Canadian operator Rogers broadened the reach of a direct-to-device (D2D) satellite service by striking roaming deals covering key nations in and around the Pacific Ocean.

Rogers Satellite users are gaining access when in Australia, New Zealand and Japan in a move which brings the total number of non-domestic nations accessible to four.

The company lit a roaming deal with T-Mobile US earlier this year.

Rogers Satellite offers messaging and access to apps including Facebook Messenger, X and WhatsApp. There are also mapping services from Google and AllTrails, with AccuWeather providing meteorological information.

“Canadians want to stay connected wherever their travels take them,” Rogers CTO Mark Kennedy said.

Customers on Rogers’ Ultimate plans along with some Roam Like Home and Travel Passes options can access its D2D service.

The operator’s roaming arrangement in Japan looks likely to be through KDDI, which tapped Rogers to provide roaming access for its D2D users earlier this year.

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A US university tackled discrepancies in broadband access across its residences by tasking Boldyn Networks to provide a network which treats all buildings as equals.

The neutral host infrastructure player installed the network across 44 residences at Radford University in the US state of Virginia. Around 3,000 students are now being promised a consistent browsing experience through the institution’s ResNet service.

Matt Loecke, SVP for Higher Education with Boldyn Networks US, said the network takes “the day-to-day” off the plate of “an already stretched IT team” at the university.

Boldyn Networks explained it handles the everyday running of the network, enabling Radford University’s IT staff to focus on “initiatives including complex ERP and LMS transitions”.

It stated the IT team would likely also benefit as they work to deploy AI capabilities.

The company cited predictability as a key benefit for Radford University, highlighting hardware management, predetermined service costs and full-time customer care facilities.

Ryan Bailey, director of IT infrastructure at Radford University, said the institution wants to remove barriers to students getting online and welcomed the option to keep his staff focused on “projects that will define how we teach and work” over the next ten-years.

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Honeywell Technologies completed an automation system deployment for a major cruise ship operator which is designed to deliver a double-whammy in terms of passenger and crew systems.

The cabin automation system was deployed in more than 8,400 rooms on a trio of Royal Caribbean ships which Honeywell Technologies described as being at the cutting-edge of innovation.

Passengers can use the set-up to customise their room using the cruise company’s app. It covers climate, lighting, window blinds and other elements in the cabins.

The company expects the system to improve the efficiency of Royal Caribbean’s operations, in particular by helping it cap energy usage.

Honeywell Technologies stated such guest experience elements are becoming a point of differentiation in the hospitality sector.

Juan Picon, president and CEO of its Building Automation division, said the system also provides Royal Caribbean with the tools to manage “some of the most-advanced vessels in operation today”.

The Icon Class ships involved are giants in the cruise shipping sector, with capacity for around 7,500 guests and crew on each of the three already in service.

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Japanese conglomerate Hitachi Group revealed when a fresh entity borne of two US subsidiaries would commence operations, a move unveiled earlier this year as it looks to capitalise on businesses’ digital transformation plans.

Hitachi Digital Services and GlobalLogic are being combined to provide a one-stop shop for digitalisation. The company originally explained the united business would aid internal transformations and help external organisations with their own digital shifts.

The united Hitachi Digital entity is scheduled to launch on 1 April 2027, comprising around 35,000 staff across 27 countries.

Hitachi stated the business can offer extensive expertise in vertical industries and emerging applications of AI including for physical purposes.

Staff are also well-equipped to handle AI data and intelligence, cloud and site reliability engineering, and enterprise systems. Hitachi highlighted “longstanding operational technology and domain knowledge” in the industrial sector.

Jun Abe, EVP and head of the Digital Systems and Services Sector, said Hitachi Digital would drive an evolution of the company into a “global digital services” player which would “work alongside clients throughout their business transformation”.

Hitachi is hoping to feel the benefits of the new unit itself through a so-called “customer zero” strategy, whereby it applies fresh services and knowledge to its own digital transformation.

The company previously stated Hitachi Digital would target businesses operating in the automotive, rail and energy sectors.

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Italian shipbuilding behemoth Fincantieri established a specialised training programme to equip future staff with the skills it sees as vital to deliver on a vision of smart ships and digitalised production processes.

Fincantieri teamed with technology college ITS Academy Udine to create the two-year Mechatronics and Robotics, Smart Ship programme, which involves a mix of classroom and on-the-job training.

The first class comprises 16 students: Fincantieri stated they would learn about “planning, coordination and work progress management” and “soft skills” comprising “leadership, problem solving” and management.

Alessio Belli, head of group organisation Development, Learning and Labour Cost, said Fincantieri views the training programme as “essential to supporting the industrial and technological transformation” of the shipbuilding sector.

