Vodafone pilots drones for mobile mast recovery
05 March 2025
Vodafone has begun piloting a new type of drone designed to help restore connectivity to mobile masts, such as when their underground data capacity cables are cut or damaged. The drones employ a special optical wireless link.
The drones, which could also be deployed as part of disaster recovery situations, are currently being tested in Seville, Spain and use a wireless optical connectivity link that has been developed by the Taara Project as part of the Google X programme.
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Eutelsat OneWeb concludes ‘world’s first successful trial’ of a 5G NTN
05 March 2025
Eutelsat’s OneWeb network has just conducted the ‘world’s first successful trial’ of a 5G Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN).
Eutelsat has long held an ambition to adopt mobile communications support into their satellite network, which would use the NTNs standard within the 5G specification (3GPP Release 17). The latest test using a live commercial network is said to pave the way for deployment of the 5G NTN standard, which will result in future satellite and terrestrial interoperability within a large ecosystem, lowering the cost of access and enabling the use of satellite broadband for 5G devices around the world.
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Telna signs major eSIM roaming deal
05 March 2025
Telna, a leader in managed eSIM connectivity, has announced its strategic partnership with Bridge Alliance, a prominent mobile alliance comprising major mobile network operators (MNOs) across the Asia-Pacific, Europe, Middle East, and Africa. The partnership will enable participating MNOs to deliver a seamless mobile roaming experience for subscribers, drive new revenues and capitalise on the growing demand for travel eSIM services.
With the partnership, Bridge Alliance can leverage Telna’s roaming eSIM enablement platform to equip its members with advanced roaming eSIM distribution capabilities, tapping into the wider eSIM distribution ecosystem. This implementation will enable onboarded MNOs to seamlessly integrate eSIM technology, ensuring their connectivity services are future-proofed and optimised to address new roaming challenges. They will be able to enhance their retail offerings and unlock new growth opportunities, allowing them to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving mobile landscape.
Find out more Orange Romania opts for wind energy
05 March 2025
Orange Romania has signed a ten-year virtual power purchase agreement (vPPA) with Engie Romania to procure around 40GWh of wind energy per year from one of Engie Romania’s wind farms.
This is the second vPPA between the two companies. A six-year virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) was signed in 2023 that covered 30GWh of Orange Romania’s electricity consumption with solar power.
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