A survey-based study of 246 village-level social welfare data operators found that business architecture, cross-organizational collaboration and technological readiness were positively and statistically significantly associated with perceived e-government integration impact in two Indonesian regencies. The research, focused on Gunung Kidul and Bangkalan, examined organizational, institutional, relational and technological capabilities associated with social welfare data integration. Governance and leadership and information policy did not show statistically significant direct relationships with perceived integration impact in the pooled sample.

The authors analyzed the survey with partial least squares structural equation modeling. In their framework, e-government integration impact, or EGII, represents perceived improvements in information, system and service quality, responsiveness and public trust. E-government integration scope, or EGIS, describes the breadth of integration across data, applications, electronic communication and knowledge-sharing processes.

EGII was strongly associated with EGIS, meaning that operators reporting more favorable perceived integration outcomes also tended to report broader integration. Because this was an observational analysis of survey responses, the results establish statistical relationships rather than causal effects. The findings identify three capabilities with significant direct relationships to EGII in the pooled model: business architecture, cross-organizational collaboration and technological readiness.

The evidence does not provide operational definitions for these constructs, but the results show that their measured levels were associated with respondents’ assessments of e-government integration outcomes. By contrast, governance and leadership and information policy had no statistically significant direct relationships with EGII in that analysis. This absence of a detected direct relationship does not establish that the two factors are unimportant or that they operate only through indirect pathways, because the supplied findings do not report such indirect effects.

A regency-based robustness analysis found that some relationships were sensitive to local implementation conditions. Significant differences between Gunung Kidul and Bangkan were reported for the technological-readiness-to-EGII relationship and the EGII-to-EGIS relationship. The geographic comparison therefore cautions against assuming that the same capability relationships apply uniformly across the two regencies, although it does not identify the specific local practices responsible for those differences.

Its direct contribution is to show which measured interoperability capabilities were associated with perceived integration impact in the surveyed population, alongside evidence that some relationships varied between the two regencies.

Subject of Research: Survey-based analysis of interoperability capabilities for social welfare data integration in two Indonesian regencies

Article Title: Determinants of E-government interoperability capabilities for social welfare data integration in Gunung Kidul and Bangkalan Regencies, Indonesia

Article References: Fikri, R., Purnomo, E. P., Pribadi, U., Mohamed, A. M., & Mohammad, N. B. (2026). Determinants of E-government interoperability capabilities for social welfare data integration in Gunung Kidul and Bangkalan Regencies, Indonesia. Discover Sustainability. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-026-04608-5

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1007/s43621-026-04608-5

Keywords: social welfare data, e-government, interoperability, Indonesia, PLS-SEM, technological readiness, cross-organizational collaboration, business architecture, digital governance, public services, Determinants, capabilities

AT&T CEO John Stankey (pictured) outlined the advantages he sees over the potential threat of a direct-to-device (D2D) service by SpaceX during a Q3 earnings call, which included much more low-band spectrum, a scaled network and the ability to penetrate buildings with its mobile service.

During yesterday’s (20 October) SpaceX earnings call, president Gwynne Shotwell said the low-band spectrum her company agreed to buy earlier this month can be paired with Wi-Fi for mobile connectivity indoors, along with devices in towers and Starlink installs across businesses and consumers’ homes.

Shotwell said Wi-Fi accounts for the vast majority of mobile connectivity, estimating its share at between 85% and 93% without providing details on how portals and passwords will be used.

“There are significant loads, even with robust Wi-Fi networks, that are out there,” AT&T’s Stankey countered on the operator’s own financial call today (21 October). “I think it takes a lot of years and a huge level of investment to get to the kind of performance levels that customers have become accustomed to in scaled networks that are running on the infrastructure that most of the incumbent providers have today.”

SpaceX has touted the nationwide low-band spectrum portfolio it bought from Grain Management as the means to enable in-building penetration for its D2D service, which Musk said yesterday will generate billions of dollars in revenue on a yearly basis.

“I wouldn’t over-rotate on what I would call one carrier of low-band spectrum,” Stankey said. “Let’s put this in perspective.”

