Several bits of last mile news, a data center project, and some IX growth: … [visit site to read more]

UAE-based satellite player Space42 revealed on Monday it is ready to launch direct-to-device (D2D) satellite services via its geostationary Thuraya-4 satellite via a partnership with non-terrestrial network (NTN) firm Skylo Technologies.

Space42 said that Skylo’s 3GPP-compliant NTN platform has already been integrated with Thuraya-4 and is ready for commercial deployment. The two companies have also tested the platform by completing a bi-directional, real-time voice call on the network with no modified SIM and no changes to existing operator core infrastructure.

Space42 said that commercial deployment of Thuraya’s D2D service will begin across Thuraya-4’s coverage footprint across 37 countries on a rolling basis as it secures the necessary regulatory approvals and operator agreements in each target market.

“This partnership advances Space42’s strategy to become a global NTN leader, extending Thuraya-4’s reach through an interoperable connectivity layer that enables satellite and terrestrial networks to function as one unified system,” said Ali Al Hashemi, Space42’s CEO of space services, in a statement.

“Space42’s decision to select Skylo’s standards-based architecture for Thuraya-4 validates what we have built: a carrier-grade connectivity layer where satellites function as a natural extension of mobile networks, not a parallel system,” added Skylo co-founder and CEO Parthsarathi Trivedi.

Thuraya-4 – which went live in November 2025 after being launched into orbit earlier in the year – is designed to integrate seamlessly with terrestrial networks to support Space42’s broader strategy to develop and launch 3GPP-compliant D2D satellite services.

In September last year, Space42 and Viasat launched their Equatys JV, which aims to leverage 100 MHz of harmonized MSS spectrum already allocated across more than 160 markets to offer D2D services globally.

News

The new unit will support SoftBank’s expansive AI data centre ambitions

In a press release issued today, Japanese conglomerate SoftBank has announced the creation of a new battery storage business operating under its mobile network operator unit, SoftBank Corp.

The standalone unit will work on both the technical development of battery technologies, as well as their manufacture.

To do this, the new unit has partnered with a pair of South Korean businesses – Cosmos Lab and DeltaX Co. – with whom they will collaborate on the technology.

Cosmos Lab specialises in battery cell technology, most notably zinc-halogen batteries that use pure water as their electrolyte, removing the flammability risk associated with lithium-ion batteries.

DeltaX Co. is an energy storage system manufacturer that builds ‘next-generation’ battery cells

The battery business unit will be focussed alongside SoftBank’s AI Data Center that is in Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture. Here, SoftBank is planning to set up two new sites: the AX Factory, focussed on AI data centre operations and AI infrastructure hardware manufacturing, and the GX Factory, a manufacturing hub for next-generation batteries, solar panels, and related products.

The company is aiming to deploy a plant with battery capacity of one gigawatt-hour per year, which could expand to multiple gigawatt-hours per year in future.

Even at just one gigawatt-hour per year, the deployment would already be one of the largest battery plants in Japan.

Initial production is expected to begin in March 2028, with mass production targeted for 2029.

Initially, the batteries produced will be used to support SoftBanks own AI data centres, but in future will expand to offering the batteries to commercial customers. These could include “grid applications in Japan, as well as for factories and other industrial uses, as well as for residential use, with a view to expanding into global markets over the medium term”, according to the company.

In total, SoftBank is aiming for the business to generate around ¥100 billion (US$637 million) in annual revenues by the end of the decade.

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

Also in the news
TELUS and L-SPARK give Canadian startups access to AI supercomputer
Belden to acquire RUCKUS Networks for $1.85bn
VMO2 taps Suffolk solar farm for 10 years of clean energy

This Industry Viewpoint was authored by Gerry Christensen

The telecommunications landscape has reached a decisive turning point. For years, regulatory frameworks governing voice traffic operated largely on a model of passive observation and post-incident investigation. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) intervened where necessary, but the underlying infrastructure remained reliant on legacy protocols and “best-effort” compliance.

That era is over. … [visit site to read more]

Chinese satellite operator Guodian Gaoke has reportedly received a two-year trial licence from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) to offer LEO satellite-based IoT services in China.

According to a report from Yicai Global on Friday, citing a statement from MIIT, Guodian Gaoke will spend the trial period accelerating deployment and activation of its Tianqi LEO satellite constellation.

The MIIT said the pilot – which will be the first such pilot in China – will help the Chinese satellite IoT sector achieve economies of scale and establish an industrial IoT ecosystem, as well as a regulatory regime to govern it.

Guodian Gaoke already has 41 LEO satellites in orbit for the first phase of its global network, the report said. According to filings with the International Telecommunication Union, it plans to launch another 640 LEO sats in the second phase, with the total constellation comprising 3,918 satellites.

Guodian Gaoke has already signed a couple of international deals for its Tianqi constellation. In December last year, the company signed a trilateral agreement with African satellite communications provider Q-KON and Chinese satellite communication terminals and antennas specialist StarWin to roll out satellite IoT services across South Africa.

Guodian Gaoke and StarWin signed a similar agreement with Malaysian satellite operator MEASAT in October 2025.

ZTE Corporation and MediaTek, a global semiconductor company, unveiled a joint strategy at the 2026 ZTE Broadband User Congress. The two parties will expand premium connectivity product portfolios tailored for high-demand residential users and small businesses in Brazil, addressing their needs for advanced technology, comprehensive coverage, ultra-high speed and low-latency network performance.

