During the period from December 16th to 22th, 2025, the following international news occurred:
1. 5G performance plummets in Malaysia as it awaits second network
Malaysia's 5G network performance is facing challenges due to its single-wholesale-network model. Ookla data shows its median 5G download speed has dropped from 452 Mbps to 243 Mbps over two years. Network congestion has worsened with surging user devices and traffic. Although a second wholesale operator has begun commercial services, its network buildout is still in early stages, and most traffic still relies on the original network.
2. What the world gets wrong about Indian telecom
The conventional global perception of the Indian telecom market—low prices and excessive competition—is outdated. Following industry consolidation, a few dominant operators are shifting from a subscriber-scale-driven model towards sustainable revenue growth. By pruning low-value users, raising tariffs, and focusing on 5G, ARPU is steadily increasing. Further price hikes are anticipated in the coming years, as the market moves towards a healthier profitability phase.
3. Simplicity, service, scale – Vodafone IoT preps for global ‘hyperscale’
Vodafone is advancing its IoT "hyperscale" strategy, focusing on the Americas market and serving global enterprises through partnerships with local operators like AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile. With over 220 million IoT connections, the company is upgrading its GDSP platform and integrating technologies like Simetric to simplify complexity and improve efficiency, while also leveraging AI to enhance service capabilities. The strategy aims to widen the gap with competitors and maintain leadership amid industry consolidation.
4. “Ask if they’ve deployed at scale” – Ericsson pushes back on private 5G challengers
Ericsson emphasizes that its private 5G solution has been validated through large-scale deployments with major global enterprises, capable of meeting the stringent demands of industrial scenarios for reliability, seamless roaming, and policy management. Using its Multi-Band Radio Dot technology, it combines private and public spectrum on the same hardware, supporting the co-deployment of mission-critical and indoor coverage solutions. Ericsson states that its carrier-grade technology heritage and enterprise customization capabilities are core differentiators from startup vendors.
5. It's game on for 5G network slicing in Germany
Deutsche Telekom and Vodafone Germany are launching their first commercial network slicing services based on 5G Standalone. The former offers a dedicated low-latency slice for gamers to enhance experience and user stickiness, while the latter introduces an enterprise-grade slice product, "Campus Flex," with standardized pricing. This marks a key step for European operators in exploring differentiated 5G services and commercialization.
6. Eurobites: Ookla reveals big urban-rural divide in UK mobile quality
Ookla data reveals a significant urban-rural divide in UK mobile network quality, with 28% of areas experiencing download speeds below the 25 Mbps threshold. Although the national average download speed increased by 15% in the first three quarters of the year, cities like Leicester performed best, while areas like the Shetland Islands had the weakest performance. Germany, in the same period, introduced a speed monitoring tool to ensure users receive a minimum connection standard.
7. WISPA, rural ISPs urge FCC to keep its hands off CBRS
The Wireless Internet Service Providers Association and several rural ISPs have jointly urged the FCC to abandon its proposal to relocate existing CBRS users and designate the band for high-power operations. They argue this would incur massive costs, disrupt existing deployments, and endanger service for millions of users, with CBRS being irreplaceable. The opposition has garnered support from some officials, while AT&T and others advocate reallocating the band for 5G.
8. EdgeBeam takes hybrid network approach with ATSC 3.0/4G combo
EdgeBeam, backed by four major US broadcasters, announced a hybrid network architecture. Its core is a data broadcast network based on the ATSC 3.0 standard for high-volume data delivery, supplemented by 4G connectivity for two-way communication. The company has secured its first customer and plans to build a nationwide network by the first half of 2026, primarily targeting IoT applications like high-precision positioning and digital signage.
9. 2025 in review: EchoStar navigates a series of storms
EchoStar navigated turbulence in 2025: it faced potential bankruptcy due to an FCC investigation into its 5G deployment and spectrum rights, later sold spectrum to AT&T and SpaceX for USD 42.6 billion, leading the FCC to terminate its probe, and Boost Mobile transitioned to a hybrid MVNO. However, its Dish subsidiary was sued by American Tower, and its Hughes subsidiary faced funding shortages, leaving continued uncertainty.
10. After the gold rush – 2025, when IoT became critical business
In 2025, the IoT industry moved past the cycle of hype and setbacks, entering a new phase characterized by practical applications and stable growth. The Things Industries platform connects over 4 million devices and processes 4 billion data points monthly, serving multiple verticals including building, agriculture, and logistics. IoT is becoming critical enterprise infrastructure, growing at an annual rate of 20% and providing structured data support for artificial intelligence.
11. Despite the hype, 6G’s AI impact remains uncertain
An IEEE survey shows only 7% of tech leaders believe 6G will have a significant impact on AI, indicating 6G remains a research topic rather than a near-term commercial priority. Experts point out that 5G is still in its mid-deployment phase, and its insufficient uplink capacity is a bottleneck for AI applications. 6G needs to be redesigned to support uplink data demands. Meanwhile, AI could potentially optimize 6G network resource allocation by predicting user behavior.