5G Booms, SIM Scams, and 6G Looms – Global Mobile Internet Roundup (Sept 25

Key Facts

5G on a Record Growth Trajectory: Global 5G connections surpassed 2.6 billion as of mid-2025 (up ~32% YoY) and are forecast to hit 9 billion by 2030, about 60% of all wireless connections ^[1] ^[2]. Mobile data usage jumped 15% YoY to 384 million TB in Q2, with North America leading at 111 GB per user per month ^[3]. (Quote: “With penetration climbing and infrastructure expanding, 5G is entering a new phase as the backbone for IoT and digital transformation,” notes Omdia principal analyst Kristin Paulin ^[4].)
Private 5G Market Accelerates: Enterprises are rapidly adopting private 5G networks for low-latency, secure connectivity. A new report pegs the private 5G market at $3.86 billion in 2025, projected to soar to $17.55 billion by 2030 (35.4% CAGR) ^[5]. Manufacturing leads the charge in usage, and Germany is emerging as Europe’s private 5G frontrunner thanks to smart factories in its automotive sector ^[6] ^[7].
6G Vision in the Works: Looking beyond 5G, U.S. carrier Verizon convened a “6G Innovation Forum” with industry giants (Nokia, Ericsson, Samsung, Qualcomm, Meta, etc.) to define 6G use cases and technologies ^[8]. The forum aims to fast-track tangible 6G developments (from new spectrum to AI-driven networking) and open 6G labs for real-world trials ^[9] ^[10]. (“5G Advanced lays the foundation for the 6G future – whether that’s new wearables, AI experiences, or entirely new use cases we haven’t even thought of yet,” said Verizon’s global networks chief Joe Russo ^[11].)*
SIM-Card Cyber Plot Foiled: U.S. Secret Service revealed it dismantled a network of 100,000+ SIM cards around New York that could have crippled cellular networks during the UN General Assembly ^[12]. These SIM “farms,” linked to nation-state actors, had the capability to disable cell towers, launch denial-of-service attacks, and enable encrypted criminal communications, according to officials ^[13]. Swift action was taken given the timing and the potential telecom outage threat to New York’s infrastructure ^[14].
Regulators Crack Down on Outages: In the UK, Ofcom fined Vonage £700,000 for an incident where its VoIP business customers couldn’t reach emergency services (999/112) for 11 days in 2023 ^[15] ^[16]. The failure, caused by an untested software update, breached critical 999-call rules, and Vonage has since overhauled its processes. Across the world in Australia, Optus launched an independent inquiry after a bungled firewall upgrade triggered a nationwide outage that tragically left multiple people unable to call emergency numbers in time ^[17] ^[18]. The Optus CEO apologized for the “Triple-0” (911 equivalent) failures and the carrier’s parent Singtel vowed to “get to the bottom” of what went wrong ^[19].
Operators Upgrading Networks & Services: Telecom carriers rolled out new innovations to improve customer experience. In Malaysia, 5G newcomer U Mobile partnered with Huawei to launch a 5G-Advanced & AI Enterprise Innovation Platform, creating a sandbox for advanced 5G use cases and enterprise solutions ^[20] ^[21]. “As Malaysia’s newest 5G provider, we are committed to accelerating enterprise 5G adoption and digital transformation, enabling businesses to benefit from the latest innovations in next-gen connectivity and AI,” said U Mobile CTO Woon Ooi Yuen ^[22]. In the Middle East, du (UAE) became the first to support 5G-capable smartwatches with direct emergency calling, letting users contact 911/112 equivalents straight from their wearable – a boon for personal safety ^[23] ^[24]. And in the UK, O2 announced it’s the first operator on Boldyn Networks’ neutral-host 5G system at Manchester’s AO Arena, leveraging a shared Distributed Antenna System to boost fan connectivity and enable perks like ultra-HD streaming and faster mobile ordering at events ^[25] ^[26].

