Eurobites: Nokia launches mobile core testing program

Nokia has launched its 'Mobile Core Early Access' program, initially restricted in June but now open to all operators and large businesses, to reduce the effort of setting up testing environments for mobile core innovations in the AI era. The GSMA is urging governments to prioritize the full upper 6GHz band for full-power mobile services to secure capacity for 6G networks. Poste Italiane has raised its cash offer for Telecom Italia (TIM) by €0.30 per share to €1.97 per share, its final offer, requiring about two-thirds of TIM shareholders to accept for the deal to proceed.

Featured Story 6G and AI are on a collision course Qualcomm execs say 6G will pave a path to better connectivity and sensing capabilities, but it will also intersect directly with AI use cases and a new wave of AI-native devices. Also in today's EMEA regional roundup: GSMA lobbies for 6GHz spectrum; Poste Italiane increases cash offer for TIM; Kyivstar makes progress on 3G-to-4G transition. Nokia has launched "Mobile Core Early Access," a program that allows operators and large businesses to explore the potential of the latest mobile core functions in the brave new age of AI. The vendor says that the program has been created in response to the need for faster and more practical ways to evaluate potential mobile core-based innovation opportunities. It will, says Nokia, reduce the effort involved in setting up testing environments. The program was initially launched in June to a restricted roster of companies, but now it has been opened up to allcomers. Registration to the basic program appears to be free, but Nokia does offer a paid option for those customers wanting "more advanced" evaluation activities. See Nokia enjoys optical boom but mobile is still feeling the heat /optical-networking/nokia-enjoys-optical-boom-but-mobile-is-still-feeling-the-heat . The GSMA is calling on governments to prioritize 6GHz spectrum for what the lobby group calls "full-power mobile services." Specifically, the GSMA wants the full upper 6GHz band to be included in "clear, forward-looking spectrum roadmaps." According to the GSMA, the upper 6GHz band represents one of the key opportunities to secure the capacity needed for the next generation of mobile networks, including 6G. See UK wants mobile and Wi-Fi to share upper 6GHz spectrum /regulatory-politics/uk-wants-mobile-and-wi-fi-to-share-upper-6ghz-spectrum . Poste Italiane has raised its cash offer for Telecom Italia TIM by €0.30 per TIM share, increasing the cash component of the offer to €1.97 per share. Poste has confirmed that this is its final offer. The increased offer follows what the state-owned company described as an updated valuation exercise that took fresh market data into account. Through the deal, Poste intends to create an integrated digital, telecom and financial operator. Poste will, however, need around two-thirds of TIM shareholders to take it up on its offer for the deal to go through. See Poste Italiane takeover would speed up TIM's ambitions – CEO /finance/poste-italiane-takeover-would-speed-up-tim-s-ambitions-ceo . Ukrainian operator Kyivstar says it's making progress on 3G-to-4G transition, with more than 1 million subscribers now able to benefit from the more up-to-date technology. According to the company, the spectrum resources freed up by the switch have been fully reallocated to the development of the 4G network. Kyivstar began the phased process of switching off 3G in 2023. Kyivstar's 4G is available to more than 96% of Ukraine's population, offering peak network speeds of 1 Gbit/s. See Eurobites: Kyivstar shines in Q2 /operations/eurobites-kyivstar-shines-in-q2 . German B2B operator 1&1 Versatel has chosen Ekinops' customer premises equipment CPE for its managed services offer. France-based Ekinops claims its gear requires around 35% less energy than the CPE previously used by the operator, reducing operating costs and supporting sustainability goals. Freshwave has deployed four 4G/5G outdoor small cells for UK mobile operator O2 to improve coverage in busy central areas of the historic city of Canterbury. Freshwave is working with Kent County Council under an open access agreement, which allows multiple mobile network operators to use the street assets. The company has signed more than 40 such agreements with local authorities around the UK. Telefónica has created a GenAI-based virtual assistant for Bizum, a Spanish mobile-money platform. The project, claims the operator, has achieved a response accuracy rate of 90% and has reduced email enquiries by 30%. Virgin Media O2 has launched a £3 million US$4 million Tech Rehome Network Fund to promote UK device recycling initiatives and digital inclusion. Councils, charities and community organizations will be able to apply for a share of the cash. According to the operator's research, UK households now have an average of seven unused digital devices lying around the place collecting dust. See Greenwatch: Can telcos strike gold with circularity /sustainability/greenwatch-can-telcos-strike-gold-with-circularity- ? Read more about: