Industry News

Telecel Group, a telecommunications and digital connectivity firm, is scaling up its network investment in Ghana in 2026 to meet rising demand and strengthen its competitive position in the West African country.

The new investment comes months after the launch of a $70 million network modernisation project in partnership with Huawei in November 2025. It reinforces the central role of network infrastructure in Telecel’s pan-African strategy.

Telecel Group Chief Executive Officer, Moh Damush, said the investment is part of the Group’s broader strategy to enhance digital infrastructure and drive growth, innovation, and connectivity across its markets. The increased commitment follows a 30% revenue growth and a return to profitability for Telecel Ghana in 2025, which has boosted the Group’s confidence in the country’s long-term potential.

“Network infrastructure powers everything we do. It enables enterprise growth, supports fintech and digital services, and creates new opportunities for people and businesses. By investing today, we are building the foundation for tomorrow’s technologies and long-term digital transformation in Ghana and across our markets,” said Damush.

Under the new investment, Telecel Group is focused on expanding network capacity, improving service reliability, and laying the infrastructural groundwork needed to deliver next-generation digital services to both individual and corporate clients.

In 2025, Telecel ramped up its presence in Ghana by expanding its network sites from 5,000 to 9,000, as part of its ambition to become Ghana’s network of choice and achieve near-universal mobile coverage over the next three years.

Beyond infrastructure, Telecel is actively supporting Ghana’s tech ecosystem through partnerships with accelerators such as Startupbootcamp AfriTech, where it helps fund, mentor, and provide market access to promising local businesses.

The company is also leveraging alternative technologies, including direct-to-device satellite agreements, to extend its reach to underserved and rural communities in Ghana.

Telecel entered the Ghanaian market after acquiring a 70% stake in Vodafone Ghana in February 2023 and rebranding the network to Telecel Ghana in early 2024. Beyond Ghana, Telecel operates in Liberia, Guinea, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Source : www.talkafrica.co.ke

MTN Ghana has announced a reduction in prices of its fibre broadband packages, with the revised tariffs taking effect on Wednesday, June 17, 2026 as the telecommunications company rolls out new internet speed options for customers.

The revised packages include a reduction in the price of the 100 Mbps unlimited monthly fibre package from GH¢987 to GH¢299.

The company has also introduced a 300 Mbps unlimited package at GH¢444 and a 500 Mbps unlimited package at GH¢999.

Reacting to the revised prices, the Minister of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel Nartey George, said in a statement posted on social media: “You demanded. We engaged. MTN Ghana has responded.” 

Mr George indicated that the changes followed discussions between the Ministry and MTN on the cost and reliability of fibre broadband services.

He thanked the management of MTN Ghana for responding to the Ministry’s request to review fibre broadband pricing and said the Ministry would continue engaging telecommunications operators on pricing and service delivery.

The reduction follows earlier public calls and complaints about the cost digital services from telecommunication operators.

Source : www.graphic.com.gh

• Effective as of October 1, 2026
• Becomes member of Ericsson’s Executive Team, reporting to the CEO

STOCKHOLM , June 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) today announces the appointment of David Hammarwall as its new Head of Business Area Networks and Senior Vice President. Hammarwall who is currently Ericsson’s Head of Customer Unit T-Mobile in Market Area Americas, will succeed Per Narvinger who has been appointed President and CEO of Ericsson. Hammarwall will take up his new position as Head of Business Area Networks on October 1, 2026, and be based in Stockholm, Sweden.

David Hammarwall has been with Ericsson since 2007 and holds a PhD in telecommunications from KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. His previous work experience includes roles as Head of Product Area Networks, Head of Product Line Radio and Head of Product Line 5G RAN. He has held the position as Head of Customer Unit T-Mobile since 2023.

Börje Ekholm, President and CEO of Ericsson, says: “David has extensive technological expertise as well as commercial knowledge of the telecoms and ICT industry. He is an appreciated and respected leader in our industry and I’m very pleased that he will return to Business Area Networks to ensure success for our customers with 5G, AI and the journey towards 6G.”