By contrast, Stankey said AT&T operates six to eight carriers of low-band spectrum, deploying it not only at macro sites but also across every indoor building system in high-rises, hospitals and stadiums.

“We’ve got the scale where the scale matters,” he said. “98% of the traffic is where we’ve already built and where we already have capabilities and customers have become accustomed to a level of service that is pretty high.”

He added: “I feel really good about where we’re at.”

Q3 metrics
AT&T revenue grew 5.3% to $32.3 billion in the quarter ended 30 September, up from $30.7 billion a year ago.

Total service revenue increased 3.8%, its best consolidated growth in more than four years, reaching $26.3 billion. Wireless, fibre and the Lumen mass markets fibre business all contributed. Equipment revenue rose 12.1% year-on-year to $6 billion.

Income from continuing operations came in at $1.3 billion compared with $9.7 billion in the year-ago quarter, which benefited from the DirecTV transaction gain.

Post-paid phone net adds were 379,000, down 6.4% from 405,000 a year ago, with churn flat. The post-paid phone base now stands at 75.283 million, up 2%. Prepaid phone lost 21,000 customers.

Consumer and business internet net additions rose 25.4% to a record 769,000 from 613,000 a year earlier. Fibre net additions increased to 442,000 from 309,000, while fixed wireless access additions climbed to 327,000 from 304,000.

Total internet connections increased 29.3% to 16.2 million. Combined with phone additions, this pushed AT&T’s Advanced Connectivity net additions above 1 million for the second consecutive quarter. Advanced Connectivity service revenue reached $23.9 billion, up 6.1%.

AT&T added approximately 350,000 converged customers, with 42.8% of households using its fibre or Internet Air service also taking its mobile service.

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Jio Platforms’ $3.2 billion IPO was reportedly fully subscribed within around 100 minutes of opening on Wednesday (21 October), as investors rushed to take part in India’s largest share sale.

Sources told Reuters institutional investors covered their allocated portion within 10 minutes of bidding opening, although demand from retail investors was slower. Around a third of the shares are reserved for retail buyers.

“It’s the fastest in the history of India,” a source said.

Reliance Industries’ telecoms unit is offering 270 million shares priced at between INR1,065 ($11.28) and INR1,119 apiece, with the offer closing on Friday (23 October). The IPO values the business at up to $108.3 billion and marks the first public offering from billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance conglomerate in two decades.

The company plans to use most of the IPO proceeds to repay or prepay borrowings at Reliance Jio Infocomm, its telecoms subsidiary, with the remainder earmarked for general corporate purposes, including capital expenditure.

Jio Platforms reported a profit of around $3.2 billion on revenue of $15.5 billion in the year to March.

The offering also comes despite a weak domestic equity market, after the country’s Nifty 50 benchmark index of 50 leading Indian companies slumped this year.

However, Indian wealth management firm SMIFS Limited noted “the long-term outlook for Jio Platforms Limited remains highly favourable, driven by sustained growth in India’s digital economy”.

According to the company, Jio Platforms will “benefit from rising 5G adoption, increasing smartphone penetration, accelerating broadband penetration, growing enterprise digitalisation and expanding demand for cloud and AI-enabled services”.

Jio’s telecoms business has more than 500 million subscribers, making it the world’s second largest telecoms operator in a single country after China Mobile. It disrupted India’s telecoms market after launching in 2016 with low-cost data plans, putting pressure on rivals Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea.

However, the company continues to face regulatory uncertainty and growing competition in satellite connectivity, as billionaire Elon Musk’s Starlink prepares to enter India’s market.

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Veon agreed a deal to acquire Uzbekistan mobile operator Perfectum for around $207 million, in a move designed to boost its spectrum holdings and accelerate 5G deployment in the country.

The group stated it had reached an agreement to buy 100% of Rubicon Wireless, which operates under the Perfectum brand. The deal includes around $93 million in existing Perfectum debt. Completion is expected by the end of the month, with regulatory approvals already secured.

The acquisition brings fresh spectrum and network infrastructure into Veon’s regional telecoms business, Beeline Uzbekistan. Perfectum holds 115MHz of spectrum across the 850MHz and 3,800MHz bands, alongside network equipment and a standalone 5G network deployed using Nokia technology.

Veon said the acquisition would increase Beeline Uzbekistan’s spectrum holdings by around 50%, giving the operator additional resources to expand network capacity and support future 5G and fixed wireless access services.

The companies also anticipate expenditure savings and improved “efficiency of future network investment” from integrating Perfectum’s network with Beeline Uzbekistan’s existing infrastructure.

The deal adds to Veon’s investments in Uzbekistan, a market of nearly 40 million people where demand for connectivity and digital services is apparently booming. The group said the combined assets would enable broader access to broadband to support mounting demand for financial services, digital applications and sovereign AI across the country.

“Uzbekistan is one of Veon’s core growth markets, and this acquisition reflects our confidence in its digital future,” noted Veon group CEO Kaan Terzioglu, adding the company aims to turn the deal into “stronger customer experiences, more efficient network investment and sustainable growth”.

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Vodafone Group will reportedly miss out on more than €1.1 billion in deferred payments from German broadband venture OXG, after its partner Patrick Drahi’s Altice agreed a deal to sell its stake.

Financial Times reported Vodafone was set to receive deferred payments of €487 million and a further €595 million from Drahi’s Geodesia Holding, which held the stake that was managed by Altice, based on hitting business objectives.

That agreement has, however, been thrown into the water due to Societe General agreeing to acquire Drahi’s stake. The buyer will not be subject to the same commitments Drahi was, according to sources, meaning Vodafone will miss out.

In a statement released by Vodafone in September after the deal between Geodesia Holding and Societe Generale was agreed, the operator expressed support of the sale.

“The transaction secures a committed funding partner in OXG, enabling the continued expansion of its fibre network in Germany, while maintaining strategic flexibility for Vodafone.”

Vodafone partnered with Drahi’s Altice to launch OXG in 2023, with both companies taking a 50% stake in the business.

However, the entity has struggled to hit targets. FT reported OXG committed to spend €7 billion on its fibre buildout to more than seven million homes in Germany up to 2029, however it encountered higher than expected costs.

The network currently only reaches 1 million homes. Vodafone was due to receive the first of its deferred payments after reaching 1.5 million homes.

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Japanese operators hope to make inroads to improving the reach of mmWave 5G and signed a memorandum of understanding covering joint exploration of ways to do so.

SoftBank Corp, KDDI, NTT Docomo and Rakuten Mobile agreed to jointly explore how the coverage afforded by mmWave 5G at 28GHz could be expanded within the limitations of the band, which offers solid connectivity over short distances.

The operators each issued a statement explaining the frequency band is prone to degradation due to physical obstructions and has propagation characteristics which are susceptible to attenuation.

They plan to study ways to expand the use of compatible base stations and architectures to identify possible options to widen the reach of mmWave 5G.

The exploration is also set to cover repeater equipment and other relevant assets.

Some form of shared access could be involved: the operators stated they would continue to deploy their own mmWave 5G equipment, but look into “how to effectively” use it.

The operators explained they are taking action because of difficulties in deploying enough mmWave 5G base stations in a timely fashion, which they noted is a common challenge.

A baseline assumption of their research is each operator will determine their own expansion needs and explore how a combined approach to boosting coverage could fit with their requirements.

There is an overarching ambition towards “transcending the boundaries” between the operators.

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Europe’s biggest operators urged European Union (EU) policymakers to rethink regulation they argue is restricting investment in connectivity, with spectrum, fibre and cybersecurity rules amongst their top concerns.

In a joint statement, 17 European telecoms chiefs including Telefonica chairman and CEO Marc Murtra, Deutsche Telekom CEO Tim Hoettges, Orange CEO Christel Heydemann and Telenor Group president and CEO Benedicte Fasmer called on the EU to “correct the course” of the proposed Digital Networks Act (DNA) and Cybersecurity Act (CSA).

The executives argued that “incoherent policy reforms” risk weakening the region’s position. They noted the mobile sector requires €475 billion to establish world-class mobile networks, “requiring a step change in investment”.

