A Blue Origin New Glenn rocket exploded during a test, a potential blow to AST SpaceMobile and its launch schedule.

The New Glenn explosion yesterday (28 May) at Cape Canaveral in the US state of Florida will likely lead to lengthy investigations by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and NASA, which will sideline future launches.

In late 2024, AST SpaceMobile signed a multi-launch agreement with Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin. It previously relied on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rockets to launch its birds into orbit before attempting to branch out to the larger New Glenn models.

AST SpaceMobile has predicted an orbital launch cadence of roughly every one to two months this year through deals with multiple launch providers as it continues to target having approximately 45 birds in orbit by the end of 2026.

New Glenn’s seven meter-wide payload fairing is one of the few in the industry capable of accommodating the 2,400 square-foot phased arrays of AST SpaceMobile’s Block 2 BlueBird satellites, with the potential to carry up to eight per flight.

Fallout
“The New Glenn failure is a tough blow to AST which, due to the size of its satellites, has limited options for launch and New Glenn was by far the best option,” Chris Quilty, founder and CEO of research company Quilty Space told Mobile World Live (MWL), adding the company would now struggle to achieve its launch target for the year.

Tim Farrar, president at consulting company TMF Associates, told MWL the explosion has a “huge impact since this was the primary launch vehicle and it will take a year or more to rebuild the [launch] pad”.

“I think this pushes [AST’s] continuous commercial service back to 2028,” he added.

A representative for AST SpaceMobile stated the company’s near-term launches are unaffected.

“None of the missions planned for the next few months are scheduled with Blue Origin. Our satellites are designed to be launcher-agnostic, and we have agreements in place with multiple launch providers, giving us flexibility across our launch programme.”

BlueBirds 8, 9, and 10 are already at Cape Canaveral undergoing final processing ahead of a planned launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket next month.

A launch of AST SpaceMobile’s next-generation BlueBird 7 satellite from a Blue Origin New Glenn rocket last month fell short of the required orbit, resulting in its loss.

The post AST SpaceMobile Blue Origin bet hits turbulence appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Samsung Electronics began sampling its latest high bandwidth memory (HBM) units among selected customers, a chip it asserted helps maximise computing performance for large language models (LLMs) and next-generation AI systems.

Claiming an industry first with the 12-layer HBM4E unit, the company noted the release followed mass production and commercial shipment of its HBM4 earlier this year.

The latest release is said to achieve transfer speeds of up to 16Gb/s with improved energy efficiency and thermal performance.

Samsung head of memory development Sang Joon Hwang said the company had “once again demonstrated its distinct technological edge with HBM4E”.

“Through our advanced manufacturing capabilities and pre-emptive infrastructure investments, we will continue to drive the growth of the global AI memory market.”

Samsung noted the chip “delivers a stable pin speed of 14Gb/s”, a 20% increase over the HBM4. The rate of the latest product can be scaled up to 16Gb/s “to support increasingly intensive data processing requirements,” it added.

The company added its “comprehensive portfolio spanning memory, foundry, logic design and advanced packaging” meant it would be able to “continue to ensure a stable semiconductor supply for the booming AI market”.

Along with peers, Samsung has been reaping the rewards of high demand and associated price rises for memory chips driven by global demand for AI systems.

Samsung booked record quarterly sales for its memory business in Q1, attributed to addressing “high-value-added AI demand despite limited supply availability”.

The post Samsung begins distributing latest HBM chip appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Boldyn Networks’ US CCO Jason Caliento said the company is making good on pledges to boost the digital experience offered at Major League Soccer (MLS) venues after equipping a new stadium in the city of Miami with various connectivity technologies.

The company installed a platform of Wi-Fi 7, IPTV, audio, neutral host mobile and converged fibre infrastructure at the Nu Stadium in the Miami Freedom Park to deliver fresh services for fans and contribute to improved operation of the venue which opened in April.

Caliento highlighted an “innovative financial structure”, whereby Boldyn Networks handled the capital investment it plans to recoup through network operation and management duties.

He said the model provides “significant financial flexibility” and predicted it would become a key selling point for deals with other venues.

Boldyn Networks explained the Nu Stadium is a 26,700-seat facility located in a mixed-use development spanning 131-acres.

