Airtel Nigeria 5G Expansion, Lumen Fiber Deal, Vodafone-MediaTek 277 Mbps Uplink and More

The signing of this agreement took place within the framework of the International Defense and Security Fair (FEINDEF), held at IFEMA between May 12 and 14. The initiative aims to train the Industrial and Technological Base of the Defense Industry (BITD) in the development of critical defense technologies essential for national sovereignty and strategic autonomy.

2. Charter to Acquire Cox Communications in USD 34.5 Billion Deal

Charter Communications and Cox Communications announced on May 16, 2025, an agreement to combine their businesses in a transaction that will reshape the US broadband and mobile communications landscape. The deal values Cox Communications at approximately USD 34.5 billion, comprising USD 21.9 billion in equity and USD 12.6 billion in net debt and other obligations, based on Charter’s enterprise value-to-estimated 2025 Adjusted EBITDA multiple.

Under the agreement, Charter will acquire Cox’s commercial fiber, managed IT, and cloud businesses, while Cox Enterprises will contribute its residential cable operations to Charter Holdings, a Charter subsidiary. The transaction includes USD 4 billion in cash, USD 6 billion in convertible preferred units, and approximately 33.6 million common units valued at USD 11.9 billion.

Upon closing, Cox Enterprises will hold approximately a 23 percent stake in the combined entity on an as-converted basis. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including the receipt of regulatory and Charter shareholder approvals. The combined entity will assume Cox’s approximately USD 12 billion in outstanding debt.

Within a year of closing, the combined company will rebrand as Cox Communications. Charter’s Spectrum will become the consumer-facing brand in the communities Cox serves. The combined company will remain headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, and will maintain a significant presence at Cox’s Atlanta, GA campus after the transaction closes.

Following the closing, the combined company’s products will be launched across Cox’s approximately 12 million passings and 6 million existing customers under the Spectrum brand. These products include Spectrum’s Advanced WiFi, Spectrum Mobile with Mobile Speed Boost, the Spectrum TV App, Seamless Entertainment, and Xumo. Coupled with Spectrum’s pricing and packaging structure, these offerings will give Cox customers the choice to pay less for new bundled services or retain their current plans.

The combined company will adopt Charter’s sales and service workforce model, which will return Cox’s customer service function to the US.

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3. Airtel Tanzania Opens New Retail Shops

Airtel Tanzania has opened new Airtel Experience Shops in Dar es Salaam as part of its ongoing efforts to enhance customer service and expand accessibility. The new shops are located in Sinza, Kawe, Mikocheni, Mwananyamala, and Magomeni. Airtel’s Director of Customer Experience in Dar es Salaam said the company is committed to ensuring that customers receive fast, reliable, and convenient service, according to a local press report on May 21, 2025.

“We have expanded our footprint in Dar es Salaam with the launch of four new Airtel Experience Shops. Whether you’re in Sinza, Mikocheni, Mwananyamala, or Kawe, you can now access a wide range of our services including SIM registration and swaps, Airtel Money services for customers and agents, 5G routers and Home Broadband (HBB) devices, Airtel Money PIN reset and account recovery, Smartphones and tech accessories,” Airtel Tanzania shared in a LinkedIn post.

4. Airtel Nigeria Plans to Double Investments to Enhance Rural Network Coverage and 5G

Airtel Nigeria has announced plans to double its capital investment to expand network infrastructure, promote digital inclusion, and enhance customer satisfaction, according to local media reports. The increased investment will fund major infrastructure upgrades, rural expansion, the introduction of advanced data technologies, expansion of the fiber-optic backbone, integration of high-capacity radios, improved customer service, and broader community-focused programs.

Since launching its 5G network in January 2023 across Lagos, Ogun, Abuja, and Rivers, Airtel Nigeria has continued to build on its spectrum assets, leveraging the 3.5 GHz band for ultra-fast data and low latency, and the 2600 MHz spectrum to handle growing user demand, the reports added.

5. MTN Ghana to Relocate Fiber Optic Infrastructure

MTN Ghana has announced plans to relocate 130 kilometres of fiber optic lines to more secure areas in an effort to reduce frequent service interruptions and improve network reliability. CEO Stephen Blewett cited persistent fiber cuts—particularly in the Northern sector, which sees about four incidents daily due to construction activities—as a major cause of service degradation and a potential national security threat, according to local media reports dated May 21, 2025.

The relocation initiative aims to ensure better connectivity and protect vital telecom infrastructure.

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6. MasOrange Secures EUR 11 Billion to Refinance Debt and Fund New Fibre JV

MasOrange announced on Wednesday that it has raised EUR 11 billion from a group of nearly 20 banks to refinance its debt and fund the future infrastructure of the fiber optic joint venture it is forming with Vodafone Spain.

