The latest telecom news includes announcements on Apple, Samsung, Xiaomi, SweGaN, Ericsson, 6G innovation, spectrum in India, among others.
Legal Clash in Smartphone Market: Apple & Samsung Target Xiaomi Over Ads
Apple and Samsung have issued legal notices to Xiaomi over advertisements in India that directly compared Xiaomi smartphones with the iPhone 16 Pro Max and Samsung devices. In April, Xiaomi released full-page newspaper ads that mocked Apple’s camera features with the tagline “Maybe it’s time to see through the right lens,” and also ran similar campaigns targeting Samsung on social media and in print. Apple and Samsung argued that naming rival brands in this manner crossed fair competition limits and risked harming their market image in India. Legal experts described Xiaomi’s strategy as ambush marketing. The dispute arises as Xiaomi seeks to expand into India’s premium smartphone segment, IANS reports.
Driving 6G Innovation: SweGaN, Ericsson, Saab and Chalmers Join Forces on GaN Power Amplifiers
SweGaN, a semiconductor company developing GaN-on-SiC epitaxial wafers, has started a two-year Vinnova-funded project with Ericsson, Saab, and Chalmers University of Technology to develop GaN-based power amplifier (PA) technology for 6G networks. The project focuses on the 7–15 GHz spectrum range, including X and Ku bands, and will use SweGaN’s QuanFINE epitaxial GaN-on-SiC material. Research is divided into two tracks: the academic track will model high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) performance and define design limits for PA efficiency, while the industrial track will design, fabricate, and test power amplifiers through foundry processes.
Argentina Unlocks Private 4G/5G Spectrum to Drive Enterprise IoT
Argentina’s telecom regulator ENACOM has opened the 2.3-2.4 GHz spectrum band for enterprises to deploy private 4G and 5G networks. The regulator will issue 10-year SPIBA licences, divided into SPIBA Interior for indoor use and SPIBA General for outdoor use. The band is segmented into ten 10 MHz channels: four for indoor, four for outdoor, and two with flexible use. Enterprises can acquire up to six channels (60 MHz) for indoor systems, while outdoor limits are under evaluation.
DoT Auctions ₹17.23 Lakh Cr Spectrum, only ₹5.64 Lakh Cr Sold at 32.7 percent Efficiency
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) conducted spectrum auctions between 2010 and 2024 with a reserve price of ₹17.23 lakh crore. Out of this, spectrum worth ₹5.64 lakh crore was sold, reflecting an efficiency of 32.7 percent. The auctions included bands across multiple frequencies, but many blocks remained unsold due to high reserve pricing and limited operator demand. Telecom operators such as Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea participated, securing spectrum primarily to support 4G and 5G expansion. The low overall uptake indicated that operators focused on selective bidding aligned with network requirements rather than acquiring large unused blocks, Economic Times reports.
Shafana Fazal