T-Mobile US CTO John Saw revealed it is testing whether humanoid robots could respond faster and rely less on onboard computers by running some of their AI at its network edge.

In a blog, Saw explained T-Mobile is working with robotics company Figure AI to test if its systems can run on nearby computing infrastructure without slowing the machines’ responsiveness.

The systems involve controlling robots’ movement, and interpreting visual information and language instructions.

Saw wrote shifting some processing off the robots could reduce battery use, computing demands, heat, weight and cost. It could also let them run more capable AI without needing more hardware or power.

AWS
T-Mobile is working with AWS on the first deployments of Kinetic Edge, the operator’s distributed computing infrastructure for physical AI.

They are using T-Mobile’s 5G-Advanced network and distributed edge along with AWS’ cloud orchestration and AI services to push “deterministic connectivity, compute and intelligence closer to where machines operate”, Saw wrote.

He explained reliable connections and localised computing could help businesses take physical AI beyond individual demonstrations, highlighting developers are putting vision and reasoning models at the network edge to make robots, cameras and sensors less dependent on a distant cloud.

“This early work is helping us explore the capabilities that could make physical AI possible at scale, while opening the door to entirely new applications and opportunities.”

Machines require consistent connectivity when moving, sufficient uplink capacity to send sensor data, low latency and wide-area coverage, Saw wrote. Wi-Fi and satellite have a role, but he argued advanced terrestrial wireless networks are better suited to meeting the needs.

Human interaction
Saw noted employing people to assist robots would become challenging when thousands of machines are involved: T-Mobile is working with Serve Robotics to evaluate the feasibility of conducting monitoring at the edge to assess which problems can be solved by humans and which need more AI input.

The executive also highlighted work with Nvidia, Nokia and a growing group of developers to run physical AI applications across distributed edge networks, along with the recent completion of an AI-RAN call involving the vendors.

Saw explained T-Mobile is working with the city of San Jose in the state of California and specialist companies to develop a way to create an overview of traffic using edge AI to combine the views of separate 5G cameras.

They are testing if AI can connect occurrences at different junctions and if providing a big-picture could help people spot traffic patterns sooner.

The operator is also exploring “how AI and network workloads can share accelerated computing infrastructure” through partnerships with Nvidia, Nokia and Ericsson.

Saw said T-Mobile must develop ways to deliver “data and workloads” to “where intelligence needs to run”, whether it be on devices, the edge or cloud.

He said the direction “is becoming clearer” and T-Mobile’s network would “be the connective tissue” between the layers.

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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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Bell Canada struck a deal to sell a minority stake in its newly formed tower business to investment group La Caisse for CAD2.5 billion ($1.8 billion), cash set to be used to cut debt and invest in growth areas.

The operator’s parent company BCE noted the investor would take a 49.9% stake in the TowerCo business with Bell retaining the remainder.

TowerCo is set to take ownership of more than 5,000 sites across Canada, making it the country’s largest dedicated tower company. It will lease capacity back to Bell, which retains full ownership and control of spectrum, active network equipment and owned land.

The transaction expected to close in Q1 2027 subject to regulatory approval.

BCE explained the sale would help strengthen its balance sheet and allow it to invest in growth areas, including AI-related solutions. Last year, the company set a target of reducing its net debt leverage ratio to 3.5 times by the end of 2027.

BCE and Bell Canada president and CEO Mirko Bibic said the transaction would “unlock the significant value embedded in our infrastructure assets” while allowing the company to continue operating its wireless network.

He added the company aims “to strengthen our balance sheet, invest in growth and deliver total returns to shareholders”.

La Caisse EVP Emmanuel Jaclot noted making telecoms tower infrastructure available to multiple service providers could help “more people access the connectivity they rely on every day”.

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Automotive giant BMW Group hit a milestone of having had a million vehicles use automated driving during production, citing process optimisation and logistics efficiency gains from use of the technology.

The company starting using Automated Driving In-Plant (AFW) technology in a pilot held at a facility in Dingolfing, Germany during 2022. It since expanded use to Leipzig and Regensburg, also in Germany, and the Mini Plant in Oxford, UK.

BMW’s factory at Spartanburg in the US is next in-line to have the technology introduced, with the launch expected in 2027. It eventually expects to use AFW across its global production network.

