Global Mobile Internet Explodes: 5G Surges, Wi‑Fi 7 Soars, Secret SIM Plot Foiled, and Networks Shake Up

Pakistan goes next-gen: Telecom regulator approves Wi‑Fi 7 in the 6 GHz band – making Pakistan one of the first in Asia-Pacific to do so ^[1]. The ultra‑fast Wi‑Fi 7 standard (promising multi-gigabit speeds, 8K video, AR/VR support) is now legal. Islamabad also confirmed plans to launch 5G services in seven major cities within months ^[2], though high spectrum costs remain a concern.
India’s big 4G rollout: State-run BSNL will on Sept 27 activate its nationwide 4G network, using a fully indigenous ‘Swadeshi’ stack ^[3] ^[4]. About 100,000 new 4G towers have been built nationwide with local technology ^[5]. This turbocharges connectivity in unserved areas (26,700+ villages to be connected) and lays the groundwork for eventual 5G expansion ^[6] ^[7].
Middle East innovations: UAE’s Space42 (a SpaceTech startup) announced a new “Sovereign Mobility Cloud” with Microsoft Azure to boost autonomous transport and IoT in the Emirates ^[8] ^[9]. The cloud platform will store all data in-country, securing vehicle and smart-city networks. This echoes the region’s broader 6G ambitions – e& UAE released a whitepaper detailing AI-native, secure 6G networks as a “nervous system” for a smart nation.
China embraces eSIM: China Mobile, Telecom and Unicom will support embedded SIMs on Apple’s upcoming iPhone Air – pending regulator approval ^[10]. This confirms eSIM’s global momentum: smartphone makers and carriers are phasing out physical SIM cards in favor of flexible digital provisioning.
Telco consolidation: Singapore’s telecom sector is reshaping. Keppel’s Simba Telecom agreed to buy rival M1’s mobile business for S$1.43 billion (US$1.1B), merging Singapore’s #3 and #4 operators ^[11] ^[12]. Post‑deal, the combined Simba‑M1 will be the new #3 player behind Singtel and StarHub ^[13]. In Africa, Ghana’s government merged AT Ghana (AirtelTigo) with state-backed Telecel Ghana to create one larger operator ^[14]. The goal is to cut duplicate costs (e.g. two networks on one tower) and shore up the sector’s finances ^[15] ^[16].
Regulatory moves: European leaders are debating telecom policy. Brussels signaled it may ease merger rules to help carriers consolidate and invest ^[17]. In the US, the FCC abruptly ended its probe of EchoStar’s 5G buildout obligations after EchoStar agreed to sell key spectrum to SpaceX and AT&T ^[18]. Meanwhile the UK’s Ofcom fined VoIP provider Vonage £700,000 for a serious emergency-call outage last year ^[19]. These developments underscore regulators’ focus on critical infrastructure and competition.
Security and resilience: Cyber incidents and network failures made headlines. The US Secret Service dismantled a hidden “SIM farm” around New York just before the UN General Assembly – seizing 100,000+ active SIM cards and hundreds of servers that could have jammed cell networks ^[20]. (The network could have sent 30 million texts per minute, a Special Agent said ^[21].) In the US, the CISA agency warned of hackers exploiting a vulnerability in Cisco firewall devices, forcing urgent patches ^[22]. In Australia, an Optus network upgrade glitch on Sept 18 left thousands unable to call emergency services – three people died after failing to reach help ^[23]. These incidents highlight growing attention to telecom cybersecurity and backup systems.
Mobile connectivity trends: Globally, 5G is booming. Industry data show over 2.6 billion 5G subscriptions by mid‑2025 (about 30% of all mobile connections) and surging mobile data usage ^[24]. Enterprises are rushing to private 5G (projected to grow ~35% CAGR to 2030 ^[25]). The IoT explosion continues: world IoT devices hit ~3.8 billion in 2025 (up ~10% YoY) ^[26]. In Oman (July 2025), official stats showed mobile subscriptions +15% and IoT connections +119% year-over-year ^[27]. Africa lags on 5G – only about 1.2% of over one billion Africans have 5G today ^[28] – but carriers poured ~$28 billion into African networks in 2018–2023 (with another $62 billion planned) ^[29]. Notably, 4G and 3G still dominate in many regions: African coverage is ~77% (3G) and 44% (4G) ^[30], and many older GSM networks are slated to be switched off soon to free spectrum.