Per Narvinger, currently Head of of Business Area Networks who will take up the position as President and CEO of Ericsson on October 1, 2026, comments: “David has been a key leader when it comes to driving Ericsson’s technology leadership. I’m very pleased that he with fresh market experience will return to Sweden and Networks and I am looking forward to having him on the Executive Team.”

David Hammarwall says: “I’m honored and excited to be offered this opportunity. Business Area Networks is home to me and this is a very interesting time where Ericsson is truly setting a new standard for network intelligence with AI in RAN by bringing powerful AI capabilities to service providers. I’m very much looking forward to working with all the talented Network employees and to meet customers and partners to create outstanding value.”

Source : www. markets.ft.com

The MTN Foundation has disclosed that it has committed more than N32 billion to social intervention programmes across Nigeria.
It said over 32 million people benefited from the scheme since its establishment in 2004.
The interventions, it noted, have reached thousands of communities nationwide through initiatives focused on education, healthcare, youth development and economic empowerment.
Speaking at the Anti-Substance Abuse Programme (ASAP) stakeholders’ conference in Ilorin, Kwara State Manager, Development Portfolio, Joseph Akpata, said the organisation has sustained its commitment to improving lives through impactful and measurable investments.
According to him, the foundation was created as the corporate social investment vehicle of MTN Nigeria and has continued to implement programmes designed to address critical social and developmental challenges.
“Since we started in 2004, we have invested over N32 billion in impactful projects across the country, and we have been keeping our records,” Akpata said.
He stated that the foundation’s interventions have so far impacted more than 32 million people in over 30,000 communities and scores of local government areas across the federation.
Akpata noted that the fight against substance abuse among young people remains a major priority for the organisation, prompting the launch of the Anti-Substance Abuse Programme in 2019.
He explained that the initiative was designed to reduce the number of first-time drug users through sustained advocacy, awareness campaigns and educational interventions targeted at young Nigerians.
“Our goal for the Anti-Substance Abuse Programme is to contribute to reducing the number of first-time users of drugs and other substances through advocacy, education and empowerment programmes,” he said.

The MTN Foundation official revealed that the programme has already reached more than 50,400 students across Nigeria, while over 1,500 teachers have received specialised training to support the campaign.

Chairperson of the MTN Foundation, Mrs Mosun Belo-Olusoga, said the organisation remains committed to safeguarding the future of young Nigerians by equipping them with the knowledge and support needed to make informed choices.

Represented by Valentina Obayemi, she said the foundation’s belief in the potential of Nigeria’s youth inspired the launch of the anti-substance abuse initiative and continues to shape its interventions.

“This year, we are taking our message directly to 50 public secondary schools across 10 states and the Federal Capital Territory, reaching more than 20,000 students at a critical stage in their lives where the right information can shape their future,” she said.

Belo-Olusoga added that the foundation plans to train 250 additional teachers to identify, support and guide students participating in drug education and quiz competition programmes.

She said the intervention is also being extended beyond secondary schools through increased engagement with tertiary institutions and grassroots advocacy platforms.

According to her, the foundation is strengthening its partnership with the National Youth Service Corps to widen awareness campaigns while continuing support for the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency’s 24-hour toll-free psychosocial support helpline.

She noted that the collaboration is aimed at ensuring individuals battling substance abuse can access professional assistance and counselling whenever needed.

Source:  dailytrust.com

As the only telecom operator in Vietnam to successfully deploy carrier aggregation and edge data processing capabilities on a commercial 5G Standalone (5G SA) network, Viettel together with Ericsson has built a 5G Advanced trial system and optimized the end-to-end system to achieve data speeds of 10 Gbps. This marks the first time a telecom operator in Southeast Asia has achieved this capability and represents a viable path toward delivering breakthrough mobile speeds.

This achievement also marks Viettel as the first telecom operator in Vietnam to successfully aggregate 11 frequency carriers on a commercial-grade 5G SA platform. Powered by advanced radio technologies such as NR-DC (New Radio Dual Connectivity) and Carrier Aggregation (CA), the solution enables simultaneous use of multiple frequency carriers to maximize network capacity and throughput.

