Softbank is preparing a live commercial AI-RAN trial in Japan with Nokia, while T-Mobile, Singtel, and Ericsson are putting fresh performance numbers and a five-year network deal on the table. The same source set also shows that direct-to-device satellite regulation is still catching up, even as SpaceX picks up approvals and Europe’s largest operators circle mobile satellite spectrum (via rcrwireless.com).
AI-RAN performance claims move from lab talk to operator disclosures
T-Mobile says Ericsson’s AI-RAN work has delivered a 10% increase in spectral efficiency and a 15% increase in downlink throughput. Singtel has signed a new five-year deal with Ericsson to scale 5G Advanced and AI-native networks in Singapore, following live tests that produced 19% more throughput. Softbank’s trial is tied to its embedded Nvidia strategy, which makes the Japan field trial part of a wider vendor stack rather than a standalone demo.
Direct-to-device satellite rules are still unsettled
The regulatory framework for direct-to-device satellite services is still catching up. Spain, the UK, and the US are taking different approaches, while WRC-27 is intended to create a more permanent international footing. Europe’s largest operators want to coordinate a bid for mobile satellite spectrum, but the policy backdrop is still fragmented.
SpaceX adds approvals while the capacity question stays open
SpaceX has obtained approval for an 800 MHz terrestrial bid and FCC satellite approvals, which the source says strengthen its telecom ambitions. The same analysis says spectrum and coverage alone do not solve the capacity problem in cities, which puts pressure on pricing, wholesale relationships, and customer profitability.
Industrial AI and private wireless keep the infrastructure angle alive
Nvidia is showing industrial AI plans in Germany, including work around Europe’s JUPITER supercomputer. Siemens is testing AI-driven production on the factory floor, with claimed results of 85% less time and 20% lower costs, while Mercedes is using Nvidia technology for Level 4 autonomy development. PHY Wireless and Ubiik are combining private 4G/5G with edge-based positioning to track utility assets and workers, and Citymesh, Anykrowd, and Nevron are using private 5G to prioritize incident reports and coordinate emergency responses at crowded events. Lumen is promoting AI in network operations alongside renewed attention to the physical infrastructure underneath. Dell’Oro says private wireless RAN growth slowed to mid-single digits in the first half of 2026 as campus deployments weakened.
Droam Perspective
For AI-RAN buyers, the point is not the branding; it is the combination of disclosed performance data and commercial commitments. T-Mobile’s efficiency and throughput figures, plus Singtel’s five-year Ericsson deal, give operators something concrete to compare against live trials like Softbank’s Japan project. The satellite side is less settled, because the regulatory frame for direct-to-device services still trails the commercial push.