5G Growth Hits New Highs

Global mobile internet usage is surging on the back of 5G expansion. Fresh data from industry group 5G Americas (via Omdia) shows 5G adoption shattering milestones in mid-2025. Worldwide 5G subscriptions topped 2.6 billion as of June – a 37% jump from the year prior – and are on track to reach ~9 billion by 2030 ^[27] ^[28]. If realized, that would mean six out of ten mobile connections globally will be 5G within five years ^[29]. This boom in high-speed connections is already driving up data traffic: global mobile data usage climbed 15% year-on-year in Q2 to 384 million terabytes consumed, a rise largely attributed to 5G’s proliferation ^[30] ^[31].

Regional leaders are emerging. North America – an early 5G frontrunner – now averages an eye-popping 111 GB of mobile data per user per month, nearly double the next closest region’s usage ^[32] ^[33]. U.S. carriers’ aggressive 5G rollouts have North American networks covering 88% of the population (with full coverage expected by year-end) ^[34] ^[35]. By contrast, many developing markets are still ramping up, but every new 5G launch contributes to the worldwide momentum. “These latest numbers show 5G’s extraordinary momentum worldwide,” observed 5G Americas President Viet Nguyen, “particularly in North America where both adoption and data usage are setting the pace” ^[36].

Crucially, 5G isn’t just about phones – it’s becoming the backbone for the Internet of Things (IoT) and industry digitalization. Globally IoT connections (everything from smart sensors to connected cars) hit 3.8 billion in mid-2025 and are projected to reach 5 billion by 2030, with 5G supporting mission-critical applications like smart factories, autonomous logistics, and telemedicine ^[37] ^[38]. “With penetration climbing and infrastructure expanding, 5G is entering a new phase as the backbone for IoT and digital transformation,” explains Omdia principal analyst Kristin Paulin ^[39]. In other words, as more devices and industries rely on ultra-reliable wireless links, 5G’s role will shift from an emerging technology to core infrastructure. In Canada, for example, Rogers has already begun rolling out 5G-Advanced features (like Ericsson’s RedCap) to better handle IoT needs, marking the next evolution of LTE/5G networks to serve both humans and machines ^[40].

Beyond consumer use, private 5G networks – bespoke cellular networks for enterprises and campuses – are taking off. A new global forecast values the private 5G market at just $3.9 billion this year but predicts an explosion to $17.5 billion in 2030 ^[41] ^[42]. That’s a blistering ~35% annual growth as factories, ports, hospitals and more install their own 5G systems for greater control and security. Demand is driven by the need for low-latency, reliable wireless in Industry 4.0 settings: think real-time robot control on factory floors, wireless machine vision in quality control, or secure telemedicine networks in hospitals ^[43] ^[44]. Notably, Germany is expected to dominate Europe’s private 5G uptake – unsurprising given its industrial base. German auto manufacturing hubs, for instance, are already leveraging private 5G for smart EV production lines and automated processes, supported by favorable local spectrum policies ^[45] ^[46]. Major telecom vendors – from Huawei and Nokia to Ericsson, Samsung, and ZTE – are all vying to supply this booming niche ^[47] ^[48].

5G-Advanced and 6G: Laying the Groundwork for the Future

As 5G races toward mainstream adoption, the industry’s eyes are turning to what’s next. The 5G-Advanced era (also known as Release 18+ in 3GPP standards) is beginning, bridging today’s networks with tomorrow’s 6G. Around the world, operators and tech partners are trialing enhancements like improved latency, network slicing, and AI-driven management to extend 5G’s capabilities.