“AFW has progressed from an innovative technology trial to a well-established, scalable standard application,” the company noted.

BMW estimates around 3,500 automated vehicle movements take place every day across its sites.

AFW shifts new vehicles around defined production and logistics areas using a combination of external sensors, cloud architecture and advanced motion planning software.

LiDAR sensors capture surroundings and aid vehicle navigation in real time.

The end result is new vehicles can “respond dynamically to people, other vehicles, driverless transport vehicles, logistics traffic and temporary obstacles”.

BMW board member responsible for production Raymond Wittmann said the company “recognised the potential of AFW early, tested it in a pilot phase and systematically developed it to series maturity”.

He added the adoption is an example of how BMW is “translating the vision” of its digital factory of the future “into industrial practice and driving the efficiency, digitalisation and intelligent connectivity” across its production processes.

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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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Microsoft is offering employees across several parts of its global operations the opportunity to take a voluntary exit deal, as it seeks to contain costs while ramping up investment in AI.

The offer being made is time-limited and includes financial support and career planning resources. Reuters reported the programme is targeting around 60,000 employees.

Microsoft’s FY26 annual report showed it had 223,000 full-time employees worldwide as of 30 June, putting the potential pool of eligible staff at more than a quarter of its global workforce.

In a statement, Microsoft chief people officer Amy Coleman explained the programme is available to eligible employees in Canada, India, the UK and the US at level 70 and below of its employee hierarchy.

Participation is limited to selected business units with eligibility varying according to “each business’s priorities, customer commitments and workforce needs”.

A source told Reuters the offer covers teams including Copilot, AI experiences, finance, human resources, Xbox and Windows + Devices. Marketing, commercial business and security are apparently excluded.

“This offer gives eligible employees who may be considering a future outside the company a new choice to make that transition now with support,” Coleman said, adding “these are a few of the ways we’re trying to meet different business needs” and that “we’ll learn from it”.

Microsoft offered voluntary buyouts to around 9,000 US employees earlier this year and announced 4,800 job cuts in July, as it restructured its Xbox gaming business and planned to divest four studios.

The latest initiative comes as Microsoft commits substantial sums to AI infrastructure, including data centres and chips. The company forecast capital expenditure of $175 billion for calendar year 2026, drawing scrutiny over whether returns will justify the scale of spending.

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Orange CEO Christel Heydemann (pictured) pointed to developments across several operations in Europe and its enterprise offerings during an upbeat Q3 results discussion, a period in which its Middle East and Africa unit again provided a revenue boost.  

The executive noted progress in its strategic plan including the launch of new deals in France, sustained growth in its cybersecurity unit and integration of the operator formerly known as MasOrange in Spain following a buyout completed in June.

She also noted it obtained an extended SecNumCloud security and digital sovereignty qualification for Orange Business’ cloud offerings.

Although taking place after the end of the quarter, she highlighted a letter of intent inked with peers Telefonica, Vodafone Group and Deutsche Telekom to explore a joint bid for spectrum in Europe for mobile satellite services.

Heydemann said the “initiative supports the ambition to strengthen the sovereignty, security and resilience of Europe’s strategic infrastructure”.

Another ongoing strategic move by the operator is a proposed purchase of assets from Altice-owned French rival SFR as part of a wider deal with Bouygues Telecom and Free–Iliad Group.

Orange noted the deal is still expected to close in H2 2027, though added “while rulings are expected in proceedings brought by the works council within the Altice France group, Orange remains committed to constructive social dialogue, which is ongoing”.

Numbers
The operator booked revenue of €12.2 billion in Q3, up 3.6% year-on-year. It noted all geographic regions contributed to the increase: MEA was up 14%, Spain 3.5%, France just above flat and the rest of Europe up 5.3%.

“Africa and Middle East continued its remarkable growth, while Europe, particularly Poland, delivered solid results,” Heydemann said.

The company does not report net profit figures in Q3, but noted its EBITDaL was up 4.6% to €4.1 billion.

Its annual financial guidance for EBITDaL was raised from an expectation of above 4% to more than 4.5%.

“This third quarter confirms the strong momentum generated by our Trust the Future plan,” the CEO added.

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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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Anthropic filed for an IPO which could rival SpaceX’s record-breaking listing, as the AI business revealed a rise in revenue and billions of dollars of infrastructure cost commitments.

