Key Facts Summary
- 5G on the Rise: Global 5G connections topped 2.6 billion by mid-2025 (up ~32% YoY) and are projected to reach ~9 billion by 2030 (~60% of all mobile links) [1]. Industry analysts note 5G is entering a new phase as the backbone of IoT and digital transformation [2]. Major countries continue fast-tracking spectrum: India announced a mega 5G/6G auction across 10 bands including 6 GHz [3], Sri Lanka kicked off its first 5G auction process aiming for early 2026 service [4], and Turkey set a long-awaited 5G spectrum tender for Oct 16 in preparation for an April 2026 launch [5].
- Goodbye 3G, Hello 5G: The phase-out of legacy networks accelerated. Europe’s 3G is largely dismantled and most EU operators will retire 2G by 2030 [6]. The U.S. ended 3G in 2022 and is phasing out 2G by 2025 [7]. Developing markets are following suit: “We are the only operator currently on 2G and 3G… Every other operator has 4G or 5G,” lamented Gamcel’s GM Fatou Fatty in Gambia, as the government approved a $95 million plan to upgrade the state carrier entirely to 4G/5G [8]. Similarly, Israel set a end-2025 deadline to shut down 2G/3G and require all users to shift to VoLTE 4G/5G phones [9].
- Surging Mobile Internet & the Usage Gap: 5G networks now cover ~54% of the world’s population (4.4 billion people), yet 3.1 billion people remain offline despite living under coverage [10]. This “usage gap”—due to costs and digital skills—dwarfs the coverage gap by 10×. “Getting online has enormous and undeniable socioeconomic benefits… Removing the remaining barriers is essential,” stressed GSMA Director General Vivek Badrinath, urging efforts to make mobile internet more affordable [11]. In positive moves, governments like Argentina and South Africa cut smartphone taxes to lower device costs [12], a policy telecom leaders say more nations should adopt to boost inclusion.
- Big Telecom Leadership Shifts & Deals: U.S. carrier Verizon replaced its CEO as of Oct 6, hiring former PayPal chief Dan Schulman to drive a turnaround [13]. Verizon’s chair cited Schulman’s decisive experience to “embark on a new chapter of growth and sector leadership” [14]. Outgoing CEO Hans Vestberg will stay on to finalize a $ Frontier Communications acquisition by early 2026 [15]. In Europe, consolidation picked up: Vodafone and Digi carved up Telekom Romania Mobile, with Vodafone acquiring all post-paid mobile customers (and Digi taking prepaid) in a €70 million deal now approved by regulators [16] [17]. “All it needs is to lift the brake a little and allow the market to consolidate,” argued Telefónica’s new CEO Marc Murtra, noting Europe still has ~40 operators above 500k subscribers (versus just 5 in the U.S.) [18].
- AI, Cloud & 6G – Next-Gen Visions: At a Milan industry summit, telecom leaders pressed to seize the AI opportunity. ZTE’s CEO Xu Ziyang urged global operators to share ideas on what the network industry needs for the AI era, envisioning “networks for AI and AI for networks” and a shift from “bytes to tokens” (AI-driven services) [19] [20]. GSMA CEO John Hoffman emphasized that robust mobile connectivity is vital for AI, highlighting ZTE’s 5G-Advanced rollout at the Asian Games which connected 600,000 users [21]. He also called for policy support to close usage gaps – “Stop taxing smartphones as if they are luxury items… They are a necessity for life today,” Hoffman urged governments [22]. Meanwhile, carriers already have eyes on 6G: in the U.S., Verizon convened a “6G Innovation Forum” with industry partners to fast-track future use cases from new spectrum to AI-driven networks [23].
- Satellites Join the Network: Mobile operators turned to satellite links to fill coverage gaps. T-Mobile US expanded its SpaceX satellite-to-cell service (“T-Satellite”) beyond SMS, now letting phones use popular apps like WhatsApp, Google Maps and X (Twitter) in remote dead zones [24]. Phones automatically switch to satellite when signal fails, providing basic data for critical apps. “People are excited that the phone in their pocket can connect to outer space – basically a satellite phone without…extra equipment,” said T-Mobile VP Jeff Giard as the service rolled out [25]. In Canada, Bell and partner AST SpaceMobile completed the country’s first direct-to-mobile satellite 4G calls and data session, proving standard smartphones can link to low-earth-orbit satellites for voice and broadband [26]. And in Africa, Liberia moved to license Amazon’s Project Kuiper as a competitor to SpaceX’s Starlink, aiming to drive down internet costs. The U.S. Embassy in Monrovia signaled support for Liberia’s satellite broadband plans [27]. “Partnering with Project Kuiper opens up exciting opportunities to extend our reach to underserved communities,” said Vodacom spokesperson Byron Kennedy of the wider African satellite initiatives [28].