It installed more than 600 access points covering high-density Wi-Fi and mobile throughout the site. Cloud-based IoT platforms are providing real-time information on crowd behaviour, and the fibre element covers game streaming and display on more than 200 connected TVs.

The company highlighted mobile ticketing, from-seat refreshment ordering and access to interactive content as among the main benefits for fans.

Caliento said Boldyn Networks became an official supplier to the MLS in a deal struck in 2025.

The post Boldyn lobs MLS ground into digital era appeared first on Mobile World Live.

NTT Docomo Global expanded its work with Accenture and AWS to build infrastructure for enterprise agentic AI focused on governance and ensuring trust in systems.

The collaboration is set to centre on further developing the NTT unit’s Universal Wallet Infrastructure (UWI), a platform developed with Accenture to manage digital identity, credentials, money and documents across different apps, wallets and services.

Under the latest pact, NTT will provide the UWI trust infrastructure layer, while Accenture will bring technology strategy, digital assets and product engineering. AWS will contribute cloud and AI services.

NTT stated the expanded work targets a growing governance gap as AI agents increasingly write and modify code across development environments. It argued traditional security and software supply chain approaches were not built to monitor autonomous systems operating continuously at scale.

The partners plan to embed identity, credential and policy controls into workflows, allowing AI actions to be verified, governed and audited. The focus is initially on software development, though the companies are eyeing broader enterprise applications.

The trio will also carry out joint go-to-market activities including customer workshops, product showcases and educational sessions.

NTT Docomo Global CEO Hiroki Kuriyama said “the next chapter of AI will depend on whether people, enterprises, and society can trust how intelligent systems behave and interact”.

AWS MD Asia Pacific, Japan and China Jaime Valles added customers want to move quickly with agentic AI, but need “trust and governance built in from day one”.

The post NTT Docomo taps Accenture, AWS for AI governance platform appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Anthropic raised $65 billion in its latest funding round, taking its valuation to $965 billion as investor money continues to pour into big name AI companies.

Financial Times reported Anthropic’s valuation overtook OpenAI’s following the round.

Anthropic plans to use the latest funds to advance “safety and interpretability research, expand compute to meet growing demand” for AI assistant Claude “and scale the products and partnerships our customers rely on”.

The financing was led by Altimeter Capital, Dragoneer, Greenoaks and Sequoia Capital. Other investors include private equity funds and the company’s partners. The $65 billion includes $15 billion in previously-committed cash from so-called hyperscale companies.  

Micron Technology, Samsung and SK Hynix, which Anthropic describes as “strategic infrastructure partners”, were also among the lengthy list of backers.

Cash
As with peers in the AI boom, the company is no stranger to funding rounds amounting to multiple billions of dollars.

In February, it raised $30 billion, which brought its valuation at the time to $380 billion.

Anthropic noted since that round, its Claude AI offering gained further traction with enterprises around the globe and across a range of industries, with its run-rate revenue crossing the $47 billion mark this month.

The post Anthropic approaches $1T valuation appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa (pictured) believes Africa is no longer playing catch-up in global technologies, telling attendees of a key business conference in Kenya the continent is now holding its own in developing fresh business models and tapping emerging digitalisation trends.

In a string of posts on a popular micro-blogging site, the operator reported Ndegwa told the Academy of International Business (AIB) Conference nations are increasingly looking to Africa for fresh approaches to delivering growth and innovation.

Africa is now “co-creating new models” and its views are ever-more sought after, Ndegwa said.

The Safaricom boss noted Africa was not immune to global challenges, but argued “turbulence can also drive transformation”.

He pointed to the Covid-19 (coronavirus) pandemic as an example, explaining the operator group “had to navigate regulatory changes, currency pressure”, greater competition and cybersecurity challenges.

The challenges fuelled a shift from “telco to techco” as Safaricom recognised “adaptability is now a competitive advantage”.

He noted global uncertainties continue today due to “geopolitical tension, economic volatility” and various disruptive technology developments including AI, meaning the ability to swiftly adjust is still essential.

Ndegwa said the m-Pesa mobile money platform “remains the clearest example of African innovation” being used to address a local problem by looking to the bigger picture of what the system is for rather than focusing solely on technology.

He argued the platform shows what can be achieved in driving digital transformation when initiatives are backed by the right regulations and laws, along with “strong public-private collaborations”.

The three-day AIB event concluded today (29 May).

