• MásOrange boasts new data transmission record
• Zayo PoPs into Mexico
• Nokia appoints new chief people officer

In today’s industry news roundup: Spanish telco says it has deployed a 1.6 Tbit/s connection over a single wavelength; Zayo has deployed a 400 Gbit/s point of presence in Monterrey; Nokia has named its new chief people officer, but she can’t join the crew until May next year; and much more!

MásOrange, the Spanish operator that is soon to be completely owned by Orange, claims to have broken its own existing world record by transferring data at 1.6 Tbit/s across a single optical wavelength on its commercial network in Madrid. The operator, which previously claimed the world record with a 1.2 Tbit/s transmission in late 2024, didn’t name its vendor partner for the high-speed connection but it is believed to be Huawei. The operator notes that the optical modules used to provision the 1.6 Tbit/s transmission use 25% less energy than the tech enabling the 1.2 Tbit.s transmission. MásOrange, which is the largest telco in Spain by customer numbers, says it has focused on such efforts to ensure it can meet the “growing demand for data and connectivity in the 5G era and preparing for future generations of mobile access technologies such as 5G Advanced and 6G,” it noted in its press release (in Spanish).  MásOrange expects data usage to “triple in the next five years, primarily due to the expansion of 5G networks, the adoption of artificial intelligence, and the new digital services that will be enabled by combining both.”

Data transport network operator Zayo has launched its first point of presence (PoP) in Mexico in a move the operator describes as “a major expansion of [its] high-capacity North American network.” The new 400 Gbit/s PoP, located in Monterrey, will deliver the network performance that is “necessary for innovation and cross-border operations as AI, cloud, and advanced manufacturing surge across the continent.” The PoP is strategically placed, as Monterrey “has become a strategic hub for near-shoring and manufacturing, with electronics, automotive, and aerospace enterprises rapidly scaling operations in the region,” noted Zayo in this announcement. “As these businesses adopt AI-driven automation, smart-factory systems, industrial IoT, and distributed cloud environments, they increasingly require high-capacity connectivity to support data-intensive workflows across sites and regions. By expanding 400G capabilities directly in Monterrey, Zayo brings critical capacity closer to where production and data are generated, delivering better performance and lower latency for edge-driven operations,” the operator added. Joel Daly, senior VP of product strategy at Zayo, commented: “Monterrey is a prime example of where global manufacturing and digital innovation are converging. With this latest expansion in Mexico, we are giving customers a stronger, faster network foundation to support modern workloads, automation, and cross-border operations in one of North America’s fastest-growing manufacturing hubs. As supply chains and enterprise operations become even more distributed across North America, we are staying one step ahead with the future-ready infrastructure in place to support them.”

Nokia has appointed Kristen Pressner as its new chief people officer and member of the group leadership team, with effect from 1 May 2026. She fills the seat left by Lorna Gibb, who stepped down suddenly in June. Pressner, who has more than 30 years of HR experience, joins Nokia from Roche Holding Group, where she most recently served as global head of people & culture for Roche Diagnostics. “I am thrilled to welcome Kristen to team Nokia… Kristen brings a wealth of experience in driving transformation through business. She will lead our cultural evolution toward an AI-empowered, united team, focused on delivering for our customers and seizing the opportunities the AI supercycle is creating for advanced and trusted connectivity,” stated Nokia CEO Justin Hotard. 

Still with Nokia… TN-Network (TNN), a joint venture between Telenor and Norlys (the energy and telecom firm that acquired Telia’s Danish operations in 2023) which runs Denmark’s largest shared mobile network, has extended its exclusive 5G RAN and managed services deal with the Finnish vendor. “Under the new agreement, Nokia will evolve TNN’s 5G network with AI and autonomous capabilities to deliver enhanced service quality, higher speeds and capacity and a superior user experience, enabling new digital services and advanced business applications for TNN’s customers,” noted the vendor in this announcement. 

More than four years after being selected by Canadian regional operator SaskTel as the single vendor supplier of 5G RAN and core technology, Samsung says its cloud-native 4G/5G core platform is being deployed by the operator. “We at SaskTel are proud to launch Samsung’s Core on our network, which will serve as a transformative step toward accelerating innovation and enhancing the everyday wireless experience for our customers,” stated Charlene Gavel, SaskTel’s president and CEO. “From developments in AI, to smart agriculture and virtual healthcare, to immersive gaming and IoT, this technology lays the foundation for a future where connectivity empowers people, organizations and communities to reach their full potential,” she added. According to the vendor, the “implementation of Samsung’s Core, in combination with the deployment of SaskTel’s 3800 MHz and 3500 MHz wireless spectrum, will deliver improved speeds across the network. These performance gains will be further augmented following SaskTel’s deployment of Samsung’s 5G Standalone (SA) Core solution for the next phase of its network modernisation.” Samsung is, of course, already well ensconced at another of Canada’s telcos, Telus, where the vendor’s technology is being deployed for a large-scale Open RAN rollout. 

Southampton, UK-based Aquark Technologies has been awarded a £1.4m contract by Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, to prepare its cold atom-based atomic clock, AQlock, for deployment at a major UK telecom site. According to Aquark, AQlock is a “resilient, compact and cost-effective quantum timing solution that enables distributed, GNSS-independent positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT).” Innovate UK is supporting Aquark to “demonstrate the product’s commercial readiness and showcase its capability to enhance the UK’s national critical infrastructure, including national network performance.” Aquark Technologies co-founder and chief operating officer, Alexander Jantzen, stated: “It is vital that we protect our telecoms – not just for the benefit of daily civilian life, but also for our national security and economy. It’s therefore an honour to work alongside Innovate UK to bring this project to life. With AQlock 2, we will reduce the UK’s reliance on satellite signals that are vulnerable to jamming, spoofing, solar storms and more. This will help protect millions from the power outages, emergency services and supply chain disruption our networks are at risk of today, as well as address the huge economic losses that can occur as a result.”

– The staff, TelecomTV