In a statement on May 21, 2025, the company said the package includes EUR 6.25 billion to refinance its senior debt plus EUR 4.75 billion to fund the infrastructure of the future FibreCo.

MasOrange is the largest telecommunications operator in Spain by customer base, with approximately 39 million broadband and mobile users.

7. Vodafone and MediaTek Achieve 5G SA Uplink Speed of 277 Mbps

Vodafone and semiconductor solutions company MediaTek have successfully tested 5G uplink speeds of up to 277 Mbps to meet future connectivity demands for user-generated content (UGC) and artificial intelligence (AI) applications.

Vodafone explained that while approximately 90 percent of mobile traffic traditionally uses the downlink channel from mobile masts to users’ smartphones, this trend is evolving. Consumers are increasingly uploading their own videos and content online, necessitating an ever-faster uplink connection.

For example, a typical video call needs at least 0.5 Mbps both in uplink and downlink, whereas streaming video from a smartphone requires between 5 and 15 Mbps depending on how many frames are squeezed into each second of video and its picture quality.

On Wednesday, May 21, 2025, Vodafone said it achieved 5G uplink speeds of up to 277 Mbps in a trial conducted with MediaTek at its test facility near Madrid, Spain. The partners used MediaTek’s latest M90 modem on Vodafone’s 5G Standalone (SA) network, employing carrier aggregation to combine various spectrum channels.

Additionally, Vodafone and MediaTek used MIMO (multiple input, multiple output) antennas to transmit two data streams simultaneously from a single smartphone to the nearest mast, as well as tested it with the two key mobile data transmission methods – Frequency Division Duplex (FDD) and Time Division Duplex (TDD). This is like adding extra 5G lanes to an existing mast. TDD is used to provide capacity at high-frequency bands and is used in urban areas, and FDD is used on lower frequency bands to provide wider coverage, Vodafone explained.

The companies also reported improved spectrum and data transmission efficiency, as well as increased upload speeds for more customers. MediaTek chipsets can seamlessly switch between uplink technologies, reducing interference and enhancing overall network performance.

Commercial smartphones currently do not support this feature (as they require uplink MIMO in FDD), but Vodafone and MediaTek aim to drive the development of compatible devices for the benefit of smartphone users everywhere.

Marco Zangani, Vodafone Director of Network Strategy and Architecture, said: “We are continually improving the performance of our European networks to meet growth in traffic, a trend that’s unlikely to slow down especially with the popularity of video sharing sites and cloud services, as well as AI applications in the near future.”

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8. Ice Norway to Switch Off 2G Network on May 27

Norwegian mobile operator Ice has informed customers who still use mobile phones and equipment that only run on 2G that they will lose service on May 27 when the network shuts down.

“Customers who still use older mobile phones and equipment that only support the 2G network will not be able to make calls, send SMS or use other services from Tuesday, May 27. These customers must take action now,” Ice said in its communication on Wednesday, May 21, 2025.

The Lyse subsidiary said it has continued to inform customers that the 2G network is being phased out and is now issuing another notice. Customers without a 4G or 5G handset are encouraged to visit Ice’s online store, where phones start at NOK 1 with a subscription.

9. Millicom to Acquire Telefonica’s Operations in Uruguay for USD 440 Million

Millicom International Cellular (Millicom) announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire 100 percent of Telefonica Moviles del Uruguay (Telefonica’s Uruguayan subsidiary) for an enterprise value of USD 440 million. This acquisition aligns with Telefonica’s regional repositioning and enables Millicom to consolidate its leadership position in South America, the company said on Wednesday, May 21, 2025.

Millicom expects the transaction to be EFCF accretive as early as 2026, driven by operational efficiencies and integration with its existing regional footprint. Upon closing, the company anticipates immediate scale benefits, enhanced synergies, and long-term value creation across its Latin American platform.

Marcelo Benitez, CEO of Millicom, stated: “This acquisition represents a key milestone in our purposeful growth strategy across Latin America — especially in Uruguay, a country with strong fundamentals and a forward-looking digital agenda. We are committed to being a long-term partner in Uruguay’s digital development by investing in mobile infrastructure, improving service quality, and fostering innovation and talent development.”

Telefonica Uruguay is the second-largest mobile operator in a market that includes three mobile operators, along with a fixed-line and pay-TV landscape.

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10. Orange Poland Reaches 4 Million SIMs on LTE-M Network

Orange Poland announced it has surpassed 4 million M2M SIMs on its LTE-M (IoT) network. Most are installed on water and electricity meters, while others are used in transport, security systems (alarm control panels), and payment terminals.