The Claude large language model (LLM) developer’s S-1 filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission yesterday (26 October) offered the first detailed public look at its finances. Anthropic submitted IPO paperwork confidentially in June, allowing the agency to review the figures before their wider release.

Anthropic applied to list Class A shares on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol ANT but did not disclose how many shares it would offer, a price range or valuation. Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley headed the list of underwriters.

The documents revealed revenue of $16.3 billion in the first half of 2026, up from $1.2 billion in H1 2025 and well above the $4.6 billion recorded for the whole of 2025.

Cost of revenue rose to $2.4 billion from just over $1 billion, with compute and infrastructure accounting for almost all of it. Anthropic cautioned operating margins will fluctuate as more capacity comes online.

The company booked a net loss of $80.7 billion in H1. Of the amount, $72.4 billion reflected non-cash charges from revaluing convertible notes and similar instruments as its valuation rose.

Amazon and Google supply key parts of Anthropic’s computing infrastructure.

It runs workloads on Amazon Web Services (AWS) Trainium chips, Google Tensor Processing Units, and GPUs from Nvidia and AMD. It also pays fees to sell Claude through AWS, Google Cloud and Microsoft Azure.

Amazon holds convertible notes which will convert into non-voting Class N shares at the IPO, subject to an ownership cap.

Anthropic’s infrastructure plans include spending at least $110 billion on Amazon cloud services until April 2036 and up to $120.5 billion with SpaceX through 2029.

It has committed a further $114.5 billion to Google until 2033 and $44.9 billion to Microsoft until May 2033 for computing infrastructure.

Risks
In the documents Anthropic warned some cloud suppliers are developing rival AI models and could restrict, reprice or cut off its access to computing capacity.

It also highlighted criminals have already used AI in cyberattacks and warned misuse in biology could cause greater harm.

The company also highlighted the potential for AI to concentrate power and destabilise geopolitics.

Anthropic increasingly uses its models to develop their successors and noted the new versions’ capabilities could advance faster than safety measures. It also cautioned AI systems could act independently in harmful ways if they fail to follow intended goals.

Rival OpenAI confidentially filed paperwork for a US IPO in June, but delayed the listing until early 2027.

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Mo Katibeh posted on LinkedIn he has left his roles of EVP and CMO for T-Mobile US Business after nearly three years.

Katibeh (pictured) stated former VP of business marketing and strategy Michael Lubunski would take on the T-Mobile for business product, marketing and operations leadership role.

A T-Mobile representative told Mobile World Live Labunski’s new role is SVP, business marketing and product for T-Mobile for Business.

Katibeh joined the operator in April 2024 following a 20-year career across various executive roles at rival AT&T. He was also COO and president of cloud platform company RingCentral for nearly two years.

Labunski was RingCentral’s chief data officer during Katibeh’s stint.

“I can honestly say it’s been some of the best and happiest years in my professional life” Katibeh wrote. “I’m incredibly proud of what our T-Mobile for Business team has accomplished.”

During his tenure, T-Mobile launched T-Priority for first responders, SuperMobile networking slicing for businesses, SuperBroadband with Starlink and ANS Edge Control.

In July, T-Mobile revealed chief business and product officer Mike Katz had stepped down, taking an advisory role until December.

At the same time, the operator appointed former AT&T executive Chris Sambar as chief enterprise officer.

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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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Verizon CEO Dan Schulman (pictured) punched back on any concerns related to SpaceX’s proposed direct-to-device (D2D) mobile service during a Q3 earnings call, warning the satellite player faces years of construction and hundreds of billions of dollars in spending to build a rival terrestrial network.

“I’d just start off by saying my operating philosophy in general is to be very thoughtful, be analytic and to never take anything for granted,” he said when asked about the threat a SpaceX D2D service could pose to US operators and whether Verizon will ever consider an MVNO deal to give a satellite player access to its infrastructure.

“I always have my eyes wide open,” Schulman added. “Clearly, the tech industry and the wireless landscape is rapidly evolving, and we need to rapidly evolve along with that”.

The CEO also said he operates “under the assumption that everything SpaceX says they will do, they will do, and that they will execute flawlessly”.

His comments came in the wake of reports SpaceX is seeking access to at least 80,000 US cell sites for Starlink Mobile. Bloomberg named Crown Castle among the tower companies in discussions over potential leases.

