By: Pipeline Magazine

The telecom industry in early 2026 continues its accelerated evolution, driven by deepening 5G Standalone deployments, widespread Open RAN adoption, non-terrestrial network integration, AI-native operations, enhanced security against emerging threats, sovereign and hyperscale cloud expansions, multi-orbit IoT connectivity, agentic AI for customer experiences, and strategic market realignments. This comprehensive editorial roundup synthesizes developments from Pipeline Magazine's recent coverage, grouping announcements by category to highlight how operators, vendors, and ecosystem players are building intelligent, resilient, and monetizable networks for digital transformation.

Mobile & Network News

Operators and equipment providers are aggressively advancing 5G Standalone architectures, Open RAN scalability, satellite backhaul and direct-to-device connectivity, subsea/terrestrial fiber upgrades, and performance breakthroughs to deliver ultra-reliable, high-capacity networks that support enterprise edge applications, industrial use cases, and seamless global coverage.

Vodafone's Carrier Services business has strengthened its wholesale internet offerings in Greece via a strategic partnership with global internet exchange NetIX, enabling third-party ISPs, content providers, and operators to access enhanced interconnectivity and scalable capacity to and from Greece at 100 Gbps or 400 Gbps. This collaboration complements Vodafone's self-built infrastructure, including the Thetis Express subsea optical fibre cable linking Crete to the mainland at up to 180 terabits per second, positioning Greece as a key digital corridor in Europe. Vodafone is establishing four high-speed wholesale routes (including Thetis Express) and three land-based optical fibre transport cables for improved resilience between Greece, Europe, and Southeast Asia, with future connectivity to the 2Africa cable system spanning 33 countries across Africa, Europe, and Asia. The partnership supports SD-WAN extensions and managed private network services, addressing surging internet demand in Greece where 87% of the population was online by late 2025.

Anritsu achieved the industry's first European EN 18052:2025 certification for its Hybrid eCall evaluation solution, centered on the eCall Tester MX703330E and built atop the MD8475B Signalling Tester platform. Certification followed rigorous testing by cetecom advanced and confirms reliable end-to-end validation of Hybrid eCall systems operating across 2G/3G circuit-switched and 4G packet-switched networks. The solution streamlines testing with dedicated software, eliminating multiple applications, and includes NG eCall and Hybrid eCall options plus integrated PSAP simulation for in-vehicle system (IVS) conformance. This supports automotive manufacturers and suppliers in meeting mandatory Next Generation eCall requirements for all new EU vehicle type approvals starting January 1, 2026, ensuring seamless emergency call continuity via SRVCC switching from VoLTE to legacy networks and contributing to safer mobile societies through robust interoperability across IVS, MNOs, and PSAPs.

Carma Technology Corporation, in collaboration with the North Central Texas Council of Governments and independently evaluated by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, completed the United States' largest road usage charge (RUC) pilot to date. The program enrolled more than 41,000 participants—far exceeding prior U.S. pilots—and captured over 64 million miles of real-world driving using Carma's smartphone-first, hardware-free, cloud-based platform. No manual activation, vehicle pairing, or proprietary devices were required, enabling rapid policy adjustments, corridor pricing, and scalability. Evaluation confirmed policy-grade mileage data accuracy, strong sustained participation, operational flexibility, and sharply declining per-user administrative costs at higher enrollment levels. These results demonstrate viability for statewide or multi-state mileage-based funding alternatives, integration with managed lanes and tolling interoperability, and reduced equity/friction challenges compared to hardware-dependent approaches.

Rakuten Mobile is deploying 1Finity's massive MIMO Open RAN radios at scale throughout its fully virtualized, cloud-native network in Japan this year.The 3.7 GHz 32A37 mMIMO O-RU model leverages Qualcomm Dragonwing QRU100 platforms and interoperates via O-RAN open fronthaul with Rakuten Symphony centralized and distributed units. This complements existing 1Finity 44R21 wide-coverage RUs, delivering substantial network capacity gains through advanced beamforming and spatial multiplexing (surpassing conventional 4T4R solutions), improved coverage, and high energy efficiency with low power consumption for sustainable operations.

SmarTone has designated Ericsson as its 5G Advanced technology provider to reinforce its network performance and pursue high-performing programmable network goals. Ericsson supplies the latest Massive MIMO radios, including the energy-efficient AIR 3255 model (30% lower power consumption and 20% reduced embodied CO2 footprint versus prior generations) and ultralight 24 kg triple-band macro radios.