- Network Security & Reliability Alerts: Telecom infrastructure faced new challenges. U.S. agents disclosed they seized over 300 illicit SIM-server devices and 100,000+ SIM cards in the New York area – a massive “SIM farm” that could have flooded networks or disrupted emergency communications [29] [30]. Officials warned the potential disruption “cannot be overstated”, given the plot’s timing during UN meetings [31]. In cyberspace, a China-linked hacker campaign was found to have infiltrated multiple telecom operators via router and firewall exploits, spurring carriers to harden network defenses [32] [33]. And following a major outage, Australia’s #2 carrier Optus came under heavy scrutiny: a botched firewall upgrade in late Sept knocked out emergency call services for 13 hours, tragically preventing several 0-0-0 calls [34]. The Optus CEO apologized for the “completely unacceptable” failure and launched an independent inquiry, as the government and parent company Singtel vowed to “get to the bottom” of what went wrong [35].
North America: 5G Expansion, Policy Moves & New Leadership
5G and Satellite Reach: U.S. carriers continued extending fast mobile coverage and even beyond Earth. T-Mobile US announced a major expansion of its direct-to-satellite service with SpaceX’s Starlink, allowing ordinary smartphones to connect when out of cell range [36]. Initially limited to texting, the service now supports messaging and mapping apps in remote areas, with phones automatically switching to satellite mode. “The phone in their pocket can connect to outer space… basically a satellite phone without having to buy extra equipment,” explained T-Mobile VP Jeff Giard [37]. The feature, included at no extra cost on new plans, uses a network of ~650 low-orbit satellites and special “satellite ready” modes developed with Apple and Google [38] [39]. Rival AT&T is pursuing a similar satellite-to-device path via partnerships (with AST SpaceMobile), and Canadian operator Bell just proved the concept by placing 4G voice calls directly through AST’s satellite on unmodified phones [40].
Regulatory shake-ups: A U.S. government shutdown that began October 1 forced the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to suspend most operations, furloughing ~88% of staff [41]. Routine licensing, equipment authorizations, and spectrum auction prep were halted, though essential systems (e.g. 911 outage reporting) stayed online [42]. Industry filings and comment deadlines were put on hold during the funding lapse [43]. Separately, even as near-term work paused, U.S. policymakers mapped out long-range spectrum plans: before the shutdown, the FCC set a 2026 auction for remaining mid-band frequencies (AWS-3) and is evaluating new bands like upper 4 GHz and unused 600 MHz for future 5G/6G use [44]. The NTIA is also studying spectrum between 1.6 GHz and 7 GHz to repurpose for mobile broadband [45]. These efforts aim to “ensure authorities cannot unlawfully block 5G or future 6G deployments” and keep up with surging data demand, said FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr [46] [47].
Leadership changes and strategy: In corporate news, Verizon Communications made a surprise leadership swap on Oct 6, naming Dan Schulman – former CEO of PayPal and a veteran telecom executive – as its new chief executive [48]. He replaced Hans Vestberg effective immediately, though Vestberg will stay through 2026 to smooth the transition and oversee closing of Verizon’s planned purchase of Frontier Communications [49]. Verizon’s board highlighted Schulman’s extensive resume (he previously led Virgin Mobile USA and AT&T’s consumer unit) and “decisiveness” to refocus the carrier on financial growth and customer gains [50]. “We’re going to maximize our value propositions, reduce our cost to serve and optimize our capital allocation,” Schulman pledged as he took the helm [51]. Verizon’s latest results showed mixed performance – solid revenue and profit, but post-paid mobile subscriptions dipping [52] – underscoring the need for a new strategy. Elsewhere, U.S. carriers pushed advanced 5G capabilities: both Verizon and T-Mobile have begun commercial network slicing offerings to give enterprise clients their own dedicated “slice” of 5G, and are exploring 5G-Advanced upgrades as a bridge to future 6G services [53].
North America outlook: Despite economic pressures, the region remains at the forefront of 5G adoption, with the highest data usage globally (avg. 111 GB per user/month) [54]. Industry forums like Verizon’s 6G initiative signal a determination to stay ahead on wireless innovation. And as the T-Mobile/SpaceX venture shows, U.S. operators are pioneering hybrid networks that integrate terrestrial and satellite systems – a model that could bring basic connectivity to even the most remote corners of the continent [55] [56].
Latin America: 5G Ramps Up Amid Policy Initiatives
5G expansion plans: Across Latin America, operators are accelerating rollouts of 5G networks and prepping for next-gen technology. Mexican telecom giant América Móvil, which operates across the region (Claro, Telcel, etc.), reiterated that expanding 5G coverage is a top priority into 2025 in its major markets [57] [58]. The company has earmarked billions in capex to upgrade networks, with CEO Daniel Hajj noting a “very positive trend” of customers migrating from prepaid to higher-value 5G contracts in countries like Brazil and Colombia [59] [60]. Several countries have now launched 5G commercially – Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru and others held spectrum auctions in recent years – while some are still on the cusp. Costa Rica made headlines this year by activating Central America’s first 5G standalone network in partnership with Ericsson, covering 1,400 sites and 3.7 million people with ultra-low latency service [61] [62]. That six-year project underscores the region’s leap into advanced 5G infrastructure, complete with support for IoT, smart manufacturing and fixed wireless broadband to reach rural areas [63] [64].
