Verizon Frontline Network Slice; Swisscom Cisco AI Agents; Rogers 5G Subway Coverage and More

Cox Communications, the largest private broadband company in America, operates fiber-powered networks in more than 30 states.

2. Swisscom and Cisco Partner to Build System of AI Agents for Network Stability

Switzerland’s largest telecom provider, Swisscom, is partnering with Cisco’s incubator, Outshift, to set up a network of AI agents and improve the stability of its communications network, Outshift said.

“Together, we aim to develop practical applications of AI agents in network operations to redefine customer experiences,” Outshift said in a blog post on April 24.

According to Swisscom CTO Mark Dusener, “The goal of getting into an agentic AI world, operating networks, and connectivity is all about reducing the impact of service changes, reducing the risk of downtime and costs—therefore leveling up our customer experience.”

According to the blog post, today’s networks were built for sharing data between humans and systems. But AI agents share information with each other, make decisions together, and take coordinated actions in real time. “Think of a team of network specialists, each bringing different expertise: one agent monitoring security, another optimising performance, and a third managing configuration changes. They need to work together seamlessly to manage network operations.”

Outshift and Swisscom will work to automate critical processes using agentic AI, building infrastructure that can anticipate and adapt to changes for efficient business and improving the stability of the Swisscom network for the benefit of its customers.

Dusener explains, “We are working towards a vision of a network domain in which engineers can trust AI and AI agents to reduce impact and run the network operations competently, allowing them to work in a more forward-looking capacity, focusing on improving design, process, and customer experience.”

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3. Globe Telecom Joins Philippines Reforestation Efforts, to Plant 5 Million Trees by 2028

Philippines operator Globe Telecom has committed to support the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in its Forests for Life: 5M Trees by 2028 initiative. The project targets the rehabilitation of degraded forest areas in Ilocos Norte, Rizal, Leyte, Bataan, Bukidnon, and Lanao del Norte. Globe will contribute through reforestation, community engagement, and other forms of assistance to support the programme.

In a blog post on April 15, Globe said its efforts are anchored on its environmental sustainability priorities, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions within its value chain.

4. MTS Belarus Expands Coverage with Second UMTS-900 Carrier Activation

MTS Belarus said that a new additional spectrum band has been allocated to the operator, and the operator has started activating this second UMTS-900 carrier. The band will be aggregated in more than 3,000 sectors of base stations, almost doubling the capacity of the network in those areas.

Operating in the 900 MHz range, the expanded network ensures broad coverage with minimal signal loss—even through physical obstructions. The expansion supports the growing demand for stable 3G and 4G services across both urban and remote areas.

“With the second UMTS-900 carrier, we are significantly expanding our 3G network in non-urban areas,” MTS said.

Since 2022, MTS has been using RAN Sharing technology to speed up 3G deployment, enhancing coverage and service quality nationwide. According to the official release, the company’s mobile network already covers more than 98 percent of the country.

5. Orange Poland Deploys Private 5G Network in Warsaw

Orange Poland has deployed a private 5G network in Warsaw for the event marking the 1,000th anniversary of the coronation of the first king of Poland, Boleslaw the Brave. Orange Poland on April 28 said that for the first time in the country, Orange 5G Private Network technology was used commercially for live broadcasting an event of this type.

The 5G network covered three sites used for the event, supporting broadcasts of the ceremonies. Orange said the highlight of the event was photos from cameras placed on boats sailing on the Vistula. The images were transmitted in real time to television transmission cars using the Private 5G network—in this case, TVP—and used for wireless video transmission.

The project was carried out under a contract with the broadcaster TVP, in cooperation with Sony and Nevion, as well as MERK Solutions, which provided the infrastructure needed for implementation.

Also, earlier in April, Orange announced the launch of the first commercial intercity connection with a bandwidth of 800 gigabits per second (Gbps), significantly enhancing the capacity and efficiency of its national optical backbone network. The new link, established between Warsaw and Katowice, doubles the throughput of previous infrastructure and marks a strategic response to the increasing demand for data traffic across the country.