The trial successfully combines three carriers in the wide-coverage C-band spectrum (3500 MHz) with eight carriers in the high-capacity mmWave spectrum (26 GHz), establishing an ultra-high broadband network infrastructure. In parallel, Viettel pioneered the deployment of edge computing capabilities, enabling user data to be processed instantly at the network edge rather than being routed through centralized systems. This significantly reduces latency and packet loss, creating the conditions required to achieve peak speeds exceeding 10 Gbps.

The 5G Advanced trial network was deployed jointly by engineers from Viettel, Ericsson and MediaTek leveraging Viettel’s 5G commercial infrastructure using Ericsson Core and Ericsson multi band 5G radio together with Media Tek’s M90 chipset.

This breakthrough achievement clearly demonstrates Viettel engineers’ ability to orchestrate and master the entire 5G ecosystem—from core network, transport, and radio infrastructure to end-user devices. Notably, the 5G SA core network used in the trial was not an isolated laboratory environment but leveraged the same commercial infrastructure currently operating nationwide.

The platform enables real-time processing of massive data volumes required for AI and Big Data applications while delivering seamless immersive experiences for AR/VR/XR use cases in areas such as telemedicine and digital education. More importantly, it lays the foundation for ultra-reliable connectivity capable of supporting millions of connected devices, accelerating the adoption of smart factories, industrial automation, and advanced manufacturing.

Speaking about this milestone, Hoang Binh Son, Deputy CEO of Viettel Networks, emphasized:

“Viettel remains committed to proactively mastering the world’s most advanced technologies in order to keep pace with global innovation. Achieving the 10 Gbps milestone provides the foundation for Viettel to continue deploying advanced solutions and preparing ultra-high broadband digital infrastructure. We are ready to make telecommunications a driving force for automation and digital economic growth in Vietnam.”

 Dr. Rita Mokbel, President of Ericsson Vietnam, shared:

“We are proud to collaborate with Viettel in setting this record. The 10 Gbps achievement demonstrates the tremendous power of 5G technology in optimizing network performance and enabling new use cases. Ericsson remains committed to supporting Viettel in building secure, scalable network infrastructure that contributes to Vietnam’s digital transformation and socio-economic development. The success of the 10 Gbps trial highlights the breakthrough potential of 5G technologies such as NRDC, Carrier Aggregation, and advanced radio innovations in enhancing data transmission speeds.”

Dr. HC Hwang, General Manager of Wireless Communication Systems and Partnerships at MediaTek, commented:

“Breaking through the 10 Gbps barrier marks a major milestone for 5G Advanced. Achieving 10 Gbps using the M90 modem platform further validates the capabilities of 5G Advanced and the new opportunities this technology creates. This achievement reinforces our confidence in the value that 5G Advanced brings to real-world network deployments and Viettel’s ability to integrate and master the entire ecosystem.”

The achievement of 10 Gbps provides a strong foundation for developing ultra-high broadband digital infrastructure to support Vietnam’s national digital transformation ambitions.

Source :  www.ericsson.com

Telecel Ghana has engaged final-year students of the Mampong Akuapem Senior High Technical School for the Deaf in the Eastern Region.

It encouraged them to embrace technology and pursue career opportunities in the field, enabling them to participate equally in Ghana’s growing digital economy.

The interaction, which formed part of the telecommunication operator’s inclusive customer support initiative for people with special needs, known as SuperCare, brought together about 160 final year students, who were enlightened about digital career pathways and tailored connectivity packages for the Deaf community.

Welcoming the SuperCare team, headmistress of the school, Madam Philomena Kakra Buckman, commended Telecel Ghana for its longstanding partnership with the school and its consistent support for workplace inclusion and career development for Deaf people.

“We appreciate Telecel Ghana for continuing to stand with our school and students. Opportunities like these expose our young learners to possibilities beyond the classroom and remind them that their disability should never limit their ambitions,” Madam Buckman said.

Speaking at the session, Rita Adiase, Experience Centre and Customer Operations Manager at Telecel Ghana, introduced students to the Telecel SuperCare initiative, specifically highlighting the available customer support channels, internship opportunities, national service placements and potential full-time career pathways within the company.