Policy and affordability: Latin American governments are also taking steps to broaden digital inclusion. Notably, Argentina eliminated luxury taxes on smartphones, aiming to make 4G/5G devices more affordable to the masses [65]. The GSMA praised the move as a model for reducing the usage gap in developing markets [66]. In Brazil, regulators and industry players are focusing on extending 4G/5G coverage to the vast interior and Amazon regions via infrastructure-sharing and incentives. Brazil’s telecom regulator Anatel is also exploring a second phase of 5G spectrum auctions (including leftover 3.5 GHz frequencies and millimeter-wave bands) to further boost capacity. Colombia and Peru have been working on clearing regulatory hurdles and financial plans to fund their 5G rollouts, after some delays. And in a bid to improve connectivity resiliency, Chile and other nations are investing in new subsea fiber cables (including a planned trans-Pacific cable to Asia) to augment internet backbones [67].
Regional challenges: Latin America’s mobile market still faces challenges like relatively high data costs and patchy rural coverage. Roughly 40% of the population remains offline across the region, per World Bank and GSMA figures. To bridge this, governments are partnering with multilateral agencies on programs for digital skills training and subsidized service in low-income areas. The introduction of satellite broadband is also stirring competition: SpaceX’s Starlink is now available in countries from Mexico and Brazil to Chile, often serving remote communities. In a noteworthy step, Panama and Brazil have even begun pilot projects to integrate satellite connectivity for disaster response and Amazon rainforest coverage. Overall, Latin America’s telecom sector is on a gradual upswing – smartphone penetration and 4G/5G adoption tick upward each quarter – but progress is tied to economic conditions. As one regional executive quipped, “5G’s promise here is huge, but we must ensure no one is left behind on the journey.” The coming year will test how quickly operators can scale up 5G while keeping services affordable for the next wave of users.
Europe: Consolidation, Spectrum Auctions & Tech Leadership Calls
Mergers and market scale: Europe’s telecom landscape saw an intensifying push for consolidation and efficiency. Industry CEOs argue that Europe’s telco market – with dozens of mid-sized operators – must scale up to compete globally. “Europe has 41 operators with over 0.5 million customers, versus just 5 in the U.S.,” Telefónica CEO Marc Murtra pointed out, calling on regulators to ease merger approvals [68]. This week provided a case in point: Vodafone Group struck a deal (alongside partner Digi) to acquire and split Telekom Romania Mobile, the country’s #3 carrier [69]. Vodafone will absorb the post-paid subscriber base and spectrum for roughly €30 million, while Digi takes the prepaid users, in a transaction totaling €70 million [70] [71]. With Romanian authorities signing off, Vodafone’s CEO Margherita Della Valle said the move “strengthens our position in Romania” by adding scale and precious spectrum assets [72]. More such deals are expected as EU telecom giants lobby for cross-border mergers – a notable shift after years of strict antitrust stance. Even the European Commission has signaled openness to “market-driven restructuring” to foster investment in 5G and fiber networks.
Spectrum and 6G planning: European regulators moved forward on freeing new airwaves for advanced mobile services. In the UK, Ofcom this month began the country’s first auction of high-band millimeter wave (mmWave) spectrum for 5G [73] [74]. Up for grabs is an unprecedented 6.25 GHz of bandwidth across the 26 GHz and 40 GHz bands – licenses aimed at enabling ultra-fast 5G in dense city centers, stadiums and industrial hubs [75]. Ofcom had spent the past year clearing incumbents (fixed wireless links) and vetting bidders, and the auction’s proceeds (while modest compared to mid-band 5G auctions) will pave the way for gigabit-speed wireless services in 2026. Elsewhere, Europe is looking ahead to 6G: the EU’s Radio Spectrum Policy Group is due to issue recommendations on whether to designate the upper 6 GHz band for mobile use. European operators warn that delay on 6 GHz could leave the EU behind the U.S. (which opened 6 GHz for Wi-Fi) and China (assigned it for 5G/6G) [76] [77]. A letter from 12 European telco CEOs in May urged Brussels to license the entire 6 GHz band for mobile to “secure Europe’s competitiveness” in 6G [78] [79]. With 6G research ramping up (expectations for commercial 6G ~2030 [80]), the region is keen not to repeat past spectrum lag issues.
