Global Telecom Shake-Up: 5G Surges, Satellites Soar, and Outages Spark Outrage (Sept 24

Fiber milestone in UK: Openreach hit 20 million homes passed with full-fiber broadband, but only ~38% have upgraded from copper. CEO Clive Selley urged users to switch, saying “being online isn’t a luxury – it’s a lifeline” ^[1] ^[2].
5G and 6G moves: Nokia and Boldyn Networks launched a private 5G network in one of Europe’s deepest mines, proving 5G a “game-changer” underground ^[3] ^[4]. In the U.S., Verizon formed a 6G Innovation Forum with Samsung, Nokia, Ericsson, and others to jumpstart next-gen wireless development ^[5].
Satellite internet expansion: Senegal announced a deal (likely with Starlink) to blanket the entire country with satellite broadband by end of 2025 ^[6] ^[7]. Meanwhile, India’s government gave SpaceX’s Starlink a go-ahead to operate – marking India’s first satellite ISP – but capped it at 2 million user connections nationwide ^[8] ^[9].
Big moves in orbit: Amazon launched 27 more Project Kuiper satellites on Sept 25, pushing its planned 3,200-satellite constellation forward (over 100 Kuiper sats now in orbit) ^[10] ^[11]. Rival AST SpaceMobile grabbed headlines as reports said billionaire Carlos Slim is upping his investment – potentially $22 billion – in AST, after Slim’s América Móvil ditched a Starlink deal amid a public spat with Elon Musk ^[12] ^[13].
MNO market shake-ups: Pakistan’s regulator is blocking the sale of Telenor’s Pakistan mobile unit to competitor PTCL, citing competition and compliance issues; officials doubt the merger can proceed on time ^[14]. (In Europe, consolidation buzz continued as Vodafone and Digi agreed to acquire Telekom Romania’s remaining assets a few days prior ^[15].)
Internet outages & resilience: A catastrophic Optus outage in Australia (triggered by a botched firewall upgrade) knocked out emergency 000 calls for 13 hours, tragically linked to four deaths ^[16] ^[17]. Public anger is high – the Prime Minister blasted the failure as “completely unacceptable” ^[18]. Optus’s parent Singtel apologized and appointed an independent inquiry led by industry veteran Kerry Schott to investigate what went wrong and prevent repeats ^[19] ^[20].
Expert insights: A new international study revealed 5G hasn’t yet delivered the huge leap over 4G that marketing promised. In tests across eight cities, many 5G networks showed “little or no improvement compared to LTE” in latency or reliability ^[21] ^[22]. Researchers cautioned against rushing into 6G on mere hype, warning of “wasted investment and unmet public expectations” if fundamentals like coverage gaps and backhaul aren’t fixed first ^[23]. Industry voices echoed the need to focus on real-world performance: “5G seems mature in major cities, but … consistently superior performance, not yet,” one researcher noted ^[24].
Analysts’ outlook: Bank of America analysts estimated the total addressable market for wireless connectivity (cellular + satellite) at ~$200 billion annually ^[25]. They see satellite direct-to-device services complementing terrestrial networks to fill dead zones and connect the ~2.7 billion unconnected people ^[26] ^[27]. If AST SpaceMobile and peers capture even 25% of that wireless market, it could equate to ~$15 billion/year in revenue ^[28]. Telco executives are optimistic: “In areas where <1% of people live and work, if we can build satellite capabilities for customers to do all the things they love on a terrestrial network, then we want to be there,” said AT&T’s network chief on partnering with AST ^[29]. Forecasts aside, the 5G rollout keeps expanding – an industry report counts 644 operators in 191 countries investing in 5G today ^[30] – even as the race to 6G and global satellite broadband intensifies.

Telecom and Mobile Broadband Developments

UK hits fiber 20M milestone: The UK’s broadband infrastructure just marked a major achievement. Openreach (BT’s networking arm) announced that 20 million homes and businesses are now passed by full-fiber lines, meaning they can order gigabit-speed fiber-to-the-premises service ^[31]. This nationwide upgrade spans from the far north of Scotland’s Fair Isle down to Cornwall in the south ^[32]. Openreach calls it the largest, fastest fiber build in Europe, now reaching 1 million new premises every three months ^[33]. Despite the vast rollout, only ~38% of eligible customers have switched to fiber so far, with many still on slower copper DSL ^[34]. Openreach CEO Clive Selley urged people to upgrade, noting in 2025 “being online isn’t a luxury – it’s a lifeline. From booking GP appointments to applying for jobs…digital connectivity is the gateway to opportunity”, and full-fiber makes that gateway far faster and more reliable ^[35]. He also cautioned that upgrades don’t happen automatically – users must contact providers to get switched over ^[36]. Openreach plans to keep expanding fiber to 30 million premises by 2030, including the hardest-to-reach rural areas ^[37]. The CEO called for continued industry and government support (e.g. help with rural build costs, faster permits, access to apartment buildings, and a stable regulatory environment) to “finish the job” of nationwide fiber ^[38].

Global broadband access efforts: Around the world, telecom players are pushing to extend fast internet access. For example, in Vietnam, state-run VNPT just acquired a nationwide 700 MHz spectrum license in a September auction. This low-band spectrum (703–713 MHz paired with 758–768 MHz) will “bolster 4G and 5G coverage, particularly in rural and hard-to-reach regions,” officials said ^[39] ^[40]. Vietnam’s regulator noted that with this auction, the country’s mobile spectrum capacity jumped 94% since 2020, helping Vietnam climb to 4th in Southeast Asia for available mobile bandwidth ^[41]. The 700 MHz band, once used for analog TV, is prized for wide coverage and indoor penetration, making it “key to improving connectivity and digital transformation,” the regulator added ^[42] ^[43]. The new frequencies will support Vietnam’s goals of 99% population coverage by 2030 and new IoT/smart city services on 5G ^[44]. Similarly in India, state-owned telco BSNL announced it will finally roll out 5G in major cities (like Delhi and Mumbai) by end of 2025, aiming to catch up after private rivals launched 5G a year ago. These developments underscore the global momentum in upgrading both wired and wireless broadband infrastructure to connect more people with high-speed internet.