One notable development came out of Malaysia on September 26: U Mobile, the country’s newest 5G operator, signed an MoU with Huawei to launch an Enterprise Innovation Platform (EIP) focused on 5G-Advanced (5G-A) and AI solutions ^[49]. This platform will act as a cutting-edge innovation lab or sandbox where U Mobile and ecosystem partners can design and test next-gen 5G use cases for businesses ^[50] ^[51]. The idea is to leverage 5G-A’s enhanced capabilities (like faster uplinks, RedCap for IoT, and smarter networks) to develop new applications for industries – from smart manufacturing to immersive retail – and then fast-track them from pilot to production. U Mobile’s CTO Woon Ooi Yuen said the collaboration with Huawei will “enable the development of localized 5G solutions, pilot projects and proofs of concept, while supporting smart monetization and ecosystem growth” ^[52]. As a smaller carrier entering 5G relatively late, U Mobile is using innovation as a differentiator – the EIP will host demos, hackathons, and even incubate startups to cultivate Malaysia’s 5G enterprise ecosystem ^[53] ^[54]. It’s also a testament to Huawei’s push in 5G-A: the Chinese vendor was recently ranked the sole leading 5G RAN supplier by GlobalData for 2025, especially for advanced features and AI integration ^[55].

Meanwhile, in the United States a forward-looking 6G alliance is taking shape. This week, Verizon announced it formed a “6G Innovation Forum” – essentially a supergroup of tech heavyweights – to start sketching out what 6G will look like ^[56]. Members include network vendors (Ericsson, Nokia, Samsung), device and chipmakers (Qualcomm), and even a metaverse player (Meta/Facebook), all collaborating to define potential 6G use cases, devices, and underlying technologies ^[57] ^[58]. The forum’s mission is to move beyond vague hype and “rapidly progress toward tangible 6G advancements”, setting an “open, diversified and resilient 6G ecosystem” with global alignment ^[59] ^[60]. In practical terms, they plan to experiment with new spectrum bands (e.g. sub-THz frequencies), novel radio designs, and AI-driven networking that could underpin 6G. Verizon is even establishing dedicated 6G Labs (starting in Los Angeles) where partners can test early prototypes and ideas in a real-world environment ^[61].

Though 6G standards and deployments are still several years away (the tech is not fully defined yet), industry leaders are eager to plant a flag. “Verizon is consistently at the forefront of network innovation… 5G Advanced lays the foundation for the 6G future – whether that’s new wearables, AI experiences, or entirely new use cases we haven’t even thought of yet,” said Verizon’s networks EVP Joe Russo, emphasizing the need to start building today for what comes next ^[62]. Other global initiatives echo this: from Europe’s 6G-IA projects (like 6G-Leader and JOINER) to Asia’s early 6G testbeds (Samsung and KT working on “X-MIMO” signal tech, SoftBank and Nokia trialing 6G at 7 GHz) ^[63] ^[64]. All this groundwork suggests that while 5G’s rollout still has room to grow, the telecom industry is wasting no time in preparing for a 6G world – one that could enable holographic communication, pervasive AI, and networks that feel instantly responsive.

In the interim, 5G-Advanced (essentially late-stage 5G releases) will act as a proving ground. Features like L4S (Low Latency, Low Loss, Scalable throughput), which T-Mobile US began deploying to cut 5G lag for gaming and XR applications, and advanced network slicing for dedicated enterprise slices, are rolling out now ^[65] ^[66]. These upgrades not only improve current 5G performance but also help carriers learn to manage the more complex, software-defined networks that 6G will likely entail. The bottom line: the evolution of mobile networks hasn’t slowed – if anything, it’s speeding up, with 5G-A innovations arriving and 6G visions already on the drawing board.

SIM Security Scare Thwarted in New York

A dramatic cyber-telecom plot was uncovered and foiled just as world leaders gathered in New York. On September 23, the U.S. Secret Service announced it had dismantled a clandestine operation involving over 100,000 illicit SIM cards in the NYC area – a network of devices apparently intended to disrupt mobile service during the high-profile UN General Assembly ^[67]. This massive “SIM farm” was no benign stash of prepaid cards; authorities warned that the gear seized (spread within a 35-mile radius of the UN) could have been used to “crash New York’s telecommunications network” and more ^[68] ^[69].