Orange explained that LTE-M, technically referred to as LTE Cat-M1, operates on existing LTE networks and offers a range of benefits tailored to IoT applications. It enables devices such as sensors, actuators, RFID tags, and control systems to communicate autonomously, without human intervention. These systems are commonly used in monitoring temperature, pressure, humidity, motion, and object identification across industries.

Orange operates its LTE-M network nationwide in Poland primarily on the 800 MHz frequency band and locally on the 1800 MHz band. This depends on business needs as the technology can be used in all bands on the 4G network.

The low-frequency spectrum 800 MHz ensures strong signal penetration, providing reliable connectivity even in buildings and rural areas. The technology supports data transmission speeds of up to 1 Mbps within a 1 MHz channel, sufficient for tasks such as remote firmware updates.

In a blog post dated May 21, 2025, Orange explained that what sets LTE-M apart is its support for mobility. Unlike Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT), LTE-M enables continuous connectivity for devices in motion, such as vehicles or agricultural equipment. Through a feature known as “handover,” LTE-M maintains active communication as devices transition between network base stations—similar to traditional 4G and 5G mobile networks.

“It is the transmission of a radio connection of a given device, phone or modem from one base station to another while it is always active. The ability to use this feature depends on both the end device and the network configuration,” Orange said.

Another critical advantage of LTE-M is its energy efficiency. Devices with M2M cards can remain in sleep mode, waking only momentarily to transmit data. This significantly reduces power consumption, allowing such devices to operate for several years on battery power without reliance on a fixed power source, the telco explained.

Orange expects that the future 5G equivalent of LTE-M, known as RedCap, will offer even higher data bandwidth and lower latency. This will enable further innovation in smart buildings, environmental monitoring, and more.

11. Lumen Technologies to Sell Consumer Fibre Business to AT&T for USD 5.75 billion

Lumen Technologies has agreed to sell its consumer fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) business, including Quantum Fiber, in eleven states to American telecom operator AT&T for USD 5.75 billion in cash, according to a May 21, 2025 announcement.

AT&T’s acquisition of 95 percent of Quantum Fiber includes around 4 million premises passed and 1 million subscribers as of March 2025. Lumen expects to maintain its current fiber deployment pace through the end of the year.

Lumen will retain backbone and enterprise assets, including all national, regional, state, and metro-level fiber backbone network infrastructure, central offices and associated real estate. Enterprise and wholesale fiber customers will remain with Lumen. The company will also continue to manage its copper network, which serves many consumer customers.

Lumen plans to use the net proceeds of approximately USD 4.2 billion and existing cash to repay around USD 4.8 billion in superpriority debt, reducing annual interest expenses by USD 300 million.

The transaction is expected to reduce Lumen’s fiber-related capital expenditures by about USD 1 billion annually, boosting cash flow and accelerating investment in enterprise services.

Following USD 8.5 billion in AI-driven networking contracts with hyperscalers, Lumen will continue expanding its nationwide network, targeting 47 million intercity fiber miles by 2028. The company also plans to scale its Lumen Digital platform to streamline enterprise customer experiences.

Lumen said it will strategically leverage the combination of its physical infrastructure and digital platform to deliver increased performance, capacity, intelligence and security through new, innovative network architectures such as Direct Fiber Access (DFAs), Cloud On-ramps, and Multicloud Gateways.

“We are sharpening our focus on enterprise customers, and this transaction enhances our financial flexibility, enabling us to reimagine networking for enterprises in a multi-cloud, AI-first world,” said Kate Johnson, president and CEO of Lumen.

“As part of this deal, we are retaining the core infrastructure that allows us to continue innovating for enterprise customers, leapfrogging traditional networking architectures to give customers the bandwidth, performance, and security they need. The fiber-to-the-home business being sold is tremendously valuable thanks to the incredible work by the team and will now have even greater opportunity to grow with AT&T’s scale, consumer-focus, and investment,” Johnson added.

AT&T said that over time, Lumen subscribers will transition to become its Fiber customers. The transaction will allow AT&T to significantly expand access to AT&T Fiber in major metro areas such as Denver, Las Vegas, Minneapolis–St. Paul, Orlando, Phoenix, Portland, Salt Lake City, and Seattle, as well as additional regions.

AT&T expects to reach approximately 60 million total fiber locations by the end of 2030—roughly doubling its current footprint.

AT&T will hold the acquired fiber network assets, including certain fiber network deployment capabilities, in a new, fully owned subsidiary (NetworkCo). It is expected that, along with the fiber assets, certain employees will move, or receive offers to move, from Lumen to AT&T or NetworkCo as a part of this deal, the company said.

The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2026, subject to any necessary approvals and closing conditions.

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