Like many industries, shipbuilders are preparing for all aspects of digital transformation. Fincantieri explained the course covers the core skills in its moniker along with automation, AI and digital twin technologies.

Cybersecurity is also on the curriculum, as are elements covering onboard systems and equipment, digitalisation of production processes and predictive maintenance.

Fincantieri emphasised the importance of helping students to transition into full-time work and plans to begin offering apprenticeships from the second year of the course.

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Vodafone Group revealed its influential corporate affairs chief Joakim Reiter (pictured) is to depart at the end of the year, bringing the curtain down on a nine-year spell with the operator.

Reiter was instrumental in Vodafone’s push for fairer laws and regulations for the telecoms sector.

CEO Margherita Della Valle acknowledged Reiter’s impact, saying he argued the case for Vodafone with authorities “across Europe and Africa”.

She credited Reiter for making a “tremendous contribution” to Vodafone.

The executive is set to build on his campaigning work by becoming secretary general of the European Roundtable for Industry, a group established in 1983 to promote cooperation between businesses, governments and regulators.

Companies involved in the roundtable account for a combined €3 trillion in revenue per annum and make annual investments of €120 billion.

Vodafone stated it would announce a successor to Reiter “in due course”.

The European Roundtable for Industry is yet to detail what current secretary general Anthony Gooch Galvez’ plans are.

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Honeywell Technologies tapped Nvidia and Dell to help it create an AI system to overhaul existing processes at petrochemical facilities, with an initial deployment at a massive site in Nigeria in progress.

The company believes AI could boost the efficiency of existing plants, an upgrade with the potential to add billions of dollars-worth of revenue depending on specific sites.

Honeywell Technologies is preparing to put the Forge Plant Cognition platform to work at a Dangote Group petroleum refinery in Nigeria, though noted businesses in the broader petrochemical and liquified natural gas sectors are also in its sights.

The platform uses process technology, industrial automation and AI to highlight constraints in operations, potential problems and interpret site data.

It emphasised the platform differs from “conventional AI” systems by doing more than just using data to provide recommended actions. It stated the set-up is configured to identify possible sources of additional margin; keep production running; and bolster operations with process expertise.

“Industrial plants are among the most complex operating environments in the world, with enormous potential to realise greater performance and value using digital technologies”, Honeywell Technologies UOP president Rajesh Gattupalli explained.

A Dell platform employs various Nvidia systems to deliver AI capabilities and models, alongside digital twin resources.

Honeywell Technologies noted a local benefit in terms of Dangote staff skills given the company aims for 70% of its workforce to be Nigerian.

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Deutsche Telekom invested in Tandem Health, seeking to capitalise on the Swedish technology developer’s work to digitise the healthcare sector using AI.

The operator pumped an undisclosed sum into a Series B funding round by Tandem Health through its T.Capital investment arm, apparently seeing potential in a medical records assistant which is already used in more than 10,000 healthcare facilities throughout Europe.

Tandem Health’s platform provides access to clinical documents, coding and decision-making tools. It is integrated into around 130 electronic health record systems and meets stringent European Union regulations governing the sector and the bloc’s sovereignty needs.

T.Capital MD Karine Peters said Tandem Health’s platform “noticeably reduces the administrative burden on healthcare professionals” without compromising on “quality, safety and compliance” standards.

The company expects AI to “play a key role in addressing the challenges facing healthcare”, Peters added.

Tandem Health found administration tasks take up a sizeable chunk of clinicians’ working day when it quizzed professionals and patients late in 2025.

Most healthcare staff told the company they would prefer to spend more time with patients than on paperwork and more than half expressed concern over the quality of the interactions they do have.

Patients are worried about distracted doctors and inaccurate information, Tandem Health reported.

Deutsche Telekom reasons AI could provide some relief from the administrative burdens, in turn improving efficiency at healthcare facilities.

But SVP of Health Industry and head of Public Sector at T-Systems Gottfried Ludewig emphasised any AI systems employed must be trustworthy and secure.

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The prime minister of Singapore backed the city state to carve out a meaningful role in industrial AI, arguing it holds several advantages over frontier developments being led by companies in the US and China.

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong (pictured, right) said Singapore holds several advantages in applying AI to specific sectors compared with developers in other nations working on more general uses.

“We are small. We are compact. We are highly connected as a society”, Prime Minister Wong said as he detailed a collaboration with Germany to develop industrial AI uses.

The prime minister argued Singapore’s clear laws and “protection for IP” also stand it in good stead.