Policy support and innovation: European telecom leaders also emphasized the need for renewed tech innovation coming from the continent. At ZTE’s Global Summit in Milan on Oct 6, former ITU Secretary-General Zhao Houlin delivered a wake-up call to Europe’s industry [81]. He noted that in past decades, Europe spearheaded wireless standards (GSM vs. U.S. CDMA), but today the U.S. and Asia lead in areas like AI and 5G development [82]. “Europe has a large pool of talented engineers and a large desire to lead. It is a problem,” Zhao observed of the region’s diminished voice in tech [83]. He urged European operators and vendors to re-engage in global innovation efforts, warning that the world expects more leadership from Europe [84] [85]. EU officials echo this sentiment: the European Commission is advancing a “Digital Decade” plan which includes ambitious targets for 5G coverage (100% of populated areas by 2030) and exploration of terahertz frequencies for beyond-5G use [86]. There’s also talk of a potential Big Tech network fee contribution in Europe – a controversial proposal to have tech giants help fund telecom infrastructure – which regulators are still debating. On the consumer front, Europe continued its gradual phase-out of old networks: most Western European countries have now shuttered 3G networks, and 2G shutdowns are tentatively planned by the end of the decade (with a few, like Germany and the UK, aiming for mid-2020s retirements) [87].
Outlook in Europe: European telcos saw a slight stock uptick recently on hopes that easier M&A and new revenue streams (like IoT and cloud services) will improve the sector’s fortunes [88]. The GSMA projects that by 2025, roughly two-thirds of Europe’s mobile connections will be on 4G/5G, as the last 3G users migrate and 5G adoption grows steadily. Executives like BT’s Philip Jansen tout the massive economic impact of next-gen networks – potentially “hundreds of billions” in GDP growth from 5G, fiber and IoT applications [89]. The message is clear: with the right policies and continued investment, Europe intends to remain a key player in the global telecom arena, even as competition from the U.S. and Asia heats up in the 6G era.
Asia: Rapid 5G Rollouts, Upgrades and Future Prep
India’s big 5G leap: India signaled a major milestone in its telecom self-reliance. On Oct 5, Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia announced that state-run BSNL’s new indigenous 4G network will be upgraded to 5G within 6–8 months [90] [91]. “Within the next six to eight months, we will be switching these 4G towers to 5G…and providing end-to-end 5G across India,” Scindia affirmed at a public forum [92]. This rapid upgrade is possible because BSNL’s 4G infrastructure – developed domestically by a TCS-led consortium – was built 5G-ready. It marks India’s entry into the exclusive club of nations with home-grown 4G/5G technology, a point Scindia highlighted by noting 4G was previously dominated by just five companies from four countries [93]. The Indian government has heavily backed BSNL as a strategic player to extend rural coverage and act as a “telecom innovation catalyst” [94]. Alongside BSNL’s plans, India’s regulator finalized plans for a massive spectrum auction covering everything from low 600 MHz bands to mid-band and high 26 GHz frequencies [95] [96]. Notably, it will be India’s first auction including the 6 GHz band earmarked for future 5G/6G services [97]. By opening so much spectrum and even letting enterprises bid for airwaves [98] [99], India hopes to supercharge 5G adoption, which is already above 100 million users just one year after launch.
Emerging Asia upgrades: Across Asia, countries are quickly moving to modernize networks. In Sri Lanka, regulators finally commenced the nation’s first ever 5G spectrum allocation on Oct 3 [100]. They issued a notice of spectrum assignment and plan to auction frequencies over ~40 days, aiming to wrap up by December and see Sri Lanka’s initial 5G services live by early 2026 [101]. This comes after years of delay and will enable Lankan operators to leap from 4G to cutting-edge 5G, which leaders say will unlock new apps from smart agriculture to tele-health [102]. In Southeast Asia, Malaysia’s U Mobile teamed with Huawei to launch a 5.5G innovation lab, and Thailand and Indonesia are expanding their 5G coverage in urban centers while eyeing 2026 timelines for 6G trials. Japan and South Korea, already 5G leaders, have started early R&D on 6G; Japan allocated ¥66 billion for 6G research and plans testbeds by 2025, while Korean carriers formed an alliance to develop 6G technologies with 1 Tbps target speeds. Even in Afghanistan, which had lagged, the largest operator Roshan announced a plan to modernize to 4G/5G over the next year with foreign investment, showing how pervasive the push for mobile broadband has become.