Next‑Gen Networks: 5G, Wi‑Fi 7 and 6G Rollouts

Wi‑Fi 7 adoption: Pakistan’s regulator (PTA) made headlines by clearing Wi‑Fi 7 and other future Wi‑Fi standards in the 6 GHz band ^[31]. Wi‑Fi 7 (based on IEEE 802.11be) can deliver multi-gigabit speeds with lower latency, easing home and enterprise broadband needs. PTA noted that allowing Wi‑Fi 7 will “ease congestion in older bands and lower broadband costs,” benefiting households and businesses ^[32]. This positions Pakistan among early adopters alongside countries in Asia-Pacific. Crucially, Pakistan is doing this while still planning its 5G launch. The Telecom Minister said service providers aim to cover seven major cities with 5G “within months” ^[33]. These twin moves (advanced Wi‑Fi plus a leap to 5G) reflect a push to upgrade digital infrastructure, although analysts warn of high spectrum fees for operators.

India’s indigenous 4G: On Sept 27, Prime Minister Modi will officially inaugurate BSNL’s new all-Indian 4G network ^[34] ^[35]. According to BSNL’s chairman, the telco has deployed 100,000 homegrown 4G towers across the country ^[36] ^[37]. This massive rollout uses domestic technology from Indian vendors and is cloud-based so it can be upgraded to 5G without overhauling hardware ^[38] ^[39]. The move bridges India’s rural connectivity gap: over 26,700 villages (including thousands in remote or conflict-affected areas) will get mobile service ^[40]. Officials say this boosts digital inclusion and security (less reliance on foreign suppliers) and sets BSNL on track for eventual 5G launches under India’s “Digital Bharat” plan.

5G deployments: Operators everywhere are expanding 5G coverage. In Latin America, Telecom Argentina (the newly enlarged carrier after buying Movistar Argentina) says it currently has ~550 5G base stations and aims for at least 750 by year-end ^[41]. It’s even offering sliced private 5G networks for industries like mining and agriculture ^[42]. Europe’s leading carriers (e.g. Vodafone, Orange, Deutsche Telekom) continue densifying 5G coverage, and many are in final stages of phasing out 2G/3G. For example, several European operators have announced plans to shut down 2G/3G networks by 2025–2030 to repurpose spectrum for 4G/5G (unlocking low-band for IoT) ^[43]. Looking ahead to 6G: Industry groups and carriers (like Verizon and e& UAE) are already mapping out 6G roadmaps. White papers and forums highlight future features (AI-native networks, terahertz spectrum, sensing capabilities and quantum-safe security) ^[44] ^[45]. While 6G is still R&D, it underscores how the mobile ecosystem is planning far ahead – the telecom sector is effectively rolling out new standards continuously (2G→3G→4G→5G→6G).

Infrastructure & IoT Connectivity Trends

IoT explosion: Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity is spiking worldwide. For example, Oman’s official data (July 2025) showed IoT connections jumped 118.7% year-on-year to 1.55 million ^[46], as the Gulf state integrates smart services under its Vision 2040. Fiber and 5G fixed broadband also grew in Oman, highlighting broad infrastructure upgrades. Similarly, many countries report large IoT growth: carriers are enabling smart metering, logistics networks, and industry automation over 5G/LTE-M. Globally, analysts estimate total IoT links (cellular M2M + non-cellular) are approaching 4 billion today and could hit 5–6 billion by 2030 ^[47].