The DNA, unveiled by the European Commission (EC) in January to modernise and simplify connectivity rules, aims to harmonise regulation, facilitate cross-border operations and promote investment in fibre and mobile networks. However, the operators argued the framework fails to improve the investment and innovation environment for European connectivity.

The CEOs called for spectrum licences to be granted indefinitely by default, with terms of at least 40 years in exceptional cases. They explained a move away from frequent auctions would free up capital for 5G, fibre and future 6G deployment, adding European operators spent €110 billion on spectrum licences alone over the past 12 years.

The group also pushed back against mandated copper shutdowns, stating operators should decide when to retire legacy networks based on customer demand and market conditions. European operators invest more than €30 billion annually in fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) networks.

Safety net
More broadly, the telcos called for a shift away from rules designed for legacy networks, arguing “regulation should remain a safety net” in “today’s increasingly competitive fibre market”. It also urged policymakers to allow greater scope for innovation with advanced 5G and 6G services, including network slicing and quality differentiation.

On cybersecurity, the operators warned CSA rules mandating the removal of equipment from high-risk third-country suppliers including Huawei could result in up to €40 billion in replacement costs for the sector. They called for a “proportionate, risk-based approach” that considers alternative measures, adding blanket replacement requirements could divert capital away from fibre, 5G and 6G investment.

Ultimately, the group argued stronger connectivity would support growth across AI, sovereign cloud and defence technology. “As CEOs of Europe’s leading telecom companies, we are ready to play our part in delivering European tech leadership,” the executives stated.

Other signatories included executives from TIM, KPN, Proximus, Swisscom and Liberty Global.

The post European telco bosses call for EU to correct the course appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Tele2 sought out an experienced telecoms executive to become its next EVP and CCO in an appointment due to happen no later than 1 June 2027.

Vahdat Zehtab brings 18-years of experience in the telecoms sector and is set to join from the post of CEO with Valdyr, creator of an AI-native network operating system.

Tele2 is filling a role opened when it promoted Nicholas Hogberg to be president and CEO in July after Jean Marc Harion stood down for personal reasons.

Zehtab spent five-years heading Telia’s B2C Mobile unit covering its Swedish operation. Tele2 also highlighted broad international experience in commercial director roles “across several European and Asian markets”.

There was further B2C experience gained with Ncell in Nepal.

Valdyr appeared to cash in on news of the appointment by choosing today (15 September) to reveal the moniker as its new brand, replacing its previous Telness Tech name.

Executives said the rebrand better reflects “what remains once the old” telecom stack is removed.

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Telefonica agreed a five-year deal worth around €1.7 billion with sports streamer Dazn to broadcast Spanish football matches, in line with the operator’s pay-TV strategy.

The operator stated it would pay an average of €330 million per season from 2027, in an arrangement running until 2032. The sum is 18% more than the €1.4 billion deal Telefonica agreed with Dazn in 2022 which also spanned five seasons.

Telefonica has made football a central part of its strategy, using premium sports content to attract high-value customers on its pay-TV bundled packages.

It faced increased competition for the rights to show top-tier La Liga matches, which has expanded access beyond traditional broadcasters, and attracted interest from US media groups and digital companies.

UK streaming service Dazn holds the rights to show around half of the matches in La Liga and the new agreement gives Telefonica access to games lost to the streaming service following an auction in 2025 which was worth €5 billion.

Telefonica attributed a domestic revenue increase in Q2 to a boost from TV subscribers during the FIFA World Cup tournament.

The post Telefonica seals 5-year football broadcast deal appeared first on Mobile World Live.

MobileX launched its first hybrid retail wireless model with CallSign Mobile, a network specifically built for US military veterans and the veteran community.

CallSign Mobile is the first brand to launch under the model created by the Charlie Ergen-owned special purpose acquisition company CONX, which secured a controlling interest in MobileX in August 2026.

MobileX has a wholesale network MVNO agreement with Verizon while Ergen holds agreements with T-Mobile US and AT&T. A representative for MobileX told Mobile World Live CallSign is using Verizon’s network.