Middle East on the 5G fast track: (See next section)
Network shutdowns and quality: A number of Asian countries are also retiring older networks to free spectrum. Israel (technically in West Asia) grabbed attention by declaring it will completely switch off 2G and 3G by end of 2025 [103] [104]. This aggressive timeline matches moves in the Gulf states – e.g. Saudi Arabia and UAE are decommissioning 2G/3G in favor of an all-4G/5G environment. The challenge is ensuring no customers (or critical systems) are left disconnected; Israel is mandating all remaining users upgrade phones to VoLTE 4G by 2026. On the quality front, network experience remains a focus in Asia: recent analyses showed South Korea, Taiwan and Japan leading in 5G download speeds (often 300+ Mbps), while densely populated nations like India and the Philippines are working to add capacity to improve speeds and coverage consistency. Asia also continues to dominate in 5G subscriber volume – China alone has over 1 billion 5G subscriptions, and by 2025 Asia-Pacific will account for over half of global 5G users, according to GSMA forecasts. With huge populations coming online, the region’s operators are keenly aware of the need to expand coverage beyond cities. For instance, Indonesia’s Telkomsel this week announced a project to extend 4G/5G to thousands of rural villages in 2024 using open RAN technology and satellite backhaul. The overarching theme: Asia’s mobile industry is moving fast to build out 5G everywhere and lay the groundwork for 6G, while trying to ensure that no generation of technology leaves its population underserved.
Middle East: 5G Milestones, 2G/3G Phase-Outs & Satellite Links
5G finally arrives in Turkey: After years of delay, Turkey – one of the last major economies without commercial 5G – is on the verge of its 5G rollout. The government confirmed a 5G spectrum auction on October 16, 2025 [105], with all three mobile operators (Turkcell, Türk Telekom, and Vodafone Turkey) cleared to participate under existing licenses [106] [107]. Up for auction are 11 blocks of spectrum (total 400 MHz) across the 700 MHz and 3.5 GHz bands, with a minimum combined price set at about $2.1 billion [108] [109]. License conditions will require winners to launch 5G by April 1, 2026 [110] – a tight deadline reflecting Ankara’s urgency to catch up. Turkey’s current mobile licenses (2G/3G/“4.5G”) run until 2029, so the new 5G rights will overlap and then fold into a new regime that includes revenue-sharing with the state [111]. The auction news has generated excitement among Turkish consumers and businesses, who have been watching 5G deployments progress elsewhere. Neighboring Gulf countries like the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia have had 5G for 3+ years, so Turkey is eager not to be left behind in the emerging 5G economy (from smart cities to Industry 4.0).
Gulf leads in network upgrades: The oil-rich Gulf states continue to push the envelope on mobile tech. All major Gulf operators (in UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain) have deployed extensive 5G, and many are already testing 5G-Advanced (Release 18) features like improved MIMO and early network slicing use cases. Several Gulf nations are also among the first planning to shut down 2G networks entirely in the next 1–2 years. The UAE and Qatar have indicated 2G/GSM switch-off by 2026, focusing solely on 4G/5G, while Saudi Arabia will discontinue 3G in 2025 (having turned off 2G in 2022). This week the United Arab Emirates’ du announced a novel service: it became the first in the Middle East to enable direct emergency calls from 5G smartwatches without needing a phone, a safety feature leveraging its advanced 5G network and eSIM tech [112]. The adoption of wearable connectivity and IoT is high in the Gulf, so such innovations showcase how operators are marketing 5G not just as faster phones but as enabling new device ecosystems.
Cutting-edge use cases: A remarkable demonstration of 5G’s potential in healthcare came from Kuwait’s Zain. In early October, Zain revealed it had enabled a 12,000 km telesurgery – a doctor in Kuwait performed a live surgery on a patient in Brazil via an 80 Mbps ultralow-latency 5G connection [113]. This world-first achievement was hailed by Zain’s CEO as a “serious step toward a thriving digital future,” proving that 5G’s reliability can support critical, real-time applications across the globe [114]. The procedure, which used robotic surgical tools controlled remotely, was made possible by 5G’s combination of high bandwidth and sub-100ms latency. It underscores how Middle Eastern carriers are not only deploying 5G but leveraging it for bold new services (in telemedicine, smart transport, AR/VR tourism, etc.) with an eye toward differentiating themselves. Additionally, the region’s operators are active in 6G research collaborations (e.g. Etisalat is part of an ITU 6G focus group) and in shaping global standards, ensuring the Middle East will have a seat at the table for the next wireless generation.
Satellite connectivity and rural reach: Like elsewhere, Middle Eastern telecoms are embracing satellite partnerships to reach areas where terrestrial coverage is impractical (desert expanses, sea lanes, remote oil fields). e& (Etisalat) of the UAE partnered with Starlink to offer satellite broadband bundles to complement its mobile service. In Saudi Arabia, STC has been testing satellite IoT connectivity for pipeline monitoring. And this week Rwanda (often included in Middle East/Africa discussions due to telecom forums) announced plans to expand nationwide Starlink internet access, after licensing Starlink earlier in 2023 [115]. Rwanda is deploying Starlink kits at schools and health centers to boost rural connectivity. These moves mirror a trend across the Middle East and Africa: integrating low-earth-orbit satellites as a layer of the network. With Amazon’s Project Kuiper launching its first satellites and targeting global service by late 2025 [116], Middle Eastern operators may have additional options beyond Starlink. In fact, Vodacom (part of Vodafone Group, active in markets like Egypt) is already collaborating with Amazon to eventually use Kuiper’s LEO satellites for “enhanced 4G and 5G coverage” in Africa [117]. The Middle East’s rugged terrains and vast deserts make satellite backhaul an attractive solution to ensure even remote communities and offshore facilities stay connected.