“We see a lot of opportunities in sectors like healthcare, logistics, finance and advanced manufacturing”.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (pictured, left) and Prime Minister Wong put industrial AI development at the heart of future collaboration goals.

The Singaporean leader said the nations are on common ground over protecting from the risks AI poses, pledging development would be “done in a way that remains safe, trusted and human centred”.

Advanced manufacturing, sustainable technologies, semiconductors, and quantum and space technologies are among the other fields the nations intend to collaborate on.

Prime Minister Wong predicted joint development of industrial AI would result in “more robotics and automated solutions in manufacturing and logistics”, and have impacts on “other areas of the economy”.

He noted trade agreements with Germany are positive in a global context, noting long-standing relationships between companies in each nation and backing Europe as a whole as a solid long-term investment bet.

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Apple maintained device launch momentum by revealing its latest iPad mini would go on sale later this week, destined to reach customers early next month.

In the US prices start at $699 for a Wi-Fi only model and $849 for those also equipped with mobile connectivity. Storage options are 128GB, 256GB and 512GB, with midnight and starlight the colours on offer.

Apple emphasised the device “fits in the palm” and is a “huge leap in performance”, wireless connectivity, and resistance to water or dust ingress, for which it carries an IP67 rating.

It features an 8.5-inch OLED offering two-times greater peak brightness than previous iPad mini models. Apple’s A20 Pro processor is on board, which the vendor highlighted offers advantages in performing AI-related tasks.

The model runs iPadOS 27, along with the latest iterations of Apple’s Intelligence and Siri assistant, which are configured to tailor responses to individual users.

Dave Pakula, VP of Hardware Engineering, said past models are “beloved” by “creators and small business owners” along with “doctors, field service workers and gamers”.

Apple promises “punchier bass” and greater volume from upgraded speakers featuring custom tweeters.

It emphasised a 12MP camera “on the landscape edge” is configured for video duties, with an equivalent-sized unit on the rear geared towards photo and videography.

The company’s N1 wireless networking chip is compatible with Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Thread, described separately by a namesake working group as a “secure, low-power mesh networking protocol” for IoT.

Apple stated the latest iPad mini is 5.4mm thick: GSM Arena pegs the remaining dimensions at 195.3mm by 132.6mm.

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Telefonica spotted an opportunity in growing industrial demand for process optimisation services which it hopes to cash in on through an investment by its domestic unit in Spanish specialist OGA.

The operator paid an undisclosed amount for a 10% stake in OGA, a so-called deep tech company specialising in using AI and operational information to optimise processes in sectors including logistics, retail, energy, health and defence.

Javier Lopez Gutierrez, director of Telefonica Espana’s Defence and Security unit, said the operator hopes to strengthen its industrial AI offer, “with a special focus on the defence sector”.

OGA employs AI, modelling and simulations to work out optimal processes for businesses providing vital services. CEO Juan Carlos Rubio hopes Telefonica’s backing will help it grow its capabilities to the benefit of Spanish and European defence and security sectors.

Telefonica explained it is adding OGA’s services to its range for businesses and public administrations, but noted it is not taking a seat on the company’s board to preserve its independence.

The operator made its investment after working with OGA for the past two years.

Business focus
Telefonica separately noted B2B is proving a lucrative sector after attracting more than 800 domestic organisations to Titan Connect, a marketplace of connectivity services it launched in January for businesses and the public sector.

The set-up pools standalone 5G, fibre and satellite connectivity with a host of systems spanning cloud and edge computing, observation services using AI and power supplies.

Telefonica pitches the service on a greater ability to keep businesses and public sector organisations connected during disruptions.

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Apple shrugged off widely-reported delays to shipments of iPhone Duo models by delivering the first units to eager customers worldwide.

Pictures from various of the vendor’s retail locations showed a clamour for its first foldable model, which hit stores on time based on the release schedule Apple gave when it unveiled the device in September.

Apple stated it is offering a range of trade-in and leasing options on the devices, which have a starting price of $1,999 for versions with 256GB of storage.

The vendor may be particularly pleased with the turnout at a store in Shanghai, China, given the nation is one of its biggest markets.

Bloomberg journalist Vlad Savov wrote the iPhone Duo could ignite a so-far muted foldable smartphone market, though also cautioned the sector may remain niche if Apple fails to shift enough of the devices.

Reports last week pointed to significantly longer waiting times for customers ordering the devices online compared with previous Apple smartphones, with shipments tipped to take up to three months instead of the roughly six weeks of past devices.

Apple highlighted there are “exceptional” deals to be had purchasing iPhone Duo models through mobile operator channels.

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Telefonica listed universities, hospitals, research centres and start-ups as among the likely beneficiaries of a plan to install a quantum computer at a university in Spanish capital city Madrid.