While MobileX is providing wireless connectivity, CallSign oversees the customer experience and relationship with the US military veteran community it is designed to serve.

In addition, MobileX founder and CEO Peter Adderton will serve as an advisor to CallSign.

“CallSign is exactly the kind of company we want to support as we expand what we’ve built at MobileX,” stated Adderton. “We’re proud to partner with a company whose mission is to serve those who served.”

Founded by former US Army aviators Adam Marr and Charlie Hill, CallSign operates as a direct-to-consumer 5G service for veterans. Marr and Hill are co-founders of CallSign and serve as CEO and CTO, respectively.

“We’re creating a wireless service that gives the veteran community a way to stay connected while giving back to those who need it most,” Marr stated. “MobileX is helping us turn that idea into a service we can bring to our community.”

The company is donating $1 per line each month to support organisations and initiatives focused on veterans, including those affected by brain injuries and post-traumatic stress.

CallSign offers two tiers of service. The standard service cost $25 per month for 10GB of QCI-8 priority data, unlimited data after reaching the threshold, a 10GB mobile hotspot, and nationwide unlimited talk and text. The premium plan is $45 permonth and includes international calling.

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Vodafone Idea reportedly faces heat from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) over complaints from Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio regarding mobile number portability (MNP) processes.

Business Standard reported the operator is in the regulator’s crosshairs after its rivals complained it broke several rules involved in helping subscribers change operator.

Vodafone Idea’s rivals believe it misled subscribers in telephone calls purporting to be from other providers and warning of changes to the user’s contract or price plan.

The operator is also alleged to have delayed the sending of SMS containing the unique porting code required by subscribers switching to another provider.

Business Standard added Vodafone Idea’s rivals claim it also sought to lure subscribers with lower-priced post-paid plans.

Vodafone Idea refutes the claims, the newspaper wrote.

A TRAI representative reportedly told Business Standard the regulator is looking into the complaints by Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio.

The pair want the regulator to explore their claims of misconduct and issue instructions on the MNP process to prevent future incidents.

TRAI fixed and mobile subscriber figures for July indicate Vodafone Idea had a combined 130 million compared with 384.2 million for Bharti Airtel and 535.1 million with Reliance Jio.

Vodafone Idea commenced a rebranding at the beginning of the month in what CEO Abhijit Kishore described as a move to align with future ambitions to deliver a top-tier experience to customers.

The Economic Times reports the operator is also in the early stages of a INR350 billion ($3.7 billion) funding move involving a ten-year loan facility from up to the same number of lenders to cover capex.

The post Rivals cry foul over Vodafone Idea MNP moves appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Telecoms group United Internet outlined a cost-saving programme across subsidiaries 1&1 Versatel and technology unit Ionos which will result in 800 job cuts.

United Internet stated it would implement a transformation and restructuring programme at 1&1 impacting processes and IT structures to increase productivity, cutting staff from 1,350 to 1,000 employees. It also plans a drive to simplify management and reduce hierarchies.

It expects the programme to entail one-off expenses of around €60 million this year and, following full implementation, an annual earnings contribution of around €25 million as of 2028.

As for Ionos, United Internet stated it launched a strategic transformation programme to align “with new market opportunities and future growth”, which would result in an adjustment to its workforce.

It stated consolidation of technical platforms and consistent use of AI would result in a reduction from 3,800 employees to 3,350, with the cuts split between domestic and international operations.

Costs incurred are expected to amount to €35 million, though it anticipates annual cost savings of up to €30 million beginning in 2027.

“The funds will be reinvested in a targeted manner including in AI product development and the further expansion of the cloud business,” it stated.

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The GSMA warned access to renewable energy is emerging as a key constraint for operators seeking to hit their net zero targets in Asia Pacific, despite headway being made in cutting carbon emissions.

In its latest Mobile Net Zero report, the industry association found that while climate commitments are growing, meeting those goals will depend on greater investment in renewable energy and cooperation between operators, suppliers and governments.

As of July 2026, 21 operators have validated near-term science-based targets, covering 55% of mobile connections in the region, while 13 have validated net zero targets.