According to officials, the seized equipment was capable of a range of attacks: from disabling cell towers to enabling large-scale denial-of-service (DoS) assaults on the mobile network ^[70]. Perhaps even more insidious, the rogue SIM setup could facilitate anonymous, encrypted communications between bad actors – making it a potential tool for coordinating criminal or terrorist activity under the radar ^[71]. Given the “timing, location and potential for significant disruption” to New York’s infrastructure, agents moved swiftly to raid multiple sites and confiscate the hardware ^[72].

Investigators are still tracing the origins, but early analysis suggests links to “nation-state” threat actors (though the public statement didn’t name any particular country) ^[73] ^[74]. Images released by the Secret Service show boxes of SIM cards and networking gear – the makings of a covert, sprawling cellular network. By saturating local cell sites or exploiting network protocols, such a setup could have potentially knocked out coverage in parts of the city or interfered with critical communications. The motive remains under investigation, but officials noted the system might have been poised for “anonymous telephonic threats” or other malicious comms during the UN meetings ^[75]. Notably, this revelation came as U.S. President Donald Trump (in attendance at the UNGA) was set to speak, heightening concerns of a targeted disruption attempt ^[76].

Cybersecurity experts say this incident underscores a real but under-the-radar vulnerability: the abuse of telecom infrastructure via bulk SIM operations. These could range from SIM boxes used in fraud (robo-calling or bypassing call tariffs) to, in this case, a platform for sabotage or covert messaging. The scale – 100k SIMs – is virtually unheard of in a single metro area takedown. Federal agencies and carriers are now likely scanning for any similar patterns elsewhere. In recent years, officials have grown wary of SIM-based threats, from SIM swapping attacks on individuals to nation-states possibly stockpiling SIMs for espionage or disruption. The Secret Service’s quick action in New York averted a potential telecom meltdown scenario, and serves as a wake-up call: as mobile networks become ever more critical, they also become targets for novel forms of attack. Ensuring security in the GSM ecosystem (including policing SIM distribution and detecting rogue base stations) is now an essential part of protecting national infrastructure.

Emergency Services Under Scrutiny: Outages and Accountability

Several news items over the past two days highlighted a common theme: telecom failures affecting emergency calls, and regulators stepping in to hold operators accountable. In today’s hyper-connected world, being unable to dial an ambulance or police due to a network issue is simply unacceptable – and authorities are cracking down on any such lapses.

In the United Kingdom, the regulator Ofcom made waves on Sept 25 by slapping a £700,000 fine on internet telephony provider Vonage over an emergency-call outage ^[77]. The incident in question occurred in late 2023, when Vonage’s VoIP phone service had a 11-day glitch: during that period, many of its UK business customers found that calls to 999 or 112 (the UK’s emergency numbers) would not connect at all ^[78] ^[79]. A software update gone wrong had essentially severed the link to emergency operators for those on Vonage’s cloud phone platform. Even more troubling, Vonage didn’t immediately catch the problem – Ofcom’s investigation found the company lacked proper monitoring and failed to test the update for 999 impacts ^[80] ^[81]. While fortunately no specific tragedies were directly attributed to this outage, the potential risk was huge. Ofcom noted that Vonage “fell short on a number of levels” in safeguarding critical services, putting users at “unacceptable risk” ^[82]. The fine was reduced by 30% due to Vonage’s quick admission of liability and fixes implemented, but the message was clear: any provider enabling voice calls in the UK must ensure access to emergency services at all times, or face consequences ^[83] ^[84]. (Vonage, now owned by Ericsson, issued an apology and detailed steps it’s taken to prevent a repeat, from improved software testing to network monitoring upgrades ^[85] ^[86].)