The operator is working with IQM Quantum Computers to equip the Technical University of Madrid with an all-in-one machine to provide real-world experience of the next-generation systems.

Telefonica predicted the technological benefits would be felt throughout Europe. The machine is due to be up and running by year-end and will add to two the companies already provided for use at a supercomputing centre in the northwest of the country.

Borja Ochoa, non-executive chair of Telefonica Espana and CEO of its B2B unit, said the operator wants to become “the best gateway to digital technologies”. He asserted it is the first in Spain to employ post-quantum cryptography to protect “communications between data centres”.

IQM Quantum Computers CEO and co-founder Jan Goetz highlighted anticipated benefits for industries in the Madrid area: “Quantum computing becomes truly valuable when it moves beyond remote laboratory environments”.

The installation extends Telefonica’s recent track record in the quantum computing realm, which includes establishing a centre of excellence, and employing the approach in pharmaceutical research and logistics.

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Iceland’s telecoms regulator commenced a process which could boost local and private 5G network deployments by a host of industries and align the nation with broader global rollouts.

Fjarskiptastofa opened a consultation into allocating spectrum in the 3800MHz to 4200MHz frequency band, one which is widely regarded as ideal for local area networks where capacity matters.

The regulator listed factories, ports and utilities among businesses which could benefit from access to all or some of the spectrum, which it noted is also suitable for delivering fixed wireless access services.

It proposes providing two tiers of licences, one for low-power deployments and another for medium.

Fjarskiptastofa explained low-power settings would be confined within a 50-metre radius, with multiple transmitters allowed.

Medium-range deployments would be “limited to a specific transmission location”.

The regulator proposes licences spanning 20MHz, 40MHz, 60MHz, 80MHz and 100MHz of bandwidth, with the latter the maximum for each permit.

Licences would be valid for a decade and holders would be required to launch services within a year of receiving clearance.

Fjarskiptastofa’s consultation runs until 10 November, after which it intends to publish all comments not covered by confidentiality requests.

The band covered is already popular for private 5G services: in 2025, the European Union called for member states to harmonise access, arguing there are broad benefits for industrial and non-industrial players.

But there are concerns the harmonised approach in the region may not be the panacea it first seems: in 2022, the GSMA expressed concern some member states could favour specific systems and so constrain the market.

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LG Uplus and Ericsson boosted fronthaul coverage, addressing what the operator stated is a key element in the broader AI-RAN landscape and indicating a complete overhaul of equipment may not be necessary.

The companies conducted verification tests of Ericsson fronthaul equipment and network automation systems LG Uplus stated increased the reach of base station equipment by up to three-times over current methods without compromising quality.

LG Uplus clarified the effort focused on the connection between the Radio Unit and the Data Unit.

The operator emphasised there is more at play than expanding the distance connections can be maintained over: it argued the demonstration with Ericsson shows current equipment can be configured for AI-RAN uses, a benefit with obvious implications regarding infrastructure costs.

Lee Sang-heon, head of network advanced development with LG Uplus, said the operator intends to build on the fronthaul work by exploring other fresh technologies needed for “the next-generation network era”.

LG Uplus stated the effort would explore automation technologies and focus validation work on real-world network set-ups.

The operator stated the work would feed into a push towards autonomous networks employing AI.

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Bell Canada flagged cybersecurity credentials as increasingly important in consumers’ choice of businesses after research found almost 40% would shun a company if its protections were doubtful.

A survey of 1,523 adults conducted by the telecoms player’s Cyber division found nearly 60% would stop using a business if personal data was exposed and just shy of 80% reported being the target of an attack in the past 12 months.

Bell Cyber conducted its survey across seven days, beginning on 29 July. The research revealed growing public concern over the role AI is playing in cyberattacks, with 76% believing the technology is contributing to an increase in the sophistication of swindles.

Canadians believe companies are struggling to keep pace with the cyber scams AI is contributing to.

Confidence in companies’ ability to fend off attacks is low: 31% believe businesses can protect personal information from incidents involving AI.

Bell’s research highlighted worries over workplace cybersecurity training, with many staff saying they have taken the initiative by seeking information themselves.

Localisation is one confidence-boosting method the company suggests businesses adopt, with the research indicating trust is greater when information is stored on domestic servers and security overseen by Canadian companies.

The former may be a welcome statistic given Bell is investing heavily in domestic data centre capacity.

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Renowned German sports car maker Porsche hopes to break the mould on industrial digitalisation by forming a business unit to improve internal operations along with boosting its work with other sectors and companies.

