LEO

Verizon and AST SpaceMobile Direct-to-Cell Deal for 2026

Verizon and AST SpaceMobile Direct-to-Cell Deal for 2026

Verizon and AST SpaceMobile have advanced their partnership into a definitive commercial agreement to deliver space-based cellular coverage in the United States starting in 2026. The agreement enables Verizon subscribers to connect “when needed” to AST SpaceMobile’s low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites using standard, unmodified phones. AST says service will focus on coverage gaps across the continental U.S., and will extend Verizon’s premium 850 MHz low-band spectrum into remote areas. AST highlights successful space tests as proof points and positions the network for both commercial and government use.

India–UK telecom innovation centre for 5G-Advanced and 6G

India–UK telecom innovation centre for 5G-Advanced and 6G
India and the United Kingdom have launched the India–UK Connectivity and Innovation Centre to accelerate secure, AI-driven, and resilient telecom technologies over the next four years. The two governments committed an initial £24 million—roughly ₹250–₹282 crore depending on exchange rates—to fund applied research, joint testbeds, field trials, and standards contributions in emerging telecom domains. The investment concentrates on three pillars: AI in telecommunications, non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) for satellite and airborne connectivity, and telecoms cybersecurity with open, interoperable systems. The multi-year window aligns to the critical runway for 5G‑Advanced and early 6G experimentation.

Orange SafetyCase adds OneWeb LEO for crisis connectivity

Orange SafetyCase adds OneWeb LEO for crisis connectivity
SafetyCase—Orange Business’s portable emergency telecoms unit—now bonds terrestrial access with OneWeb’s LEO satellite backhaul to keep voice, data, and video online when fixed and mobile networks fail. The move adds low-latency satellite links from a European operator to a solution already engineered and built in France, aligning with sovereignty and continuity mandates across the EU. The target users include first responders, public safety agencies, local authorities, operators of vital importance (OVIs), and essential enterprises. LEO adds a robust, geographically independent path that supports modern, IP-based coordination tools—push-to-talk over LTE/5G (MCX), live video, GIS—and does so with the latency profile field teams require.

India Satcom Rollout Nears After TRAI Spectrum Pricing

India Satcom Rollout Nears After TRAI Spectrum Pricing
India is poised to greenlight commercial satellite communication services once TRAI issues final pricing for satellite spectrum use and associated charges. The communications minister indicated the policy and licensing groundwork for satellite broadband is largely complete, with two GMPCS licenses issued and one additional letter of intent granted. The final trigger is the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s decision on spectrum pricing and usage fees for satcom bands. After that, operators can commence rollouts—initially for enterprise and backhaul, then for consumer broadband in selected markets. Bharti-backed Eutelsat OneWeb and Reliance Jio’s satellite unit are positioned to move early, with constellation capacity and gateways progressing.

India Joins Telecom Equipment Manufacturing Elite with Indigenous 4G

India Joins Telecom Equipment Manufacturing Elite with Indigenous 4G
India’s nationwide launch of BSNL’s “Swadeshi” 4G stack moves the country from a services-first model to domestic production of core telecom equipment at national scale. India formally launched an indigenous 4G stack for state-run BSNL, alongside more than 97,500 towers announced from Jharsuguda, Odisha. Officials highlighted early reach metrics, noting that roughly 92,000 sites are active and connecting an estimated 22 million users. Telecom equipment sovereignty has become a board-level issue as operators de-risk supply chains, comply with trusted source mandates, and balance costs amid rising traffic and spectrum refarming needs.

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

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

DFW Airport telecom outage reveals ATC network weak points

DFW Airport telecom outage reveals ATC network weak points
A multi-hour outage in the Dallas–Fort Worth airspace tied to legacy telecom services triggered cascading delays and cancellations, spotlighting urgent modernization needs for U.S. air traffic networks. On Friday afternoon, a telecommunications failure forced a ground stop across Dallas Fort Worth International (DFW) and Dallas Love Field, with ripple effects at several regional airports. The FAA attributed the incident to multiple failures in TDM-based data services delivered by a local telecom provider, compounded by redundancy gaps overseen by a prime contractor. Initial field reports tied the outage to fiber damage that simultaneously knocked out primary and backup data paths.

Iridium and Deutsche Telekom begin 3GPP NTN IoT integration

Iridium and Deutsche Telekom begin 3GPP NTN IoT integration
Iridium Communications and Deutsche Telekom (DT) are collaborating to integrate Iridium NTN Direct with DT’s global IoT footprint, enabling DT customers to roam onto Iridium’s low Earth orbit (LEO) network for narrowband IoT. The service targets 3GPP-compliant 5G NTN for NB-IoT, bringing satellite reach to sensors, machines, and vehicles. Commercial launch is slated for 2026, pending integration, testing, and a roaming agreement. DT is among the first major mobile operators to pursue a standards-based NTN IoT integration, aligning with its broad NB-IoT/LTE-M roaming strategy. The pairing aims to offer seamless terrestrial-satellite service without proprietary devices or walled gardens.

DCC sends satellite spectrum plan back to TRAI

Unleashing the Power of 5G and Satellite | Meeting the Demands of a Connected World
India’s Digital Communications Commission has sent most of TRAI’s satellite spectrum recommendations back for review, signaling a tougher stance on pricing, compliance, and market safeguards. TRAI recommended that satellite internet providers pay 4% of adjusted gross revenue (AGR) as spectrum usage charges, an additional Rs 500 per urban subscriber per year, and a minimum annual spectrum fee of Rs 3,500 per MHz when the AGR-linked payout falls short. At its September 16 meeting, the DCC—comprising senior DoT officials and representatives from finance, IT, and NITI Aayog—reviewed the satcom framework and withheld approval on most elements.