5G and 6G Infrastructure Rollouts & Partnerships

Private 5G goes underground: Nokia and infrastructure operator Boldyn Networks have teamed up to deploy a cutting-edge private 5G network in a Finnish mine, showcasing how 5G can transform even the harshest industrial environments. The project at the Callio FutureMINE site – a former copper mine reaching 1.5 km deep – provides a real-world testbed for mining tech ^[45]. Stable communication underground is notoriously difficult due to depth, twisting tunnels, and heavy machinery, but the new 5G network now delivers robust connectivity across multiple levels and kilometers of tunnels ^[46]. The Boldyn-designed network uses Nokia’s Modular Private Wireless kit and is built to survive extreme conditions. It enables remote control of autonomous mining vehicles and machines from the surface, meaning operators no longer need to descend into dangerous depths ^[47] ^[48]. It even replaces legacy walkie-talkies, so miners can communicate seamlessly anywhere in the mine – or even from above ground – via 5G handsets ^[49]. The high bandwidth also lets tech firm Cybercube test 3D mapping and real-time positioning over the network, creating a “digital twin” of the mine to monitor people and equipment in real time ^[50]. Nokia’s Michael Aspinall said “mining is one of the toughest environments on Earth for connectivity, and private 5G is proving to be a game-changer”, making operations “safer, more sustainable, and more efficient” ^[51]. Boldyn’s Jaakko Kuukka added that the dedicated 5G network is the “backbone of Callio’s vision for a fully automated test mine,” supporting tele-remote vehicles and real-time control in realistic conditions without disrupting active mines ^[52]. This deployment underscores how industrial 5G networks can deliver ultra-reliable, secure coverage where public networks or Wi-Fi fall short – 90% of underground mining work could eventually be done from the surface thanks to such networks, according to mining tech firm Normet ^[53]. Experts note open Wi-Fi or shared public networks simply “don’t work reliably underground” due to latency and dropouts, whereas a purpose-built 5G network provides the needed low-latency, high-performance link ^[54].

Verizon rallies the industry for 6G: Looking beyond 5G, U.S. carrier Verizon announced it has formed a “6G Innovation Forum” – a high-profile partnership aimed at shaping the next generation of wireless. Unveiled on Sept 24, the forum brings together some of the world’s tech giants: network vendors like Ericsson, Nokia, and Samsung, as well as leading device, silicon and software players (reports suggest Qualcomm, Google, Apple’s technology partners, and even Meta are involved) ^[55] ^[56]. The collaborative group’s mission is to advance 6G research and standards, ensuring the industry aligns on key technologies and use cases for networks that won’t roll out until 2030 or so. While details are limited (full articles are behind paywalls), Verizon’s move signals that planning for 6G is accelerating. The company has hinted at areas like AI-native network design, terahertz spectrum, XR (extended reality) applications, and network sensing as potential 6G hallmarks. Notably, Verizon’s forum comes on the heels of similar alliances in Asia and Europe – for instance, Japan and South Korea have national 6G R&D programs, and the EU has launched its Hexa-X initiative – but Verizon is trying to galvanize a broad industry coalition including U.S. and international partners. This could help influence global 6G standards early on. Qualcomm’s CEO recently predicted 6G could debut in 2028 for early users ^[57], and indeed companies are starting to sketch out 6G’s contours even as 5G still rolls out. Verizon’s forum shows the competitive stakes: no one wants to fall behind in the race to define the next wireless era.

Global 5G rollout status: While 6G visions take shape, 5G deployment continues worldwide. According to the Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA), as of September 2025 there are 644 operators in 191 countries investing in 5G networks (testing, deploying, or expanding service) ^[58]. Hundreds of operators have live 5G already, from big cities to rural areas via fixed wireless. Yet, real-world performance of 5G is under scrutiny. As noted, a comprehensive study across Europe/North America found that 5G’s user experience varies widely by operator and location – in some cities or on some carriers, 5G delivers blazing speeds and lower latency, but elsewhere it offers little improvement over 4G ^[59] ^[60]. Factors like what spectrum band is used (low-band 5G may feel like 4G, whereas high-band mmWave can be extremely fast but has limited coverage) and how densely sites are deployed make a big difference ^[61]. The study’s authors urge carriers to optimize current 5G networks – e.g. filling coverage gaps, adding small cells, using edge computing – to ensure consistently better performance than LTE before leaping to the next generation ^[62] ^[63]. In short, 5G is here, but not yet fully delivering on its promise everywhere. Telecom leaders seem to acknowledge this reality. For instance, T-Mobile (USA)’s President of Technology Ulf Ewaldsson, celebrating a $2 billion 5G expansion in Florida, emphasized not just speed but network resiliency – hardening cell sites against hurricanes and using satellite backup for disaster response ^[64] ^[65]. “We’re not done yet… we’re on track to deliver an even better network experience – years before anyone else,” Ewaldsson said, touting T-Mobile’s lead in standalone 5G and direct-to-satellite connectivity ^[66]. His comments reflect how carriers are focusing on reliability and coverage as much as raw speed, so that 5G truly makes a difference in critical moments.