Porsche Technologies is being formed by combining the company’s current engineering and digital units, a marriage deputy chair Dr Michael Steiner said would deliver the best of both worlds.

Steiner said the unit would “play a central role” in Porsche’s own “strategic development activities and in its business with other automotive and industrial customers”.

Sectors including space, maritime, defence and medical technology were listed as potential targets.

The company aims to launch Porsche Technologies early in Q2 2027 to provide services spanning development of hard and software through to validation of digital and physical products.

Porsche stated AI and data systems would play important roles in the work of the business, particularly for process optimisation.

Current Porsche Engineering CEO Markus-Christian Eberl (pictured, centre) is to head the new division.

Porsche Digital CEO Stefan Zerweck (pictured, left) is to become the CTO, with engineering unit CFO and COO Dirk Philipp (pictured, right) to occupy the same roles in the new business.

Staff numbers for the combined division stand at around 2,700, located at sites throughout Europe, the US and China.

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Toshiba addressed what it believes is complexity in deploying quantum-safe networks with the release of a platform it stated can lower the need for specific fibre connectivity and equipment.

The Japanese company is targeting the platform at network operators, enterprises, public-sector groups and companies running data centres. It is pitching the set-up as offering more than a bump to security, highlighting potential competitive advantages and revenue opportunities.

Toshiba echoed concerns expressed by many over the potential dangers of quantum computing, noting some nefarious types are already harvesting data to be decrypted when compatible machines come online.

It stated governments, “regulators and standards bodies” are already pressing for action to address potential threats.

The sales pitch for Toshiba’s platform centres on the simplicity of deployment. It states organisations “do not need to rebuild their networks” to use the set-up, which “integrates with existing network infrastructures” and can be run through “a single dedicated connection to large metro, hub-and-spoke, ring, mesh and long-distance networks”.

Andrew Shields, VP of Toshiba Europe and head of its Quantum Technology Division, said the platform should prove cost-effective in deployments “across large-scale networks”.

Toshiba equipped the platform with post-quantum cryptography, quantum key distribution and random number generation, technologies widely regarded as being suitably robust to secure the future computing systems.

Hiroshi Tsukino, VP of Toshiba’s ICT Solutions Division, said the move to quantum-safe technologies is “the largest cryptographic transformation in history” and urged organisations to begin preparing today.

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Telefonica demonstrated the military capabilities of its 5G infrastructure during an unmanned drone and vehicle exercise, one of the first moves it is making in a collaboration with Portuguese telecoms player NOS Comunicacoes.

The companies combined their 5G technologies during the Robotic Experimentation and Prototyping with Maritime Unmanned Systems demonstration. Telefonica stated the work proved the ability to provide fresh services and uses of the pair’s infrastructure.

Telefonica and NOS Comunicacoes formalised their partnership during the event with the signing of a memorandum of understanding covering joint development of future connectivity set-ups, secure communications and digital services.

Defence and security uses are foremost in the companies’ focus. NOS Comunicacoes board member Joao Ricardo Moreira said a changing security and defence “landscape requires digital infrastructure capable of operating in a coordinated manner across national borders”.

As such, network interoperability is one of the key areas the companies agreed to explore.

Also on the table is work involving edge computing, AI, 5G and fresh architectures. Telefonica stated there would also be a focus on how the technologies integrate with “command-and-control systems, autonomous platforms and other emerging technologies”.

It took the companies a year to hammer out the details of their collaboration.

Telefonica Espana director of defence and security Javier Lopez Gutierrez said the work holds the potential to boost European sovereignty and thanked the Spanish and Portuguese navies for providing the “operational environment” to test and evaluate the technologies involved.

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PLD Space kept the focus on European satellite communication ambitions, revealing progress in developing its reusable launcher a matter of hours after major operators outlined plans involving spectrum access.

The Spanish rocket company is gearing up for a demonstration flight of its MIURA 5 reusable launcher with a trio of machines, two on which it tests systems and one on which validated technologies are installed.

PLD Space stated the approach should reap repeatability benefits when it comes time to manufacture its launcher vessels, along with enabling it to validate fresh features without interrupting scheduled operations.

It is progressing development of flight hardware, engines and mechanisms to lift rockets in to position on launchpads.

Its test units have been used to develop fairings and the company is also confident in its trajectory modelling.

PLD Space has a quartet of flight avionic systems ready and is keeping an eye on the ground infrastructure needed, which includes 17,000 square metres of manufacturing facilities along with ten test benches.

The company is also building a launch facility in French Guiana.

Co-founder and CEO Raul Torres said PLD Space must test “every element of the system” rigorously, making the three-vessel approach vital to the speed of development.

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