Category: Network

Network covers data communication and access technology and services, as well as provides guidance on the issues business technologists face when working with service and solution providers.

Australia’s Cable Wars Are Heating Up: Thanks, AI

by Brendan Swan, posted in Network
Professional headshot of a man with short hair, smiling, wearing a black suit and a pink shirt against a gray background.
B. Swan

• Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping Australia’s fiber map, driving investment beyond city limits and into emerging data center locations.

• Route diversity is becoming strategic, with terrestrial and subsea network providing greater resilience and flexibility for future digital workloads.

Australia’s fiber build-out is getting a second wind – and this time, artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the rules of the game. In the same week, Vocus and SUBCO announced new terrestrial and subsea cable projects demonstrating that Australia’s connectivity investment cycle is picking up speed. But this is about more than adding fiber. AI, cloud and data center expansions are changing where capacity is required and creating demand for networks with diverse, resilient routes that can withstand outages, congestion and other disruptions.

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EU Proposal for MSS Spectrum Seeks to Balance Bloc’s Commercial and Sovereignty Aspirations

by Ismail Patel, posted in Communicate, Internet of Things, IT Leader, Network
I. Patel

Summary Bullets:

  • The EU’s MSS 2 GHz proposal strengthens regulation, security, and competition, but implementation through 2027–2029 will be phased, not immediate.
  • Small spectrum block sizes favor IoT, messaging, emergency services; large-bandwidth applications face bottlenecks.

When the European Commission unveiled its plan late last month to reassign the 2 GHz mobile satellite service (MSS) spectrum at EU-level, it initiated more than a regulatory proposal. With the dust now settled on the announcement, it is clear that this represents a geopolitical and commercial realignment. Signals in the market suggest the framework is firming up around core principles: sovereignty, security, restricted eligibility, spectrum caps, and wholesale access. But beneath those pillars lies a battlefield of interests that will define not just who wins licenses, but which services Europe values the most – IoT or in-flight broadband, messaging or full-fledged device-to-device (D2D) connectivity.

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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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Vodafone’s Subsea Expansion Fuels Global Network Ambitions

by Brendan Swan, posted in Network, Secure
B. Swan

Summary Bullets:

  • Vodafone Group will build two submarine cable systems, Thetis Express and Kardesa Cable systems, as it looks to further strengthen its global undersea network.
  • Vodafone’s investment in both its terrestrial and subsea cable infrastructure validates its intention to remain a critical enabler of global connectivity in an AI-driven world.

With demand for data continuing to soar driven by AI, cloud, and other data-intensive services, the Vodafone Wholesale division unveiled plans to expand its global infrastructure as it looks to future-proof its network acknowledging that growth will depend on network resilience and scalability beyond today’s traffic patterns. Over recent months, the carrier has made multiple announcements to build two cable systems named Thetis Express and Kardesa. With the AI boom just starting, will Vodafone’s investment in its global network keep pace for future growth?

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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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Verizon Frontline Research Shows an Uptick in the Use of Advanced Technology by First Responders on the Horizon

by Amy Larsen DeCarlo, posted in Network
Amy Larsen DeCarlo – Principal Analyst, Security and Data Center Services

Summary Bullets:

• Though just 12% of public safety workers currently use AI everyday, 46% anticipate it will become part of their daily work by 2030.

• With an increasing emphasis on using network-dependent technologies like connected cars and drones, network reliability – or the lack thereof – is the top concern of 67% of those surveyed.

As essential as first responders are, public safety officials aren’t necessarily known for deploying leading-edge technology. But results from the fifth annual Verizon Frontline Public Safety Communications Survey suggest this may be changing. The survey results of 1,028 first responders – i.e., EMS, fire, police, emergency management, public safety, and emergency communications workers – find that while advanced technologies like AI and drones are broadly used today, they expect wider implementation through 2030.

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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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Tata Communications and Amazon Web Services to Build AI Network in India, as More Telcos Look to Deploy AI-ready Infrastructure

by Brendan Swan, posted in Network
B. Swan

Summary Bullets:

• Tata Communications will collaborate with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to build a high-capacity network connecting three major AWS infrastructure locations in Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Chennai.

• In a growing trend, more telecom providers are building high-capacity terrestrial networks to meet the growing demand in bandwidth contributed by the rise in artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud.

Tata Communications has announced a new partnership with AWS to build and deploy a high-capacity national terrestrial network backbone, making a significant move in transforming the country’s digital infrastructure evolution. This strategic collaboration between the two supports the continued rise in demand for data-intensive workloads driven by AI and cloud adoption. In what is becoming an increasing trend among global telecom operators, with more carriers investing substantial funds to expand, or upgrade their terrestrial networks to meet future data traffic demands, contributed by data-hungry workloads such as AI/ML, while future-proofing their networks to meet the requirements of their hyperscalers and enterprise customers.

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Carriers Grow Traffic Significantly While Also Delivering Energy Efficiency

by Rob Pritchard, posted in Cloud Enable, Communicate, IT Leader, Mobilize, Network
R. Pritchard

Summary Bullets:

  • Comcast has nearly doubled the energy efficiency of its network ahead of its 2030 target while also carrying 76% more data.
  • Other examples of greater energy efficiency through new technology include BT Global Fabric, where the replacement of legacy platforms will see a 79% energy consumption reduction.

Comcast announced that it is near to reaching its goal of doubling its network energy efficiency ahead of its 2030 target, stating that it is “delivering dramatically more data at faster speeds and greater reliability at the highest quality for our customers, all while conserving the amount of energy needed to power our network.”

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HPE’s Concessions Made to US DoJ to Acquire Juniper Will Have an Uncertain Impact

by Steven J. Schuchart Jr., posted in Big Data, Network
S. Schuchart

Summary bullets:

• The long-awaited merger is nearly here

• The impact of these concessions will play out over time

The long, drawn-out saga of HPE’s quest to buy Juniper has reached another milestone. HPE and the United States Department of Justice (DoJ) have reached a deal that, pending judicial approval, will allow the transaction to complete. However, there are a couple of concessions on HPE’s part. First it must divest its HPE Aruba Instant On business within 180 days to satisfy the DoJ’s worries about Wi-Fi market share of the combined companies. Second, HPE must auction off a perpetual, non-exclusive license to the source code for AI Ops for Mist.

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