“Progress on reducing emissions will be difficult without greater access to renewable electricity,” noted GSMA head of climate action Steven Moore, adding “the region’s growing demand for connectivity and energy makes this an urgent issue”.

The industry association called on operators to improve network energy efficiency, retire legacy networks and integrate eco-friendly design into their network architectures.

It also urged policymakers to reform energy and electricity markets, enable faster permissions for renewable energy and grid projects, accelerate coal phase-outs and support renewable procurement and aggregation for distributed telecom loads.

Looking ahead, the GSMA called on governments to recognise mobile networks as “critical infrastructure in climate resilience planning”.

Limited access
The latest report cited figures from 2019 to 2024. During the period, operational emissions from mobile operators across Asia Pacific rose 6%, with limited access to renewable energy hampering efforts to cut carbon output in the region. Emissions reached around 23 million tonnes of CO2e in 2024, though progress varied sharply between markets.

Operators in Japan and Oceania reduced emissions by 30% during the period, while Southeast Asia recorded an increase of around 20% driven by ballooning demand. During the same period, the report noted mobile data traffic across Asia Pacific surged 350% and mobile connections increased 6%.

The GSMA attributed the split to renewable energy access. Operators across Asia Pacific purchased or generated 7TWh of renewable electricity in 2024, equivalent to around 15% of their total consumption. Yet, the region still trails the 24% global average, with Europe leading at 70% and North America following at 50%.

In Japan and Australia, operators sourced more than half of their electricity from renewables.  However, Southeast Asian operators matched just 4% of their electricity consumption with renewables.

Operators are also facing rising energy costs. The sector spent around $7 billion on energy in Asia Pacific in 2024, consuming nearly 50TWh of electricity and 350 million litres of diesel and gasoline.

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Connectivity infrastructure-as-a-service provider Freshwave continued to make big progress with urban small cell deployments, adding the UK city of Canterbury to its list through an ongoing tie-up with VMO2.

A quartet of 4G- and 5G-compatible small cells are involved, offering a boost to VMO2 mobile users in busy areas of the city centre.

Freshwave emphasised the discreet qualities of the equipment, a boon in terms of minimising the aesthetic impact in the historic city.

The deployment is being conducted in close collaboration with Kent County Council, the local authority in which Canterbury sits.

David Wimble, cabinet member for Economic Development and Special projects at the council, explained the authority is helping the deployment by providing access to “suitable council assets” as it seeks to provide the reliable connectivity it regards as “an essential part of modern life”.

The arrangement is one of more than 40 Freshwave has agreed with local authorities throughout the UK.

A previous small cell deployment for VMO2 covers the town of Guildford and Freshwave is a key player in a large-scale rollout in the city of Glasgow.

Mobile network operator account director Neil Barnes said such collaborations are “key to delivering mobile connectivity” and Freshwave’s approach shows “how local authorities and industry can work together to improve coverage” in areas with the greatest need.

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Verizon and Corning agreed a multi-billion dollar fibre supply deal covering more than 80 million miles of high-density optical fibre and connectivity products, running from 2027 to 2032.

The companies stated the agreement is designed to support surging demand for consumer broadband and converged services, alongside growing infrastructure needs from AI hyperscalers.

Verizon Business CEO Kyle Malady noted securing fibre at this scale allows the operator to build “the network of the future” at an unprecedented level, combining mobile connectivity and broadband into a single, converged architecture.

He said the deployment will also underpin the high-capacity, low-latency backbone required by AI hyperscalers.

The fibre supply is intended to accelerate Verizon’s progress toward a medium-term goal of 40 million to 50 million broadband passings, expanding fibre-to-the-home and business connectivity.

The operator stated the approach means cell towers, enterprise data centres and residential neighbourhoods will connect to the same high-capacity backbone.

Verizon framed the deal as central to its AI Connect strategy, which involves deploying dense fibre cabling across major long-haul corridors to directly connect data centres.

It said the approach positions it as an infrastructure partner for major AI hyperscalers, including Amazon Web Services, while also extending AI-related connectivity benefits to consumers, businesses, schools and communities.