Orange also launched 64 base stations, upgraded more than 900 existing ones, and enabled 5G in the C-Band at 133 locations. At the end of March, the Orange network had 12,573 transmitters, the company said on April 17, 2025.

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6. Rogers Expands 5G Service to More TTC Subway Tunnels

Canadian operator Rogers Communications has begun activating 5G mobile connectivity in the remaining TTC underground tunnels in Toronto—between Kipling and Islington stations, and Keele and Dundas West stations. “This marks the first sections of new cellular network coverage as part of Rogers work to expand 5G and access to 911 for all riders to remaining underground tunnels,” Rogers said on April 25.

Rogers is working with the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) to connect the remaining 36 kilometres of unconnected tunnels to 5G, aiming to connect 80 percent of TTC subway tunnels by the end of 2025.

In 2023, Rogers acquired the cellular network in the TTC subway system from BAI Canada to bring 5G service and 911 access across the entire subway system. The legacy 3G and 4G network only reached station platforms and concourses and 25 percent of the tunnels and could not support the traffic of customers of the major carriers. After completing the upgrades to bring 5G service to the legacy network for all riders, Rogers started construction to expand to the remaining tunnels last year.

By the end of next year, Rogers said the modernised and expanded 5G network will deliver wireless coverage with mobile voice and data services in all 75 stations and tunnels across Toronto’s subway system.

7. OTE Rebrands as Cosmote Telekom to Align with Deutsche Telekom Group

Greek telecommunications provider OTE is rebranding to ‘Cosmote Telekom’ as part of a move to align more closely with its parent company, Deutsche Telekom Group. The updated brand identity aims to reflect OTE’s integration within the international telecom giant.

The new branding will be rolled out across the Greek market, accompanied by the tagline “We connect your world.” Deutsche Telekom entered the share capital of OTE in 2008 and currently holds a 53.4 percent stake, according to local media reports.

“By joining the ecosystem of the global Telekom brand, we consolidate our position as a member of a global telecommunications group, with a dominant presence in America and Europe, with great strength and economies of scale. At the same time, we acquire an international footprint, which creates added value for our customers, our people, and all stakeholders, and differentiates us even more from the competition,” OTE Chairman and CEO Kostas Nebis was quoted as saying in the reports.

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8. Verizon Frontline Network Slice Launched Nationwide

Verizon has announced the launch of the Frontline Network Slice in select markets across the US. The Slice is a 5G Ultra Wideband (UW) virtual network slice completely dedicated to public safety that allows for the allocation of network resources within Verizon’s network infrastructure. The Verizon Frontline network is used by more than 40,000 public safety agencies across the US.

This helps provide first responders several key advantages, including: dedicated 5G UW network capacity reserved exclusively for first responders; tailored performance for critical applications and devices; enhanced reliability, which significantly reduces the risk of disruption to mission-critical communications; and flexible scalability, allowing Verizon to efficiently allocate dedicated network resources in real-time.

For example, Verizon explained that the Frontline Network Slicing for Connected Vehicles can deliver enhanced in-vehicle connectivity for first responders, providing a mobile working environment with access to 5G UW network resources completely dedicated to the needs of public safety users.

9. Ncell Becomes Nepal’s Approved Data Centre and Cloud Service Provider

Ncell said it has become the first Nepali company to be officially enlisted as a data centre and cloud service provider in Nepal. The Department of Information Technology (DoIT), under the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MoCIT), enrolled Ncell for both services. The company was enlisted under the legal provisions outlined in the Data Centre and Cloud Services (Operation and Management) Directives 2025.

Ncell currently operates a high-tech Tier 3 Integrated Data Centre (IDC) in Nakkhu, Lalitpur, which can serve banks, government agencies, and large enterprises. It also runs two disaster recovery data centres located in Pokhara and Hetauda.

