Author: John Marcus

AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon Trade Wins in H1 2026 as 5G SA and Mid-band Shape Real-world Performance

by John Marcus, posted in Communicate
John Marcus – Senior Principal Analyst, Enterprise Mobility and IoT Services.

Summary Bullets:

• AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon each improved in H1 2026, with distinct strengths across speed, reliability, and calls.

• Enterprises should evaluate 5G SA maturity, uplink capacity, and location-specific consistency—not just peak download speeds.

US mobile performance improved across the board in H1 2026, according to Ookla’s “State of the Mobile Union” reporting, drawing on RootMetrics testing. RootMetrics technicians ran over 3 million real-world tests from January to June 2026, driving 243,000 miles across all 50 states and 125 major metro markets to evaluate AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon.

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What Was All That Back There, Then? Orange Business Announced 14 Offers at its March Summit

by John Marcus, posted in Big Data, Communicate
A man with dark hair and a slight smile, wearing a black jacket, against a light blue background.
John Marcus – Senior Principal Analyst, Enterprise Mobility and IoT Services

Summary Bullets:

• In March 2026, Orange Business unveiled 14 innovations at its summit, a mix of new products, major upgrades, and strategic repackaging.

• The summit’s offerings position Orange to lead in secure, sovereign enterprise services, driving market differentiation and revenue growth.

Orange Business was not shy about showing its work at its customer summit in Paris this March. The event generated five separate press releases, and included references to “14 breakthrough innovations” in its launch announcement for a collection of “trusted AI, cloud and secure connectivity” offers. If you weren’t paying attention, you may be forgiven for wondering what was all that back there, then?

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GSA’s Latest Private Wireless Market Tracker Notes 5G Acceleration – and Caution

by John Marcus, posted in Internet of Things, Mobilize, Network
A headshot of a man with short dark hair, wearing a black collared shirt, smiling against a light blue background.
John Marcus – Senior Principal Analyst, Enterprise Mobility and IoT Services.

Summary Bullets:

• GSA customer numbers for Q4 2025 show private 5G network traction continuing, driven by repeatable, vertical-specific use cases in manufacturing, mining, and campuses.

• 2026 momentum hinges on pragmatic LTE-to-5G evolution, spectrum clarity, and ROI-focused rollouts amid supply-chain and macro risks.

The Global mobile Supplier Association (GSA)’s Q4 2025 snapshot on private 4G/5G, published in February 2026, suggests it is a market that remains relevant only to certain enterprise segments, while also being more firmly established. With over 2,000 customers of GSA member companies tracked by year-end 2025, one can infer the increasing normalcy of cellular as an enterprise connectivity platform for operations, safety, and automation. Most organizations have more than one private network deployed, (almost) each of which generated revenues exceeding EUR100,000.

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T-Mobile Adds Data Support to T-Satellite, Broadening its Relevance Beyond Emergency Messaging

by John Marcus, posted in Communicate, Network
John Marcus – Senior Principal Analyst, Enterprise Mobility and IoT Services.

Summary Bullets:
• T-Mobile added data connectivity to T-Satellite in an announcement pivoting from “emergency messaging” focus of the service’s launch towards app-based data services and higher enterprise relevance

• Early business app integrations, coupled with an expanded set of consumer apps, position T-Satellite as a broader competitive play in satellite-to-mobile, though IoT support and performance limitations remain concerns

When T-Mobile launched T-Satellite commercially in July, the focus was firmly on safety and resilience. SMS, MMS, and text-to-911 formed the core offering, with compelling stories of hikers rescued and emergency alerts broadcast in disaster zones. At the time, the service’s competitive strengths were clear: broad device support, seamless integration with existing smartphones, and unique value in public safety. But there were also several limitations: no data or voice, little to offer enterprises beyond the “resilience” messaging, and no clarity on IoT support.

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5G Network Slicing Services Launch with Increasing Frequency, but What Exactly Are They Offering?

by John Marcus, posted in Cloud Enable, Network
John Marcus – Senior Principal Analyst, Enterprise Mobility and IoT Services.

Summary Bullets:

• Major telecom companies like Vodafone Germany, T-Mobile US, and Deutsche Telekom are launching distinct 5G network slicing services aimed at business customers, each reflecting unique strategies and market contexts, from Vodafone’s standardized pricing for virtual private campus networks to T-Mobile’s all-in-one premium mobility plan and Deutsche Telekom’s focus on mission-critical services for emergency responders.

• While these launches signify progress in 5G enterprise services, the concept of network slicing is still evolving, with offerings being marketed more as tailored connectivity solutions rather than fully programmable network tools.

