Today’s telecom news includes announcements on Tillman Global, Vodafone Idea, Virgin Media O2, China Unicom, Huawei, MTN Nigeria, Ericsson, among others.
Tillman Global Aims to Revive Vodafone Idea with $4.6B Takeover Push
US-based Tillman Global Holdings has proposed a $4.6 billion investment to take operational control of struggling Vodafone Idea. The plan focuses on network upgrades, stronger service reliability and customer-first strategies to stop subscriber losses. Capital infusion is expected to boost 4G capacity and accelerate 5G rollout, creating a more competitive telecom experience. For customers, the move promises better coverage, consistent connectivity and long-term service continuity, .
Virgin Media O2 Shuts Down 1 Billion Scam Texts with Powerful AI Security Upgrade
Virgin Media O2 has blocked more than 1 billion scam text messages on its mobile network, backed by major investment in advanced fraud-prevention tools. The operator is using AI-based threat detection to stop malicious SMS and calls before they reach customers, with systems now identifying over 50 million suspicious calls per month. Alongside the tech rollout, the company is boosting customer protection through free scam-reporting services and digital safety education, including its “Scam School” program for vulnerable and less tech-confident users.
Huawei and China Unicom Power World’s First High-Uplink 5G-A Marathon
China Unicom Beijing and Huawei deployed the world’s first high-uplink 5G-Advanced network at the 2025 Beijing Marathon, delivering over 90 percent coverage across the full race route. Using coordinated high, mid and low spectrum bands plus dedicated uplink slices in key areas, the network supported heavy real-time content sharing, livestreaming and media uploads from participants and broadcasters. Average uplink speeds reached about 20 Mbps, with peak performance around 4 Gbps across 95 percent of the course. Some users accessed premium speeds of up to 3 Gbps downlink and 300 Mbps uplink, supported through AI-based optimisation for consistent quality.
MTN Nigeria Supercharges Network with Energy-Saving Triple-Band Tech –
MTN Nigeria and Ericsson have deployed the AIR 3284 triple-band FDD Massive MIMO radio, replacing multiple 4G mid-band units with one compact, energy-efficient solution. The upgrade reduces power consumption, tower space and maintenance costs, while strongly improving network performance: downlink speeds increased 3.2×, uplink nearly 4× and user throughput rose by more than 50 percent, easing congestion in high-traffic areas. It is also fully 5G-ready, supporting both non-standalone and standalone evolution for advanced services in the future.
Shafana Fazal