The post Safaricom boss places Africa on even footing appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Mobile World Live brings you our top three picks of the week as the European Commission (EC) earmarked a large proportion of mobile satellite spectrum for homegrown players, Telenor unveiled a restructured operating model and SpaceX secured a $2.3 billion US military deal.

EC proposes local players get bulk of MSS spectrum

What happened: EC EVP Henna Virkkunen set out the regulator’s proposal to allocate the 2GHz mobile satellite services spectrum band across the European Union, with a large slice potentially being allocated to local players.

Why it matters: Under the plan, one third of the band would be reserved for government and critical communications with the rest allocated to commercial D2D and IoT services. Non-EU companies would only be able to apply for half of the allocation for commercial services and none of the public sector portion.

Virkkunen said the watchdog aims to “boost Europe’s competitiveness”, “strengthen Europe’s security” and embrace “new technological possibilities”, adding the plan reflects “the current changing geopolitical context”.

She rejected suggestions the move disproportionately targets US companies, stating the process is “very transparent and fair”. Yet, BNP Paribas Equity Research senior analyst Sam McHugh told Reuters the plan could leave US players including SpaceX in a “structurally inferior” position. He added it is “a small positive for European telecom operators” because it further reduces the odds of SpaceX competing head-to-head with them.

Telenor pursues top-line gains with restructure

What happened: Telenor unveiled a group-wide restructure, replacing its Nordics, Asia, Amp and Infrastructure business units with a model focused on individual countries.

Why it matters: The plan aims to move decision making closer to customers and local markets. The operator stated the shift aligns with its long-term goals of pursuing top-line growth, greater efficiency and operational improvement. Under the new set-up, the chiefs of Telenor’s Nordics businesses will join group management, removing the current regional layer.

Telenor described the restructure as “simplified and sharpened”, adding it would “substantially reduce administrative costs” and accelerate long-term growth by improving cash flow and capital return in the coming years.

SpaceX bags $2.3B US military comms deal

What happened: The US Space Force (USSF) awarded SpaceX a $2.3 billion contract to build the backbone for a Space Data Network (SDN), a satellite communications system designed to connect military platforms and sensors.

Why it matters: USSF stated the SDN backbone will use low Earth orbit satellites to provide global connectivity for armed forces, acting as “an integrated network” delivering “robust, resilient, high-capacity and low-latency data transport”.

USSF acting portfolio acquisition executive for space-based sensing and targeting Colonel Ryan Frazier said the system would use “the best of commercial innovation” and provide “a strong foundation for the SDN mission” by acting as “a core communications layer” for USSF systems, delivering continuous, secure connectivity.

The deal comes at a pivotal moment for Elon Musk’s satellite venture, which recently submitted a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing detailing plans to launch a long-awaited IPO as early as next month.

The post The Friday File: MSS spectrum; Telenor; SpaceX appeared first on Mobile World Live.

T-Mobile US inked another big-name deal in the world of golf, with the United States Golf Association (USGA) adopting its 5G network to improve on-course decisions and enhance spectator experiences.

A multi-year partnership involves the USGA employing the operator’s technology to aid rulings during play, and deliver event connectivity and immersive experiences for its members.

It is the company’s latest swing at putting 5G front and centre in golf, having already struck a long-term partnership with the PGA Championship.

The operator stated the latest deal sets “a new standard at the sport’s biggest events, powering the action on the course and experience around it”.

Starting at the association’s US Women’s Open held in June, USGA officials will use a 5G network slice to gain faster access to what is going on in the course.

They will be able to assess video footage and communicate with colleagues in real-time, providing the means to deliver decisions from anywhere on the course and eliminating coverage dead zones.

Other uses for T-Mobile’s network technology include connecting ticket scanners, point of sale terminals and distributing media from content providers.

The arrangement is also to be used during the men’s open and other USGA national championships.

The post T-Mobile US slices 5G on the fairway appeared first on Mobile World Live.

IoT specialist Wiliot expanded work with AT&T Business to boost its position in the physical AI field by tapping the US-based operator’s connectivity, device relationships and general expertise in data handling.

Wiliot is seeking to broaden its position in physical AI for enterprise supply chains and believes AT&T has the network connectivity, device relationships and ability in employing data to do so.

“Physical AI depends on continuous data” from the real world, VP of marketing Amir Khoshniyati said.

