Mobile & Wireless Roundup No. 165

Welcome to the 165th edition of the Mobile and Wireless Newsletter. As another year comes to an end, it is hard to avoid the feeling that the mobile industry is still searching for solid ground. 5G was sold as a major step change, yet for many operators it remains unfinished business. The simple reality is that without 5G Standalone, much of what was promised cannot be delivered. Everyone understands the theory, but deploying a new 5G core and integrating it with the existing 4G EPC is complex, expensive and often painfully bespoke. That cost, more than anything else, has slowed genuine progress.

5G Standalone does open the door to meaningful capabilities such as RedCap for IoT and satellite based non terrestrial networks. However, just as these are starting to gain traction, the industry is already racing ahead with 6G visions and a notional 2030 launch window. The technical ambition is impressive, but the commercial reality is far less clear. Operators are still trying to justify the investments they have already made, while research agendas continue to expand with features that may never be deployed at scale.

If 6G is to avoid repeating the same mistakes, pragmatism must win over ambition. Any new core must be optional and backward compatible, and future radio access networks need to work seamlessly with existing 5G cores. Operators cannot afford another generational reset that forces massive spending simply to tick a marketing box labelled 6G.

Meanwhile, from a consumer point of view, the priorities are refreshingly simple. Most users would happily stick with 4G if it delivered reliable coverage and consistent data rates, even when networks are busy. This is an area where operators could truly differentiate themselves, yet too many still chase peak speeds and headline claims instead. Ironically, the most transformative recent innovation for people outside the industry is eSIM, which quietly delivers real freedom and value without any generational hype.

For those new to the newsletter, I am a technologist with over 25 years of experience in mobile and wireless communications, currently working as an independent advisor, analyst, consultant and trainer. This newsletter brings together my recent posts and other industry developments that I believe are genuinely worth your attention.

⦿ 6G

• Fierce Network: How does 6G keep up with AI? It’s complicated (link)

• Capgemini: European Research Project Unlocks the Future of Immersive Collaboration (PR)

• RCR Wireless: Despite the hype, 6G’s AI impact remains uncertain (link)

• Geoff Hollingworth on LinkedIn: "It is always interesting with William Webb and Dean Bubley. They never tow the general consensus line and much to many people's frustrations - they tend to be right…" (link)

• Free 6G Training: Agentic AI and the Path to Hyper-Personalised 6G Networks (link)

⦿ 5G

• Light Reading: Verizon slices some 5G spectrum for enterprise-class FWA (link)

• Michael Thelander on LinkedIn: "For nearly the last two years, the Thelander family has used the Verizon 5G FWA service as our primary and only home internet service. Soon after I signed up for the service, I published an initial benchmark study of the service, comparing it with the MediaCom broadband cable service that it replaced…" (link)

⦿ 2G/3G

• MWL: 2degrees starts 3G shutdown (link)

• Rudolf van der Berg on LinkedIn: " "How not to do a 2G/3G Shutdown" Sweden-edition…" (link)

⦿ Spectrum

• AMCA: Renewing spectrum licences is the right call for Australian consumers and the economy (link)

⦿ Private Networks

• Private Networks Technology Blog: Coal India’s Private 5G Deployment Shows How Collaboration Is Shaping Industrial Connectivity in India (link)

⦿ Security & Privacy

• Denis Laskov on LinkedIn - Hacking the infrastructure of big cities: over 800 vulnerabilities in MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing) systems worldwide (link)

• Dmitry Kurbatov on LinkedIn - CDRs: From Billing Data to Security Telemetry (link)

• Eric Priezkalns on LinkedIn: Two Chinese SMS Blaster Scammers Arrested in Serbia (link)

• Brian Krebs on LinkedIn - Dismantling Defenses: Trump 2.0 Cyber Year In Review (link)

• Evolving Communication Security Towards 6G at the ETSI Security Conference 2025 (link)

• Dmitry Kurbatov on LinkedIn - Before 2026: Telecom and Security Reports To Catch Up On (link)