“Ncell has become the first and only company in Nepal to receive this recognition from the government. Given the growing market for data centres and cloud services, this certification holds significant importance,” said Dion Asencio, Chief Business Officer of Ncell, in a statement on April 22.

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10. KDDI Partners with AMD to Deploy Its Virtualised 5G Network for AI Era

KDDI Corporation and AMD have agreed to enter into a technological partnership to leverage 4th Gen AMD EPYC CPU for KDDI’s 5G virtualised network and collaborate on technology toward advancing 5G virtualised network in the era of AI. KDDI plans to begin validation during 2025 and roll out the technology to commercial networks across Japan from fiscal 2026 onwards, the companies said in a joint statement on April 23.

The AMD EPYC CPU uses chiplet technology, integrating multiple small chips into a single processor. This design enables it to house more cores than traditional one-piece designs, achieving both high performance and low power consumption.

The adoption of AMD EPYC CPUs will enable KDDI to deliver impressive performance and highly efficient traffic processing capability for 5G virtualised network, the companies said.

Additionally, KDDI and AMD will undergo validation and testing efforts to further advance CPU usage through the use of AMD EPYC CPUs in 5G virtualised network. Based on the validation results, KDDI and AMD will explore the possibility of upgrading CPU usage and utilising them in data centres in the AI era.

“The leadership performance and energy efficiency of our 4th Gen AMD EPYC processors will help scale KDDI’s network capabilities to deliver faster and more energy efficient network infrastructure that is required to power the next generation of virtualised networks and AI-enabled data centers,” said Lisa Su, chair and CEO, AMD.

11. STC Group Enhances Connectivity for Formula 1 Grand Prix

STC Group has deployed an advanced 5G network across all nineteen mobile sites at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit to support coverage at the Formula 1 STC Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2025. Complementing this infrastructure are four high-performance portable mobile towers (Cells on Wheels), designed to boost network capacity, manage high user density, and ensure reliable performance at high-traffic venue areas throughout the event.

The network not only handles the immense data demands of the race but also allows race enthusiasts to enjoy instantaneous live streaming, real-time race updates, and flawless social media connectivity, STC said on April 18.

Beyond 5G, STC has also implemented Internet of Things (IoT) solutions at 18 of the 19 mobile sites. These smart systems enhance operational efficiency by monitoring critical infrastructure, optimising crowd movement, and tracking environmental conditions such as air quality and energy consumption, ensuring a safer, smarter and more sustainable event.

To guarantee uninterrupted performance, STC said it has implemented a multi-layered redundancy strategy. Dual fiber-optic routes ensure continuous data transmission, while pre-positioned backup equipment stands ready to address any potential disruptions instantly.

AI-powered predictive analytics further enhance network resilience by intelligently distributing traffic and balancing loads across multiple network layers. This allows STC to identify and resolve traffic or real-time network issues before they impact performance, the company explained.

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12. Ooredoo Qatar Selects Ericsson to Modernise Charging System

Ooredoo Qatar has partnered with Ericsson to modernise its charging system, reinforcing their long-standing partnership in charging, and advancing the mobile operator’s capabilities in the 5G era. Under the strategic upgrade, hosted on Ericsson’s Cloud Native Infrastructure (CNIS), the company will deploy the latest release of Ericsson Charging, which will include Ericsson’s cloud-native Charging Access Function (CAF), providing a 3GPP compliant 5G Charging Function (CHF).

This will empower Ooredoo Qatar to monetise innovative 5G standalone (SA) services and enhance operational efficiency, security, and performance,

The modernisation will allow Ooredoo Qatar to unlock monetisation opportunities for 5G services, including gaming, video streaming, augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) applications, and other data-intensive use cases requiring high speed, low latency, and reliable connections, Ericsson said in a joint statement on April 29.

Petra Schirren, Vice President and Head of Ericsson Gulf at Ericsson Europe, Middle East and Africa, says: “With the expansion of Ooredoo Qatar’s implementation of Ericsson Charging to the latest software, it will have a future-ready platform that supports seamless monetisation of 5G services.