Schulman argued offering a competitive service would require 65,000 to 80,000 macro sites, backhaul, RAN equipment and substantial power supplies, alongside retail, customer service and back-office operations.

He estimated a full network build would take at least four-to-six years, with spending of $300 billion to $500 billion over seven or eight years, which he argued could leave SpaceX with broadly the same capabilities and cost structure Verizon has today.

“I think that SpaceX realises this, and they’re exploring a potential path to creating a terrestrial network,” he explained. “There’s no magic wand, there’s no secret sauce, there’s no shortcut, there’s no radically lower structural cost advantage.”

In addition to tower leases, SpaceX plans to combine satellites with ground-based radios, supported by an agreement to acquire up to 14MHz of paired 800MHz spectrum from Grain Management for a D2D service expected to launch in early 2028.

Schulman maintained satellite broadband is best suited to remote areas and cannot match terrestrial networks in urban and suburban markets, which he said account for about 98 per cent of Verizon’s revenue.

He said Verizon will keep improving its network and cost structure while SpaceX builds, pointing to its mmWave spectrum, work on 6G applications and plans for AI-enabled services.

While leaving room to work with satellite providers on complementary coverage, Schulman rejected the prospects of an MVNO agreement and stated existing agreements do not offer back-door access.

Schulman said he saw no benefit whatsoever in extending an MVNO deal to a satellite provider.

“It’s very hard to throw a punch against something that doesn’t exist, but once they come into the market, we will be ferociously competitive.”

Last week AT&T CEO John Stankey outlined the advantages he sees over the potential threat of SpaceX’s D2D service during a Q3 earnings call.

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Meta Platforms revealed a plan to secure up to $95 billion in equity to fund its AI-related expansion ​of data centres and cloud computing, backed by chipmakers Nvidia, AMD and Broadcom.

The social media company aims to raise $35 billion in concurrent underwritten public equity offerings and up to $60 billion as part of an at-the-market programme scheduled to begin in Q1 2027.

Meta Platforms stated the chipmakers expressed an interest in becoming cornerstone investors through the equity offering.

They can purchase a total of $5 billion shares of Class A common stock in the offering, though Meta Platforms emphasised their expressions “of interest are not binding agreements or commitments to purchase”.

Meta Platforms stated AI is “creating significant opportunities” and its investments to-date are “generating tangible returns through increased engagement, improved advertising performance and increased monetisation”.

Last week, the company reported net income rose from $2.7 billion in Q3 2025 to $9.9 billion in the recent period, with revenue up 26% to $64.6 billion.

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Verizon unveiled an agreement worth more than $2 billion with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to supply dark fibre infrastructure to meet AI workload demand, alongside Q3 figures showing a spike in post-paid customers.

The operator noted the AWS agreement “establishes a commercial framework to scale distributed compute and meet the real-time demands of agentic and generative AI workloads”.

It builds on an existing strategic partnership between the two and mirrors a dark fibre deal with Google announced earlier this year.

On the operator’s earnings call today (26 October), CEO Dan Schulman said “these two contracts are a clear signal that the largest builders of AI infrastructure in the world are choosing Verizon as a strategic connectivity partner”.

He added the company also has an “active pipeline of additional hyperscalers, neocloud providers and large enterprise clients who are in negotiations to have us supply them with either dark or lit fibre connectivity”.

Results
Verizon reported net additions of 406,000 post-paid phone customers, up 820% year-on-year, and 137,000 post-paid net account additions.

It noted the latter is its best performance for this metric in more than a decade.

Net income of $5.3 billion was up 5.2%, attributed to a “sharp focus” on operational efficiency. Total operating revenue was $34.3 billion, up 1.5%.

In its Mobility and Broadband segment, it noted service revenue growth of 2.9% was offset by a 9% drop in equipment sales, due primarily to “significantly lower upgrade volumes” as customers keep devices longer.

It also noted the impact of a “strategic decision to reduce spending on device subsidies”.

Schulman hailed the period overall as “another record-breaking quarter” adding “one year into our transformation, Verizon is fundamentally stronger, operationally, financially and competitively”.

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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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Indian engineering services company L&T Technology Services (LTTS) agreed a five-year contract to back Nokia’s local engineering and R&D work into areas including 5G, AI-based operations and next-generation computing infrastructure.

