Telecoms Infrastructure Blog

As 5G networks continue to expand beyond dense urban centres, the industry has been forced to confront a difficult reality. Traditional deployment models, built around three-sector sites and relatively narrow beam coverage, do not translate well into rural and semi-rural environments. Lower population density, larger coverage areas and tighter budgets mean that operators need to extract far more …

The growing demand for artificial intelligence computing is reshaping the role of telecommunications operators. As AI models become larger and more computationally intensive, the need for high performance infrastructure has moved into sharp focus. In response, SK Telecom is positioning itself not only as a connectivity provider but also as a key supplier of AI infrastructure through its GPU-as-a-…

Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming a defining capability in modern telecom networks. As operators continue to expand 5G and prepare for the transition to 6G, the scale and complexity of networks are increasing significantly. In this environment, automation, efficiency and adaptability are becoming essential. Samsung is positioning artificial intelligence as a core technology that can ope…

Reconfigurable antennas have been a topic of academic research for many years, but as 5G networks continue to densify and the industry begins to look seriously towards 6G, their relevance to real-world telecom infrastructure is becoming increasingly clear. A recent presentation by Prof. Chenhao Qi from Southeast University, Nanjing, China, titled Reconfigurable Antennas for Wireless Communication…

Iberdrola has brought its first solar park in Germany into operation, with the renewable electricity generated at the site now supplying Vodafone’s mobile network nationwide. The project represents a growing convergence between energy and telecom infrastructure, as mobile operators look to secure reliable and sustainable power sources to support expanding network demands. The solar park is locate…

Telecoms Infrastructure Blog has been around since December 2012, and in February 2020 it moved to its current home. Since then the site has grown steadily to pass more than one million views in total, with nearly 500 thousand views recorded in 2025 alone. With over 400 posts now published, the blog continues to attract interest from readers across the industry who are looking for technical depth…

At AWS re:Invent 2025 , a joint presentation from Amazon LEO and AWS Global Infrastructure Services offered a detailed look at how non-terrestrial networks are being engineered to operate as part of modern global infrastructure. Nick Matthews, Principal Solutions Architect at Amazon LEO, and John Phillibert, Principal Network Development Engineer at AWS, focused not on consumer broadband headline…

Belgium is emerging as a true pioneer in aviation, public safety and telecom convergence, thanks to the nationwide Drones-in-a-Box network delivered through the partnership between Nokia and Citymesh. What began as small-scale trials in ports and industrial zones has now grown into one of the most ambitious drone grid deployments in the world. It blends 5G connectivity, automated drone operations…

Vodafone Germany is giving a new lease of life to an old part of the cityscape. The familiar advertising pillars found across German cities are being transformed into 5G mobile base stations, delivering high-speed connectivity in areas where traditional masts are difficult to install. In Düsseldorf, more than 100 such columns are already operational , providing 5G coverage across the city. Each p…

Beeline Kazakhstan and ZTE have taken another step in transforming the country’s connectivity landscape through the launch of the Giga City 2.0 initiative . The collaboration builds on the earlier Giga City project from 2024 and aims to create a new generation of smart, green, and AI-enabled telecom infrastructure across Kazakhstan. At the heart of this initiative is the introduction of ZTE’s Mag…

The internet may feel wireless, but most of the world’s connectivity depends on cables running deep beneath the ocean. Vodafone’s short documentary 'Making Connections: Subsea cables' takes viewers beneath the surface, exploring the complex world of subsea cables that carry almost all of the world’s data traffic. The film highlights how this invisible infrastructure keeps everything from social m…

For mobile operators, O-Cloud provides the cloud-native platform needed to automate RAN functions, integrate multi-vendor solutions, and optimise network performance at scale. The Open Cloud, or O-Cloud, is the physical and software foundation that lets operators deploy open RAN in a cloud-native way. At its core an O-Cloud node bundles CPUs, memory, storage, network interfaces, board management …

Mobile coverage in tunnels has always been one of the most difficult challenges for network operators. Concrete walls, restricted space and the constant movement of air caused by passing vehicles all interfere with signal stability. Vodafone Germany has now taken a major step forward in overcoming these barriers with the deployment of a new generation of conical antennas. Designed by Ericsson, th…

SOLiD is a global leader in innovative RF Amplifier, RF Radio and Optical Transport solutions that support some of the world’s most demanding wireless environments. The company’s Distributed Antenna Systems (DAS) power reliable cellular coverage and capacity in hospitals, sports and entertainment venues, airports, metro systems, government and corporate buildings, and other high-profile locations…

Base station antennas are critical components of mobile networks, serving as the final link between radio systems and the air interface. Despite their importance, there has long been a lack of consistency in how antenna systems are specified, validated and integrated into networks. This inconsistency has led to inefficiencies in procurement, difficulties in multi-vendor environments, and challeng…

During a recent visit to Glasgow for the SCONDA project showcase , a collaborative initiative focused on advancing urban connectivity, I was struck by how far street-level network infrastructure has come in combining functionality with aesthetics. Among the most visually discreet and technically advanced deployments were those featuring Alpha Wireless' wraparound antennas. The AW4032 antenna stoo…

Most people experience the Internet as a seamless service, but beneath that simplicity lies a multi-layered infrastructure made up of interconnected networks, routing policies, exchange points, and edge delivery platforms. These are the systems that keep global data flowing — reliably, efficiently, and at scale. In our recent explainer video, we examine this invisible architecture by following th…

Back in 2020, we wrote about Viettel's ambition to launch 5G using homegrown technology. Fast forward to 2025 and the Vietnamese operator has significantly advanced those ambitions. At MWC 2025 , Viettel showcased its latest Private 5G Network solutions, and has since taken major steps in deploying commercial Open RAN networks, developing international partnerships, and building its own end-to-en…

In a move to advance sustainable telecom infrastructure, NTT DOCOMO launched a trial of Japan’s first self-powered hydropower mobile base station in May 2024. The initiative aimed to explore the viability of using flowing water from irrigation canals and similar sources to generate renewable energy for base stations, particularly in rural locations where power options are limited. The trial featu…

Extreme weather is a growing concern for mobile network operators, and Vodafone is no exception. Storms and heatwaves can damage infrastructure, interrupt power supply, and delay repair work. To keep people connected during such events, Vodafone has developed a range of technical measures and operational strategies that help it prepare for and respond to disruption. The most exposed part of the n…