Deepening ties with AT&T improves Wiliot’s “ability to deploy and operate physical AI networks across large, distributed environments”.

The company is pitching a platform which handles sensing and intelligence, employing real-time data from dedicated devices. AT&T is tasked with delivering the network infrastructure, mobile connectivity and execution elements.

Certification of Wiliot gateway devices on AT&T’s network is also underway, as the company seeks more direct connectivity and standardised deployments for the enterprise space.

Wiliot stated the companies embarked on a systems integration collaboration late in 2025 covering core deployments and operational capabilities. The operator is also handling various design, installation, asset tagging and maintenance aspects.

Lee Wagner, area VP for AT&T, explained enterprises “need actionable data from the physical world” and the companies are “adding visibility at the case and asset level” to provide a fresh range of services.

Work already undertaken in retail, food and beverage, and some restaurant sectors delivered inventory accuracy improvements of 99%, Wiliot stated.

It also highlighted improvements in the time taken to ship goods to storage, a reduction in the number of staff required in receiving items and greater shipment accuracy.

The post Wiliot, AT&T make physical AI move appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Telefonica Tech and Google Cloud partnered on a product intended to meet the needs of Spanish public bodies and companies in highly regulated sectors with strict data sovereignty requirements.

The latest tie-up between the pair brings a joint service to market in Spain which allows information held in Google Cloud to be encrypted by keys generated and stored by Telefonica in its local infrastructure.

Having the keys generated and managed by an operator in Spain provides increased protection against unauthorised access from elsewhere in the world, Telefonica noted.

It added the Data Boundary model offered by the pair would provide verifiable controls over data protection and access, enabling compliance with digital sovereignty requirements.

Telefonica Tech CEO Sofia Collado said the offering would provide organisations with the means “to define precise data residency, access control and data protection policies through encryption keys generated and managed outside public cloud environments”.

Google Cloud country manager, Iberia, Isaac Hernandez added “there should be no conflict between Spain’s digital sovereignty and its economic competitiveness”.

“By combining our cutting-edge cloud capabilities with Telefonica’s local operational control and encryption management, we are empowering businesses and public administrations to innovate securely and confidently on their own terms.”

Google Cloud Data Boundary is offered across various global markets in partnership with companies in each country.

Telefonica noted it was selected as the tech giant’s “trusted partner for data sovereignty” in its home market.

The post Telefonica, Google combine on Spain sovereign play appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Telefonica highlighted the concrete benefits of operator sustainability efforts by cutting costs through reduced network energy consumption.

The operator noted use in 2025 was 12% lower than in 2015 and was achieved in the face of a 1,200% rise in data traffic over the period.

Telefonica credited a focus on improving network efficiency through more advanced energy management techniques, which it stated resulted in consumption of 29MWh per petabyte of traffic by 2025, 92% lower than in 2015.

It officially focused more on the service implications of the sustainability drive than the financial savings made, preferring to talk-up how a “technological evolution” of its infrastructure and data management techniques are contributing to lower energy consumption.

But it noted the energy optimisation moves are increasingly important in offsetting “risks associated with rising energy prices”.

Maya Ormazabal, global director of sustainability, said Telefonica is “able to move huge volumes of data using only a fraction of the electricity we needed a decade ago”.

The executive reasoned the change shows how “digitalisation and sustainability can go hand-in-hand”.

Telefonica positioned itself as a European frontrunner in terms of sustainability efforts.

It hailed a 49% drop in total carbon emissions between 2015 and 2025, a figure spanning its whole value chain.

Scope 1 and Scope 2 operational emissions are down 91%, with Scope 3 lowered by 34% since 2016.

The post Telefonica lowers energy consumption appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Meta Platforms prepared to test paid plans for its AI services and expand availability of subscriptions for WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook, as the technology giant looks to diversify revenue streams during a period of heavy spending.

Naomi Gleit, Meta’s head of product, explained in an Instagram video the company is “starting to roll out Facebook Plus, Instagram Plus and WhatsApp Plus with enhanced features”.

She added users accessing Meta AI will be given “more to work with, more capacity, bigger, more complex requests, and more room to create for businesses and creators”.

Bloomberg reported the social media giant will trial two consumer AI subscription tiers from next month in Singapore, Guatemala and Bolivia, while retaining a free version of the Meta AI app and website.

