Today’s telecom news includes announcements from APAR Industries, Virgin Media O2, Arabsat, Galaxy Telecom, and others.
APAR Industries Ventures into Telecom with Mega ₹156.9 Cr Railway Deal
APAR Industries has diversified into the telecom service business by winning a ₹156.9 crore railway infrastructure contract from South Eastern Railway. The two‑year project includes the supply, erection, testing, and commissioning of telecom towers and an optical fiber cable (OFC) backbone across 1,563 route kilometers to support India’s Kavach automatic train protection system. With an estimated working capital requirement of around ₹10 crore, this deal marks APAR’s entry into railway signalling and communications, expanding its operations beyond traditional offerings.
Dorset Gets a 5G Boost: O2 Launches Faster, Smarter Network
O2 has activated its 5G Standalone network across major Dorset towns, including Bournemouth, Poole, Dorchester, Swanage, and Christchurch, enhancing mobile speeds, coverage, and reliability for around 380,000 residents and businesses. Unlike earlier 5G versions that relied on 4G infrastructure, this standalone network uses entirely new technology to deliver lower latency and a stronger signal, improving the mobile experience for locals and visitors. The rollout is part of Virgin Media O2’s UK Mobile Transformation Programme, and O2’s standalone 5G is already live in over 500 UK locations, available at no extra cost to customers with compatible devices.
Arabsat and Galaxy Telecom Forge Game-Changing Partnership to Boost Middle East Connectivity
Arabsat has signed a strategic partnership with Galaxy Telecom at the Arabsat Telecom Forum 17 to enhance regional connectivity across the Middle East by delivering high‑quality and reliable telecommunications services. The deal aims to meet growing digital and communication needs in the region by leveraging combined expertise to support innovative connectivity initiatives for businesses and consumers. This collaboration reflects Arabsat’s ongoing commitment to expanding its network through strong strategic alliances that drive development and address evolving market demand in the digital era.
Nokia & Blaize Collaborate on Edge AI Inference in APAC
Nokia and AI-edge computing company Blaize have signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop and deploy edge and hybrid AI inference solutions across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. The partnership merges Nokia’s expertise in networking, automation, and cloud orchestration with Blaize’s energy-efficient AI inference platform to reduce latency, optimize power consumption, and support real-world AI applications at scale. Key focus areas include hybrid AI use cases, reference architectures, co-validation of optimization tools, and go-to-market initiatives. This collaboration aims to enable production-ready, scalable AI systems for telecom, industrial, and smart infrastructure environments, providing organizations with practical AI capabilities closer to data sources.
SHAFANA FAZAL