Satellite GSM & Mobile Internet Services

Senegal’s nation-wide satellite internet plan: At the UN General Assembly in New York, Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye announced a bold agreement to cover all of Senegal with satellite broadband by end of 2025 ^[67]. Speaking at an Africa business event on Sept 22, he said the government has signed a deal with a satellite operator to provide “full nationwide internet coverage” with “perfect redundancy for higher-quality connectivity” ^[68]. Though the operator wasn’t named, all signs point to SpaceX’s Starlink as the partner – Starlink had already opened pre-orders in Senegal and planned a 2025 launch pending approval ^[69]. The initiative is part of Senegal’s “New Deal Technologique” to bridge the digital divide. Right now, only 3% of rural Senegalese households have home internet, versus ~44% in urban Dakar ^[70] ^[71]. By beaming connectivity via low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellites to remote areas (the “white zones”), Senegal hopes to leapfrog expensive fiber builds and quickly bring rural communities online ^[72] ^[73]. The government has laid 6,000 km of fiber already, but many villages remain far from terrestrial backbones ^[74]. President Faye underscored that universal internet access is crucial for “reducing digital inequalities” and powering startups and e-government. In addition to satellite coverage, Senegal is launching a national innovation hub, a digital governance program (GovNum), and startup support laws ^[75]. If successful, Senegal’s partnership with Starlink (or a similar LEO provider) could make it one of the first African nations with ubiquitous internet availability, boosting both inclusion and economic modernization ^[76].

India’s green light to Starlink – with limits: In a significant policy shift, India’s Department of Telecom (DoT) granted Starlink provisional spectrum approval to start satellite internet services in the country ^[77]. This marks the first time any company is authorized to offer consumer satellite broadband in India’s vast market ^[78]. However, the blessing comes with a big string attached: the government is capping Starlink at 20 lakh (2 million) connections maximum across India ^[79]. India’s Minister of State for Telecom, Chandra Pemmasani, insisted on the limit, likely to protect local telecom players and manage spectrum use ^[80]. For Starlink, which typically aims for tens of millions of users globally, a 2 million cap in a country of 1.4 billion people is a constraint – yet even reaching that many Indian subscribers would be significant. Starlink said it’s moving full speed ahead: it plans to build 20 earth stations (teleport gateways) throughout India to downlink the satellite data ^[81]. The company is in talks with Indian data center operators (like Sify, STT, and CtrlS), internet exchanges (DE-CIX, Extreme IX), fiber providers, and telcos (Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio, Tata Comm) to host these ground stations and integrate with the national network ^[82]. The hub is expected in Mumbai ^[83]. A DoT official noted Starlink already had “provisional spectrum… a few days back” and initial plans for 10 gateway sites ^[84]. In short, India is cautiously opening the door to LEO satellite internet – an about-face from two years ago, when it cracked down on Starlink pre-sales ^[85] ^[86]. For rural India’s connectivity, this could be transformative: satellite service can reach far-flung villages where fiber or even 4G is absent. But by imposing a user cap, regulators seem keen to balance innovation with oversight – essentially piloting Starlink’s impact before a wider rollout. It’s also possible the cap could be revisited later. Notably, India’s move comes as it also explores its own satcom projects and pushes local licensing for foreign operators (OneWeb, co-owned by an Indian conglomerate, is also entering the market). For now, Starlink’s limited foray will be closely watched as a test of how satellite internet can coexist with traditional telecom in the developing world.

LEO mega-constellations ramp up: The battle of low-Earth orbit networks heated up over these days. Amazon’s Project Kuiper achieved a milestone launch on Sept 25, sending up 27 new satellites aboard a ULA Atlas V rocket from Florida ^[87]. Liftoff occurred at 8:09 AM ET and was broadcast live as Amazon inches closer to offering its own satellite broadband service ^[88]. This was Amazon’s fifth launch for Kuiper, bringing its total deployed satellites to 102 (after 2 earlier test sats and three batches on Atlas V and SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets) ^[89]. The ultimate goal: a 3,236-satellite constellation in LEO to provide global high-speed internet, directly competing with SpaceX Starlink. The 27 new Kuiper craft will use onboard propulsion to reach their 630 km orbit after deployment ^[90]. Amazon has secured over 80 launches to build out Kuiper, using Atlas V, Ariane 6, Blue Origin’s upcoming New Glenn, and Falcon 9 ^[91]. The Atlas V for this mission flew in its powerful 551 configuration (5 solid boosters) to carry the heavy payload ^[92]. Amazon has been testing prototype user antennas and recently signed JetBlue as the first airline customer of Kuiper (aiming to offer in-flight Wi-Fi) ^[93] ^[94]. As Jeff Bezos’s venture accelerates deployment – it must launch half the constellation by 2026 per FCC rules – SpaceX’s Starlink isn’t standing still either. In fact, SpaceX made a major spectrum acquisition earlier in September, agreeing to buy EchoStar’s wireless spectrum licenses for $17 billion to bolster Starlink’s coming Direct-to-Cell service ^[95]. That deal gives SpaceX valuable S-band/2 GHz frequencies (the AWS-4 and H-block) ideal for connecting standard mobile phones to satellites, and signals Elon Musk’s intent to make Starlink a hybrid satellite-cellular network to serve phones without special antennas ^[96] ^[97]. With SpaceX gearing up to test direct-to-phone texting via satellites (in partnership with T-Mobile in the US) and Amazon planning similar capabilities, the race to cover every inch of the globe – and every user device – with connectivity is truly on.