Meta One Plus will apparently cost $7.99 a month and target users who regularly generate AI images and videos or make heavy use of reasoning features, while Meta One Premium will be around $20 and offer the same tools but with higher usage limits.

Specific products for businesses and creators, Meta One Essential and Meta One Advanced, are also set to be offered.

WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook offerings will be priced at around $2.99 to $3.99 a month depending on the market, Bloomberg reported. Users paying for Meta AI will gain access to those app-specific benefits.

“We’re offering premium tools that allow you to enhance presence, supercharge content, automate tasks and protect your brand” Gleit said, adding “eventually we see Meta One as the one place that brings our subscriptions together across all of our apps”.

The trials are Meta’s first attempt to charge consumers for AI features. Rivals OpenAI and Google already offer paid chatbot subscriptions.

Its move to generate subscription revenue comes during an aggressive AI investment drive.

Meta is pumping more than $10 billion into building a massive data centre campus in the US state of Indiana. Last month, the company also raised its capex forecast for 2026 to between $125 billion and $145 billion to fund AI infrastructure plans.

The post Meta adds paid tier for social media apps, eyes AI revenue appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Financial Times (FT) reported UK authorities would oppose any move by Bharti Enterprises to increase its current shareholding of almost 25% in BT Group on technology sovereignty grounds, a prospect raised in the media last week.

The newspaper noted the stance on limiting influence from companies based overseas on the UK operator was due to its position in the country’s critical infrastructure, rather than anything specific to the Indian conglomerate.

Bharti taking its stake above 25% would require a regulatory review, while raising its holding to above 30% would require a full takeover offer to be made.

In its various statements since buying the bulk of its BT shareholding in 2024, Bharti has maintained it had no plans for a full takeover. The company also denied Reuters reports published last week (21 May) claiming it was mulling an increase in its existing share.

Quoting a “government figure” today (28 May), FT stated the position on foreign investment was due to the importance of resilience and sovereign capabilities in today’s world.

Among its business interests BT owns Openreach, the infrastructure business conducting a full fibre rollout alongside maintaining the country’s existing fixed network infrastructure.

The post UK dampens Bharti BT stake prospects appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Sateliot gained more traction for an approach to enabling standard NB-IoT devices to use 5G and satellite networks as Telenor IoT became the latest player to team with the Spanish specialist.

Their arrangement relies on recent Sateliot advances in NB-IoT device handoff between 5G and satellite networks.

It explained compliance with relevant 3GPP Release-17 specifications means it can obviate the specialised equipment previously needed to deliver connectivity in areas beyond the reach of mobile networks.

Telenor IoT and Sateliot envisage benefits for agricultural; maritime; transport and logistics; energy and utilities; and environmental sectors.

Sateliot stated the companies are developing a system which does not require devices to run “proprietary hardware or custom integrations”, in turn delivering a bump in global IoT coverage.

The connectivity focus would remain largely on 5G, with satellite the back-up for when devices stray beyond the terrestrial mobile technology’s reach.

Sateliot detailed work with Turkcell to the same end earlier this month and is working on a hybrid set-up with Telefonica Spain.

The post Sateliot brings Telenor IoT into satellite range appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Telenor IoT y Sateliot han suscrito un acuerdo para habilitar la transición de dispositivos NB-IoT estándar entre redes terrestres y satelitales sin hardware propietario ni integraciones personalizadas.

Telenor IoT, la división de conectividad IoT del Grupo Telenor, gestiona más de 30 millones de dispositivos conectados en todo el mundo.

El cumplimiento del estándar 3GPP Release 17 5G Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) permite que los dispositivos compatibles se conecten a los satélites sin modificaciones de hardware ni firmware específico, prescindiendo del equipamiento especializado que hasta ahora era necesario fuera del alcance de las redes móviles terrestres.

Ambas firmas han confirmado pruebas de campo completadas en España, en las que las tarjetas SIM de Telenor IoT mantuvieron conexión con la red de satélites de Sateliot durante periodos prolongados, y prevén ampliarlas a otros países.

El modelo mantiene la conectividad 5G como vía principal, con el enlace satelital como respaldo en zonas sin cobertura móvil: océanos, zonas montañosas, terrenos agrícolas e instalaciones industriales remotas.

Las aplicaciones previstas abarcan los sectores agrícola, marítimo, de transporte y logística, de energía y servicios públicos, y medioambiental.

