During the period from September 2rd to 8th, 2025, the following international news occurred:
1. Vodafone and Simetric combine IoT management platforms
Vodafone IoT has partnered with IoT software company Simetric to integrate their IoT management platforms, providing enterprises with a unified dashboard for real-time monitoring, automation, and management of global IoT devices. The solution supports multiple network providers and technologies such as 4G/5G/LPWA/satellite, catering to industries like manufacturing and logistics. It aims to simplify IoT operational complexity, enhance device management efficiency and security, and advance digital transformation. Vodafone currently connects over 215 million devices.
2. Marvell's telecom recovery may be a good sign for 5G, and Nokia
U. S. chipmaker Marvell reported an 82% year-on-year increase in telecom revenue for the first half of the year, reaching $268.5 million, driven by deepened collaboration with Nokia on 5G base station chips and a rebound in the global RAN market. Although telecom remains a small portion of its business, this growth signals a potential recovery in the 5G infrastructure market, particularly benefiting equipment suppliers like Nokia.
3. Deutsche Telekom expands mobile infra in July
Deutsche Telekom added 115 new mobile sites and upgraded 741 existing sites in July, with 257 sites gaining 5G connectivity for the first time. Its 5G network now covers 98% of German households, while LTE coverage is nearly 100%. Through multi-band coordination, 90% of sites can deliver download speeds of 1 Gbps, significantly enhancing network capacity and performance.
4. Huawei sees profits decline in H1 due to large R&D spending
Huawei reported H1 2025 revenue of ¥427 billion, up 4% year-on-year, marking its strongest first-half performance since 2020. However, net profit fell 32% to ¥37 billion due to substantial R&D investments. R&D spending reached ¥96.9 billion, primarily focused on strengthening self-sufficiency in chips and equipment amid U.S. sanctions. Last year, R&D accounted for 20.8% of total revenue, with cumulative R&D investment over the past decade reaching ¥1.249 trillion.
5. O2 Telefonica, partners build AI model for telco operations
O2 Telefónica in Germany has collaborated with Tech Mahindra and NVIDIA to develop a "Large Telco Model" for telecom networks. This model leverages generative AI to enhance the automation level of network operation and maintenance. Based on NVIDIA's enterprise software, the model can analyze multi-source data to achieve rapid fault location and on-site coordination. It aims to improve operational efficiency and service reliability, facilitating the advancement of network automated operation and propelling the German telecommunications industry towards autonomous operation and maintenance.
6. Turkey sets date for 5G spectrum
Turkey’s Ministry of Transport announced that 5G networks will be commercialized by April 2026, with a spectrum auction scheduled for October 16 to raise at least $2.1 billion. The auction covers 400 MHz of spectrum across the 700 MHz and 3.5 GHz bands, requiring operators to use domestically produced equipment to reduce foreign dependency. Only three major operators currently qualify to bid.
7. Eurobites: Tele2/Telenor JV swaths Sweden in 5G
Swedish telecom operators Tele2 and Telenor, through their joint venture Net4Mobility, have achieved 5G coverage for 90% of Sweden’s land area and 99.9% of its population. The project utilizes the 700 MHz band, significantly improving coverage in forests, mountains, archipelagos, and urban indoor areas. The JV has been building Sweden’s 2G and 4G networks since 2009.
8. Ericsson to modernize Drei Austria’s core network
Ericsson has entered a multi-year agreement with Austrian operator Drei Austria to modernize its core network. Ericsson will deploy a cloud-native dual-mode 5G core network to unify 4G/5G operations. The solution, based on Ericsson’s cloud-native infrastructure, enhances automation and AI-driven capabilities, supporting enterprise applications in healthcare, logistics, and smart manufacturing while improving consumer experiences in streaming, gaming, and remote work. It aims to accelerate Austria’s digital transformation.
9. Eurobites: Ofcom fires starting pistol on UK's mmWave auction
UK telecom regulator Ofcom has officially launched a millimeter-wave spectrum auction, releasing 5.4 GHz of spectrum across the 26 GHz and 40 GHz bands. The auction focuses on 68 high-density areas to enhance 5G capacity and speeds in hotspots like train stations and stadiums. This move complements existing mid- and low-band 5G resources, supporting the UK’s high-capacity network development.
10. Vodafone Idea launches 5G in Kolkata
Indian telecom operator Vodafone Idea (Vi) has launched 5G services in Kolkata, making it the second city in West Bengal after Siliguri to access its 5G network. Vi collaborated with Nokia to deploy advanced infrastructure, including AI-driven self-organizing networks. Simultaneously, its 4G network has been upgraded to improve capacity.