AT&T, fresh from acquiring 50 megahertz of low- and mid-band spectrum, is doubling down on its spectrum strategy. RCR caught up with Network CTO Yigal Elbaz to hear how the operator plans to wield its expanded holdings to sharpen its competitive edge.
Meanwhile, Semtech insists that LoRa never paused. Post-Sierra Wireless acquisition, the company has unveiled a fourth-generation LoRa chip family with multi-protocol support and double the range, aiming squarely at edge AI use cases. James Blackman sat down with the company’s Product Marketing Lead Shahar Feldman and VP of Marketing and Applications Robert Comanescu at The Things Conference. Make sure to check out the full conversation.
AI continues to permeate telecom. SK Telecom is rolling out its A.dot Biz AI agent across 25 group companies by 2025, a move it says will streamline tasks and ready the platform for multi-industry adoption. Huawei, too, is leaning in — planning to double Ascend AI chip output to 600,000 units by 2026 to meet soaring demand in China as U.S. export restrictions squeeze rivals.
Plus: Comcast is extending its fiber reach by deploying Ciena’s 5131 Coherent Access Platform; Zayo is redefining Network-as-a-Service with its new DynamicLink platform; and Dell has introduced the PowerEdge XR8720t, a server designed to cut cost and complexity by consolidating workloads while accelerating edge and AI infrastructure. These and more linked below!
Taken together, these stories reflect the dual priorities of today’s connectivity ecosystem: expanding reach while driving intelligence deeper into the network.
Catherine Sbeglia Nin
Managing Editor
RCR Wireless News
RCR Top 5
AT&T updates on strategy: Following AT&T’s acquisition of 50 megahertz of low- and mid-band spectrum, we spoke to Network CTO Yigal Elbaz to get an update on what comes next.
LoRa never stopped: Semtech’s LoRa business never slowed down through the Sierra Wireless acquisition, it says — and it showed the proof last week: a fourth-gen LoRa chip family offering multi-protocol support and double the range.
India unveils homegrown 4G stack: BSNL, TCS, C-DOT, and Tejas unveiled India’s first indigenous 4G stack, now deployed in nearly 100,000 towers to connect 26,700 villages and 22 million people while laying groundwork for 5G.
SKT expands AI agent rollout: SK Telecom will deploy its A-dot Biz AI agent across 25 group companies by 2025, streamlining routine tasks, boosting productivity, and preparing the system for broader use across multiple industries.
Huawei doubles AI chip output: Huawei plans to double output of its Ascend AI chips to 600,000 units in 2026, targeting China’s domestic market as Nvidia faces export restrictions and demand for accelerators continues to rise.
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Beyond the Headlines
AI and the extension of voice: Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Summit was about AI everywhere; getting AI everywhere means blending connectivity, compute and context into a seamless, multi-modal system — an ecosystem of you.
AI at the sharp end: From automotive plants to hospitals, banks, and burger chains, organisations are investing billions to insert AI into every layer of their businesses. Here are 10 examples.
Is a 1:1 chip production rule coming?: U.S. officials are reportedly considering a new rule that would require semiconductor firms to match imports with domestically-produced chips, a move that could be a boon for Intel.
When AI reads your work: Who owns the words AI learns from? As AI systems ingest creative output, the clash between access, rights, and compensation intensifies. Competing licensing models reveal a fractured path forward.
The hidden hurdle of number porting: In the complex reality of global telephony, number porting can quickly become the single most underestimated challenge in the migration process. And it isn’t an issue of technology, but one of preparation.
What We're Reading
Zayo launches NaaS: Zayo has launched DynamicLink, a Network-as-a-Service platform that empowers real-time network scaling, agility, and self-service management at enterprise and cloud scale.
Comcast extends fiber reach: Comcast is deploying Ciena’s 5131 Coherent Access Platform to extend fiber reach by more than 100 km, delivering 100 Gb/s capacity to underserved and rural communities.
Edge performance at lower costs: Dell’s new PowerEdge XR8720t server enables consolidation of workloads previously requiring multiple systems, cutting cost and complexity while accelerating AI-ready, edge, and enterprise infrastructure.
Custom optics for U.S. military: Vuzix has landed a six-figure waveguide development order from a major U.S. defense contractor to build custom optics for a lightweight HUD system.
VDF IoT US MD: Vodafone IoT has appointed Dennis Nikles as Managing Director of IoT Americas, effective 1 October 2025, to lead regional operations and accelerate growth, innovation, and sustainability across the Americas.
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