AST SpaceMobile’s big bet in Latin America: One of the companies chasing the satellite-to-phone dream, AST SpaceMobile, got a vote of confidence from telecom magnate Carlos Slim. According to reports on Sept 23, Slim – owner of América Móvil (Latin America’s largest mobile group) – is “investing more cash” in AST, potentially a $22 billion injection (spread over various ventures) ^[98]. Slim already was an AST stakeholder and his son sits on AST’s board, but this rumored boost would deepen the partnership. The context: in March, América Móvil canceled a planned deal with Starlink that would have bundled Starlink’s satellite internet with AM’s cellular services in Latin countries ^[99]. That very public breakup followed a bizarre episode where Elon Musk insinuated Carlos Slim had illicit ties in Mexico – prompting Slim to pull the plug on cooperating with Starlink ^[100]. Now Slim appears to be throwing his weight behind Starlink’s rival, AST SpaceMobile. If a tie-up materializes, América Móvil (which operates in 25 countries and serves 300+ million mobile customers) could integrate AST’s direct-to-cell satellites into its networks ^[101] ^[102]. In effect, AM’s cell towers would be augmented by AST’s BlueBird satellites, extending coverage to remote areas and improving service resiliency using satellite links. For AST, having Latin America’s largest carrier on board is huge – it secures a vast built-in market for its services. AST has already demonstrated the first satellite cell phone calls and data sessions (its BlueWalker 3 test satellite achieved a 4G phone call direct to an unmodified smartphone in 2023). Now it’s deploying its first 5 commercial satellites (launched this month) and targeting limited commercial service in 2024 ^[103]. Industry analysts see a “$200 billion” TAM (total market) for direct-to-device satellite services globally ^[104], and Slim clearly doesn’t want to cede that to Musk. By pivoting from Starlink to AST, América Móvil also ensures it can control the customer experience and branding of satellite connectivity as just another feature of its own network, rather than sending users to Starlink. This satellite turf war in Latin America illustrates how LEO broadband isn’t just about rural internet anymore – it’s now entwined with mainstream mobile operators’ strategies. As one bank report noted, LEO operators are “potentially targeting every dollar” of the telcos’ revenue, so in response telcos may partner with or invest in the satellite players ^[105] ^[106]. We’re seeing that play out with AST and Slim.

Mergers in the satellite sector: Along similar lines of consolidation, satellite operators SES and Intelsat officially completed their $3.1 billion merger just before this news cycle (the deal closed in mid-Sept). The combined SES–Intelsat now boasts a fleet of ~120 satellites (90 geostationary and 30 medium-Earth orbit) ^[107] ^[108], instantly creating a “global multi-orbit connectivity powerhouse” in the words of SES’s CEO ^[109] ^[110]. The rationale: by joining forces, these traditional satcom companies can better compete against the new LEO giants (Starlink, Kuiper) by offering integrated GEO+MEO networks with greater scale and financial strength ^[111] ^[112]. SES’s CEO Adel Al-Saleh said the merged firm will invest in IoT, direct-to-device (D2D) comms, and other new services – they even inked a deal this year with Lynk Global to fund and resell its cellphone-compatible nano-satellites ^[113]. Regulators like the FCC approved the merger partly because they see LEO constellations dominating key markets like cellular backhaul and in-flight Wi-Fi in the future, so strengthening GEO/MEO players could help keep competition alive ^[114] ^[115]. At a celebratory event on Sept 22, SES heralded the acquisition as ushering in a “new era for global satellite connectivity.” This trend of satellite industry consolidation – alongside deepening partnerships between satellite ventures and mobile operators – underscores that the lines between “space internet” and terrestrial telecom are blurring.

Regulatory Updates, Spectrum Auctions & Policy Decisions

Pakistan blocks a telco merger: In Pakistan, a high-profile deal to merge two major operators has hit a wall. Telenor Pakistan, the local subsidiary of Norway’s Telenor Group, had agreed to sell its mobile business to PTCL (Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd, partly owned by Etisalat of UAE). But as of Sept 23, the sale is in jeopardy ^[116]. Pakistani regulators raised competition and compliance concerns, effectively casting doubt on whether the merger can go ahead ^[117]. The government is worried about reduced competition – Telenor is one of the country’s top four carriers, and merging it with PTCL’s Ufone would consolidate market share. There may also be national security vetting involved, given a foreign company (Etisalat) would gain a larger stake. Officials indicated even if approved, the deal won’t close anytime soon ^[118]. This puts Telenor in a tough spot: the company has been looking to exit Pakistan due to fierce price wars and depreciating currency hitting profits. For consumers and the industry, the blocked merger maintains the status quo of four mobile operators (Jazz, Zong, Telenor, Ufone) for now. The news also reflects a broader trend – many countries are scrutinizing telecom mergers closely. In the EU, for instance, regulators are debating how far to allow consolidation (operators argue the need for scale to fund 5G/6G). Just this month, EU telco groups lobbied for easier M&A rules, saying Europe’s fragmented market (100+ carriers) hampers 5G investment ^[119]. But authorities fear higher prices if too many operators combine. In Pakistan’s case, the government seems unwilling to rush a deal that might lessen competition or face political backlash (especially with elections on the horizon). The outcome remains uncertain – Telenor may seek better terms or a different buyer, or regulators could impose conditions to preserve competition (like spectrum concessions). For now, the message is that telecom consolidation is not a sure bet, even in emerging markets.

