Peru joined the list of nations where SpaceX has obtained the regulatory approvals needed to start supplemental coverage from space service. It said Wednesday in docket 23-135 that Peruvian authorities gave it and mobile service partner Entel Peru the green light. SpaceX also received authorizations from nations including Chile (see 2501070018), Australia (see 2412200045) and New Zealand (see 2412120021).
GSMA and Qatar announced on Tuesday the first Mobile World Congress in that nation will take place this year, Nov. 25-26. “Our vision is for MWC Doha to become integral to Qatar’s emerging role as a global hub for digital innovation, showcasing the Middle East’s digital transformation across AI, advanced 5G and smart mobility,” GSMA said.
AST SpaceMobile and Vodafone have inked a deal to create a jointly owned European satellite service business that would serve European mobile network operators. They said Monday that the venture would look to provide 100% geographic coverage of Europe, allowing satellite-delivered broadband connectivity to consumers and businesses via their mobile carrier. It will build ground stations to provide backhaul services between the European network operators and AST's low earth orbit constellation.
The Australian government is mandating universal outdoor mobile coverage for voice and SMS texting across the nation, with direct-to-device satellite connectivity to be a huge part of the coverage. Announcing the goal this week, Australia set an implementation deadline of late 2027. Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said the country's universal outdoor mobile obligation "will improve public safety, increase resilience during natural disasters, and provide an extra layer of coverage in areas previously thought too difficult or costly to reach. The experience will be different to land mobile networks, but the benefits transformative, particularly for a large continent such as ours."
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit on Thursday rejected Hikvision’s request that the court order the FCC to begin processing the Chinese company’s authorization requests for gear it wants to sell in the U.S. (see 2502240045). The FCC had asked the court not to take that step (see 2502110040). Hikvision said many of the products it sells can’t be connected to the internet. The court issued a brief order saying the motion was denied. Hikvision and Dahua won a partial victory last year (see 2404020068) when the D.C. Circuit found that the FCC’s definition of critical infrastructure in a 2022 order was “overly broad.”
Bell Canada is working with Nokia on moving to a cloud-based, and eventually open, radio access network. The companies were already working together but agreed to an expanded partnership, said a Tuesday news release. “By leveraging Nokia’s cutting-edge Cloud RAN technology, we’re not only significantly enhancing our network capabilities today, but also building a robust foundation for the future adoption of Open RAN,” said Mark McDonald, Bell's senior vice president-networks. “This approach ensures network agility, scalability, and vendor diversity, ultimately delivering an exceptional experience for our customers and positioning Bell as a leader in 5G innovation.”
Hikvision laid out its case for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to order the FCC to start processing the Chinese company’s authorization requests for gear it wants to sell in the U.S. The FCC last month asked the court not to take that step (see 2502110040). Hikvision and Dahua won a partial victory last year (see 2404020068) when the D.C. Circuit found that the FCC’s definition of critical infrastructure in a 2022 order was “overly broad.”
Mobile core network revenue ended 2024 with a negative 4% growth rate year over year, driven by a 15% decline in China in Q4, Dell’Oro said Tuesday. “The market has struggled to gain traction in the last three years, with three of the four quarters having flat or negative [year-over-year] growth rates,” said Dave Bolan, Dell’Oro research director. “On a regional basis, China’s growth rate was negative, and to a lesser extent, the worldwide market (excluding China) was also negative. However, both market areas are projected to return to positive growth in 2025.” One reason for optimism is the expected growth in 5G stand-alone networks this year, he said.
Ericsson announced Wednesday an expansion of its product portfolio with seven “energy-efficient and high-performing Massive MIMO [multiple input, multiple output] and Remote radios, Indoor 5G solutions, and new open fronthaul products called RAN Connect.” Ericsson plans to offer 130 radio products this year that support open and programmable networks, a news release said. “We are reducing costs and maximizing efficiency for our customers as they evolve their architectures to deliver high-performing programmable networks,” said Marten Lerner, Ericsson head-product area networks. “Sustainability is also central to every solution, leveraging energy-efficient designs, recyclable materials, and passive cooling to meet Net Zero targets.”
The FCC asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit not to impose a mandate on the regulator to start the process of authorizing gear by China’s Hikvision. Hikvision and Dahua won a partial victory last year (see 2404020068) when the D.C. Circuit held that the FCC’s definition of critical infrastructure in a 2022 order was “overly broad.” Judges also rejected arguments that video cameras and video-surveillance equipment manufactured by the companies shouldn’t have been placed on the agency’s “covered list” of unsecure gear.