Africa: Mobile Broadband Expansion and Satellite Ambitions
Upgrading networks in emerging markets: African telecom operators and governments took significant steps toward modernizing networks and expanding coverage. A notable development came from The Gambia, where the government approved a $95 million investment to revive Gamcel, the state-owned mobile provider [118]. Gamcel has fallen behind its rivals, still running on 2G/3G technology. “We are the only operator currently on 2G and 3G… Every other operator in this market has 4G or 5G,” Gamcel GM Fatou Fatty admitted, underscoring the urgent need to upgrade [119]. The new funding will allow Gamcel to convert all its cell sites to 4G and 5G, finally bringing it up to par with competitors and improving service for Gambian users. Similarly, countries like Nigeria, Kenya, and Uganda are in various stages of shutting down 3G and expanding 4G/5G. South Africa – the continent’s most advanced market – has set a plan to turn off 2G and 3G by 2027, though officials there warn affordable 4G handsets must be in place to avoid widening the digital divide [120]. To that end, South Africa’s operators have introduced entry-level smartphones under $20 and are refarming 2G spectrum into 4G to lower costs per bit.
Fiber and rural connectivity: Beyond mobile signals, broadband expansion is happening via fiber in underserved areas. On Oct 6, Nokia and South African ISP Fibertime announced a project to deploy fiber to 400,000 additional homes in South Africa’s townships and rural communities [121] [122]. This is part of Fibertime’s larger goal of reaching 2 million new households by 2028. They are using innovative “semi-mobile” fiber networks – essentially wireless distribution of fiber backhaul – to rapidly cover low-income areas with up to 950 Mbps internet service [123] [124]. “With Nokia’s support, we’re now connecting 1,200 households a day…with unlimited high-speed internet for as low as 5 rand (≃$0.26) per day,” said Fibertime CEO Danvig De Bruyn [125]. Users can pay via daily vouchers rather than contracts, an approach tailored to African market realities [126]. Nokia’s Sandy Motley noted that “reliable broadband is critical for thriving communities… yet too many remain unconnected because of where they live,” saying the new fiber solutions aim to change that [127]. In parallel, African governments are investing in backbone infrastructure like national fiber trunks and undersea cables (for example, the new 2Africa subsea cable landing around the continent) to improve capacity and reduce internet costs.
Satellite internet competition: Africa is becoming a testing ground for satellite internet services that can reach remote locales. Elon Musk’s Starlink service is already live in Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda, and more, delivering high-speed internet via satellite dishes. Now Amazon’s Project Kuiper is on the horizon, and at least one country is positioning to benefit early: Liberia. On Oct 6, Liberia’s telecom regulator (LTA) revealed it is reviewing licensing rules to allow new satellite operators like Kuiper to enter [128] [129]. Starlink only launched in Liberia in January and costs ~$40–50/month plus $390 equipment [130]. By inviting Amazon’s competitor, Liberia hopes to drive down prices and improve service through competition [131] [132]. U.S. officials are backing the move – the local U.S. Embassy pledged support for Liberia’s digital development and collaboration with Amazon [133]. “Broadening the range of service providers gives Liberians more choices… we’re dedicated to modernising our framework to make broadband more affordable for everyone,” the LTA stated [134]. Amazon’s Project Kuiper aims to deploy 3,236 LEO satellites, with beta services by late 2025, targeting schools, hospitals and businesses in unconnected areas worldwide [135]. If Liberia issues a license, it could become a pioneering test case in Africa for Kuiper. Meanwhile, South African-based Vodacom (major operator in Africa) is already working with Amazon to eventually use Kuiper satellites to extend 4G/5G coverage in rural parts of the continent [136] [137]. The coming “space race” between satellite broadband providers is expected to greatly benefit Africans in sparsely populated regions, effectively leapfrogging the need for towers in some cases.
Outlook: The African telecom sector is characterized by high growth potential – mobile internet usage is rising ~10% year-over-year – but also by stark gaps in access. The latest GSMA report noted only ~28% of Sub-Saharan Africans use mobile internet, despite around 50% being under a mobile broadband signal [138] [139]. Affordability (of devices and data plans) remains the biggest barrier. That’s why many of the week’s developments, from tax cuts on devices to low-cost fiber and new satellite options, circle back to the core issue of affordability. As GSMA’s Badrinath emphasized, connecting the offline population yields tremendous social and economic benefits [140]. There is cautious optimism that with continued investment and a mix of technologies (4G, 5G, fiber, satellite), Africa can make significant strides in closing its digital divide over the next decade.