U.S. spectrum policy reboot: In the United States, a significant telecom policy development occurred as Congress extended the FCC’s spectrum auction authority through 2034 ^[120]. This authority had actually lapsed earlier in 2023, halting the FCC’s ability to auction more frequencies for mobile services – a situation industry leaders warned could stall 5G/6G progress. Lawmakers not only renewed the auction power but also mandated a focus on mid-band airwaves: the legislation directs identification of 800 MHz of new mid-band spectrum for auction in coming years ^[121]. Mid-band (roughly 1–7 GHz) is prime real estate for 5G because it balances coverage and capacity. The FCC will likely target bands like 3.1–3.45 GHz, 4.8 GHz, 7 GHz and others for future 5G uses ^[122]. The renewal (passed around Sept 22) sparked debate in Washington: mobile carriers and the FCC chair celebrate it as securing the pipeline of spectrum for 5G and eventually 6G, while defense agencies and satellite stakeholders want to ensure their incumbent spectrum uses are protected. This new law, part of a larger budget bill, effectively jump-starts the next wave of U.S. spectrum auctions – we can expect auctions for the 3.3–3.45 GHz band perhaps in 2026, and possibly higher bands later. The policy also includes funding for clearing federal users off some frequencies. For the public, the outcome should be more airwaves for mobile broadband, which translates to faster and more reliable wireless service over the next decade. The long timeline (authority to 2034) gives industry players certainty that the 6G era will have government-backed spectrum resources. It’s a reminder that while flashy tech like satellites and 6G prototypes grab headlines, the boring but vital regulatory work of freeing up spectrum is what makes our wireless future possible.

EU and other global policies: Elsewhere, regulators are grappling with new tech’s implications. In Europe, spectrum for direct-to-device satellite services is a hot topic – the UK’s Ofcom, for example, is pushing to authorize satellite-to-phone services “as early as next year”, seeing a chance to lead in that area ^[123]. This involves figuring out how satellites and terrestrial networks can share bands without interference. The upcoming World Radiocommunication Conference 2027 (WRC-27) is flagged as crucial for setting those rules globally ^[124]. Another trend is universal service and internet access as a right: from the EU discussing a “gigabit mandate” to the UN advocating universal connectivity by 2030. And in the realm of online content, countries continue tightening digital regulations – e.g. the UK’s Online Safety Act, which recently prompted U.S. tech firms (like Reddit and Wikimedia) to sue Ofcom claiming it overreaches ^[125]. All these policy moves, while not as flashy as a rocket launch or 6G demo, will shape how the telecom industry evolves and how people experience the internet in daily life.

Mobile Network Operator News: Mergers, Acquisitions & Expansions

Romania’s telecom shake-up: Just before this week, Vodafone and Digi agreed to acquire Telekom Romania’s remaining assets, in a deal reflecting ongoing consolidation in Eastern Europe ^[126]. Telekom Romania (formerly owned by OTE/Deutsche Telekom) has been selling off units – last year Orange bought its fixed-line business. Now Vodafone (which is strong in mobile) and Digi (a fast-growing local operator) are teaming up to split the rest, including Telekom’s mobile subscriber base. The move, announced Sept 19, will eliminate the Telekom brand in Romania and likely elevate Vodafone to a co-lead position in the market alongside Orange. It shows how even in mid-sized markets, operators are combining forces to achieve scale. EU regulators will review the deal, but it aligns with the trend of reducing four-player markets to three in pursuit of better margins and network investment. For Romanian consumers, the hope is improved 5G rollout and service quality as the new entities invest, though some worry about reduced competition.

Emerging markets expansions: In India, aside from BSNL’s planned 5G launch, the private telcos Jio and Airtel continue their 5G rollout blitz – each has surpassed 10,000 towns covered and are now pushing into villages with 5G fixed wireless access for home broadband. Jio announced a partnership with OneWeb (LEO satellite venture) to use satellite backhaul for connecting remote 4G/5G cell sites, complementing its fiber backbone. In Africa, MTN Group and Airtel Africa have been expanding 4G/5G in rural areas via innovative schemes like cross-border network sharing and using cheaper OpenRAN hardware to lower costs. The GSMA Mobile Internet Connectivity report for 2025 (released at the UN GA) highlighted that 4 billion people now use mobile internet, but 3.4 billion are still offline, mostly in developing regions. Telcos are rolling out low-cost smartphone programs, hybrid satellite-terrestrial networks, and mobile financial services to drive adoption among the next billion users.

M&A hurdles and government stakes: In some markets, governments have stepped in regarding telecom M&A. For example, in South Africa, regulators have been mulling Telkom’s fate as it seeks a merger or buyout – a proposed takeover by MTN was scrapped last year due to antitrust issues, and now new bidders (like a consortium backed by the government) have emerged, highlighting how strategic telecom assets are. Meanwhile, Malaysia completed the merger of Celcom and Digi in 2022 (creating a new market leader), and this week reports suggest Thailand is close to approving a merger between True and DTAC after lengthy deliberations. Brazil is integrating Oi’s mobile users after the asset split among Telefônica (Vivo), Claro, and TIM – competition authorities are monitoring to ensure the three remaining big carriers invest in coverage as promised. Overall, while the pace of operator M&A varies by country, the economic pressure of heavy 5G and fiber investments is driving many to consolidate or seek partnerships for network sharing. Regulators are caught in the middle, balancing the benefits of scale (faster rollout, lower costs per user) against the need for competition to protect consumers. This delicate dance was on display in Pakistan’s Telenor-PTCL case, and will continue to be a major theme in telecom news.

Internet Access Technology: Breakthroughs and Outages

Deadly outage in Australia: A stark reminder of how critical telecom networks are came with the Optus emergency outage in Australia. On Sept 18, Optus (the #2 mobile operator) experienced a massive network failure that disrupted voice calls, SMS, and most alarmingly, access to emergency services (000) for many customers ^[127]. The 13-hour outage affected about 10 million users. Tragically, it’s believed that four people died when they could not reach ambulances or police in time due to failed calls ^[128] ^[129]. Among the victims reportedly was an 8-week-old baby in Queensland and a woman suffering a medical episode – their family members kept dialing 000 from Optus phones but couldn’t get through ^[130]. The incident has been attributed to human error during a routine network firewall upgrade ^[131]. According to Optus CEO Kelly Bayer Rosmarin (who has since resigned over the incident), an employee did not follow established protocols when updating the firewall software, causing a cascade of failures in routing calls ^[132]. The outage knocked out Optus’s interconnect with emergency call centers in at least two states and the Northern Territory ^[133]. Backup systems also failed to kick in properly. Public outrage and government scrutiny were swift. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said it was “completely unacceptable” for 000 calls to be unavailable ^[134], and the federal communications minister summoned Optus’s parent company Singtel for an explanation ^[135].

