Today’s telecom news includes announcements on Batelco, Beyon, Ericsson, BTRC, Grameenphone, Robi, Banglalink, Digicel, Vodafone, among others.
Batelco Expands Ericsson Partnership to Upgrade Bahrain’s 5G Network
Batelco by Beyon and Ericsson have expanded their partnership to modernize Bahrain’s mobile broadband network through additional radio access and cloud-based core network deployments. The agreement includes Ericsson’s Massive MIMO systems to improve network coverage, capacity, download performance and energy efficiency. Batelco will also test Ericsson’s AI-native Scheduler for Link Adaptation, which adjusts data transmission according to changing radio conditions to improve throughput and download efficiency. The operator plans to upgrade its core network using Ericsson’s cloud-native dual-mode 5G Core, including packet core and Unified Data Management systems. Its infrastructure transition will also support future 5G Advanced capabilities and 6G development.
Bangladesh Seeks Tk 21,250 Crore for Mobile Spectrum Renewal
Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has proposed a Tk 21,250 crore spectrum renewal bill for Grameenphone, Robi and Banglalink, extending their spectrum license periods to 20 years. The revised proposal is 62 percent higher than the earlier recommendation of approximately Tk 13,100 crore for a 12-year and four-month renewal period. It covers 79.2 MHz of spectrum across the 900 MHz, 1800 MHz and 2100 MHz bands. The regulator has retained previously proposed discounts of 10–30 percent against allocation prices and recommended payment through 12 installments. Existing licenses are due to expire on November 10, making renewal a priority.
Digicel and Vodafone Activate First Shared Tower in Papua New Guinea
Digicel PNG and Vodafone PNG have activated their first shared network tower in Minj, Jiwaka Province, under an infrastructure-sharing agreement signed in September 2026. The arrangement allows Digicel to provide network services using Vodafone’s existing tower infrastructure, supporting wider coverage without requiring separate tower construction. The companies plan to expand the number of co-located network sites across Papua New Guinea. A second shared location, involving a Digicel tower hosting Vodafone services in Baiyer River, Western Highlands Province, is also expected to become operational. The agreement aims to accelerate network expansion, improve service availability and extend mobile connectivity to underserved communities.