Backbone networks: Behind the scenes, operators are upgrading core and edge infrastructure. Latin carriers are expanding data centers: Telecom Argentina plans to boost all 16 of its data centers to 10 MW capacity to serve AI and enterprise demand ^[48] ^[49]. In Europe and the US, operators are buying fiber, lighting new inter-city routes, and exploring Open RAN architectures (shared, software-defined radio networks) to cut costs. Notably, five Middle Eastern operators (Saudi Zain, Kuwait’s Ooredoo, etc.) recently signed a MoU to accelerate Open RAN trials, aiming to democratize 5G equipment. Connectivity projects: In Africa, new initiatives like the AfricaCoast to Europe (ACE) subsea cable expansions and open-access national networks (e.g. Rwanda’s wholesale 4G network) are extending broadband to rural areas. Satellite constellations (Starlink, Kuiper, AST SpaceMobile) are also pushing rural connectivity, with governments (e.g. Senegal) partnering with SpaceX to bring satellite internet nationwide by end-2025 ^[50].

SIM/eSIM and Connectivity Innovations

eSIM gains traction: Mobile operators are racing to support electronic SIMs. In China, official news: China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom will offer eSIM profiles for Apple’s new iPhone Air (just launched) once regulators approve ^[51]. This follows Europe and the US where most new phones now enable multiple eSIMs. The appeal is seamless global roaming and simpler plan switching. In the industry, consolidation is underway: Singapore-based DT One (a global telecom hub) announced on Sept 23 it is acquiring eSIM platform DENT Telecom to create a unified global eSIM service ^[52]. (This press release highlights that carriers and platforms want “any app, brand or platform” to instantly provision mobile data worldwide ^[53].) Meanwhile, regulators are eyeing unlicensed eSIM resellers: several countries have shut down firms selling eSIM IDs without carrier contracts, citing fraud risk.

Legacy SIM issues: The explosion of SIMs has a dark side. In New York this week, US law enforcement exposed a massive SIM fraud network. Agents seized more than 100,000 active SIM cards and 300 “SIM server” devices from a hidden telecom network ^[54]. Investigators warned this “SIM farm” could have launched millions of spoofed calls/texts per minute – enough to crash cell towers and jam emergency lines during the UN General Assembly ^[55]. (Researchers and policy makers are concerned about so-called SIM hijacking and “Silent SIM swap” fraud as eSIM usage increases.)

Mergers, Market Moves and Industry Forecasts

Asia-Pacific: Consolidation is heating up. Singapore’s market moves were mentioned above (Simba-M1 deal ^[56]). In India, besides BSNL’s rollout, the government just approved a ₹11,000 crore package to revive BSNL/MTNL and will not privatize them, reaffirming support for state carriers. Japan’s SoftBank and Rakuten have completed trials of 5G Advanced and Open RAN, pointing to future partnerships. In Malaysia, operators U Mobile announced plans to partner with Huawei and ZTE to densify 5G in rural areas (recent headline). South Korea’s SK Telecom announced a new AI-focused subsidiary (SALT) to leverage 5G for smart cars and robotics.

Europe: Europe’s carriers are also active. Vodafone agreed with Nokia and Ericsson to deploy a £2.7 billion 5G network core for the new “VodafoneThree” merged UK operator (from the recent merger of Vodafone UK and Three UK) ^[57] ^[58]. Across the EU, spectrum auctions for 3.5 GHz and 700 MHz bands are wrapping up in many countries, while new mmWave (26/28 GHz) auctions are being planned. Analysts warn Europe needs to allocate more mid-band and sub‑THz spectrum to stay competitive with the US and China on 6G ^[59].

Americas: In the US, T-Mobile and Verizon continue expanding 5G coverage; T‑Mobile launched new Voice over 5G services in some cities. AT&T bought 2.5 GHz licenses from cable companies. The FCC is also exploring mid-band (3.45 GHz) and mmWave bands for sharing. On the merger front, Charter and Cox cable (USA) announced a $34.5 billion deal on Sept 26, 2025, which will also expand broadband capacity for MVNO deals with Comcast – though that still awaits regulatory approval. In Latin America, Peru auctioned new 5G licenses on Sept 15 (four operators won mid-band spectrum). Brazil continues its massive fiber roll-out plans.