Oceania: Focus on Network Resilience and Expansion
Emergency outage prompts action: In Oceania, a major incident underscored the importance of reliable telecom infrastructure. Australia’s Optus, the second-largest carrier, suffered a crippling outage of emergency call services in late September that left people unable to reach 0-0-0 (Australia’s 911) for over 13 hours [141]. Tragically, several individuals in need of urgent help could not connect; police later linked at least three deaths to the outage, including an infant, intensifying public outrage [142]. The failure occurred during a routine network firewall upgrade gone wrong [143]. In response, Optus CEO Kelly Bayer Rosmarin (and parent Singtel in Singapore) faced a grilling from authorities and launched an independent review of the network’s resilience [144]. “We will fully cooperate with any and all investigations,” Optus said, apologizing for the “completely unacceptable” breakdown [145] [146]. The Australian government has opened an inquiry and is exploring stricter outage-reporting rules and possible penalties for carriers that jeopardize critical services. This week, as a precaution, Optus also had to swiftly fix a second, shorter outage on Oct 7 that again affected some emergency calls for a few hours [147]. The incidents have prompted Australian telecom companies to bolster backup systems and improve communication with emergency operators. It’s a sober reminder in an advanced market that network upgrades must be rigorously tested to avoid life-threatening disruptions.
5G rollout and rural coverage: On the positive side, Australia and New Zealand continue to extend 5G coverage. Telstra (Australia) reports that its 5G network now reaches 85% of the population, including many regional towns. Telstra and Optus are both using low-band 5G (600 MHz and 850 MHz) to cover wider areas, and the Australian government’s Mobile Black Spot Program is co-funding new rural towers, some of which are 5G-enabled. In New Zealand, Spark and One NZ (Vodafone) have launched 5G in all major cities and are now testing 5G standalone cores. Both countries are also early adopters of 5G mmWave for high-capacity hotspots; in fact, this week Auckland, NZ saw a demo of 5G mmWave delivering 3 Gbps speeds at Eden Park stadium in preparation for future events. Another development is the rise of eSIM adoption in Australia – Telstra revealed it is now activating up to 1,000 eSIMs per day, as customers embrace embedded SIM tech for phones and wearables, partly due to security (harder to swap SIMs if stolen) [148]. This trend will facilitate easier carrier switching and more devices (like smartwatches) on mobile networks.
Pacific islands connectivity: In the broader Oceania region, small Pacific Island nations are getting attention from both mobile and satellite operators. This week, Vodafone Fiji announced it will launch 5G services by year-end 2025, which would make Fiji one of the first Pacific island countries with 5G. Still, for many islands, satellite remains crucial: companies like Kacific provide satellite internet to Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, and others. Starlink is also expanding in the Pacific – it recently went live in Tonga and the Cook Islands, dramatically improving internet speeds there. These satellite services are helping to backstop fragile undersea cables that connect the islands (which can be broken by earthquakes). Australia and New Zealand, as regional supporters, are funding projects to improve Pacific telecom resilience, including backup satellite links and new subsea cables to places like Samoa.
Outlook in Oceania: The twin priorities are network resiliency and 5G expansion. The Optus saga has prompted a government review that will likely mandate tougher safeguards for emergency communications (perhaps requiring carriers to have roaming agreements or battery backups so calls can go through even if one network fails). At the same time, Australia is preparing for the next big spectrum moves – a auction of 6G-suitable spectrum (like 3.7 GHz and 4.5 GHz bands) is on the horizon, and research institutions there are active in global 6G trials. With relatively high smartphone usage and data consumption, Oceania stands to benefit early from new wireless tech – so long as reliability keeps pace. As one Australian senator put it after summoning telco CEOs to Parliament: “5G innovation means little if people can’t dial triple-zero in a crisis. We need both cutting-edge tech and rock-solid dependability.”
Sources: Key information was drawn from a variety of reputable telecom news outlets, industry reports, and official statements, including Reuters [149] [150], Mobile World Live [151] [152], TelecomTV/Telecoms.com [153] [154], government and operator press releases, and the GSMA’s official reports [155]. These sources provide a comprehensive view of the global mobile ecosystem’s latest developments as of October 6–7, 2025.