Sateliot, con sede en Barcelona y fundada en 2018, tiene previsto lanzar en 2027 una nueva generación de satélites bajo la denominación Tritó. A principios de este mes, la empresa hizo pública su colaboración con Turkcell con el mismo enfoque, y trabaja en una configuración híbrida con Telefónica España.

The post Telenor IoT y Sateliot suscriben un acuerdo de conectividad NB-IoT terrestre y satelital appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Telefónica ha puesto cifras a sus avances en sostenibilidad: el consumo energético de su red en 2025 ha sido un 12 % inferior al de 2015, pese a que el tráfico de datos se ha multiplicado por trece en ese período.

La mejora de eficiencia ha situado el consumo en 29 MWh por petabyte de tráfico, un 92 % menos que hace una década.

La operadora ha subrayado las implicaciones para la calidad del servicio antes que el ahorro económico, aunque ha reconocido que la optimización energética cobra importancia para contener los riesgos del alza de precios de la electricidad.

“Movemos enormes volúmenes de datos utilizando solo una fracción de la electricidad que necesitábamos hace una década”, ha afirmado Maya Ormazabal, directiva global de sostenibilidad, quien ha argumentado que la evolución demuestra que “la digitalización y la sostenibilidad pueden ir de la mano”.

La empresa también ha registrado una reducción del 49 % en las emisiones totales de carbono entre 2015 y 2025 en toda su cadena de valor: las de Alcance 1 y 2 han caído un 91 %, y las de Alcance 3 han bajado un 34 % desde 2016.

Con información de Michael Carroll.

The post Telefónica reduce su consumo energético de red pese al auge del tráfico de datos appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Meta Platforms se dispone a probar planes de pago para sus servicios de IA y a ampliar las suscripciones en WhatsApp, Instagram y Facebook, mientras trata de diversificar sus fuentes de ingresos en plena ofensiva inversora en inteligencia artificial.

Naomi Gleit, directiva de producto de Meta, ha explicado en un vídeo de Instagram que la empresa está “empezando a llevar a la práctica Facebook Plus, Instagram Plus y WhatsApp Plus con funciones mejoradas”, y que los usuarios de Meta AI tendrán acceso a “más herramientas, mayor capacidad, solicitudes más complejas y más espacio para la creación, tanto para empresas como para creadores”.

Según Bloomberg, la firma probará dos niveles de suscripción de IA el próximo mes en Singapur, Guatemala y Bolivia, con una versión gratuita de Meta AI disponible en paralelo.

Meta One Plus tendrá un precio de 7,99 dólares al mes (unos 7,30 euros) y se dirige a usuarios con un uso intensivo de generación de imágenes, vídeo o razonamiento.

Meta One Premium rondará los 20 dólares al mes (unos 18,30 euros) con las mismas herramientas y límites más altos.

También está previsto lanzar productos orientados a empresas y creadores, como Meta One Essential y Meta One Advanced.

Las suscripciones a WhatsApp, Instagram y Facebook se situarán entre 2,99 y 3,99 dólares al mes (entre 2,70 y 3,65 euros) según el mercado, con acceso a las ventajas propias de cada aplicación para quienes contraten Meta AI.

“Con el tiempo, vemos a Meta One como el espacio que agrupa nuestras suscripciones en todas nuestras aplicaciones”, ha dicho Gleit.

Es el primer intento de Meta de cobrar a los consumidores por funciones de IA, un terreno donde OpenAI y Google ya operan con suscripciones de pago. Meta destina más de 10.000 millones de dólares (unos 9.150 millones de euros) a un gran centro de datos en Indiana, y el mes pasado elevó su previsión de gastos de capital para 2026 a entre 125.000 y 145.000 millones de dólares (entre unos 114.000 y 132.500 millones de euros).

Con información de Amiya Johar.

The post Meta incorpora planes de pago en sus redes sociales y apunta a los ingresos por IA appeared first on Mobile World Live.

Telefónica Tech y Google Cloud han suscrito un acuerdo para ofrecer servicios de nube soberana a organismos públicos y empresas de sectores con requisitos estrictos en materia de datos.

Los trabajos comenzaron en enero, según indica elEconomista.

La alianza se articula en torno a Google Cloud Data Boundary: la información alojada en Google Cloud se cifra con claves generadas y custodiadas por Telefónica en su propia infraestructura, con centros de datos en territorio español.

