The latest telecom news includes announcements on competition concerns in Thailand, HMD Global exiting the U.S. smartphone market, Turkcell and ZTE in Turkey, among others.
Thailand’s Telecom Spectrum Dominated by Two Firms, Raising Competition Concerns
Thailand’s telecom spectrum is controlled by a few companies, raising competition concerns. The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) auctioned key frequency bands—850 MHz, 1500 MHz, 2100 MHz, and 2300 MHz. Only two companies, Advanced Info Service (AIS) and True Corporation, won all the licenses. This follows the 2023 merger between True and dtac, creating a major telecom operator. Together, AIS and the new True serve over 90 percent of Thailand’s mobile subscribers, forming a market duopoly. The auction ended near minimum prices, allowing AIS and True to save significant costs — AIS over 2.9 billion baht and True 4.5 billion baht annually. The NBTC is reviewing auction rules to prevent collusion and ensure competition, Bangkok Post reports.
HMD Global Exits U.S. Smartphone Market Amid Economic Challenges
HMD Global, the company behind Nokia phones, announced its exit from the U.S. smartphone market due to geopolitical and economic challenges affecting its operations. The company will scale back business activities in the U.S. and focus on growth in other international markets. HMD Global remains committed to supporting existing U.S. customers by continuing warranty coverage and providing assistance through its global support teams. This decision marks the end of Nokia smartphones in the U.S. market. HMD Global thanks its U.S.-based employees for their contributions during this time, 9to5Google reports.
Turkcell and ZTE Join Forces to Drive Turkey’s Next-Gen 5G-A and 6G Networks
Turkcell and ZTE have partnered to develop 5G-A and 6G technologies in Turkey. The collaboration focuses on improving broadband connectivity and network performance using 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) and Dynamic Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RIS). They aim to create energy-efficient network solutions and explore satellite communication through Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN). The partnership combines ZTE’s technology capabilities with Turkcell’s digital network operations to advance Turkey’s telecommunications infrastructure by introducing new network architectures that support higher data speeds and lower latency.
UK Invests €163 Million in Eutelsat to Boost Europe’s Satellite Network and Challenge Starlink
The UK invested €163 million in French satellite company Eutelsat, maintaining its 10.89 percent stake as part of a €1.5 billion capital raise with France, Bharti Group, and others. The funding aims to improve Europe’s satellite capabilities and reduce reliance on non-European providers like Starlink. Eutelsat operates over 600 satellites in low Earth orbit communications. It tested 5G connectivity via satellite using standard smartphones under the EU’s IRIS2 project, which seeks to combine satellite and terrestrial networks for remote area coverage.
TelecomLead.com News Desk
