Wireless Networks

Bahrainian telco Batelco by Beyon and Ericsson said on Sunday they have extended their partnership to develop and modernize Batelco’s mobile broadband network across Bahrain, to include testing one of Ericsson’s AI-powered RAN solutions.

Fixed wireless access (FWA) connections across Asia-Pacific are forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 12.5% between 2026 and 2031, rising from 28 million to 50 million, as operators use 5G to expand broadband access beyond fibre networks.

Malaysian service provider U Mobile has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Malaysia Rapid Transit Corporation (MRT Corp) relating to in-building coverage (IBC).

India’s Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has announced plans to implement a pan-India dedicated broadband public protection and disaster relief (BB-PPDR) network for a number of agencies in the country.

Parallel Wireless and Telecall Colombia have announced plans to speed up national-scale deployment of Telecall's 5G network using AI-based Open RAN technology.

The US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) is funding a feasibility study to modernise the Marshall Islands' mobile network with secure 4G and 5G technology, potentially opening up equipment and services contracts for US suppliers.

Turkcell revealed on Wednesday it has successfully field-tested integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) technology – a feature planned for 6G networks that enables mobile networks to detect and track human movement and density in coverage areas.

A reminder of the growing potential of IoT in agriculture comes from IoT solutions companies Acceleronix and Quectel, along with Brazilian agro hardtech company iBOI, which together announced last week a new-generation GPS cattle ear tag for real-time monitoring.

Aeris, described as the secure connectivity platform for physical AI and intelligent IoT devices, has announced a strategic partnership with Telna, a provider of managed global network infrastructure for cellular connectivity, with an initial focus on Brazil.

MTN Ghana and Telecel have bagged licences to provide 5G services in Ghana as the market enters a new era of 5G competition following the government’s decision to scrap the existing wholesale exclusivity deal.

NEC Africa confirmed it has secured a US$75,000 contract with emerging ISP Savannah Uganda to expand 4G connectivity in Kampala and surrounding regions as part of the broader expansion of its business in the country.

Vodacom South Africa said on Tuesday it has partnered with Nokia to test what they claim is the world’s first integrated passive-active massive MIMO solution, which Vodacom will now use to evolve its 4G and 5G network.

Digicel Samoa said on Tuesday it has further expanded its wireless network coverage on Savai’i – the country’s largest and highest island – with the launch of a new tower in Asau on the western side of the island.

Reliance Jio and T-Mobile US have claimed the world’s first 5G Standalone roaming connection between their respective networks in India and the US.

Cameroon’s state-owned operator Camtel said on Thursday it has received a second delivery of telecoms equipment from China to begin the next phase of its MNE (Mobile Network Expansion) project.

UAE-based telco du said on Friday it has teamed with Nokia to deploy six-carrier aggregation across FDD and TDD spectrum on its commercial standalone 5G-Advanced network, which it’s claiming as a world-first.

Ericsson announced on Thursday that Vodafone Egypt has commercially deployed its AI-powered RAN Processor 6672 that will enable the telco to run AI directly at Ericsson radio sites rather than at a central AI location.

Russian mobile phone operators have launched their first commercial 5G networks across 16 major cities, according to an announcement last Friday from the country’s Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media Ministry.

Mongolian broadband provider Mobinet is deploying Plume Design’s Plume Platform to power its mobihome broadband service.

The installed base of fleet management systems in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and Turkey will reach 12.5 million units by 2030. That’s the headline finding of a new report called Fleet Management in the Middle East.

Moldova’s national telecommunications operator Moldtelecom has completed a joint network optimisation project with intelligent operations provider Kenmei focused on improving 4G LTE performance and initial optimisation of Moldtelecom's 5G NSA C-band network.

Digicel PNG and Vodafone PNG announced on Tuesday they have signed a tower sharing licence agreement that will enable both telcos to share tower infrastructure across Papua New Guinea.

Teltronic, a Spanish company with more than 50 years of experience in the critical communications sector, says it will be supplying a 4G broadband communications network for national rail company EFE Trenes de Chile.

Saudi Arabian technology group Advanced Communications and Electronic Systems Company (ACES) and Movandi, a semiconductor and systems connectivity company powering intelligent wireless infrastructure, have announced a strategic partnership.

Ericsson announced on Tuesday it has signed a new multi-year agreement with stc Group to further expand the telco’s 5G network across Saudi Arabia.

State-owned Botswana Telecommunications Corporation (BTC) has revealed plans to enter the country’s 5G race in October as part of a BWP240 million (US$17.8 million) investment plan in the 2026/27 financial year to modernise and upgrade its network.

South African fixed wireless connectivity and private network operator Comsol announced on Thursday it’s entering the country’s home broadband sector with a wholesale 5G-Advanced fixed wireless access (FWA) offering.

The Vietnam Telecommunications Authority (VTA) is reportedly stepping up plans to develop 6G technology and services in 2030 as 5G networks now cover the vast majority of the population.

Malawi fixed wireless access (FWA) service provider Converged Technology Networks (CTN) has reportedly partnered with unconnected.org and the Internet Society to expand its network cover more underserved areas in Lilongwe.

Mexico’s Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications and Transport (SICT), through its Integrated Public Train and Transport Agency (ATTRAPI), has launched an international public tender to provide 5G telecommunications to two of the country’s rail corridors.

Ericsson confirmed on Friday it has won a contract from the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) – the Costa Rican government’s electricity and telecoms service provider – to deploy a 5G Standalone (SA) network for ICE’s telecom division, Kölbi.

Free space optics vendor Taara announced on Wednesday that Liquid Intelligent Technologies is using its technology to connect large enterprise customers to data centres in Lagos, Nigeria.

Moroccan operator inwi has partnered with Huawei to commercially deploy what is described as an innovative 1.8GHz + 2.1GHz dual-band 8T8R solution across the country's major transportation corridors, including high-speed railway and highway routes.