Today’s telecom news includes announcements on Veon, Starlink, Kyivstar, MWC 2026, TRAI, Huawei, among others.
Sky’s the Limit: Veon Forecasts 12 Million Starlink Users in Ukraine by 2026
Veon, the Dubai‑based telecom group, expects the number of people in Ukraine using Starlink internet to rise from around 5 million today to approximately 12 million by the end of 2026, CEO Kaan Terzioglu told Reuters at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. This growth is driven by a partnership between Veon’s Ukrainian unit Kyivstar and Starlink, aimed at providing satellite connectivity to mobile users in remote and conflict‑affected areas where traditional networks are unreliable. Veon also plans to extend Starlink integration to its Beeline network in Kazakhstan, with possible launches this year in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Uzbekistan.
India Hits Record 1.02 Billion Internet Users, Telecom Boom Accelerates
India’s telecom growth continued strongly in the December 2025 quarter as internet subscribers exceeded 1.02 billion, according to the latest performance report from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. The total number of internet users increased from about 1.018 billion in September to 1.029 billion by December. Wireless connections accounted for the vast majority, while broadband subscribers also topped 1 billion, highlighting rising demand for high‑speed data. Overall telephone connections in the country jumped to 1.306 billion, and tele‑density improved significantly. Telecom companies reported higher revenues and average earnings, reflecting robust sector performance.
Revolutionizing African Telecom: Huawei and Operators Launch AI‑Driven Pioneer Club 2.0
At the Northern Africa OTF 2026 forum held on March 1 in Barcelona, Spain, Huawei and leading African telecom operators jointly launched the “Northern Africa Digital Operation Transformation Pioneer Club 2.0.” The event, themed “Unified Entry & All Intelligent Operations Ignite New Growth,” brought together over 100 industry leaders to explore digital and AI‑driven transformation in telecom. Experts highlighted AI as a core driver reshaping industry operations, customer experience, and business models. Huawei unveiled its E.B.O.I‑driven intelligent solutions to help operators enhance networks, optimize operations, and innovate services in the AI/5G era.
SHAFANA FAZAL