Financial forecasts: Industry analysts project that global mobile data traffic will grow >25% annually through 2030, driven by 5G video and IoT. By 2030, up to 70% of the world’s mobile connections may be on 5G ^[60]. Private 5G (enterprise networks) could reach ~$17.5 billion in annual revenues by 2030 ^[61]. Beyond connectivity, telco earnings are shifting: services like cloud, edge computing, and “network-as-a-service” are expected to become growth drivers.

Government Policy and Spectrum

Spectrum auctions: Governments continue to auction frequencies for new wireless services. Argentina and Peru completed mid-band auctions this month. Pakistan announced plans for its first-ever 5G spectrum auction (likely end-2025) offering 600+ MHz of mid-band airwaves ^[62]. The US has been slower on national auctions, but Congress recently directed the FCC to push ahead with mmWave (26/28 GHz) and even high-frequency (95 GHz) auctions for 6G experimentation. Regulators are also under pressure to rethink the high prices of spectrum. In March, Mexico’s telecom regulator was abruptly dissolved after planning a long-awaited 5G auction, throwing that process into doubt (Reuters, Sep 2025).

Regulations and security: Governments are enacting stricter telecom security rules. The EU has proposed updating the 5G security toolbox to cover cloud and AI risks. In the UK and US, new laws require carriers to back up each other for emergency calls. For example, AT&T was granted temporary authority to use SpaceX’s Starlink satellites to route 911 calls during outages. Privacy rules are evolving: several countries (India, Brazil) are drafting legislation on SIM registrations, eSIM usage and location data retention to combat SIM fraud and fraud-scam calls.

Cybersecurity, Outages and Consumer Impact

This week’s major telecom incidents underscored vulnerabilities:

United States (SIM farm bust): As noted, investigators seized a huge illicit telecom network in New York ahead of the UN General Assembly. More than 100,000 active SIMs were found in servers at covert sites ^[63]. The Secret Service warned the setup could have “crippled cell towers” and jammed 911 calls if activated. This drew attention to the threat of “SIM farms” and the ease with which attackers can acquire large blocks of SIMs online.
Australia (Optus outage): On Sept 18, a network software upgrade at Optus (Telstra’s rival) malfunctioned, causing 600 customers across South Australia, WA and Northern Territory to lose emergency call service ^[64]. Tragically, three people died after being unable to reach “000” (Australia’s 911) during the outage ^[65]. Optus’s CEO publicly apologized, and the company has launched an investigation. This incident, and the prior Optus data breach in 2022, have put regulators under pressure. In response, authorities are requiring carriers to implement satellite or alternate routing backups for emergency services.
UK (Ofcom fine): The UK telecom regulator Ofcom announced on Sept 25 that it fined Ericsson-owned Vonage UK £700,000 for a software error that prevented some business users from dialing 999 ^[66]. The bug went unnoticed for 11 days in late 2023, during which businesses could not make emergency calls. Ofcom’s enforcement director warned that “being able to call the emergency services can mean the difference between life and death” and said telecoms firms will be held accountable ^[67].
Global (Cisco vulnerability): On Sept 25 the US Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued an emergency directive after learning that Chinese state hackers were exploiting a zero-day flaw in Cisco’s widely-used ASA and FTD firewalls ^[68]. The warning urged all users of the affected devices to apply patches within 24 hours ^[69]. Verizon’s latest security report notes that attacks on network edge devices have surged. This alert is a reminder that telecom core networks (routers, firewalls, base station controllers) face increasing cyber threats.

These incidents highlight the fragility of critical communications. Consumers are more aware: social media buzzed about the Optus outage and the NYC SIM bust. Analysts note a “security–economics paradox”: as networks modernize (5G, virtualized core, eSIM), new risks emerge (software bugs, hacking), demanding big investments in resilience.

