The latest telecom news includes announcements on Metronet, US Internet, TELUS, TELUS Digital, SK Telecom, among others.
Metronet Boosts Minnesota Fiber Reach with US Internet Acquisition
Metronet announced the acquisition of US Internet, a fiber company providing internet services to residential and business customers in Minneapolis, following Metronet’s acquisition by a joint venture between T-Mobile and KKR. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. US Internet operates a fiber network offering symmetrical speeds up to 10 Gbps and currently reaches more than 140,000 homes and businesses in the Minneapolis area. With this acquisition, Metronet strengthens its fiber presence in Minnesota, adding to its existing markets that include Lakeville, Waconia, Shakopee, Owatonna, Faribault, and Rochester.
TELUS Accelerates Digital Transformation with Full Acquisition of TELUS Digital
TELUS and TELUS Digital entered a definitive agreement for TELUS to acquire the remaining shares of TELUS Digital it does not already own for US $4.50 per share, totaling US $539 million and valuing the company at US $1.3 billion. Shareholders can receive cash, TELUS stock, or a combination, with stock capped at 25 percent of the consideration. The integration is intended to strengthen TELUS’s use of artificial intelligence and software-as-a-service solutions across telecommunications, health, agriculture, and consumer goods, while also supporting expansion into financial technology, gaming, media, and health sectors. TELUS aims to unify operations to streamline processes and accelerate deployment of digital services.
SK Telecom Sets New Standard with AI Governance Portal
SK Telecom has launched an AI Governance Portal to manage the reliability and safety of its AI services. The portal evaluates AI services based on SK Telecom’s governance principles, ‘T.H.E. AI’—’by Telco’, ‘for Humanity’, and ‘with Ethics’. It uses a two-stage evaluation process: business teams perform self-assessments, followed by an in-house ‘red team’ review to identify technical issues, biases, and governance gaps. The process covers the full AI service lifecycle, from planning and development to post-launch operations. The portal monitors compliance with risk and governance requirements and provides a structured framework for assessing AI services at different risk levels, ensuring continuous monitoring and improvement.
Spain Cancels Huawei-Linked Telefonica Contract, Accelerates Telecom Innovation
The Spanish government canceled a contract worth about €10 million with Telefonica because it included Huawei equipment intended for fiber-optic services to government institutions, including the Defense Ministry. The move was part of Spain’s digital strategy and focus on strategic autonomy, aligning with wider European efforts to limit dependence on foreign vendors tied to security concerns. Telefónica has already begun reducing Huawei equipment in its networks in Spain and Germany in line with EU guidance, though some Huawei gear remains in its commercial 5G network and in markets with less restrictive regulation, such as Brazil, Reuters reports.
Shafana Fazal
