Satellite internet is from backup to core infrastructure, as LEO constellations, non-terrestrial networks and direct-to-device services reshape connectivity, forcing governments and operators to rethink resilience, sovereignty and the architecture of the internet.
Low Earth orbit is crowding as Starlink, Amazon, China and others race to deploy thousands of satellites, promising faster broadband while intensifying global competition, orbital congestion concerns and a push for direct-to-device connectivity.
SpaceX has filed a plan to place more than a million satellites in low Earth orbit, recasting data centres as spaceborne infrastructure while testing regulators, safety, competition and the line between vision and paper ambition.
AT&T’s CEO plays down the threat of satellite cellular, citing bandwidth and coverage limits. Yet growing interest in rural and IoT applications suggests the technology could still claim valuable niches in the wireless market.
Global internet use has surpassed six billion users, yet stark divides persist between regions, genders and urban-rural populations. Meanwhile, download speeds have surged and smartphones now dominate how people access the web worldwide.
As smartphones become the primary gateway to the internet for billions, a critical question emerges: does app-based digital fluency prepare users for the demands of computer-based work in a modern economy?
Telecom operators are challenging OTT platforms by deploying Rich Communication Services. This reversal of roles prompts fresh regulatory scrutiny, revives the case for network neutrality, and demands a risk-based approach to preserving digital competition.
Artificial intelligence is transforming Africa's informal economy by improving access to finance, optimizing business operations, and helping small-scale entrepreneurs transition into the formal sector, despite challenges such as digital illiteracy and infrastructure gaps.
Over two years of war, Israel has decimated Gaza's ICT infrastructure, crippling connectivity, impeding emergency response, and isolating civilians from the digital world, while cementing long-standing control over telecommunications under the guise of national security.
Earlier this week, Poland’s new President, Karol Nawrocki, vetoed amendments to the Act on Assistance to Citizens of Ukraine, provoking debate over critical satellite connectivity. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Affairs Krzysztof Gawkowski warned that the veto “de facto switched off Starlink for Ukraine,” potentially disrupting connectivity for hospitals, schools, and government operations.