“Technology has opened doors that were once inaccessible to many people with disabilities.

We want you all to know that you belong to the digital future, and that Telecel Ghana is creating an enabling ecosystem where you can learn, grow and build careers with confidence and a sense of belonging,” she said.

She also encouraged students to take advantage of relevant digital tools and the telco’s highly affordable connectivity packages to continue learning and exploring opportunities after graduation.

The engagement included distributing free SuperCare service SIM cards and branded souvenirs to the students.

Speaking on behalf of the graduating class, the student representative expressed their collective gratitude for the visit and said the interaction had strengthened students’ confidence about their future.

“This session has shown us that there are opportunities available for us and that we can also work in technology and other professional fields. It has encouraged us to believe in ourselves and our future,” she said using sign language.

The visit is part of Telecel Ghana’s tireless efforts to promote inclusion for the Deaf community and persons with disabilities.

Through its SuperCare initiative, the telco has been building partnerships with tertiary institutions that teach sign language, helping introduce students to careers and create pathways for talent recruitment into the telecommunications industry.

The Telecel Play App includes accessibility features that enable persons with disabilities to access digital content and services through an intuitive smartphone experience. For customers without smartphones, the SuperCare quick code (*494#) provides an accessible alternative for support and service access.

During the 2025 International Week of the Deaf in Saltpond, Telecel Ghana advocated for the mainstreaming of sign language in schools and public service delivery, highlighting its importance in improving access to healthcare, education and employment for Deaf persons.

Through the Telecel Ghana Foundation, Deaf students participate annually in STEM and digital skills training during the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, where they are introduced to emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence. These initiatives reflect Telecel’s broader commitment to embedding accessibility and inclusion into its digital transformation agenda.

According to Ghana’s 2021 Population and Housing Census, more than 211,000 Ghanaians are Deaf or hard of hearing, while over 470,000 people live with varying degrees of hearing loss.

Source : www.myjoyonline.com

The National Communications Authority (NCA) has hosted a delegation from the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) on a benchmarking visit at the NCA Tower aimed at strengthening regulatory knowledge and collaboration in the area of satellite communications services. The visit also forms part of the TCRA’s efforts at gaining deeper insights into the regulation of emerging satellite technologies and services.

Welcoming the delegation, the Deputy Director General in charge of Technical Operations (DDG-TO) at the NCA, Mr. Suleman Salifu, highlighted the rapid evolution of satellite technologies and the need for robust regulatory frameworks to support innovation while safeguarding national interests.

He noted that the satellite ecosystem had evolved significantly from traditional geostationary satellites to newer Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) systems, creating new opportunities and regulatory considerations for communications authorities worldwide.

He further emphasised the Authority’s commitment to sharing knowledge and best practices with fellow regulators across the continent to promote effective regulation and regional cooperation.

Speaking on behalf of the TCRA delegation, Mr. Fuad Adam expressed appreciation to the NCA for hosting the visit and acknowledged the long-standing relationship between the two regulatory authorities.

He noted that the visit demonstrates the strong collaboration that has existed between Ghana and Tanzania over the years, recalling the cooperation and knowledge exchange that took place during the migration from analogue to digital broadcasting – where both countries learnt valuable lessons from each other’s experiences in configuring and implementing their systems.

Mr. Adam stated that the benchmarking visit will provide useful insights into Ghana’s regulatory approach to satellite services and would support the TCRA’s ongoing efforts to develop and enhance its regulatory framework for emerging space-based communications technologies.

He further expressed optimism about future engagements between the two institutions, stressing that the visit would not be the last and that both authorities would continue to collaborate and share knowledge for the advancement of the communications sector in their respective countries

Source: www. nca.org.gh

The launch comes as telecom networks continue to grow in scale and complexity, driven by the expansion of 5G and 5.5G services and digital applications.

stc group, a leading digital enabler, together with Huawei, has launched an advanced operations and maintenance (O&M) solution designed to support the evolution of stc group’s core network toward Autonomous Networks Level 4 (AN L4). Built on 3GPP Management Data Analytics Function (MDAF) standards, the solution enhances automation, scalability, and operational efficiency across stc group’s core network infrastructure.