References
1. www.bez-kabli.pl, 2. www.bez-kabli.pl, 3. www.bez-kabli.pl, 4. www.bez-kabli.pl, 5. www.bez-kabli.pl, 6. www.bez-kabli.pl, 7. www.bez-kabli.pl, 8. www.bez-kabli.pl, 9. www.bez-kabli.pl, 10. www.bez-kabli.pl, 11. www.bez-kabli.pl, 12. www.mobileworldlive.com, 13. www.mobileworldlive.com, 14. www.mobileworldlive.com, 15. www.mobileworldlive.com, 16. www.bez-kabli.pl, 17. www.bez-kabli.pl, 18. www.bez-kabli.pl, 19. www.mobileworldlive.com, 20. www.mobileworldlive.com, 21. www.mobileworldlive.com, 22. www.mobileworldlive.com, 23. www.bez-kabli.pl, 24. www.bez-kabli.pl, 25. www.bez-kabli.pl, 26. www.bez-kabli.pl, 27. news.broadcastmediaafrica.com, 28. news.broadcastmediaafrica.com, 29. www.bez-kabli.pl, 30. www.bez-kabli.pl, 31. www.bez-kabli.pl, 32. www.bez-kabli.pl, 33. www.bez-kabli.pl, 34. www.bez-kabli.pl, 35. www.bez-kabli.pl, 36. www.bez-kabli.pl, 37. www.bez-kabli.pl, 38. www.reuters.com, 39. www.reuters.com, 40. www.bez-kabli.pl, 41. www.mondaq.com, 42. www.mondaq.com, 43. www.mondaq.com, 44. www.bez-kabli.pl, 45. www.bez-kabli.pl, 46. www.bez-kabli.pl, 47. www.bez-kabli.pl, 48. www.mobileworldlive.com, 49. www.mobileworldlive.com, 50. www.mobileworldlive.com, 51. www.mobileworldlive.com, 52. www.mobileworldlive.com, 53. www.bez-kabli.pl, 54. www.bez-kabli.pl, 55. www.reuters.com, 56. www.reuters.com, 57. www.reuters.com, 58. www.reuters.com, 59. www.reuters.com, 60. www.reuters.com, 61. www.rcrwireless.com, 62. www.rcrwireless.com, 63. www.rcrwireless.com, 64. www.rcrwireless.com, 65. www.mobileworldlive.com, 66. www.mobileworldlive.com, 67. bebeez.eu, 68. www.bez-kabli.pl, 69. www.bez-kabli.pl, 70. www.bez-kabli.pl, 71. www.bez-kabli.pl, 72. www.bez-kabli.pl, 73. www.bez-kabli.pl, 74. www.bez-kabli.pl, 75. www.bez-kabli.pl, 76. www.reuters.com, 77. www.reuters.com, 78. www.reuters.com, 79. www.reuters.com, 80. www.reuters.com, 81. www.mobileworldlive.com, 82. www.mobileworldlive.com, 83. www.mobileworldlive.com, 84. www.mobileworldlive.com, 85. www.mobileworldlive.com, 86. www.bez-kabli.pl, 87. www.bez-kabli.pl, 88. www.bez-kabli.pl, 89. www.bez-kabli.pl, 90. economictimes.indiatimes.com, 91. economictimes.indiatimes.com, 92. economictimes.indiatimes.com, 93. economictimes.indiatimes.com, 94. economictimes.indiatimes.com, 95. www.bez-kabli.pl, 96. www.bez-kabli.pl, 97. www.bez-kabli.pl, 98. www.bez-kabli.pl, 99. www.bez-kabli.pl, 100. www.bez-kabli.pl, 101. www.bez-kabli.pl, 102. www.bez-kabli.pl, 103. www.bez-kabli.pl, 104. www.bez-kabli.pl, 105. www.bez-kabli.pl, 106. www.bez-kabli.pl, 107. www.bez-kabli.pl, 108. www.bez-kabli.pl, 109. www.bez-kabli.pl, 110. www.bez-kabli.pl, 111. www.bez-kabli.pl, 112. www.bez-kabli.pl, 113. www.bez-kabli.pl, 114. www.bez-kabli.pl, 115. news.broadcastmediaafrica.com, 116. news.broadcastmediaafrica.com, 117. news.broadcastmediaafrica.com, 118. www.bez-kabli.pl, 119. www.bez-kabli.pl, 120. www.reuters.com, 121. www.telecoms.com, 122. www.telecoms.com, 123. www.telecoms.com, 124. www.telecoms.com, 125. www.telecoms.com, 126. www.telecoms.com, 127. www.telecoms.com, 128. news.broadcastmediaafrica.com, 129. news.broadcastmediaafrica.com, 130. news.broadcastmediaafrica.com, 131. news.broadcastmediaafrica.com, 132. news.broadcastmediaafrica.com, 133. news.broadcastmediaafrica.com, 134. news.broadcastmediaafrica.com, 135. news.broadcastmediaafrica.com, 136. news.broadcastmediaafrica.com, 137. news.broadcastmediaafrica.com, 138. www.bez-kabli.pl, 139. www.bez-kabli.pl, 140. www.bez-kabli.pl, 141. www.bez-kabli.pl, 142. www.reuters.com, 143. www.reuters.com, 144. www.bez-kabli.pl, 145. www.reuters.com, 146. www.bez-kabli.pl, 147. www.reuters.com, 148. www.whistleout.com.au, 149. www.reuters.com, 150. www.reuters.com, 151. www.mobileworldlive.com, 152. www.bez-kabli.pl, 153. www.bez-kabli.pl, 154. www.telecoms.com, 155. www.bez-kabli.pl