LTTS plans to establish a dedicated offshore development centre to support the Finnish vendor’s R&D programmes spanning product engineering and development, embedded systems, and software and system integration.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

LTTS added it would also assemble a dedicated engineering team to work with Nokia R&D teams globally.

It stated the development centre would focus on engineering for telecoms and data centre infrastructure, along with employing AI in network automations and developing intelligent automation.

Vivek Jaiswal, SVP of engineering at Nokia, said India is an “important innovation hub” for the vendor and backed LTTS to help “expand our R&D footprint and accelerate innovation”.

He argued is it essential Nokia continues investing in R&D to deliver the “advanced connectivity technologies” AI requires.

For LTTS, the contract aligns with a focus on next-generation computing and AI infrastructure.

LTTS provides AI, digital and engineering R&D services across more than 25 countries.

The agreement comes as Nokia positions AI infrastructure and advanced connectivity as key growth areas during a period CEO Justin Hotard previously called a “super cycle” involving the technology.

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UK operator Virgin Media O2 (VMO2) flagged an around 20% improvement in spectral efficiency by using AI technology in the RAN during a test with Nokia at a busy transport hub, in what it described as first of its kind in the nation.

The test used AI to predict and optimise 5G radio resources during changing network conditions and levels of demand on a site serving customers around London Paddington rail station.

VMO2 noted use of the technology meant it could carry a greater amount of data using existing spectrum resources and deliver “significant throughput gains” during periods of high demand.

It asserted the results showcase how it can use AI to support growing traffic volumes, faster downloads and higher quality streaming, while reducing buffering in busy locations.

VMO2 CTO Jeanie York said as demand for data keeps growing “we need smarter ways to make the most of the spectrum and infrastructure we already have”.

“This live trial with Nokia showed how AI can improve network efficiency and help us respond more effectively to changing customer demand. By making better use of existing network resources, we can deliver a better experience for customers while supporting future traffic growth.”

The operator noted the project with Nokia is part of an ongoing network transformation plan.

Nokia president of mobile networks Emma Falck added the test “demonstrates how AI is moving from experimentation to delivering measurable benefits in live mobile networks”.

She added the collaboration “shows the significant potential of AI-native networks to enhance customer experiences while improving operational efficiency”.

The news is the latest in what is a hot mobile industry topic of use of AI in the RAN and comes a week after a spate of partner releases involving Nokia’s work in the segment alongside Nvidia.

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SpaceX negocia con empresas de torres de telecomunicaciones el acceso a al menos 80.000 emplazamientos en Estados Unidos, según ha trascendido. La firma avanza así en su plan de crear una red móvil nacional que compita con los operadores establecidos AT&T, Verizon y T-Mobile US.

Según Bloomberg, Crown Castle, uno de los principales operadores de torres de EE. UU., está entre las empresas que negocian contratos de alquiler con SpaceX, con posibles acuerdos de miles de millones de dólares.

En la presentación de resultados ante analistas, el CEO de Crown Castle, Chris Hillabrant, ha afirmado que la empresa habla con todo el sector de las telecomunicaciones por satélite, aunque no ha querido referirse a clientes concretos: “Pueden dar por sentado que estamos hablando con todas las partes”.

Los acuerdos con las empresas de torres serían una parte importante del plan de SpaceX para combinar la conectividad por satélite con la infraestructura terrestre y crear una red móvil nacional.

SpaceX pretende lanzar su propio servicio directo a dispositivos (D2D) a principios de 2028, tras desplegar el próximo año la segunda generación de su constelación Starlink Mobile.

La empresa ha acordado recientemente adquirir hasta 14 MHz de espectro emparejado en la banda de 800 MHz a Grain Management, una operación que, según su consejero delegado, Elon Musk, era “la última pieza fundamental del rompecabezas del espectro necesaria para que SpaceX pudiera proporcionar cobertura telefónica completa en Estados Unidos”.

Además, ha obtenido la aprobación de la Comisión Federal de Comunicaciones (FCC) para lanzar 15.000 satélites de nueva generación para servicios D2D.

La presidenta de SpaceX, Gwynne Shotwell, ha señalado en la presentación de resultados del tercer trimestre de la empresa que el acuerdo sobre el espectro radioeléctrico y la aprobación de los satélites “allanan el camino para que Starlink Mobile se convierta en un importante operador de telefonía móvil en Estados Unidos”.