The seriousness of emergency call reliability was underscored by a parallel saga in Australia. There, the #2 mobile operator Optus is reeling from a network outage on August 30 that had deadly consequences, and the news broke on Sept 24 that an independent inquiry is being launched ^[87]. During that outage, Optus’ mobile and some fixed services went down across large parts of the country for several hours – and crucially, many customers could not reach “Triple Zero” (000), Australia’s emergency number, to call for help ^[88]. Local media have reported at least one case of a person suffering a medical emergency who died unable to contact an ambulance in time, and possibly several such fatalities are under review – hence the term “deadly network outage” making headlines ^[89]. The root cause, Optus preliminarily admits, was a bungled firewall upgrade: a routine maintenance procedure that went awry and cascaded into a nationwide shutdown ^[90]. Optus’ chairman tapped former regulator Kerry Schott to lead the inquiry, examining both the technical failure and the company’s handling of the crisis ^[91]. Optus CEO Kelly Bayer Rosmarin (who has since resigned in the fallout) and current CEO Stephen Rue have been in full damage-control mode. “Once again, I apologize to everyone impacted by the Triple-0 failures,” Rue said, vowing to rebuild trust ^[92]. Even Optus’ parent company Singtel weighed in, with its chief Yuen Kuan Moon saying he was “deeply sorry… that customers could not connect to emergency services when they most needed them” ^[93], adding that their hearts go out to affected families.

The Optus fiasco also drew regulatory ire: Australia’s government and telecom watchdog are considering stricter oversight on 999/000 call robustness, and it didn’t help Optus that this comes on the heels of other missteps (a major data breach in 2022 and a $100 million fine for mis-selling practices just imposed by the Federal Court ^[94] ^[95]). The pattern of incidents has battered Optus’ reputation, highlighting how critical resilience is in telecom networks – especially for lifeline services. It’s a stark reminder that even advanced networks can fail catastrophically if updates and backups aren’t handled flawlessly. Regulators globally are using these cases to send a message: public safety is non-negotiable. Whether it’s an internet-based phone service or a mobile carrier, if your outage blocks emergency calls, expect hefty fines, inquiries, and public condemnation. In response, we’re likely to see operators invest more in redundancy (backup routes for 911 calls), rigorous testing of network changes, and perhaps even notification systems to alert authorities immediately if 911/999 systems go down.

New Network Services and Innovations by Operators

Telecom operators around the world took steps this week to enhance their services and infrastructure, with a focus on improving customer connectivity and safety:

Wearables Meet 5G Emergency Calling: In the United Arab Emirates, operator du announced a first-of-its-kind feature for smartwatch users. Du now offers full 5G network compatibility for eSIM-enabled smartwatches and – critically – introduced direct emergency calling from wearables ^[96] ^[97]. This means if you’re wearing a 5G-connected smart watch and have an accident or see an emergency, you can call the national emergency number straight from the watch, even if your phone isn’t on you. The service is rolling out across all supported 5G smartwatches on du’s network. It represents “a significant advancement in personal safety technology,” du said, since it allows immediate contact with emergency services from a device on your wrist ^[98] ^[99]. Beyond emergency calls, du’s 5G smartwatch support promises seamless connectivity for wearables – leveraging its robust 5G infrastructure to ensure these devices stay online with low latency. The UAE’s move reflects a broader trend of integrating wearables into mobile networks more tightly. (Apple’s latest Watch models, for example, now often include cellular capability.) By enabling emergency calls and other safety features, carriers are both creating a new value proposition for 5G and addressing potential life-saving use cases.
Better Connectivity at Venues: In the UK, O2 (Telefónica UK) revealed it has become the first mobile operator to leverage Boldyn Networks’ neutral-host 5G system in a major arena ^[100]. The venue is Manchester’s AO Arena – a 23,000-seat stadium for concerts and sports. Boldyn (formerly Wireless Infrastructure Group) installed a state-of-the-art 5G Distributed Antenna System (DAS) throughout the arena, and O2 is the inaugural carrier onboard ^[101] ^[102]. The neutral-host model means the DAS infrastructure is shared; other carriers can join later, but O2 customers will benefit immediately from a dedicated 5G signal inside the venue. The goal is to eliminate the dreaded “no service” problem at packed events. Boldyn’s system will massively increase capacity, allowing fans to stream multi-angle HD videos, upload selfies, use interactive apps, and even order concessions via phone without a hitch ^[103] ^[104]. For the arena operators, better connectivity also enables digital ticketing, crowd analytics, and other smart operations (studies show ~87% of attendees post on social media and ~77% use digital tickets at events, so robust networking is key) ^[105]. O2’s head of mobile access, Robert Joyce, said using Boldyn’s neutral DAS aligns with O2’s mission to deliver “unique live experiences” to customers in large venues ^[106]. We can likely expect more arenas and stadiums to adopt similar shared 5G systems – it’s an efficient way to blanket high-traffic locations with coverage, and all carriers’ subscribers ultimately benefit.
Network Expansion & Upgrades: While not a headline from just these two days, it’s worth noting the cumulative progress on 5G network rollouts. In many countries, telcos are rapidly extending 5G coverage and upgrading backbones. For instance, India’s operators (Jio and Airtel) have together built out hundreds of thousands of 5G base stations over the past year, aiming to cover most major cities by end-2025 ^[107] ^[108]. Some analysts now project a slowdown in tower deployment as initial 5G buildouts conclude, with the next big ramp-up only when 6G spectrum arrives ^[109] ^[110]. In the meantime, carriers are refarming 4G spectrum to bolster 5G and focusing on optimizing what’s been built. Elsewhere, satellite-cellular integration is advancing: companies like SpaceX (Starlink), AST SpaceMobile, and Lynk have forged over 170 partnerships in ~80 countries to deliver direct-to-phone satellite 5G in remote areas ^[111] ^[112]. This week’s GSA report highlighted that satellite-to-cell service is inching closer to reality, with trial satellites already enabling texting in dead zones. Such innovations point to a future where “no coverage” areas shrink further – whether through terrestrial DAS in arenas or satellites in the sky.
Market Moves and Mergers: On the business front, telecom operators continue to explore mergers, acquisitions, and partnerships to strengthen their mobile internet offerings. In Europe, for example, reports emerged that Telefónica (Spain) is looking at strategic M&A to bolster its position, potentially eyeing assets in northern Europe while divesting in other areas ^[113]. And in the US, Verizon is optimistic about closing its proposed $20 billion purchase of prepaid carrier TracFone (or another deal, depending on current events) on schedule ^[114]. Such consolidation efforts reflect the competitive pressures in the GSM mobile sector – companies are seeking scale and new capabilities (like fiber backhaul, content services, or enterprise 5G solutions) through deals. Regulators, for their part, are weighing consumer impact versus the need for strong carriers to invest in 5G/6G. The European Commission, for instance, is debating whether to ease up on telco merger approvals to create more pan-European players that can rival US and Chinese giants ^[115].

Expert commentary across the industry suggests that the remainder of 2025 will continue these trends. The global GSM internet landscape is one of rapid growth and innovation – but also one where resilience and security are under the microscope like never before. As 5G networks become critical infrastructure, both opportunistic criminals and watchdog regulators are paying close attention. The past two days’ news – from record 5G uptake and cutting-edge labs, to SIM heists and emergency-call failures – show a sector racing ahead technologically while struggling to ensure reliability and safety keep pace. The world is more connected than ever; the challenge now is to make sure it stays that way, uninterrupted and secure, as we hurtle toward the 6G era.

Sources: Global telecom news and press releases from Sept 25–26, 2025, including Telecoms.com ^[116] ^[117] ^[118], Mobile World Live ^[119] ^[120], TechNode Global ^[121] ^[122], TechAfrica News ^[123], Telecoms.com (Policy/Regulation) ^[124] ^[125], The Economic Times/AFP ^[126] ^[127], and others.

References

5G Booms, SIM Scams, and 6G Looms – Global Mobile Internet Roundup (Sept 25–26, 2025)