El modelo incluye controles verificables sobre la protección, la residencia y el acceso a los datos, así como auditoría continua para detectar cambios de política que pudieran afectar al cumplimiento normativo.

Google Cloud amplía con este acuerdo las capacidades de su región de Madrid para extender el servicio a clientes y socios en España.

La consejera delegada de Telefónica Tech, Sofía Collado, ha señalado que el servicio permitirá a las organizaciones “definir políticas precisas de residencia de datos, control de acceso y protección mediante claves de cifrado generadas y gestionadas fuera de los entornos de la nube pública”.

Isaac Hernández, directivo de Google Cloud para la península ibérica, ha sostenido que “no debería existir ningún conflicto entre la soberanía digital de España y su competitividad económica”, y que la combinación de las capacidades en la nube con el control operativo local de Telefónica permitirá a empresas y administraciones “innovar de forma segura, según sus propios términos”.

Google Cloud Data Boundary opera en diversos mercados en colaboración con socios locales. Telefónica asegura que ha sido designada como socio de referencia del gigante tecnológico para la soberanía de datos en España.

The post Telefónica gestionará el cifrado de la nube soberana de Google en España appeared first on Mobile World Live.

European Commission (EC) EVP Henna Virkkunen unveiled a proposal for the allocation of the 2GHz spectrum band for mobile satellite services, with the lion’s share set to be reserved for companies based in the European Union (EU).

Under the plan, the EC would allocate a third of the spectrum for government and critical communications use, with the remainder available for commercial applications including direct-to-device smartphone connectivity and IoT applications.

Virkkunen stated the segment used for critical communications and government agencies would be awarded to an operator within the EU which would be tasked with ensuring integration with IRIS2 infrastructure.

Half of the proportion available for commercial use would be reserved for providers based in the EU and the remainder open to bids from companies based anywhere.  

She noted earmarking allocations to local operators would “encourage the diversification of suppliers and incentivise” entry into the market.

The EC is planning an EU-level selection process for assignment of the spectrum to ensure regulatory consistency across the bloc and allow operators to provide cross-border services.

Licences currently active for the band were allocated on an EU-wide basis.

Critical
Virkkunen said the 2GHz band is foundational to providing “satellite and terrestrial connectivity directly to our mobile devices, ensuring that all areas in the EU, and namely those where terrestrial networks are unavailable, are equipped with voice and internet connectivity”.

Noting “large networks of low Earth orbit satellites are becoming the space version” or mobile towers, she added they also pave the way for 6G.

“In short, this band is absolutely vital for our citizens, businesses and governments alike,” she added, arguing the EC’s proposal would aid in aims to boost Europe’s competitiveness and security, along with embracing “new technological possibilities”.

Although opening the way for big name US operators including Starlink and Amazon Leo to grab allocations, the move to reserve a large proportion for EU-based entities fits with a recent push around technology sovereignty and attempts to bolster local companies.

The post EC proposes local players get bulk of MSS spectrum appeared first on Mobile World Live.

UK operator Virgin Media O2 is set to switch on O2 Satellite for iPhones tomorrow (28 May), widening access to the direct-to-device (D2D) connectivity service it launched earlier this year.

Subscribers to the offering with compatible devices gain access to satellite connectivity when no mobile coverage is available. It enables messaging and data across a range of apps, including Messages, Apple Maps, WhatsApp, Messenger, X and location services.

VMO2 noted adding iPhone support would provide the means for millions of users in rural, coastal and remote parts of the UK to connect where traditional mobile coverage can be limited or unavailable.

It added availability of satellite connectivity could boost network resilience by helping customers stay connected during outages or natural disasters.

Compatible models are the iPhone 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 ranges as well as the iPhone Air. O2 Satellite is available as a £3 per month add-on for most contract customers, though is included at no extra cost for those on its Ultimate Plan.

Chris Bournes, commercial director at VMO2, said “expanding the service to iPhone users is a major step forward in making this new, groundbreaking technology accessible to more customers”.

VMO2 launched its O2 Satellite service in February 2026 using Starlink infrastructure in what it positioned as the first D2D satellite mobile data service to go live in Europe. The operator noted the technology has lifted its UK landmass coverage to 95%.

The post VMO2 expands satellite service to iPhones appeared first on Mobile World Live.