Rivales

El plan de SpaceX genera dudas en parte del sector sobre si podrá igualar la cobertura y el rendimiento de las redes ya establecidas.

El CEO de AT&T, John Stankey, ha argumentado en los últimos días que construir una red con ese rendimiento llevaría tiempo. “Creo que se necesitan muchos años y una enorme inversión para alcanzar los niveles de rendimiento a los que los clientes se han acostumbrado en las redes a gran escala”, ha afirmado.

Stankey también ha destacado la cartera de espectro de baja frecuencia de AT&T y su infraestructura actual, y ha subrayado que el operador ya da servicio a sus clientes en zonas con cobertura consolidada.

Por su parte, el consejero delegado de T-Mobile, Srini Gopalan, dijo al Financial Times en agosto que se había exagerado la amenaza de los proveedores de satélite y se preguntó qué problemas de los consumidores resolvería un servicio nuevo.

Con información de Amiya Johar.

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La firma de análisis FDM CCS Insight ha presentado sus predicciones para 2027 y los años posteriores, entre las que figuran algunas llamativas.

En un acto celebrado en Londres en los últimos días, la empresa ha dado a conocer su conjunto anual de 100 predicciones para el sector. Tras 13 años analizando el futuro, asegura que casi la mitad (49%) se ha cumplido.

Mobile World Live ha seleccionado 15 de ellas y las ha agrupado en cinco áreas: IA, satélites, dispositivos, operadores y 6G.

IA

Ian Fogg, de FDM CCS Insight, ha explicado que en 2030 habrá más agentes de IA que personas en el hogar medio.

Según sus cifras, el hogar medio tiene 2,64 personas y ya cuenta con 7,46 dispositivos con capacidad de agente (sistemas operativos de smartphones, dispositivos de hogar conectado y aplicaciones para smartphones).

“No hace falta mucho para que esta predicción se cumpla”, ha señalado. “Además, muchos dispositivos ejecutarán varios agentes”.

En una charla informal durante el acto, Ben Timmons, de Qualcomm, ha considerado que estas cifras se quedan cortas.

“El agente se convertirá rápidamente en el centro de todo lo que haces en tu vida personal y laboral. En dos años, predigo que la gente también permitirá que sus agentes tengan acceso a datos financieros; se habrán convertido”, ha dicho.

Las previsiones son menos favorables para OpenAI, pionera en IA generativa: se espera que reestructure su deuda y que su consejero delegado, Sam Altman, sea destituido en 2028.

Un orador, con blazer oscuro y vaqueros, se sitúa en un atril frente a una gran pantalla de presentación. La pantalla muestra tendencias de marketing y logotipos de herramientas de IA como Claude, Muse y Gemini. El escenario cuenta con una fila de sillas azul claro frente a una pared de listones de madera con iluminación violeta.

Los analistas también prevén que la empresa no logre convencer a los inversores de que tiene un modelo de negocio viable, en un contexto de aumento de los costes, preocupación por el consumo de electricidad y agua de los centros de datos y precio elevado del silicio que necesitan los servicios de IA.

Nvidia, principal impulsor de la AI-RAN, ha anunciado en los últimos días varios acuerdos de prueba con operadores. No obstante, según los analistas, el primero en llevar a la práctica esta red de acceso radio con IA será el operador estadounidense T-Mobile US, que ha hecho recientemente la primera llamada de voz con AI-RAN.

Satélite

Las predicciones sobre el futuro de SpaceX/Starlink, la empresa de Elon Musk, apuntan en direcciones distintas.

Una sostiene que en 2030 SpaceX comprará Veon Group, hasta ahora el mayor operador cliente de Starlink.

Otra advierte de que SpaceX no conseguirá espectro satelital móvil en la asignación de la UE en 2027 y de que, ese mismo año, la UE respaldará un tercer ecosistema satelital, construido en torno a Elveo y SES, para competir con Starlink y AST SpaceMobile.

Esta última predicción encuentra apoyo en la noticia reciente de que varios grandes grupos de operadores europeos se unen para ofrecer una alternativa a la propuesta de Musk.

6G

La predicción más inesperada de esta categoría es que Apple, que suele llegar tarde a las nuevas generaciones de redes móviles (el primer iPhone ni siquiera se conectaba a la 3G y la mayoría de los usuarios dependía del wifi para navegar con rapidez), tendrá un iPhone 6G disponible cuando se lancen las primeras redes comerciales de la 6G.

