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KDDI Starlink on iPhone: Direct-to-Cell Satellite Data

Tech News & Insight
September 22, 2025
Hema Kadia

KDDI’s move to enable satellite data on recent iPhones via “au Starlink Direct” is a meaningful step toward resilient, nationwide connectivity that blends terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks. KDDI now supports satellite data communication on all models of iPhone 13 through iPhone 17, plus iPhone Air—21 models in total, so consumers and field teams can use essential apps when they are outside cellular coverage. The satellite layer augments KDDI’s 5G/4G LTE footprint; combined, the operator aims to cover virtually all of Japan’s geography, not just its population centers. Notably, the service is available to au subscribers and customers of other carriers.

AI Pulse: Telecom’s New Frontier

Article & Insights
April 17, 2025
Hema Kadia

AI Pulse: Telecom’s Next Frontier is a definitive guide to how AI is reshaping the telecom landscape — strategically, structurally, and commercially. Spanning over 130 pages, this MWC 2025 special edition explores AI’s growing maturity in telecom, offering a comprehensive look at the technologies and trends driving transformation.

Explore strategic AI pillars—from AI Ops and Edge AI to LLMs, AI-as-a-Service, and governance—and learn how telcos are building AI-native architectures and monetization models. Discover insights from 30+ global CxOs, unpacking shifts in leadership thinking around purpose, innovation, and competitive advantage.

The edition also examines connected industries at the intersection of Private 5G, AI, and Satellite—fueling transformation in smart manufacturing, mobility, fintech, ports, sports, and more. From fan engagement to digital finance, from smart cities to the industrial metaverse, this is the roadmap to telecom’s next era—where intelligence is the new infrastructure, and telcos become the enablers of everything connected.

5G, 6G, AI, API, AR, Automation, Edge/MEC, Monetization, Private Networks, Security, Sustainability, Telco Cloud
Agility Robotics, Airtel, CBRS, China Mobile, Cohere, Deutsche Telekom, DoT, Etisalat, Europe, FinTech, India, KDDI, LEO, LTE, Mistral AI, MTN, Orange, Policy, Private 5G, Robotic, Telefonica, Telenor, Telstra, Vodafone
Financials, Industrial Automation, Manufacturing, Ports, Sports & Events Venue, Transportation

AI in Telecom: Strategic Themes, Maturity, and the Road Ahead

Article & Insights
April 10, 2025
Hema Kadia

In AI in Telecom: Strategic Themes, Maturity, and the Road Ahead, we explore how AI has shifted from buzzword to backbone for global telecom leaders. From AI-native networks and edge inferencing, to domain-specific LLMs and behavioral cybersecurity, this article maps out the strategic pillars, real-world use cases, and monetization models driving the AI-powered telecom era. Featuring CxO insights from Telefónica, KDDI, MTN, Telstra, and Orange, it captures the voice of a sector transforming infrastructure into intelligence.

AI, Edge/MEC, Monetization, Network Infrastructure, Open RAN, OSS-BSS, RAN, Security
America, Customer Experience, Cybersecurity, Etisalat, Europe, GenAI, India, KDDI, LLM, MTN, MWC, Orange, Telefonica, Telenor, Telstra
Telecom

The Telco to Techco Transformation in AI and Digital Platforms: Beyond Connectivity

Article & Insights
April 10, 2025
Hema Kadia

In Beyond Connectivity: The Telco to Techco Transformation, leaders from e&, KDDI, and MTN reveal how telecoms are evolving into technology-first, platform-driven companies. These digital pioneers are integrating AI, 5G, cloud, smart infrastructure, and fintech to unlock massive value—from AI-powered smart cities in Japan, to inclusive fintech platforms in Africa, and cloud-first enterprise solutions in the Middle East. This piece explores how telcos are reshaping their role in the digital economy—building intelligent, scalable, and people-first tech ecosystems.

