Today’s telecom news includes announcements on Maxis, AT&T, Arqiva, Gulfsat, Satellite Managed Services, among others.
Maxis Commits RM287 Million for Additional 2600 MHz Spectrum in Malaysia
Maxis has accepted a Malaysian spectrum award covering an additional 2×10 MHz in the 2600 MHz frequency band. Announced on October 15, the allocation carries an upfront payment of RM203 million, together with annual fees totaling RM84 million over the four-year assignment period. The combined financial commitment is therefore RM287 million. The additional frequencies will strengthen Maxis’s mobile broadband capacity and support more efficient spectrum utilization as data traffic increases. The allocation is separate from CelcomDigi’s RM381.75 million award, although both form part of the same regulatory allocation process. Formal spectrum issuance remains subject to regulatory requirements. Maxis has not disclosed its planned site deployment schedule or expected network-performance improvements.
AT&T Accelerates Copper Network Retirement as Legacy Services Fall Toward 1% of Connections
AT&T has reported further progress in retiring legacy copper telecommunications infrastructure as it expands fiber and wireless connectivity. In October 2026, management disclosed that more than 100 telephone wire centers no longer support customers using legacy services. The operator expects the remaining legacy customer base to decline toward approximately 1 percent of total connections, enabling faster retirement of older switching and access infrastructure. Copper-network shutdowns are part of AT&T’s broader modernization strategy, which includes replacing aging fixed-line equipment with fiber broadband and wireless alternatives. Management has linked the transition to a longer-term objective of approximately $4 billion in annual cost savings. Detailed retirement schedules for individual exchanges were not disclosed.
Arqiva and Gulfsat Sign Satellite Managed Services Agreement for Middle East Connectivity
Arqiva has announced a satellite managed-services agreement with Kuwait-based communications provider Gulfsat. Reported on October 19, the arrangement strengthens satellite service capabilities serving customers across the Middle East. The partnership involves managed satellite communications infrastructure and builds on the companies’ established activities in regional satellite connectivity. Such infrastructure supports transmission services and connectivity requirements where terrestrial networks are unavailable or insufficient. The announcement represents a commercial satellite-services agreement rather than a newly commissioned satellite constellation. Publicly available details do not establish the number of additional ground stations, dedicated transponder capacity, service bandwidth or infrastructure investment associated with the contract. The companies have also not disclosed the agreement’s financial value, duration or implementation timetable.