Regional Highlights

North America: In the US, all three major carriers (AT&T, Verizon, T‑Mobile) keep extending 5G into rural and suburban markets. T‑Mobile announced it will roll out 5G mid-band (2.5 GHz) in dozens more cities by 2026. Regulatory focus on spectrum continues: some in Congress urge the FCC to reserve mid-band spectrum for smaller carriers to boost competition. On Sept 28, the US and South Korea agreed on digital/trade issues (e.g. South Korea not designated a currency manipulator ^[70], but telecom was not specifically addressed). Canada’s Rogers rebranded as ShawMobile for its 5G home internet.
Europe: 5G rollouts are mature in much of Europe, and carriers are increasingly offloading voice/SMS to OTT apps. France’s Free mobile will shut down its remaining 3G services by end‑2026. Germany and Italy are auctioning new mmWave blocks for 5G+. The EU held talks to align national 6G research (the “6G Flagship” and SNS-JU programs aim to keep Europe competitive). Russia’s telecom sector is also interesting: while dealing with sanctions, Russia has accelerated its own development of a domestic 5G stack for security reasons (similar to India’s approach).
Asia-Pacific: Apart from India/Pakistan moves, China’s big three carriers continue building 5G. They added over 100,000 5G base stations each in the past year, hitting 2 million total by mid‑2025. Japan’s SoftBank and NTT laid groundwork for 6G trials with universities. In Southeast Asia, Malaysia’s U Mobile announced a Huawei/ZTE partnership (Sep 27) to extend 5G into smaller towns. Australia’s ACCC approved Comcast and Charter to sell mobile service via T‑Mobile’s network (MVNO deals worth $9B) ^[71], blending cable and mobile industries.
Middle East & Africa: The Gulf states invest heavily in digital infrastructure. Oman’s IoT and fiber projects were noted above ^[72]. Saudi Arabia is auctioning citizen-owned spectrum (6 GHz) to fuel local tech innovation. Israel is connecting 5G to autonomous vehicle test beds. In Africa, the big news is connectivity gaps: only a few countries (South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya) have even trial 5G; most are focusing on 4G LTE and fiber last-mile. However, landmark deals include Senegal signing with SpaceX for satellite service countrywide by 2025 ^[73]. Mergers are also emerging: aside from Ghana, South Africa’s regulator approved (on Sept 24) a merger of two small operators (Rain and OTT Telco?), aiming to pool spectrum and resources.
Latin America: 5G is modest but growing: by August 2025, 37 operators in 18 LATAM countries had launched commercial 5G (only ~10% of global total) ^[74]. Mexico’s market remains unsettled after last year’s regulator overhaul. In South America, besides Argentina’s buildup ^[75], Peru completed a 5G auction on Sept 15, and Chile is gearing up for its first 5G licenses in 2026. Brazilians are experimenting with unlicensed 6 GHz Wi‑Fi 7 deployments in cities like Sao Paulo.

In summary, the end of September 2025 saw a flurry of global GSM/mobile-internet news: emerging networks (Wi‑Fi 7, indigenous 4G, preparations for 5G/6G), big infrastructure and IoT milestones, major deals and consolidations, tough regulatory actions, and stark warnings from cybersecurity incidents. Industry experts note that mobile internet is entering a new phase: one dominated by data-intensive applications (augmented reality, AI at the edge, IoT everywhere) but also by risks (security, digital divides). Forecasts remain bullish: worldwide mobile data traffic and 5G adoption are expected to keep rising rapidly through 2030, even as 2G/3G winds down ^[76] ^[77]. However, the challenges – from carving out affordable spectrum to ensuring cyber-resilience – are front-and-center in policymakers’ and investors’ minds.

Sources: Current news reports and industry releases from Sept 27–28, 2025 ^[78] ^[79] ^[80] ^[81] ^[82] ^[83] ^[84] ^[85] ^[86] ^[87] ^[88], plus historical context from regulatory statements and analyst reports (e.g. Broadband Commission).

WiFi 7 Explained

Watch this video on YouTube.

References