The launch comes as telecom networks continue to grow in scale and complexity, driven by the expansion of 5G and 5.5G services and digital applications. Over the past five years, stc group’s core network elements have increased by 2.5 times, service categories have grown by 75%, and the underlying technology stack has doubled in scale, creating a need for more advanced, data-driven operational capabilities.

To address this growing complexity, stc group has introduced ICNMaster, an intelligent O&M orchestration platform built on MDAF standards. The platform enables real-time topology visualization, cross-domain data correlation, anomaly detection and closed-loop automation, helping stc group move from reactive troubleshooting toward more proactive and predictive network management.

Within ICNMaster, FaultSpirit supports faster alarm diagnosis and complaint resolution by drawing on an updated technical knowledge base and advanced reasoning capabilities. It helps operations teams identify and resolve alarm-related faults, as well as issues affecting signaling and data transmission processes, reducing resolution times to minutes while improving network reliability and operational productivity.

The solution also includes NOCMate, a unified knowledge platform that brings together technical standards, vendor documentation and institutional expertise in one accessible system. This gives O&M teams faster access to accurate technical information, supports more agile decision-making and helps reduce onboarding time for new engineers.

The collaboration between stc group and Huawei supports the group’s continued progress toward more autonomous network operations, aligned with TM Forum standards and global industry practices. It also reinforces stc group’s commitment to operational excellence and future-ready digital infrastructure, enabling robust network growth and service diversification across Saudi Arabia.

Source: www. techafricanews.com

Huawei Technologies Ghana has donated 100 Huawei Matepad tablets to support and enhance the teaching and learning of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) at Pope John Senior High School and Minor Seminary in the Eastern Region of Ghana.

The donation, which reflects the company’s commitment to promoting digital inclusivity across all levels of education, aims at offering students at Pope John Senior High School the opportunity to develop their ICT skills through a more practical learning experience.

It further seeks to facilitate the overall teaching and learning of ICT at the school, contributing to the expansion of digitalisation across Ghana.

Speaking during the event, the Headmaster of the school, Rev. Fr. Benjamin Opoku Ohene, expressed sincere gratitude to Huawei for its commitment to supporting the ICT needs of students at Pope John Senior High School and Minor Seminary.

He assured the Huawei team that the school remains fully committed to putting the donated tablets to purposeful use, ensuring they serve as a lasting resource in advancing the digital learning experience of its students. He also called on other technology companies in the country to follow Huawei’s lead in supporting the growth and expansion of digitalisation in Ghana.

The Head of Business Environment of Huawei Ghana, Madam Julia Qiu, speaking to the donation emphasised that, Huawei Ghana as part of its contributions and strategic priorities, will continue to invest in more of such initiatives to promote inclusive ICT education in the country.

She encouraged students to make good use of the tablets, noting that access to technology has the power open up endless opportunities for learning, innovation and growth.

Huawei has over the years demonstrated its commitment to supporting education and the advancing the country’s digital inclusivity efforts through various initiatives including Women in Tech, ICT Academy and Seeds for the Future programmes that have significantly enhanced digital skills development, expanded access to technology and promoted gender inclusion in technology sector.

This donation to Pope Johns Senior High School forms part of the company’s efforts to bridge the digital divide and empower students with essential ICT skills needed to thrive in the future.

Source : www. thebftonline.com

·  162 million 5G subscriptions added during the first quarter of 2026, bringing the total to 3.1 billion

·  The number of commercial differentiated connectivity service offerings based on 5G SA network slicing from CSPs continues to grow globally

·  Uplink traffic growing faster than downlink for many service providers – in some instances, significantly faster

Global 5G mobile subscriptions passed the three billion mark during the first quarter of 2026; 5G Standalone (SA) network slicing commercial offerings from communications service providers continue to grow significantly; while uplink mobile data traffic growth is already outpacing downlink for many service providers. All this and more features in the June 2026 edition of the Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) Mobility Report (EMR).

The June 2026 report covers the same period (2025-2031) as the November 2025 edition, with updated statistics and forecasts.