In response, Optus launched an independent inquiry led by board member Kerry Schott – a respected energy industry veteran – to thoroughly investigate the technical and procedural causes ^[136]. Singtel Group’s CEO Yuen Kuan Moon issued a public apology: “We are deeply sorry… that customers could not connect to emergency services when they most needed them,” he said, vowing to work with the Optus board to prevent anything similar ^[137] ^[138]. Initial findings suggest the outage might have been preventable with better change management: Optus revealed that standard failover protocols “were not followed” during the firewall update ^[139]. The company is cooperating with Australian regulators (ACMA and others) who are investigating possible breaches of network reliability obligations. Optus has also increased redundancies for emergency calls – e.g., ensuring that if one network fails, 000 calls can route via other carriers – and is compensating customers with free data. But these steps come too late for the families affected. The government is now reviewing telecom resilience standards, given this outage followed another Optus network blackout in 2022 (though that one had no safety impact). The incident underscores that as we rely on phones for life-and-death communications, even “five nines” reliability may not be enough – critical systems need fail-safe designs. It also reignited debate over whether Australia should mandate roaming or network-sharing during emergencies (so a call will go through on any available network). The Optus outage has become a case study in how a single tech mistake can cascade into a national crisis, and it’s likely to prompt stronger regulatory oversight of telecom networks’ emergency readiness.

5G vs 4G: testing the hype: On a more academic note, a comprehensive telecom research study released on Sep 24 challenged assumptions about 5G’s performance. Researchers from Northeastern University, IMDEA Networks and others measured 5G and 4G networks in eight cities (including Boston, Berlin, Madrid, etc.) over the past year ^[140]. Their key finding: 5G deployment is widespread in major urban areas, but it doesn’t always mean a better user experience than 4G ^[141]. In some cities and on certain carriers, they found “no clear latency advantages” for 5G – and in a few cases, 5G was actually slower or more inconsistent than LTE ^[142]. One co-author, Claudio Fiandrino of IMDEA, noted that 5G’s touted ultra-low latency hasn’t materialized uniformly: “stability has not yet translated into consistent latency advantages over 4G… the reality is more varied than marketing suggests.” ^[143]. The variation often came down to operator implementation – for example, if a carrier’s 5G is mostly on DSS (sharing 4G bands) or if the 5G cell density is low, users may see little benefit. Conversely, some networks with ample mid-band spectrum and many small cells delivered excellent 5G speeds/uplink. The study combined crowdsourced data and controlled tests, even including a mmWave lab setup, to get both broad and deep insights ^[144]. The takeaway for users and policymakers is that “5G” is not a monolith – you need to look at your carrier and location to know if it truly outperforms 4G ^[145] ^[146]. For latency-sensitive applications like AR/VR or autonomous driving, this nuance is critical: simply being on 5G doesn’t guarantee sub-20ms latency if the network isn’t optimized for it. The researchers issued a friendly warning about moving to 6G too fast: If we leapfrog to the next “G” without fully understanding 5G’s real-world issues, we risk “misallocation of resources… and undermining trust” when promises don’t match reality ^[147]. They urge continued large-scale measurements and transparency from operators on network performance. In essence, don’t believe the hype blindly – test and verify. This kind of study is valuable because it injects data into the conversation. As 6G talk ramps up (with visions of holographic communications and AI-driven networks), lessons from 5G’s rollout – both the successes and shortfalls – should inform how the industry proceeds. The good news is that 5G is steadily improving; as more mid-band spectrum is deployed and standalone 5G cores come online, many networks will close the gap and genuinely outperform LTE in all respects. Until then, consumers might experience 5G that’s “sometimes fantastic, sometimes meh,” which is exactly what this research captured.

Quotes from Industry Leaders and Experts

Throughout these developments, industry leaders and experts have shared insights that highlight the opportunities and challenges in telecom:

