Today’s telecom news includes announcements on future of 6G standards, JTOWER’s open RAN 5G system, 5G roll out in Egypt, among others.
Global Telecom Giants Unite to Shape Future of 6G Standards
Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone, Orange, MTN, and Telefonica, through the Next Generation Mobile Networks Alliance (NGMN), have urged 3GPP to establish frameworks for a smooth 6G transition. Their unified 6G vision stresses the need for global harmonised standards and a future-ready architecture focused on modularity, simplicity, openness, interoperability, and sustainability. NGMN advocates building on existing 5G capabilities and using software upgrades wherever possible, except when new frequency bands demand fresh hardware. Orange Group CTO Laurent Leboucher stated that the industry should move away from rigid hardware/software cycles and adopt a software-driven approach compatible with 5G. The operators aim to reduce cost, increase deployment efficiency, and ensure continuity between generations.
JTOWER Launches Japan’s First Shared Open RAN 5G System to Boost Efficiency
JTOWER has launched Japan’s first Open RAN-compatible shared 5G radio equipment for the Sub6 band, allowing mobile operators to jointly use antennas and radio units. The move supports cost reduction, space savings, and resource efficiency. Interoperability testing with Japan’s four national mobile carriers is planned for fiscal 2025, with deployment timelines dependent on carrier readiness. The system aligns with Open RAN principles, promoting vendor diversity and flexible network architecture. JTOWER is also developing additional infrastructure-sharing methods, including fronthaul sharing.
Egypt Rolls Out 5G Services Following $2.7 bn Industry Investment
Egypt officially launched 5G services through Vodafone Egypt, Orange Egypt, e& Egypt, and Telecom Egypt. Collectively, these operators invested USD 2.7 billion in 5G spectrum and licenses since 2019. Telecom Egypt secured its 5G license in January 2024, while the others received theirs in October 2024. 5G network enables smart cities, AI, Internet of Things, healthcare, and industrial automation by allowing simultaneous connection of multiple devices with low latency. Egypt becomes the second North African country to launch 5G after Tunisia in February 2025.
Asia-Africa-Europe-2 (AAE-2) subsea cable system
PCCW Global, Sparkle, Telecom Egypt, and Zain Omantel International (ZOI) have signed an MoU to jointly develop the Asia-Africa-Europe-2 (AAE-2) subsea cable system, aiming to enhance global connectivity. The planned cable will link Hong Kong and Singapore to Italy via high-capacity terrestrial routes through Thailand, the Arabian Peninsula, and Egypt. AAE-2 will provide a geographically diverse, resilient, and high-performance data pathway, with extensions to key destinations along the route. Building on the AAE-1 legacy, the system will integrate advanced technologies to deliver unprecedented bandwidth and support the surging demand for cloud services, content delivery, and digital transformation. This initiative is set to play a pivotal role in strengthening digital infrastructure across Asia, Africa, and Europe.
TelecomLead.com News Desk