EchoStar pivots to satellite & NTN growth

EchoStar has reset its strategy after regulator-driven spectrum sales, trading long-cycle infrastructure bets for an asset-light, capital-rich posture focused on satcom growth. Federal Communications Commission scrutiny over spectrum utilization forced EchoStar to accelerate decisions it had hoped to phase over time. Complaints from rivals spurred investigations into whether the company was meeting buildout and use obligations. Even if EchoStar prevailed in court, the process risked tying up key licenses and stalling its direct-to-device (D2D) ambitions. The company opted to monetize holdings and remove uncertainty rather than fight a prolonged, value-destructive battle.

Starlink vs Fiber: SpaceX Urges FCC Parity

Starlink vs Fiber: SpaceX Urges FCC Parity
SpaceX wants the FCC to count Starlink as “advanced” broadband in its annual Section 706 report, a move that could reshape funding, benchmarks, and competition in rural internet buildouts. In 2024, the agency set a 100/20 Mbps benchmark, added affordability and adoption metrics, and floated a long-term goal of 1 Gbps/500 Mbps. SpaceX argues that excluding LEO distorts the national picture. The company says Starlink serves more than 2 million U.S. subscribers and posts median peak-hour speeds near 200 Mbps today. Rural electric co-ops and community telcos counter that LEO networks remain capacity constrained and variable.

Could Starlink Replace Your Cellphone Carrier with direct-to-device and EcoStar spectrum?

Could Starlink Replace Your Cellphone Carrier with direct-to-device and EcoStar spectrum?
SpaceX’s $17 billion purchase of EchoStar spectrum signals a deliberate push to blend satellite and mobile connectivity at consumer scale. SpaceX is acquiring EchoStar’s AWS-4 and H-Block licenses, adding roughly 1.9–2.0 GHz spectrum into its portfolio for direct-to-device (D2D) service in the U.S. Owning licensed spectrum lets SpaceX widen capabilities beyond roaming-style add-ons, potentially toward a branded service that spans home broadband and handset connectivity. A two-year window for first compatible handsets is a realistic baseline. Analysts broadly expect Starlink to expand via partnerships: wholesale arrangements to MNOs for satellite fallback, and potentially an MVNO to bring a Starlink-branded phone plan to market.

Feature Your Brand with the Winners

In Private Network Magazine Editions

See Options

Sponsorship placements open until Oct 31, 2025

Explore Magazines

Promote your brand
AI Pulse: Telecom's New Frontier - TeckNexus Magazine

AI Pulse: Telecom’s New Frontier

Private 5G/LTE and CBRS Networks in Action: Transforming Industries

TeckNexus Newsletters

I acknowledge and agree to receive TeckNexus communications in line with the T&C and privacy policy. 

Sponsored Content

AI-Powered Service Assurance – Leveraging DPUs, GPUs, and GenAI for Next-Gen Networks

AI-Powered Service Assurance – Leveraging DPUs, GPUs, and GenAI for Next-Gen Networks

Whitepaper
Telecom networks are facing unprecedented complexity with 5G, IoT, and cloud services. Traditional service assurance methods are becoming obsolete, making AI-driven, real-time analytics essential for competitive advantage. This independent industry whitepaper explores how DPUs, GPUs, and Generative AI (GenAI) are enabling predictive automation, reducing operational costs, and improving service quality....
How Is Generative AI Transforming Telecom Infrastructure?

How Is Generative AI Transforming Telecom Infrastructure?

Whitepaper
Explore how Generative AI is transforming telecom infrastructure by solving critical industry challenges like massive data management, network optimization, and personalized customer experiences. This whitepaper offers in-depth insights into AI and Gen AI's role in boosting operational efficiency while ensuring security and regulatory compliance. Telecom operators can harness these AI-driven...
Supermicro and Nvidia Logo
5G NR Transparent NTN: Deployment Aspect and Challenges

5G NR Transparent NTN: Deployment Aspect and Challenges

Article & Insights
This article explores the deployment of 5G NR Transparent Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTNs), detailing the architecture's advantages and challenges. It highlights how this "bent-pipe" NTN approach integrates ground-based gNodeB components with NGSO satellite constellations to expand global connectivity. Key challenges like moving beam management, interference mitigation, and latency are discussed, underscoring...
MWC Las Vegas Event 2025

Check Private Network Readiness

Industry Vertical Specific Deep-Dive Assessment
Manufacturing
Manufacturing
$1500

250 questions based assessment and insights

$1500
Utilities
Utilities
$750

65+ questions based assessment and insights

$750
Mining
Mining
$1000

160 questions based assessment and insights

$1000
Aviation
Aviation
Coming Soon

75+ questions based assessment and insights

Coming Soon
Ports
Ports
Coming Soon

75+ questions based assessment and insights

Coming Soon

* Prices does not include tax

Scroll to Top

Feature Your Brand with the Private Network Award Winners

Sponsorship placements are open until October 31, 2025.
Promote your brand with Leaders
Feature Vendor-Submitted Article -- $900
Feature One Page Ad -- $700
Feature Executive Interview & Article -- $1950
Promote your brand