AI evolution, the breakneck pace at which enterprises must work together to adapt, and the scramble to take advantage of opportunities as they evolve.

In his opening keynote, TM Forum Chairman Steffen Roehn remarked that as the pace of AI acceleration becomes increasingly overwhelming, speed of collaboration becomes a competitive advantage.

Level Four autonomous networks – in which AI assumes control over decision-making in specific scenarios – are now a reality. Against the backdrop of such rapid evolution, telcos are well-placed to become the trust layer that allows the AI economy to function.

TM Forum CEO & President Nik Willets underlined the importance of trust in what he dubbed the ‘Race to 2030’, in which operators will need to grasp their opportunity to compete in the AI economy. He noted that while 72% of enterprises claim to have high levels of trust in the functionality of their AI agents, just 18% are able to offer regulator-ready evidence to support these claims.

Willets outlined that while architecture certainly still matters, ODA (open digital architecture) must go further, evolving from composable to AI-native to facilitate network autonomy while offering regulation-defensible control layers and AI governance frameworks. Willets described AI-native ODA as effectively the blueprint for building and operating an AI-native telco.

Unlocking impact at scale

But how can telcos translate this ‘AI hope’ into high volume growth? This was the question posed by former Axiata CEO and current advisor to the operator group’s board, Vivek Sood. In emerging markets, AI must help operators to grow sustainably and scale effectively to bring down the cost per GB – because ultimately, AI must help operators deliver value to customers. Sood outlined how traditional AI use cases can demonstrably make networks more efficient – in terms of pipeline quality, infrastructure rollout and operations, energy performance, and capital efficiency – and highlighted that the next step is to monetise this by unlocking AI impact at scale across the enterprise.

TIM Italy CEO Pietro Labiola emphasised how trust, not speed, is now the key parameter for telcos – and that they must demonstrate this by becoming the assurance layer, taking control of data as the issue of AI sovereignty becomes increasingly pressing. Sood agreed, noting that customers in emerging markets are more willing to pay for security and an improved quality of experience. Operators cannot assume that they can continue merely to sell connectivity for revenue – they have to invest in building marketplaces that provide more value to the customer. Sood highlighted that operators must view efficiencies as new growth opportunities.

However, creating differentiation through experience is of course a challenge. Keppel’s Manjot Singh Mann noted that even if AI enables telcos to offer improved customer experiences, they should not expect to charge more for this. The growth opportunities are around increasing efficiencies and reducing costs – telcos must be able to create new business models and revenue pools around AI, rather than expecting to offer more of the same.

Viewpoint, Comarch Communications

The European telecommunications market is expected to grow slowly, at just 2% to 3% by 2029. Because of this slow growth and the challenges of a complex global economy, operators are rethinking how they work. The industry is now looking beyond traditional consumer cellular services, which are only growing at 3% to 4%, and is moving toward broader communication ecosystems, including mission-critical networks, satellite infrastructure, and massive IoT deployments.

These challenges and emerging trends were extensively discussed at the recent Comarch User Group gathering, highlighting the critical paths operators must take to stay competitive. The event hosted over 700 partners from 53 countries across 8 streams, including 201 connectivity experts.

Economic pressures and productivity demands

The global economy now demands high levels of investment, especially in technology. Major countries are spending heavily. China, for example, is allocating 25% of its GDP to infrastructure and technology, creating far more value than Europe’s tech investments. In this competitive environment, traditional efficiency methods are not enough. Communication Service Providers (CSPs) need to boost productivity by quickly adopting new technologies.

“Global markets are pivoting towards AI adoption, where traditional efficiency methods simply won’t be enough to keep pace with the global economy. As we emphasized alongside our partners at the recent Comarch User Group, CSPs must fundamentally rethink their operational models. We can no longer rely solely on consumer cellular services, we must pivot aggressively toward broader, more complex ecosystems and services that encompass mission-critical networks, massive IoT deployments, and autonomous multi-orbit satellite infrastructure,” commented Marcin Kaleta, CEO at Comarch Communications.

Tackling complexity with Agentic AI

One of the main challenges for CSPs is handling the growing complexity of their networks. Right now, up to 40% of network outages are caused by human error, and 88% of digital transformations do not meet their goals. To address this, the industry is moving from basic automation, which depends on humans following rules, to Agentic AI, where systems take on more responsibility within set policies.

Client case studies presented at the Comarch User Group this year highlighted that changing systems to support intent-based actions allows for as much as 30% to 40% cut in Network Operations Center costs and a 10% to 20% faster Mean Time to Repair (MTTR). However, only 6% of CSPs have the data streaming abilities needed to fully use advanced AI models, meaning that technical readiness is still a big hurdle.

Massive IoT deployments and API Economy

Integrating Massive IoT into 5G networks brings new physical and technical challenges. The old way of constantly checking devices drains batteries and can overload the network. During the inaugural IoT Connectivity Forum at CUG 2026, experts detailed that switching to an event-driven setup and using the 5G RedCap standard makes it easier to manage connected devices. Standardizing CAMARA interfaces and Network Exposure Functions (NEF) also helps operators move toward an “API economy.” This change enables them to monetize network Quality of Service (QoS) through targeted microservices, making CSPs more than just simple data carriers.

Overcoming technology debt with modular systems

To take advantage of these new revenue opportunities, operators need to address their existing technology debt. Old, monolithic systems often slow down IT teams and pose significant risks when changes are made. Instead of replacing everything at once, the industry is moving to composable Business Support Systems (BSS) using the TMF Open Digital Architecture. This modular approach allows for targeted upgrades, such as adding cloud-native billing engines that can scale resources as needed.

Jacek Prokop, BSS Product Marketing Manager at Comarch Communications, highlighted this topic, referring to monolithic legacy systems as a “silent killer”. To mitigate the risks of migrating away from these monoliths, he introduced the concept of operational digital twins within a modular architecture present in Comarch Communications’ Composable BSS suite: “We are giving you a secure, isolated sandbox where you can clone and test your real production data, like orders and products, without ever touching the live system.”

Sovereign networks in the face of global instability

Geopolitical instability has made connectivity more than just a basic service – it is now seen as a key part of national sovereignty. There is a clear gap in space infrastructure: the US has many more satellites and launches them much more often than Europe. To reduce this dependency, programs like the European Union’s IRIS² are investing €10 billion in building a secure, multi-orbit satellite network. Running this kind of infrastructure requires ground software that can manage complex data and mission control autonomously, without relying on other countries.

Preparing core architecture for the next decade

As the industry faces economic pressures and the need to improve productivity quickly, it is important to focus on core architecture rather than individual use cases. Building modular systems and supporting operational independence will be key for operators who want to profit from new ecosystems.

Looking ahead, CSPs need to ask themselves an important question: Is our data architecture strong enough to support autonomous agents and sovereign networks so we can stay competitive in the next decade?