The long-promised potential of 5G network slicing—dedicated, virtualized “lanes” in the mobile network—is finally being brought to market in structured offers for business customers. But what exactly is being offered? Vodafone Germany, T-Mobile US, and Deutsche Telekom have all announced distinct slicing propositions in recent weeks, each reflecting a different strategy and market context.

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Global Telcos Demonstrate Staying Power in Industrial IoT Advancements in 2025

by John Marcus, posted in Internet of Things
John Marcus – Senior Principal Analyst, Enterprise Mobility and IoT Services.

Summary Bullets:

• Global telcos are advancing industrial IoT with AI, 5G, and eSIM to deliversector-specific and real-time solutions at global scale.

• Strategic investments continue the shift beyond basic connectivity to intelligent, global platforms supporting logistics, energy, mobility, and public safety.

Over H1 2025, major telecom providers have redoubled their push into industrial IoT, developing tailored solutions that move well beyond connectivity to address the specific needs of sectors and use cases such as transport, utilities, and facilities management. Common threads across these efforts include the integration of AI, the evolution of connectivity through 5G, eSIM, and satellite, and a growing emphasis on real-time visibility, operational efficiency, and international scalability.

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Network Vendors Expand Portfolios and Channels as the Private Wireless Market Continues to Gain Traction

by John Marcus, posted in IT Leader

Summary Bullets:

John Marcus – Senior Principal Analyst, Enterprise IoT, Mobility, Private Networks, and Service Innovations.

• Network infrastructure vendors such as Nokia, Ericsson, and Cisco are expanding private network portfolios with features targeting industrial automation, logistics, and sustainability.

• Partnerships with telecom service providers and system integrators are driving innovation, while simplified deployments aim to reduce barriers for enterprise adoption.

Private cellular networks, which frustratingly are also known as private wireless or mobile private networks, continue to evolve in 2024 as leading technology vendors focus on delivering tailored solutions for Industry 4.0 use cases and for guaranteed, secure coverage. From automated warehouses and worker safety to sustainable energy applications, vendors have been enhancing scalability and efficiency in their offerings while driving adoption through strategic collaborations.

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Recent Initiatives by Global IoT Providers Reflect Commitment to Capturing Growth

by John Marcus, posted in Internet of Things
John Marcus – Senior Principal Analyst, Enterprise IoT, Mobility, Private Networks, and Service Innovations

Summary Bullets:

• The Internet of Things (IoT) services landscape continues to evolve with global connectivity service and solution providers announcing notable advancements and initiatives over the past several months.

• Key trends include the expansion of 5G capabilities, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and network application programming interfaces (APIs), and a strong emphasis on sustainability and energy efficiency.

GlobalData recently published its product assessment of 10 global IoT service providers and an accompanying competitive landscape report as well as an update to its Global Market Opportunity Forecasts to 2028: Enterprise IoT Market model. This blog focuses on key themes among new initiatives and service launches during H1 2024.

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Operators Face Multiple Hurdles Before 5G Network Slicing Can Be Offered Commercially

by John Marcus, posted in Internet of Things, Mobilize, Network
John Marcus – Senior Principal Analyst, Enterprise IoT, Mobility, Private Networks, and Service Innovations.

Summary Bullets:

• In January 2024, GlobalData predicted that the business services units of mobile operators would begin promoting 5G network slicing in 2024, educating enterprise customers about the technology being enabled by their rollouts of 5G standalone (SA) technology.

• Even with some progress on 5G SA rollouts around the world (and a handful of commercial trials), it’s already clear that this prediction was premature.

The potential with slicing to create multiple virtual networks within a single physical infrastructure – each tailored to specific needs – is still very much there, but a number of challenges must yet be addressed before operators can successfully launch 5G network slicing solutions for enterprises.

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Vodafone 5G Edge Update Notes Maturing Portfolio – and Customers

by John Marcus, posted in Internet of Things, Mobilize, Network
John Marcus – Senior Principal Analyst, Enterprise IoT, Mobility, Private Networks, and Service Innovations.

Summary Bullets:

• Vodafone has now delivered more than 100 mobile private networks (MPNs), most of which are now in production environments.

• Vodafone’s MPN portfolio incorporates hybrid networks and slicing, but most production deployments include a dedicated, on-premises component – although MEC demand remains limited.

Vodafone Business provided an update to analysts in May 2024 on what Vodafone calls its 5G edge. For the most part, this refers to its dedicated MPN offering, but also incorporates hybrid MPN and mobile edge compute (MEC) solutions.

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