During the meeting, the companies presented the benefits of tri-band Wi-Fi 7, which operates simultaneously on 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz. The adoption of the 6 GHz band, in addition to the already established bands, reinforces the gain in capacity and stability, improving the experience in both homes and small businesses, especially in scenarios with multiple connected devices and higher density of Wi-Fi networks.

« In Brazil, there is a clear niche of consumers and businesses that need an above-average connectivity experience, with higher performance, lower latency, and more consistent coverage. Today, this consumer cannot find a direct, structured, and easy-to-acquire offer, » says Samir Vani, MediaTek’s Business Development Director for Latin America. « By treating all subscribers uniformly, many operators fail to capture value from an audience with a greater willingness to invest and end up missing the opportunity to increase the average ticket price and profitability of broadband services, » adds the executive.

Brazil’s broadband landscape features more than 20,000 fiber internet providers, leading to intense price competition and homogenized service offerings. Against this backdrop, ZTE and MediaTek regard premium connectivity as a key strategic enabler, helping local operators and ISPs build differentiated, sustainable value propositions.

« ZTE can strongly contribute to offering premium equipment geared towards this new level of experience, » says Phoenix Li, CPE Marketing Director of ZTE LATAM Division. « One example is the triple bands 4*4 XGSPON model, which can reach up to 4.6 Gbps in Wi-Fi SpeedTest and also features MLO (Multi-Link Operation) technology, a feature that helps deliver a more homogeneous experience throughout the home or professional environment, through the simultaneous use of multiple frequencies. »

The ZTE Broadband User Congress gathers senior industry leaders and professionals to discuss cutting-edge connectivity trends, broadband monetization strategies and the evolving role of Wi-Fi in shaping next-generation user experience.

Pan-African operator Airtel Africa has announced a delay to the planned initial public offering (IPO) of its mobile money business, initially planned for the first half of 2026. Reuters reports that the IPO will now take place in the second half of 2026.

Events in the Middle East have certainly been a strong factor in this decision. Indeed, the company has forecast a near-term margin squeeze due to higher costs arising from the ongoing US-Israeli war against Iran.

The war has triggered a crunch in crude supplies from the Middle East. It has also affected supply chains and raised energy and logistics costs for companies everywhere.

Airtel is not alone in delaying its Airtel Money public offering; several other firms have also delayed IPOs as the war drives market volatility. Indeed cuts, project delays and cost-cutting drives by a number of companies have resulted from the war.

With market conditions now unfavourable, and the prospect of rising energy costs hitting parent company Airtel Africa’s near-term core profit margins, the delay is therefore not too surprising. The company insists, however, that it remains committed to the listing as soon as market conditions allow it. 

Reuters says Airtel Money, which operates across 14 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, is Airtel Africa’s third-largest business, contributing 21.1% of total revenue. For the year ending on 31 March, the group posted a core profit of US$3.16 billion on total revenue of US$6.42 billion, beating market expectations of US$3.13 billion and US$6.36 billion, respectively.

Indeed, just over a week ago we reported that the listing that could value Airtel Money at as much as US$10 billion.

As we reported earlier today, the parent company’s fiscal 2026 results were favourable, benefiting from a strong demand for mobile networks, adoption of new digital technologies and artificial intelligence. Mobile money continued to be a major growth driver.

This Industry Viewpoint was authored by Michael Reid, CEO at Megaport

AI has moved decisively into the enterprise mainstream; what was once an emerging capability now plays a foundational role in how organizations operate, compete, and respond to shifting market forces. While the world has been focused on the “brain” of AI –  the LLMs and the massive GPU clusters that train them – we have overlooked its “nervous system,” the network infrastructure required to keep AI alive. … [visit site to read more]

International network services provider RETN announced on Thursday it has launched a new end-to-end backbone route through Romania that links the Balkans to Moldova and Ukraine.

The route links the Romanian cities of Drobeta, Bucharest and Iași to Chișinău in Moldova as a single continuous backbone path that connects with RETN’s existing Balkans corridor linking Budapest, Timișoara and Sofia.

RETN said this not only provides a new physical connectivity option across Romania into Moldova, but also creates an alternative to established regional IP transit corridors in Eastern Europe.

RETN added that the new backbone enables alternative routing to Ukraine via Moldova and into the Balkans via Bulgaria, providing additional options for regional and international traffic flows.

The route forms part of RETN’s broader strategy to strengthen its optical network across Central and Eastern Europe, said business development director Olena Lutsenko.

“Bucharest and Iași are rapidly developing hubs for business, education and technology, and demand for resilient, high-capacity infrastructure is rising fast,” Lutsenko said. “By delivering a direct route from Timișoara to Bucharest and onward to Chișinău, we are enabling faster, more scalable access to the region from the Balkans, Ukraine and Central and Eastern Europe in general – for operators, ISPs, enterprises and international customers.”

Lutsenko added that the expansion comes at a time of rapid fibre growth and infrastructure modernisation across Romania and Eastern Europe.

According to the National Authority for Management and Regulation in Communications of Romania (ANCOM), Romania is among the region’s fibre leaders, with 6.9 million fixed broadband connections in mid‑2025 – 37% of which are gigabit-capable – and fixed broadband average traffic per capita on the rise.

Press Release