The latest telecom news includes announcements on Rakuten, AST SpaceMobile, Ezee Fiber, Ericsson, HBL, and others.
Rakuten and AST SpaceMobile Secure $1 Billion Support for Japan’s Direct-to-Device Satellite Network
Rakuten Group and AST SpaceMobile announced on November 9, 2026, an agreement to establish Rakuten AST, a joint venture developing Japan’s sovereign direct-to-device satellite communications network. Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications selected the project for funding of up to ¥148 billion, approximately $1 billion, over three years. Rakuten will control 51 percent of the venture, while AST SpaceMobile will hold 49 percent. The network will use Japanese-flagged low-Earth-orbit satellites compatible with mid-band spectrum, enabling connectivity to conventional smartphones. AST SpaceMobile will supply the satellites. Domestic operations are targeted to begin by March 2029. Satellite quantities, spectrum bandwidth and total project expenditure were not disclosed.
Ezee Fiber Wins 20-Year Washington Municipal Fiber Contract and SeaTac Network Franchise
Ezee Fiber announced on November 9 that it had secured two infrastructure agreements supporting fiber expansion across Washington’s Puget Sound region. The Kent City Council approved a 20-year agreement allowing Ezee Fiber to construct and operate a dark-fiber network connecting 12 municipal facilities. Separately, SeaTac approved a franchise agreement permitting the company to expand fiber broadband infrastructure for residential and business customers. Ezee Fiber is already constructing fiber networks across 25 cities in the greater Puget Sound area. The agreements establish the regulatory and commercial basis for additional network construction. The company will announce construction schedules and service availability following engineering work. Investment value, planned fiber kilometers and household coverage targets remain undisclosed.
Ericsson and HBL Integrate India’s Kavach 4.0 Railway Protection System with 5G Standalone
Ericsson and HBL announced they completed laboratory integration of Kavach 4.0, India’s indigenous Safety Integrity Level 4 automatic train protection system, with a 5G network environment. The integration was conducted at HBL’s research and development laboratory in Hyderabad. The companies are evaluating 5G Standalone as a communications foundation for future railway applications, including signaling, mission-critical voice, video communications, onboard surveillance and predictive maintenance. Kavach 4.0 provides train protection capabilities such as collision prevention and continuous speed supervision.