The agreement builds on a three-decade partnership between Verizon and Corning. It is structured to let Corning continue expanding its US manufacturing capacity to supply the physical materials needed for Verizon’s buildout.

Corning Optical Communications SVP and GM Mike O’Day added the expanded partnership will help link AI data centres while also extending high-speed fibre access to homes.

US fibre
Corning also counts AT&T as a customer, having struck a $1 billion, multi-year fibre supply deal with the operator in October 2024 to support AT&T’s Gigapower fibre joint venture and broader broadband expansion plans.

The Corning agreement adds to a series of moves by Verizon to expand its fibre footprint. In July, Bain Capital and Tillman Global Holdings invested $1.5 billion in Eaton Fiber, Verizon’s exclusive wholesale fibre-building partner, to fund an acquisition of Ripple Fiber and accelerate network expansion to more than a million locations outside Verizon’s existing footprint.

Verizon CEO Dan Schulman has described that wholesale partnership model as a capital-efficient way to extend its fibre broadband reach.

Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile US are actively beefing up their fibre holdings through joint ventures, wholesale agreements and outright purchases of fibre-rich companies to support the convergence of mobile and fibre-based broadband services.

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O2 Business claimed to be the first operator in the UK to offer satellite services for companies with the launch of a direct-to-device (D2D) offer which extends the reach of its connectivity beyond its mobile network.

It pitched O2 Satellite for Business as helping companies and staff to stay connected in more places across the UK.

O2 Business pointed to government figures showing 526,000 registered businesses in England are based in rural areas, which the operator stated makes providing reliable connectivity beyond the reach of mobile networks critical.

The service initiates automatically when customers move beyond O2 Businesses’ mobile coverage, connecting compatible smartphones without the need for additional satellite hardware or apps.

O2 Business stated the service essentially extends landmass coverage from 89% to 95%, giving “businesses greater confidence that their people can stay connected when working in remote parts of the UK”.

Services on offer include messaging, maps, weather and location share.

It is free on O2 Business Ultimate mobile plans, or £2.50 per month for customers on Plus plans.

O2 Business added it tested the satellite service in “challenging real-world conditions”: it provided 100 compatible phones to crews tackling a recent major wildfire in the county of Derbyshire.

“Businesses increasingly rely on always-on connectivity, but work doesn’t stop where mobile coverage ends,” CEO Jo Bertram said.

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UK operator Virgin Media O2 (VMO2) avoided 5,262 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions over the last decade through a network equipment-related partnership with sustainable tech specialist TXO.

Recovering and refurbishing assets for resale accounted for 4,575 tonnes of the savings reported by TXO. Switches, routers and line cards from VMO2’s fixed operation were common assets returned to the market.

The operator also sourced refurbished equipment: around 687 tonnes of CO2e saved was attributed to this activity, due to VMO2 not having to buy new.

Its TXO partnership also includes recycling, with more than 690 tonnes of the operator’s equipment at the end of its life sent to be broken down.

More than 60% of the recycled weight extracted from the waste was steel, copper and aluminium.

VMO2 head of reverse logistics Paul Franley said the operator aimed to “extend the life of our network hardware so it can be reused, given a second life or disposed of sustainably”, with its partner helping to “maintain network equipment through testing, repair and refurbishment wherever possible”.

“The results of this programme demonstrate how a more circular approach to technology can benefit both the business and the environment.”

TXO chief product and asset recovery officer David Evans urged the technology sector to “move beyond the linear model of buying, deploying and replacing”.

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LG Uplus advanced efforts to apply AI in network automation by testing its ability to control the quality of a Wi-Fi 8-compatible home broadband system.

The self-healing capability employs Edge AI technology, which the South Korean operator explained conducts analyses and adaptation in the router instead of the cloud.

Broadcom contributed a Wi-Fi 8 platform running a neural processing unit to LG Uplus’ trial, enabling the on-board AI computation.

The operator adapted its existing cloud-based AI network prediction model for operation in the router.

There is an argument home broadband and consumer equipment are not often the focus of discussions around self-healing and autonomous networks.

