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SK Telecom executive cuts: 30% reduction

SK Telecom executive cuts: 30% reduction
Reports indicate SK Group will reduce executive ranks by up to 30%, a move that would reshape decision-making across affiliates including SK Telecom (SKT). For SKT, which sits at the nexus of the group’s AI, cloud, and connectivity ambitions, executive trims would concentrate authority and compress approval chains at a sensitive time for 5G monetization and AI platform bets. Executive consolidation at a Tier-1 operator tends to reset priorities, procurement rhythms, and partner engagement models.

Vodafone and AST SpaceMobile plan sovereign D2D NTN in Europe

Vodafone and AST SpaceMobile plan sovereign D2D NTN in Europe
A new joint plan from Vodafone and AST SpaceMobile aims to deliver satellite broadband directly to standard smartphones across Europe under a sovereign operational model. AST SpaceMobile has submitted plans through Germany for a space-based network designed to provide broadband directly to devices across Europe. Operations would run through SatCo, a Luxembourg-based joint venture with Vodafone announced earlier this year. The timing aligns with looming European spectrum decisions and intensifying competition in direct-to-device (D2D). S-band at 2 GHz is up for renewal across the region in 2027, and 700 MHz public protection and disaster relief (PPDR) frequencies are central to resilient communications strategy.

BT and Starlink LEO Broadband for Rural UK Homes

BT and Starlink LEO Broadband for Rural UK Homes
BT Group and its consumer brand EE plan to offer a Starlink-powered home broadband product focused on underserved locations where fixed-line build is constrained by terrain, sparsity, or cost. The service targets “ultrafast” downlink performance, with Starlink capable of delivering up to roughly 280 Mbps and latency in the low tens of milliseconds. Commercial availability is slated for the second half of 2026, giving BT time to industrialise ordering, installation, support, and integration into its existing product catalogue and systems. LEO fills the last 1–5% gap where full fibre is slow or uneconomic to reach.

Apple Siri to use Google Gemini AI for $1B

Apple Siri to use Google Gemini AI for $1B
Apple is reportedly nearing a deal to license Google’s Gemini for Siri, a move that would reshape assistant architectures and near-term AI roadmaps across devices and networks. Multiple reports indicate Apple is close to licensing a custom version of Google’s Gemini model, reportedly at a scale of around 1.2 trillion parameters, for roughly $1 billion per year. The model would power a major Siri upgrade while Apple continues building its own foundation models. The objective is clear: boost Siri’s reasoning and task execution in the near term without ceding control over Apple’s system-level integrations or search defaults.

AI layoffs surge: telecom and enterprise IT impact

Verizon layoffs: 15,000 cuts, store franchising
October’s job-cut announcements surged, with AI and cost control reshaping staffing plans across technology and adjacent sectors. Planned layoffs spiked to roughly 153,000 in October, up more than 180% from September and about 175% from a year ago, according to the latest Challenger job-cuts tally. Year-to-date announcements for 2025 have crossed 1.09 million, the highest October-through-period since the pandemic shock of 2020 and above comparable 2009 levels. The cuts reflect a pivot from growth-at-any-cost to profitability, with AI rebalancing roles and budgets across the stack. Across reasons given, cost reduction led by a wide margin, and AI adoption was the second-largest driver, underscoring both macro pressure and structural transformation.

SkyMirr’s Sky5G™ Router Named CES 2026 Innovation Awards® Honoree

SkyMirr Sky5G Router Wins CES 2026 Innovation Award
SkyMirr’s Sky5G Wireless Router being named a CES 2026 Innovation Awards Honoree signals that antenna-first design is emerging as a decisive lever for 5G customer-premises equipment performance and reliability. The Consumer Technology Association’s awards program recognizes design and engineering that materially advances user outcomes, and SkyMirr’s selection draws attention to a core differentiator: its MuLCAT (Multi-Layer Coupling Controlled Antenna Technology) architecture. Rather than treating the antenna as a downstream component, MuLCAT integrates a multi-layer coupling approach to increase isolation, broaden usable bandwidth, and suppress interference in compact enclosures.

