The latest telecom news includes announcements on Telecom Italia, Vodafone Idea, BSNL’s SIM-less Quantum 5G fixed wireless service, among others.
Telecom Italia Negotiates €1bn State Credit Amid Legal Dispute
Telecom Italia (TIM) is negotiating with banks, including UniCredit and Santander, to sell a €1 billion state credit. This credit originates from a legal dispute dating back to 1998 about a license fee TIM paid to the Italian government after telecom deregulation. An appeals court ruled in TIM’s favor, ordering the government to refund the fee plus interest. The government appealed to Italy’s highest court, delaying the ruling. Meanwhile, TIM plans to sell the expected refund claim to banks at a discount to get immediate funds. If the court rules against TIM, the company will repay the loan plus interest. TIM is also selling assets, such as its subsea cable unit Sparkle, to reduce debt. Additionally, TIM is in talks to amend a €4 billion revolving credit facility, aiming to reduce it to €3 billion and extend maturity to 2030, Reuters reports.
Vodafone Idea Accelerates 5G Rollout with Major Investment and Network Upgrade
Vodafone Idea (Vi) is focusing on increasing Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) and transitioning to 5G services. The company has spectrum to support this shift and aims to expand its network infrastructure. Promoters Aditya Birla Group and Vodafone Group will keep operational control despite the government’s increased stake to 48.99 percent. Vi plans to invest ₹5,720 crore to set up 22,000 5G sites across 17 circles, targeting 40 percent of its revenue base with 5G coverage within two years. The company is adopting Disaggregated Radio Access Network (RAN) technology to improve cost efficiency and service delivery. The shift to 5G and infrastructure investments highlight the telecom sector’s ongoing innovation, focusing on network expansion and new technology adoption to meet growing demand and enhance service quality, The Economic Times reports.
BSNL Unveils India’s First SIM-Less Quantum 5G Fixed Wireless Service with Speeds up to 980 Mbps
Bharat Sanchar Nigam (BSNL) launched India’s first SIM-less Quantum 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) service in Hyderabad. This service provides internet without a SIM card, using BSNL’s 5G network. The Quantum 5G FWA uses a Direct-to-Device platform, allowing customer premises equipment (CPE) to authenticate automatically without a physical SIM card. It offers download speeds up to 980 Mbps and upload speeds of 140 Mbps, with latency under 10 milliseconds. The service supports streaming, gaming, and remote work. BSNL plans to expand the service to Bengaluru, Pondicherry, Visakhapatnam, Pune, Gwalior, and Chandigarh by September 2025. The entire technology stack — including core, Radio Access Network (RAN), and CPE — was developed by Indian vendors under the Atmanirbhar Bharat program. The self-installation gateway covers 85 percent of households in Hyderabad using the existing tower grid, avoiding trenching or fiber installation. BSNL introduced tariff plans of ₹999 for 100 Mbps and ₹1499 for 300 Mbps.
TelecomLead.com News Desk