Clive Selley (CEO, Openreach) – on achieving 20M fiber hookups but needing users to switch: “In 2025, being online isn’t a luxury – it’s a lifeline… Full fibre makes that gateway [to opportunity] faster and far more reliable… But upgrades don’t often happen automatically, so people need to contact their broadband provider to make the switch.” ^[148] This quote underscores the importance of broadband in daily life and the last-mile challenge of getting customers onto new tech.
Michael Aspinall (Head of Enterprise, Nokia Europe) – on private 5G in mining: “Mining is one of the toughest environments on earth for connectivity, and private 5G is proving to be a game-changer… Together with Boldyn Networks, we are enabling Callio to demonstrate how secure, reliable, and high-performance networks can transform underground operations — making them safer, more sustainable, and more efficient.” ^[149] He highlights how 5G can solve real industrial problems that legacy tech couldn’t.
Masayoshi Son (CEO, SoftBank) – speaking about the massive Stargate AI data center project (a $500B OpenAI-SoftBank-Oracle venture), Son grandly stated: “We are paving the way for a new era where AI advances humanity.” (Source: Telecoms.com) While focused on AI infrastructure, it reflects the ambitious intersection of tech sectors – telecom data centers powering AI, which in turn drives more network demand.
Sam Altman (CEO, OpenAI) – on the need for investment in compute (Stargate project): “AI can only fulfill its promise if we build the compute to power it… We’re already making historic progress… moving quickly not just to meet [Stargate’s] initial commitment, but to lay the foundation for what comes next.” (Telecoms.com) – A reminder that future networks (6G and beyond) will be shaped by AI workloads as much as human usage.
Yuen Kuan Moon (Group CEO, Singtel) – apologizing for Optus outage: “We are deeply sorry to learn about the network incident at our Optus subsidiary… and to hear that customers could not connect to emergency services when they most needed them.” ^[150] ^[151] – A candid acknowledgement of failure, showing telcos’ sense of responsibility for public safety.
Anthony Albanese (Prime Minister of Australia) – on the Optus failure: “Completely unacceptable.” ^[152] – Sometimes just a couple words from a top official convey the gravity of a telecom breakdown.
Ashok Khuntia (President of Core Networks, Mavenir) – on partnering with Iridium for satellite core: “This collaboration with Iridium is a strategic milestone in Mavenir’s mission to enable seamless connectivity across terrestrial and non-terrestrial domains… a powerful demonstration of how Mavenir’s flexible, scalable core solutions can adapt to meet the evolving needs of satellite-driven networks.” ^[153] – Emphasizing the convergence of satellite and ground networks as a single connected fabric.
Tim Last (EVP, Iridium) – on launching Iridium’s direct-to-device service: “Whether it’s for IoT or D2D, Iridium NTN Direct will provide a truly global, reliable, and future-ready solution for MNOs, chipmakers, and consumers worldwide.” ^[154] – Painting the vision of satellite connectivity not as a niche, but integral to mainstream mobile.
Joe Russo (EVP Global Networks, AT&T) – on partnering with AST SpaceMobile to reach the last 1%: “In these less than 1 percent areas where people live, work, and play, if I can find a way to start to build capabilities for customers to do all the things they love to do on a terrestrial network, then we want to be there – which is why we partnered with AST… They bring great technology and super innovation to get us beyond emergency texting into more and more value-added services over time. But that’s not here today.” ^[155] – Russo candidly acknowledges the current limitation (today it’s just text), yet projects confidence that fuller satellite-phone services will come, aligning with customer expectations of using their phone anywhere.
Claudio Fiandrino (Research Prof., IMDEA Networks) – on the 5G study results: “5G deployment in major cities has stabilized, but this stability has not yet translated into consistent latency advantages over 4G/LTE; the reality is more varied than marketing suggests… In terms of coverage and deployment stability, 5G seems mature in major cities, but full maturity has not yet been reached regarding reliability, clear performance advantages, and user experience… Therefore, maturity is conditional: deployed, yes; consistently superior performance, not yet.” ^[156] ^[157] – A nuanced expert perspective urging patience and continued work on 5G.
Bain & Co. Global Tech Report (analyst David Crawford) – on the AI and network capacity crunch: “By 2030, technology executives will be faced with the challenge of deploying about $500 billion in capital expenditures and finding about $2 trillion in new revenue to profitably meet [AI] demand… If current scaling laws hold, AI will increasingly strain supply chains globally… the potential for overbuild and underbuild has never been more challenging.” (Telecoms.com Stargate article) – Though about AI, this quote underlines a broader point relevant to telecom: massive investment is needed in digital infrastructure (fiber, 5G, data centers, satellites) to support the coming data tsunami, and monetizing that investment is a pressing question. It hints that telcos, cloud firms, and others must collaborate and innovate to avoid bottlenecks and financial strain.

Each of these quotes, from CEOs to prime ministers to engineers, paints part of the picture of an industry in flux – expanding reach, embracing new technologies, but also grappling with pitfalls and unmet expectations. They provide an on-the-ground voice to the headlines, whether it’s excitement about breakthroughs or sober reflection after failures. In an era where telecommunications underpins almost every aspect of modern life, hearing directly from those at the helm or on the research frontier helps the public understand not just what is happening, but why it matters and how key players are thinking about the future.

Forecasts and Analyses by Analysts

Industry analysts and consulting firms have been busy crunching numbers to make sense of these trends and predict what’s next:

Satellite-cellular market forecast: Analysts at Bank of America (BofA) released an in-depth report estimating the size of the global telecom connectivity market and how much satellite players could grab ^[158]. They put the Total Addressable Market (TAM) at ~$200 billion per year for telco services worldwide ^[159]. This includes about $30 billion in “wireless” (mobile) revenue, $41 billion in fixed broadband, $10 billion in defense communications, and a big $100+ billion chunk for other services ^[160] ^[161] (like enterprise networks, IoT, etc.). BoA’s thesis is that LEO satellite constellations (Starlink, Kuiper, OneWeb, AST, etc.) are potentially targeting essentially all of that $200B market* by offering connectivity anywhere ^[162] ^[163]. For instance, in home broadband (the $41B wireline segment), satellites could compete for rural customers who lack fiber – Starlink already charges ~$80/month in many countries, comparable to urban broadband prices ^[164]. The bank sees perhaps a $40B opportunity in consumer broadband for LEOs (splitting connected vs unconnected population) ^[165] ^[166]. In “wireless” (the $30B mobile segment), satellites hooking directly to phones could capture a quarter of the world’s 5.4 billion phone users plus 2.7 billion unconnected people ^[167] ^[168]. Even a 25% uptake would yield around $24B from currently connected users and $5B from the unconnected, by their estimates ^[169] ^[170]. Put differently, if AST SpaceMobile (as one example) can eventually serve even half of the addressable direct-to-device customer base, that might translate to ~$15B annual revenue ^[171] – a massive figure that explains why its stock has excited investors recently. BoA’s report also notes satellites can supplement IoT, aviation, maritime and defense segments (worth a few more billion combined) ^[172] ^[173]. Overall, their analysis paints a picture of telco and satellite convergence: rather than satellites being a niche, they foresee integration, with many telcos reselling satellite service as a “bolt-on” to their plans ^[174] ^[175]. This supports a cooperative model – e.g. AT&T partnering with AST, T-Mobile with Starlink, Vodafone with AST – where terrestrial operators incorporate satellite coverage for a fee, instead of pure competition. The analysts do caution that Starlink’s current ~7 million users are just a dent in the market, and technical/business challenges remain, but they believe the total pie is huge and still largely untapped ^[176] ^[177].