5G, 6G, AI, Edge/MEC, IoT, Satellite & NTN, Sustainability
Data Center, Etisalat, Fiber, FinTech, KDDI, MTN, MWC, Partnerships, Robotic
Smart Cities

Dynamic Billing for Satellite and NTN by MATRIXX Software

Tech News & Insight
March 27, 2025
Hema Kadia

MATRIXX Software introduces dynamic billing support for satellite and non-terrestrial network (NTN) services, enabling telecom operators to expand coverage, monetize emerging LEO partnerships, and unify revenue management. The platform supports flexible commercial models, powering growth in underserved regions and across consumer, enterprise, and wholesale markets.

AI, Monetization, OSS-BSS, Satellite & NTN
AST SpaceMobile, Japan, KDDI, LEO, MATRIXX Software, Partnerships, Starlink, T-Mobile, Verizon
Telecom

Telcos to Techcos: How AI & 5G Are Transforming Telecom

Tech News & Insight
March 17, 2025
Hema Kadia

The telecom industry is in the midst of a major shift from “telco” to “techco”, with operators investing in AI, 5G, cloud computing, and digital services to compete with tech giants like Amazon and Google. At MWC 2025, leaders from e&, KDDI, MTN, and SK Telecom discussed their AI-driven strategies, including self-healing networks, smart city infrastructure, fintech expansion, and enterprise 5G solutions. As telcos embrace AI-powered automation and cloud-based innovations, they are redefining their role in the digital economy.

5G, 6G, AI, API, Edge/MEC, IoT, Network Slicing, Private Networks, Satellite & NTN, Security
Amazon, Cisco, Data Center, Etisalat, FinTech, Google, KDDI, Microsoft, Mistral AI, MTN, MWC, Private 5G, SKT, Starlink, TM Forum
Financials, Media and Broadcast, Smart Cities

Cisco, Mitsui, and KDDI Forge Ahead with Private 5G in Japan’s Advanced Manufacturing Sector

Usecase
March 20, 2024
Hema Kadia

Explore the transformative journey as Cisco, Mitsui, and KDDI unite to deploy Private 5G technology, ushering in a new era for Japan’s manufacturing landscape. This collaboration aims to enhance operational efficiency, safety, and innovation through the power of advanced Private 5G networks, marking a significant leap towards the realization of smart factories.

Which 5G Stocks to invest in? Who are the leading 5G companies?

Article & Insights
March 23, 2024
Hema Kadia

Investors seeking to maximize their profits from the potential of 5G should consider a multi-pronged approach and invest in companies that provide 5G network equipment, tower infrastructure, semiconductors, and hyperscalers as well as 5G mobile network operators. Here are the top companies across the sectors that are leading global public/private network rollouts.

5G, API, Automation, Devices, Edge/MEC, FWA, IoT, Network Infrastructure, Network Slicing, Private Networks, Satellite & NTN, Semiconductor, Telco Cloud, Towers & Cells
AWS, Boldyn, Broadband, BT, CBRS, Deutsche Telekom, Devices, Ericsson, Fiber, Intel, Japan, KDDI, LTE, Nokia, O2, Orange, Private 5G, Qualcomm, Rogers, Samsung, SKT, Spectrum, T-Mobile, Telefonica, Telstra, Verizon, Vodafone, WiFi

KDDI develops underground 5G base station to avoid exposed antennas

News
March 18, 2024
Hema Kadia

KDDI has announced that it has installed a 5G base station at its Tokyo campus, making it the first of its kind in Japan, as all components have been placed underground to avoid exposed antennas.

5G
Japan, KDDI

Industry throws weight behind GSMA API initiative | CAMARA Alliance

News
March 23, 2024
Hema Kadia

The GSMA announced a new industry-wide initiative called GSMA Open Gateway, a framework of universal network Application Programmable Interfaces (APIs), designed to provide universal access to operator networks for developers. Launched with the support of 21 mobile network operators, the move is aimed at changing the way the telecoms industry designs and delivers services in an API economy world.