5G FWA for MDUs: New Broadband Forum Spec

5G FWA for MDUs: New Broadband Forum Spec
A fresh technical report from Broadband Forum details how a single outdoor 5G Fixed Wireless Access connection can deliver gigabit broadband to multiple apartments by reusing a building’s existing wiring. The document defines an architecture where one high-capacity 5G FWA modem—preferably operating on mmWave (3GPP FR2, roughly 24–40 GHz)—is installed on the roof or exterior of a multi‑dwelling unit (MDU) and then shared across many tenants. Instead of running new fiber to every unit, the approach leverages in‑place infrastructure such as coaxial cabling, twisted pair, or legacy telephone wiring to distribute service from a centralized point (attic, basement, or telecom closet) to apartments.

Nokia and OneLayer Secure Utility Private 5G/LTE Networks

Nokia’s tie-up with OneLayer brings carrier-grade security and OT-aware visibility into one stack, addressing the core adoption barrier for private 5G/LTE in utilities: protecting highly distributed, mission-critical operations at scale. Together, the companies deliver a zero-trust model that spans radio to application: authenticated device identity, continuous posture assessment, role-based segmentation at the cellular (DNN/QoS flow) and IP layers, and orchestrated mitigation. Bottom line: With utilities accelerating private LTE/5G rollouts, Nokia and OneLayer are packaging the controls that regulators, insurers, and boards now expect—bringing OT-aware zero trust into the cellular domain without adding operational complexity.

FCC to scrap telecom cybersecurity mandate

FCC to scrap telecom cybersecurity mandate
The Federal Communications Commission plans a November vote to rescind a January ruling that tied carrier cybersecurity obligations to CALEA, resetting the regulatory posture after high-profile intrusions tied to Chinese state-linked actors. In January, the FCC interpreted the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA) to require telecommunications carriers to protect their networks against unlawful access or interception, and paired that interpretation with a proposal to require written cybersecurity plans and baseline controls. The commission signals it will pivot to a more targeted, collaborative posture with carriers instead of a one-size-fits-all mandate.

Vodafone and Dell to Scale Open RAN and 5G in Europe

Vodafone and Dell to Scale Open RAN and 5G in Europe
Vodafone named Dell Technologies a strategic infrastructure provider for a five-year Open RAN buildout across Europe, signaling a move from trials to scaled, automated 5G networks. Vodafone will expand one of Europe’s largest Open RAN footprints using Dell infrastructure as part of a multi-year radio access modernization program. Dell will supply its PowerEdge XR8000 series servers, including the XR8620t and the latest XR8720t with Intel Xeon 6 SoC. Vodafone also plans to adopt the Dell Telecom Infrastructure Automation Suite (DTIAS) to provide the Infrastructure Management Service within its Open RAN architecture, designed to automate Day 0/1/2 lifecycle operations for O-Cloud infrastructure.

O2 and Starlink Direct-to-Cell Boost UK Mobile Coverage

O2 and Starlink Direct-to-Cell Boost UK Mobile Coverage
Virgin Media O2 has struck a multi‑year agreement with Starlink Direct to Cell to deliver satellite‑to‑mobile service across rural UK not‑spots, positioning O2 as the first British operator to integrate Starlink’s constellation with licensed mobile spectrum. Branded as O2 Satellite, the service will initially support messaging and basic data on existing smartphones when users move beyond terrestrial signal. O2 is targeting landmass coverage beyond 95% within a year of launch, using Starlink’s 650+ low‑Earth orbit satellites to act as “cell sites in space.” Customer rollout is planned for early 2026, with pricing to follow and an extra monthly fee anticipated.

FCC upper C-Band auctions for 5G and 6G

FCC upper C-Band auctions for 5G and 6G
The FCC is circulating a proposal to reconfigure and auction a significant slice of upper C-Band spectrum, with a vote slated for November and a public comment period to shape the details. The draft notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) seeks input on auctioning up to 180 MHz of upper C-Band in the contiguous United States for licensed mobile broadband, with a floor of at least 100 MHz mandated by Congress for auction by July 2027. Commissioner Brendan Carr frames the objective as maximizing mid-band capacity for 5G and setting the stage for 6G, while maintaining aviation safety.
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