During the period from September 9th to 15th, 2025, the following international news occurred:
1. Nokia opens smart-factory campus for ‘Europe-made’ 5G/6G for AI-era
Nokia has opened a 55,000-square-meter campus in Oulu, Finland, dedicated to the design, manufacturing, and testing of 5G/6G networks. The campus integrates Industry 4.0 technologies and hosts NATO’s DIANA testing center, collaborating with universities, enterprises, and NATO innovation hubs for R&D. It achieves near-zero carbon emissions and utilizes waste heat to warm 20,000 households, aiming to build critical communication infrastructure for Europe’s AI era.
2. Telecom Argentina expands 5G, data centers
Telecom Argentina is accelerating network deployment, planning to increase its 5G sites from the current 550 to at least 750 by the end of 2025. It has also launched approximately 25 private 5G networks in Buenos Aires using network slicing. Additionally, the company plans to expand its 16 data centers to 10 MW capacity to meet AI and enterprise demands. Despite economic pressures, its enterprise business continues to grow at double-digit rates, driving a 53.7% year-on-year increase in capital expenditure to $355 million.
3. Jio claims first VoNR offering in India
Reliance Jio Infocomm, under Reliance Industries, has activated 5G Voice over New Radio (VoNR) services nationwide, becoming the first operator in India to fully deploy the technology. This move builds on its nationwide 5G standalone (SA) network launched in late 2022, delivering high-definition voice quality, lower latency, and improved power efficiency. It supports Jio’s gradual reduction of reliance on 4G networks and enhances the 5G experience for its over 500 million subscribers.
4. EE expands 5G SA offering in the UK
BT Group’s EE has expanded its 5G SA network coverage, planning to add 17 towns including Oxford, Portsmouth, and Brighton by December 2025. Coverage will extend to over 41 million people by spring 2026. The company also introduced ARC technology, which enhances connectivity efficiency in high-demand areas through inter-site capacity sharing. Initial deployments are already operational in Manchester and Edinburgh.
5. Five takeaways from Ericsson’s US enterprise report
An Ericsson report reveals that U.S. enterprises highly value 5G, with 93% believing it is crucial for maintaining technological leadership and 92% considering it key to business innovation. 5G and AI are seen as complementary, with 88% of enterprises stating that 5G is essential for optimizing workplace AI. Despite its promise, cost and hardware upgrades remain barriers to widespread 5G adoption in enterprises.
6. India reaches 365 million 5G subs at end-June: report
A report by India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) shows that India’s 5G subscriber base grew to 365 million by the end of June 2025. Operators Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel were the first to launch 5G services, followed by Vodafone Idea, while state-owned BSNL is in preparation. Ind-Ra noted that aggressive investments by domestic telecom companies have accelerated nationwide 5G adoption.
7. Spark secures frequencies to boost 5G in New Zealand
New Zealand operator Spark has secured an exclusive partnership with Māori spectrum agency Tū Ātea, gaining access to 20 MHz of C-band spectrum for 18 months. This increases its total usable 5G spectrum to 350 MHz, expected to boost 5G speeds by 25% and network capacity by 20%. The initiative will enhance coverage across 770 sites and promote small cell deployment in rural areas.
8. Ofcom to award frequencies for 5G expansion in the UK
UK regulator Ofcom will open applications for 26 GHz and 40 GHz millimeter-wave spectrum licenses on September 16–17, marking the largest release of mobile spectrum in UK history with 5.4 GHz available for auction. The move aims to accelerate 5G service rollout, increase mobile capacity, and improve network performance, particularly in high-demand urban areas, while also benefiting rural broadband and industrial automation.