Este cambio se debe a que Apple fabrica ahora su propio módem móvil.

Por otro lado, los analistas prevén que los operadores de todos los mercados pioneros lanzarán primero la 5G-Advanced y que uno de cada 10 smartphones vendidos en 2030 será compatible con la 6G.

Se suele aceptar que 2029 es la fecha más temprana para su lanzamiento comercial.

Operadores

Tras las fusiones recientes en España, el Reino Unido y Francia, FDM CCS Insight prevé que Alemania sea el siguiente mercado europeo en consolidarse. En concreto, según la firma, en 2027 el operador alemán 1&1 será adquirido por uno de sus rivales, y Telefónica sería el comprador más probable del cuarto operador del país.

Por su parte, se prevé que Digi Communications, con sede en Rumanía y presencia en España, Bélgica, Portugal e Italia, entre en tres nuevos mercados europeos de aquí a 2028.

Dispositivos

Algunas previsiones sobre dispositivos resultan curiosas.

Tras meses de críticas a quienes usaban las Ray-Ban Wayfarer inteligentes de Meta, en 2027 se desplomarán las ventas de las Wayfarer convencionales, porque la gente temerá que le pidan quitárselas, aunque sean unas simples gafas de sol.

Además, la regulación se endurecerá: según los analistas, en 2028 serán obligatorios los indicadores de “cámara en uso” en los dispositivos portátiles con IA que se vendan en la UE.

Otra previsión recuerda a algún episodio de Black Mirror: una lentilla inteligente recibirá la aprobación de los reguladores en un mercado relevante en 2031.

Por último, los ciclos de vida más largos de los dispositivos y un enfoque más circular de la propiedad de los smartphones, impulsados en parte por el aumento de los costes de la industria, son una mala noticia para los smartphones de bajo coste.

En 2028, el segmento por debajo de 150 dólares (unos 130 euros) desaparecerá de los principales mercados occidentales.

Ben Wood, socio sénior de FDM CCS Insight, califica esta predicción de “un duro golpe” para los fabricantes que han dependido de dispositivos de coste ultrabajo para impulsar el volumen de ventas y ampliar el acceso a la telefonía móvil.

Con información de Justin Springham.

The post Analistas pronostican que SpaceX comprará un operador y que Apple será pionera con un iPhone 6G appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Apple ha empezado a entregar el iPhone Duo a sus primeros clientes en todo el mundo, pese a los retrasos en los envíos que se habían señalado.

Las imágenes de varias tiendas de la firma muestran a clientes interesados en su primer modelo plegable, que ha llegado a los puntos de venta en la fecha anunciada en la presentación de septiembre.

Apple ha indicado que ofrece varias opciones de canje y alquiler. En España, el precio parte de 2339 euros.

En una tienda de Shanghái (China), uno de los principales mercados de Apple, también hay colas.

Una multitud espera en una larga cola ante una tienda Apple, con los rostros iluminados por los smartphones que sostiene, bajo el logotipo blanco de la manzana en la fachada acristalada.

Vlad Savov, periodista de Bloomberg, ha escrito que el iPhone Duo podría impulsar el mercado de smartphones plegables, hasta ahora poco desarrollado, aunque advierte de que el segmento podría seguir siendo un nicho si Apple no vende suficientes unidades.

Hace unos días se informó de que quienes reservaban el dispositivo por internet debían esperar bastante más que con anteriores smartphones de Apple: hasta tres meses, frente a unas seis semanas.

Apple ha señalado que hay ofertas para quienes compren el iPhone Duo a través de los operadores de telefonía móvil.

Apple destaca además varias aplicaciones adaptadas a este formato. Netflix permite explorar clips en la pantalla exterior y seguir viendo el contenido en la interior; Prime Video muestra el vídeo en la mitad superior y el reparto en la inferior con el dispositivo semiplegado; y Zoom reúne en pantalla los contenidos compartidos y a los participantes. Word y Outlook, que se adaptarán en las próximas semanas, colocarán las herramientas de formato junto al documento y la bandeja de entrada junto al mensaje.

Con información de Michael Carroll.

The post El iPhone Duo llega a las tiendas appeared first on Mobile World Live.