Network Reliability Crisis: Telstra blamed a “software defect” for a nationwide outage that disrupted mobile calls, data, some EFTPOS and transport ticketing, and triggered hundreds of welfare checks after Triple Zero (000) failures; the telco said services were mostly restored by 4pm and denied malicious activity, while investigations continue. Regulatory & Buildout Pressure: Conexon told the FCC it expects its US fiber buildout to slow at least until 2027 due to “severely constrained” domestic fiber supply and BEAD-related decisions affecting RDOF milestones. Digital Security: Oman’s TRA launched the “Turs” platform to centralize reporting and monitoring of electronic fraud, phishing, malicious links, and harmful social media activity, with faster coordination with authorities. 5G Licensing Shake-up (Ghana): MTN and Telecel are preparing bids for Ghana’s 5G licences after the government revoked NGIC’s exclusive concession, aiming to restart competition. Infrastructure & Capacity Outlook: New market forecasts project router/switch infrastructure growth to US$25.3B by 2033 and sensing cable demand to reach US$2.0B by 2033. Satellite Connectivity: Mauritania selected three firms to expand satellite internet services after a competitive tender. Enterprise AI & Data Centres: CityFibre CTO Neil McRae argued telcos and hyperscalers should collaborate rather than compete, while Singapore’s Temasek reported a record FY26 portfolio value and pushed AI exposure toward up to 15% by 2031.