During the period from November 11th to 17th, 2025, the following international news occurred:
1. Samsung powers SaskTel with cloud-native 4G, 5G core
Canadian operator SaskTel has begun deploying Samsung's cloud-native 4G/5G core network, combined with 3.8 GHz and 3.5 GHz spectrum to enhance network speed, coverage, reduce latency, and optimize services like voice and data. The network already serves nearly 90% of Saskatchewan's population. Future upgrades to 5G Standalone are planned to support applications such as smart agriculture, IoT, and virtual healthcare. The two companies initiated 5G collaboration in 2021.
2. Cohere Technologies sees the path to a multi-G network
Cohere Technologies is enhancing 4G/5G network spectral efficiency through its Universal Spectrum Multiplier software and is conducting tests with operators like Vodafone and Bell Canada. The company is developing Pulsone technology based on the Zak-OTFS "mother waveform," laying the foundation for Integrated Sensing and Communication and space-terrestrial integrated networks in 6G, aiming to build a programmable network layer for elastic cloud deployment.
3. The promise of 6G for Nvidia
Nvidia is actively positioning itself in the 6G field, viewing it as an opportunity to expand its GPU business in the telecom market. Company executives emphasized at the Brooklyn 6G Summit that 6G is the "fabric of connectivity for AI" and showcased multiple GPU-accelerated solutions. Analysts believe Nvidia aims to enter the telecom market via 6G but question the feasibility of deploying high-cost GPUs at the base station side. The first 6G standard release is expected around 2028.
4. BT, Telstra spell out critical need for standalone 5G
BT (UK) and Telstra (Australia) emphasized the critical importance of 5G Standalone at the MWC conference. BT plans to achieve 99% population coverage by 2030 (currently 60%); Telstra targets coverage in major cities by the end of 2025. Both noted that 5G SA can enable enterprise applications through network slicing and support dynamic slicing for real-time service orchestration, forming the foundation for scenarios like AI and autonomous driving.
5. du, Nokia, and MediaTek hit 6.3 Gbps in 5G speed trial
UAE telecom operator du, in partnership with Nokia and MediaTek, achieved a record 5G downlink peak speed of 6.3 Gbps and an uplink speed of 495 Mbps in its commercial 5G network. The test utilized 400 MHz four-carrier aggregation technology and 5G Release-18 related equipment. This achievement will support the UAE's digital transformation and enable low-latency, high-capacity applications like AI and ultra-high-definition streaming. Du had previously launched a 5G+ (5G-Advanced) network.
6. Huawei reports $630 million in patent revenue
Huawei generated $630 million in patent licensing revenue in 2024, covering 2.7 billion 5G devices, 1.2 billion Wi-Fi devices, and 3.2 billion multimedia devices. The company's annual R&D investment reached RMB 170 billion, accounting for 21% of total revenue, with 37,000 new patent applications filed. It signed multiple cross-licensing agreements with companies including Nokia and Samsung.
7. Verizon CTO Tenorio charts a course to 6G
Verizon CTO Tenorio stated that 6G development must learn from the phased deployment lessons of 5G Non-Standalone/Standalone, emphasizing a focus on AI-powered networks and societal applications. The company has launched the 6G Innovation Forum to drive technology exploration and global standard alignment. It advocates for a software upgrade from 5G to 6G based on a virtualized RAN architecture, avoiding standard fragmentation to maintain industry scale effects.
8. T-Mobile US hurtles towards intent-driven network, 6G
T-Mobile US is advancing towards an intent-driven network and 6G evolution based on its 5G Standalone and 5G-Advanced technologies. It has achieved nationwide 5G-Advanced coverage, launched network slicing and six-carrier aggregation, and is collaborating with Nokia and Nvidia on AI-RAN research. The company plans to enable real-time optimization through its intent-based network, aiming to be among the first US operators to deploy 6G.
9. Software-defined private 5G – XCOM RAN seeks to bridge IT/OT for smarter Industry 4.0
XCOM RAN, under US-based Globalstar, offers a software-defined private 5G solution that integrates Open RAN architecture, Band 53 licensed spectrum, and satellite assets to create low-latency, scalable local connectivity. By decoupling software from hardware, the solution builds an IT/OT convergence layer ensuring local data security, improving spectral efficiency and coverage. It provides reliable, programmable, and scalable deterministic connectivity for Industry 4.0 scenarios like industrial automation and edge AI, facilitating large-scale deployment of smart devices for smart manufacturing.
10. Nokia sets sights on 5G upgrade for space
Nokia Bell Labs is laying the groundwork for space-based 5G communications, aiming to build a "space internet" connecting lunar bases, orbital satellites, and Mars missions. This year, the company deployed and successfully operated the first 4G network on the Moon via the IM-2 mission. It plans to upgrade space communications to 5G as Earth progresses towards 6G (2028-2030) and is also exploring collaboration with the Indian space department to support lunar missions and spacesuit communication needs.
11. SK Telecom announces reorganization with MNO–AI structure
South Korea's SK Telecom announced an organizational reorganization adopting a dual Company-In-Company (CIC) structure for Mobile Network Operator (MNO) and AI. The MNO CIC integrates functions to rebuild customer trust, while the AI CIC is divided into four sectors including B2C AI and B2B AI, accelerating business implementation through a project-based system. The company plans to invest $3.6 billion in AI over five years, targeting annual AI revenue of a comparable scale by 2030, and has established a strategic partnership with OpenAI.
12. Cellnex, CAF signal 5G railway advance
Transport equipment manufacturer CAF and Spanish telecom operator Cellnex Telecom have successfully validated the compatibility of CAF's Optio train control system (CBTC) with private 5G infrastructure through lab and field tests. The system now adds a 5G connectivity option (alongside existing LTE and Wi-Fi), offering high-speed transmission, ultra-low latency, and network security. This can enhance railway operation safety, punctuality, and efficiency, contributing to more automated and sustainable smart railway operations and laying the foundation for smart urban mobility.