LG Uplus explained the trial is significant in proving routers can become part of “an AI-based quality management platform”, benefitting customer service and infrastructure management.

It stated the companies proved the router could detect and adapt to anomalies before customers notice, boosting stability for bandwidth-intensive services.

LG Uplus plots further trials of how AI could be used to manage Wi-Fi 8 networks.

The post LG Uplus, Broadcom apply AI to router management appeared first on Mobile World Live.

The chief executives of some of the biggest operator groups in Europe warned massive amounts of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) are still exchanged online each year and pressed authorities to give them the power to block it.

Margherita Della Valle from Vodafone Group, Christel Heydemann at Orange, Benedicte Schilbred Fasmer with Telenor Group and Allison Kirkby at BT Group want authorities to provide their companies with the legal clarity to prevent the sharing of more than 100 million CSAM files each year.

They have written an open letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola and European Council President Antonio Costa warning the trading of CSAM material online is “at industrial scale”.

The CEOs argue differences in legal frameworks makes it difficult for telecom and internet service providers to fully pull their weight in tackling the problem, making the removal of barriers to “blocking access to domains and URLs” linked with CSAM a matter of urgency.

The CEOs believe an organisation with the oversight to identify and tackle CSAM throughout the European Union is necessary. They also want interim measures to the same end while such a group is being set-up.

Equally, the executives believe any such authority must be strictly overseen and its focus kept squarely on CSAM.

They called for governments in the region not within the EU to join the efforts with their own legal frameworks.

“Children need protection now, not in several years’ time.”

“The scale of abuse demands decisive action, so Europe must show global leadership.”

Unacceptable
Della Valle, Heydemann, Fasmer and Kirkby pointed to Internet Watch Foundation statistics indicating 62% of “confirmed CSAM web pages” were hosted in the EU in 2024.

A cyber tipline operated by the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children “receives tens of millions of reports” involving children mostly aged between seven-and ten-years old.

“Girls are disproportionately targeted”, the executives noted.

They branded it “simply unacceptable” for CSAM to remain accessible due to delays in removing it at the source.

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AT&T picked vendor partner Ericsson to supply 600MHz dual-band radios as it works to put newly acquired spectrum from EchoStar to use across its wireless network.

The operator stated the move is part of its ongoing effort to boost capacity, coverage, and performance nationwide, with a particular focus on improving reliability in harder-to-reach places, including indoors and in rural areas.

AT&T explained the 600MHz spectrum is especially valuable because it can travel farther and penetrate buildings more effectively than some higher-frequency spectrum, helping customers stay connected in more locations, whether at home, at work, or on the move.

It is more than 60% of the way through a broader wireless network modernisation effort. In areas already upgraded with Ericsson infrastructure, AT&T said customers are seeing up to a twofold improvement in average speeds, a 10% reduction in dropped and blocked calls, and up to a 70% reduction in instances of slower data speeds. Standardising equipment at the top of cell towers has also cut uplink interference by as much as 80%, the operator said.

Ericsson was selected through an open, competitive process to supply the 600MHz dual-band radios, which will enable the operator to deploy uplink-enhancing 8RX technology across low-band spectrum for the first time.

AT&T noted the work is designed to strengthen the network for AI-driven applications, including content creation, sharing, and real-time interaction, building on the companies’ previously announced collaboration to accelerate open RAN deployment.

“We’re more than halfway through our wireless network modernisation, and we’re executing to plan,” said Yigal Elbaz, SVP and Network CTO at AT&T. “By combining our newly acquired 600MHz spectrum with Ericsson’s advanced radios, we’re improving coverage and performance for customers today while building a more modern, flexible network for the future.”

Dyon Agnew, SVP and head of Customer Unit AT&T at Ericsson Americas, said the deployment demonstrates the impact open architectures can have on performance at scale, adding that the two companies are working to deliver faster speeds and more consistent coverage across the US.

AT&T said it will share further details on timing and commercial availability of the 600MHz deployment at a later date.

It received final approval for the $23 billion EchoStar deal in July 2026. AT&T started deploying the 3.45GHz spectrum it bought from EchoStar last year through a short-term spectrum manager lease.

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