• Ericsson eyes investment in Intel’s NEX unit
• Telus sells 49.9% tower stake for $1.26bn
• European public cloud spend to hit $452bn by 2029

Ericsson in talks to invest in Intel’s NEX unit, with the aim of securing a strategic stake and strengthening the existing technology partnership; Telus sells 49.9% of Terrion to La Caisse for $1.26bn, reducing debt and boosting wireless infrastructure growth; Europe’s cloud spending is set to double by 2029, fuelled by AI growth and digital transformation across key regulated industries; and much more!

According to news agency Bloomberg (paywalled report), Ericsson is in talks to “invest hundreds of millions of dollars” in the networking infrastructure business of Intel. The move - if true - would mean Ericsson would become a minority stakeholder in Network and Edge Group (NEX), which Intel revealed it intends to spin off as it continues to reduce costs and streamline its operations. Intel has already stated that it would remain "an anchor investor" in the division. Whilst not naming Ericsson specifically, Intel has commented that it has already started the process of identifying strategic investors. It will likely adopt an approach similar to its recent spin-off of the Altera division, where Intel sold a majority stake but remains a significant investor and technology provider. So far, no comment from Ericsson on the rumour. Remember though, that Ericsson already has a relationship with Intel, with the US vendor supplying silicon for its RAN equipment. Additionally, Ericsson’s 5G system-on-chip (SoC) is based on Intel’s 18A process and manufacturing technology, and both companies jointly run the Ericsson-Intel Tech Hub in California. This close relationship explains why Ericsson would have a vested interest in ensuring continued access to (and influence over) the activities of Intel’s NEX division. For more background, here's what we reported last week.

Canadian telco Telus has announced a definitive agreement with La Caisse, Canada’s second-largest pension fund and a global investment group, to sell a 49.9% equity stake in its newly formed wireless tower operator, Terrion, for approximately $1.26bn. Telus will retain majority ownership and full control over active network components and security systems, while Terrion, headquartered in Montreal, will hold and manage passive wireless infrastructure assets - primarily cell towers - carved out from Telus’ operations. The deal values Terrion at over $2.5bn and is expected to reduce Telus’ net debt by about $1.26bn, accelerating the company’s deleveraging plans. “This transformative partnership unlocks significant value for Telus shareholders and enhanced connectivity for our customers," said Darren Entwistle, President and CEO of Telus. “The establishment of Terrion allows Telus to focus on our innovative service offerings and next-generation connectivity for the benefit of our customers, while enabling Terrion to specialise in infrastructure development, site management and third-party co-location." Eros Spadotto has been appointed as the new CEO of Terrion. The tower company currently has nearly 3,000 sites, including coverage in six of the country’s top seven metropolitan areas. “With this investment, we are partnering with Telus to establish Canada’s largest dedicated wireless tower operator, an important step in strengthening the country’s digital connectivity and mobile network resilience,” said Emmanuel Jaclot, executive vice-president and head of infrastructure at La Caisse. “This transaction complements our existing portfolio of tower companies across the United States, Europe and New Zealand.” The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to close by the end of Q3 2025.

Public cloud services spending in Europe is forecast to reach $229bn in 2025 and nearly double to $452bn by 2029, according to IDC’s latest Worldwide Software and Public Cloud Services Spending Guide. The report, released by the global market intelligence firm, anticipates a robust five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19% for the region. This growth comes amid ongoing macroeconomic and geopolitical pressures, including the war in Ukraine, Middle East conflicts, and potential impacts from U.S. tariffs. Despite these headwinds, IDC notes that most European industries are maintaining a ‘business-as-usual’ approach. “While sectors like automotive, consumer goods, chemical, and other manufacturing remain cautious in their spending, the overall industry outlook is not concerning, and we don’t foresee a substantial effect on cloud investments,” said Andrea Minonne, research manager at IDC UK. Key drivers behind the surge in cloud investment include rising adoption of AI and generative AI (GenAI), with platform-as-a-service (PaaS) spending expected to grow by 32% year-on-year by 2026. Sectors such as healthcare payer, insurance, and life sciences are projected to lead in cloud investment acceleration, particularly as healthcare payers in the UK respond to increased demand for private health insurance. The report also highlights that public cloud remains essential for supporting cybersecurity, regulatory compliance and digital transformation across heavily regulated industries.

Japan’s telecom and pay-TV services market is set for steady growth through 2029, with a projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.2%, driven by surging demand for high-speed mobile data and robust fibre broadband adoption, according to analytics company GlobalData. It reports that mobile data service revenue is expected to rise at a CAGR of 4%, from $37.8bn in 2024 to $45.9bn in 2029, as smartphone subscriptions and mobile internet usage, particularly on 4G and 5G networks, continue to climb. Operators are capitalising on this demand with premium 5G plans, further boosting revenues. “4G services accounted for the largest share of mobile services market, in terms of subscriptions, in 2024," said Neha Mishra, Telecom Analyst at GlobalData. "However, its share will decline over the forecast period due to the continued migration of subscribers to 5G services.” Japan’s major operators, such as KDDI and SoftBank, are aggressively expanding their 5G networks, aiming to build 100,000 base stations each by March 2031. In the fixed broadband sector, fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) subscriptions are driving a 1.6% CAGR, with the government targeting 99.9% fibre coverage by 2027. The country also set a world broadband speed record of 402Tbit/s in July 2024.

The global smartphone market saw a slight dip in Q2 2025, with shipments falling marginally to 288.9 million units, according to Canalys (part of Omdia). Modest consumer demand and shifting market dynamics kept growth in check, even as vendors responded to tariff changes and regional fluctuations. Samsung led the market, shipping 57.5 million units, representing a 7% year-on-year increase, driven primarily by its mass market Galaxy A series and strong performance in emerging markets. Apple held second place with 44.8 million iPhones shipped, down 2% from last year, showing resilience amid stiff competition in China and inventory adjustments in the US. Xiaomi maintained third position at 42.4 million units, bolstered by growth in Latin America and Africa. Vivo and Transsion rounded out the top five, shipping 26.4 million and 24.6 million units respectively. “Q2 marked a key turning point for Samsung,” said Aaron West, Senior Analyst at Omdia, “it was the first quarter since Q4 2021 in which it recorded the strongest growth among the top five.” The company notes that while regional growth engines like the Middle East and Africa offset weaker demand elsewhere, vendors remain cautious, focusing on profitability and inventory management as the market outlook stays flat for the rest of the year.

– The staff, TelecomTV