• Denis Laskov on LinkedIn - Hacking a chemical plant: from ChatGPT recon to Modbus attacks in a virtual environment (link)

• Anna Ribeiro on LinkedIn: "The European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) has invited industry stakeholders and other interested parties to provide feedback on its draft SBOM Landscape Analysis and the Technical Advisory for the Secure Use of Package Managers…" (link)

• CommsRisk: Financial Times Documentary Explains Cybercrime, IMSI-Catchers and Scam Compounds (link)

⦿ Telecoms Infrastructure, Small Cells, Antennas & others

• Telecoms Infrastructure Blog: Architecting Resilient Global Networks with Amazon LEO (link)

• Paul Rhodes on LinkedIn - Tuesday Towers: The Two Towers II (link)

• Mohamed Abbas on LinkedIn - Backhaul: The Hidden Engine Powering Mobile Networks (link)

• Paul Rhodes on LinkedIn - Thursday School: Repeat what Works IV! (link)

• IEEE Spectrum: NTT Tests Optical Switching to Manage Data Center Loads (link)

• Peter Clarke on LinkedIn: "From Farm to City Centre: EE delivers supreme performance and overall consistency through potent spectrum, modern radio capability and evolved backhaul that provides for the present and into the future…" (link)

• Paul Rhodes on LinkedIn - Thursday School: Partnerships, Planning and Preparation! (link)

• Understanding Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) for Seamless Indoor Connectivity (link)

• The 3G4G Blog: Transport Networks Holding Modern Mobile Architectures Together (link)

⦿ IoT / M2M / Smart Homes

• Telefónica Tech maintains its leadership in the Spanish IoT market with 17 million lines (PR)

• Afzal Mangal on LinkedIn: No, AI is not going to save IoT (link)

⦿ AI, ML & Automation

• FutureNet Insights - Fireside Chat: Mobily Network Automation Journey (link)

• Frank Rayal on LinkedIn: "Will sovereign AI succeed where sovereign cloud failed? Sovereignty often masks deep dependencies on hyperscalers and fragile supply chains. The real question: will capital poured into sovereign AI generate sustainable returns or become stranded infrastructure…" (link)

⦿ Satellites, HAPS, Drones, UAVs & Space

• MWL: Airtel Africa, Starlink add sat-to-phone service (link)

• ST Engineering iDirect and Capgemini collaborate to Advance 5G Non-Terrestrial Network Solutions (PR)

• Lluc Palerm Serra on LinkedIn: "Prediction for 2026: Implementing #satellite #D2D services could give MNOs an annual revenue uplift of 1% …" (link)

⦿ Quantum Networks & Technology

• BSI, Germany: The status of quantum computer development (link, PDF) – partly in German

⦿ Sustainability

• NGMN recommends revision and further development of energy metering standards for greener RAN transport networks (PR)

• Rudolf van der Berg on LinkedIn: "Dutch datacenters use 4.6% of electricity. Confusing is that there are now less datacenters that use >10GWh than 3 years ago, probably because the number of datacenters is reported in incrementa of 5…" (link)

⦿ Other News and Technology Stuff

• NTT Technical Review: Lightning Control and Charging Technologies that Protect People and Equipment and Harness Energy (link)

• IEEE Spectrum: Electric Spoon and Cup Bring Salty Flavor Without Extra Sodium (link)

⦿ Picture of the week: This rare vintage Japanese rotary payphone from 1988, manufactured by Tamura Denki and deployed by NTT, is reportedly still in operation, as reported by denpa893 on X. Designed for 10 yen coin use, this charming pink handset captures the spirit of Japan’s late Showa era, both in its distinctive colour and its robust, no nonsense engineering. At a time when we talk endlessly about cloud native cores, AI native networks and 6G ambitions, it is a quiet reminder of how well designed, reliable communication infrastructure can endure for decades.

Happy to hear your thoughts. Feel free let me know what worked, what didn’t, how I can make this better, etc. Get in touch over LinkedIn!

PDF version of this and previous newsletters are available here.