The 162 million new 5G subscriptions added globally during the first quarter of 2026 brought the total past the three billion mark, to 3.1 billion subscriptions. This figure is expected to grow rapidly and is forecast to more than double (to 6.4 billion) by the end of 2031.

Some 390 service providers have launched commercial 5G services to date – more than 90 of which have launched 5G Standalone (SA). 5G networks handled 48 percent of all mobile data traffic at the end of 2025 – a figure expected to rise to 85 percent by the end of 2031. Western Europe, North America, North East Asia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are forecast to have 5G mobile subscription adoption close to, or above, 90 percent by the end of 2031.

The number of commercial differentiated connectivity service offerings based on 5G SA network slicing from service providers – with the ability to deliver guaranteed quality of service for use cases through securing slices of the network – continues to grow at pace. The total increased from 65 in the November 2025 EMR report to 84 across all regions in the new June edition – indicating that services based on differentiated connectivity are moving from early adoption to mainstream commercialization.

“With the upcoming transition to physical AI, traffic patterns will fundamentally shift as we move from centralized models in data centers to distributed, autonomous AI agents embedded across our device vehicles and cities, commonly connected by 5G,” Erik Ekudden, EMR publisher and CTO, Ericsson, says. “Mobile networks are no longer only about providing best-effort connectivity, they are becoming critical, intelligent infrastructure that meets diverse application needs. Reflecting part of this shift is the continued rise in new commercial service offerings based on 5G standalone network slicing and the number of communications service providers deploying 5G SA.”

Speed-based tariff plans for fixed wireless access (FWA) also continue to appeal to service providers as a structured monetization strategy targeting different market segments. The share of FWA service providers offering the service over 5G has reached 71 percent – up from 57 percent in June 2025 – the largest annual increase in four years. Speed-based tariff plans are now offered by 57 percent of FWA service providers – up from 51 percent a year ago. The diverse momentum is reflected in new 5G FWA launches in Algeria, Argentina, Bangladesh, Morocco, Taiwan, Türkiye and Vietnam.

5G FWA connections uptake is strongest in North America, the Nordics, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and parts of Asia.

The appeal is broad, spanning markets with more than 95 percent fiber-connected homes to low-ARPU markets, such as India. However, growth in Latin America, Africa and parts of South East Asia remains limited, despite long-term potential.

Changing user behavior is also reflected in the June 2026 EMR network traffic statistics.

Uplink traffic is growing faster than downlink for most service providers – in some instances, significantly faster. The main current drivers are smartphone communication and collaboration apps, the sharing of user-generated content, and cloud storage.

Based on network traffic measurements conducted by Ericsson, 43 out of 55 service providers experienced a higher uplink growth rate than downlink, while 17 out of 55 service providers experienced more than 1.5 times higher uplink growth rate than downlink. Ericsson scenario modeling suggests additional AI traffic could result in uplink traffic being three times higher or more in 2031 compared to 2025.

Network data traffic (for both mobile and FWA) grew 22 percent year-on-year for the first quarter of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025 – exceeding expectations. This was driven mainly by continued strong growth in India and North America.

The report also reflects the increasing industry focus on 6G – with standardization discussions underway. Early expectations include full support for integrated sensing and communication (ISAC); seamless integration between terrestrial and satellite networks to reduce coverage gaps; and a strong focus on energy efficiency – all driven by AI-native 6G.

The first implementable 6G specifications are expected to be finalized by the end of 2028 or early 2029. The first commercial 6G services are expected to follow around 2030, with varying subsequent uptake between regions and countries. As with 5G launches, the US, China, Japan, South Korea and the GCC countries are expected to be early adopters.

Deep dive/partner use case articles in the June 2026 EMR include:

• A closer look at the growth of differentiated connectivity offerings from service providers around the world.
• The rise of uplink demand in AI-driven mobile networks.
• Why mobile connectivity is key to AI-driven enterprise transformation.
• Co-written with Qualcomm:  A look at the evolution of AI-enabled XR in networks. AI is expanding into mobile experiences, with smart glasses and other wearables emerging as new complementary user interfaces that extend digital interactions.
• Co-written with SoftBank: Network slicing success at the 2026 Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix.

Source : www.ericsson.com