Today’s telecom news includes announcements on Reliance Jio, e&, Etisalat, Virgin Media O2, among others.
Jio Accelerates Shift from Telecom Operator to Global Technology Company
Jio is positioning itself as an Indian technology company rather than solely a telecom operator, with ambitions spanning network technology, digital platforms, enterprise solutions, AI and 6G. By March 2026, Jio had more than 524 million customers and over 268 million 5G users, providing a large-scale environment for developing and testing proprietary technologies. Jio Platforms and subsidiaries had filed 6,817 patents, with 1,009 granted globally, covering areas including 4G, 5G, 6G, AI and cloud. Its technology portfolio includes a proprietary 5G stack, broadband technologies, radio products and private-network solutions. The company aims to commercialize technologies developed for India internationally, potentially expanding its role from technology user to technology supplier across emerging global markets.
Etisalat Returns as Group Brand with Major Connectivity Expansion
UAE-based telecom group e& is reverting to its historic Etisalat name at group level as it marks its 50th anniversary, reversing the corporate branding adopted in 2022. The company says Etisalat better reflects its heritage, connectivity focusses and ambitions for the AI era. Alongside the rebrand, the group announced plans to expand international connectivity capacity to more than 500 Tbps by 2030, representing a 25-fold increase from current capacity. The network expansion is described as the first major commitment under a strategy built around four business engines: telecom, AI and business solutions, infrastructure, and fintech. The group operates across 38 countries in the Middle East, Africa and Europe, while recent portfolio changes indicate a stronger focus on core businesses and infrastructure-led growth.
O2 Expands Next-Generation 5G+ Coverage Across Bristol
Virgin Media O2 has switched on its next-generation 5G+ service across Bristol, bringing 5G Standalone connectivity to as many as 495,000 people. The service uses standalone 5G infrastructure rather than relying on an underlying 4G network, enabling faster speeds, lower latency and improved reliability for compatible customers at no additional cost. Coverage extends across central Bristol, Harbourside, surrounding neighborhoods and Avonmouth. Virgin Media O2 says every location included in its 5G+ program has at least 90 percent outdoor coverage. The Bristol deployment forms part of the company’s £700 million Mobile Transformation Plan, which is funding new masts, small cells, 4G and 5G upgrades, automation and additional spectrum deployment across the UK during 2026.