Global telecom investment trends:Dell’Oro Group reported that global telecom CapEx has stabilized in 2025 after a big 5G-driven surge in 2020–2022. They expect operator CapEx to “normalize, not disappear” going into 2026 ^[178] – meaning telcos will keep spending to expand 5G, fiber, and data centers, but the growth rate will flatten as initial 5G builds conclude. Notably, operators are now allocating more capital to capacity upgrades, quality improvements, automation, and energy efficiency rather than just coverage ^[179]. This aligns with reports from consulting firm Omdia, which projected the telco network cloud market (all the cloudified software and virtualized infrastructure telcos use) to grow ~12% in 2025, double the 6% of 2024 ^[180]. In other words, telecom operators are investing in software-driven networks – things like core network virtualization, edge computing nodes, AI for operations – to lower costs and enable new services (e.g. network slicing for enterprises).

5G adoption and device outlook:GSMA Intelligence and other analyst houses have noted that by the end of 2025, 5G subscriptions worldwide will likely pass 2 billion, accounting for about a quarter of all mobile connections. The fastest growth is in China, North America, and Gulf countries, with Europe catching up and many developing markets still mostly on 4G. Smartphone makers are now shipping budget 5G phones under $150, which is accelerating adoption in price-sensitive markets. Qualcomm’s CEO Cristiano Amon stirred some buzz on Sept 24 by saying “6G will be here by 2028 for pre-commercial devices” ^[181], essentially predicting the first 6G-capable phones in about three years. While 6G standards aren’t even finalized (and many experts see 2030+ for real deployments), Qualcomm’s timeline signals that R&D is far along and prototype 6G chipsets may emerge sooner than expected – likely to influence 5G-Advanced features in the interim. Gartner’s Hype Cycle for telecom 2025 placed concepts like “6G” and “non-terrestrial networks (NTN)” at the peak of expectations, meaning lots of talk but years to go, whereas things like private 5G and Open RAN are on the slope toward practical productivity.

Consulting firm predictions: Deloitte’s 2025 telecom outlook predicted continued growth in Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) – essentially 5G broadband as an alternative to cable/DSL. Deloitte expects tens of millions more FWA subscribers globally as carriers use 5G networks to offer home internet, especially in areas with poor wired options (this dovetails with the satellite FWA trend too) ^[182]. They also highlighted increasing integration of generative AI in smartphones (AI co-processors for things like real-time language translation or image enhancement on-device). On the enterprise side, Deloitte and McKinsey both pointed out that 5G private networks and edge computing are reaching a tipping point: more factories, ports, and campuses will adopt private 5G in 2025–26 as the tech matures and use cases (like the mining example, or automated manufacturing) prove ROI. One challenge noted is the talent and skill gap – telecom operators need more software and cloud experts as networks get virtualized, so we may see more partnerships with cloud providers (like AT&T with Microsoft, Verizon with AWS, etc.) to manage the complexity.

A look at 2026 and beyond: Some analysts are starting to discuss 6G revenue opportunities – for instance, a Morningstar analysis on Sept 2 considered how new U.S. legislation (like the CHIPS Act and spectrum policy changes) will impact investment in 6G and beyond ^[183]. The idea is that government funding for semiconductor R&D and mandates to open up spectrum could give the U.S. a leg up in 6G development (compared to 5G where China had an early lead). And while 6G is not defined yet, early themes like AI-native networks, sub-THz frequencies, and even sensing capabilities (using networks to detect objects/environment) are on the radar. Analysts caution, though, that monetizing 6G will be tricky – just as 5G’s killer app beyond mobile broadband remains debated (some say it’s the foundation for Industry 4.0, smart cities, etc., but consumer AR/VR has lagged expectations). So expect consulting firms to advise telcos to leverage 5G fully (for example, by offering network APIs, edge cloud services, and vertical solutions) to ensure strong business cases going into the 6G era.

In summary, analysts see a telecom sector that is robust and growing, but also facing unprecedented investment needs and competitive dynamics. The forecasts highlight huge opportunities (connecting the unconnected, new enterprise services, satellite ubiquity) while urging caution that hype doesn’t outrun reality (as we saw with some 5G disappointments). It’s a balancing act of investing aggressively in the future, but also sweating current assets and getting the basics right – a theme that echoes through many of the week’s news stories. The next few years will reveal which players navigate this balance best, and as always, consumers will ultimately vote with their choices of services and providers. For now, the trajectory is clear: more people online in more ways, faster speeds, lower latencies, and networks that are smarter and more intertwined with space – but also a need for vigilance that reliability and inclusivity keep pace with innovation.

Sources: The information in this report is based on the latest news and analysis from industry outlets and experts, including Telecoms.com, Reuters, Advanced Television, RCR Wireless, Space.com, EurekAlert, and various official releases and studies ^[184] ^[185] ^[186] ^[187] ^[188] ^[189] ^[190] ^[191] ^[192] ^[193] ^[194] ^[195] ^[196] ^[197] ^[198] ^[199] ^[200] ^[201] ^[202] ^[203], among others. These sources provide a connected view of how September 24–25, 2025 became an inflection point across telecom and internet domains – from the ground to the sky.

5G vs Starlink SPEED TEST

Watch this video on YouTube.

References

Global Telecom Shake-Up: 5G Surges, Satellites Soar, and Outages Spark Outrage (Sept 24–25, 2025)