Ericsson, Play and Asseco have demonstrated a layered drone-detection system in Krakow, combining radio sensing, acoustic detection and Play's network for carrying the data. The companies say the approach could help protect airports, ports and other sensitive infrastructure. Integrated Sensing and Communication uses reflected radio signals to detect movement and position, making the network useful for more than carrying calls. This remains a demonstration, rather than a nationwide defence shield. Even so, it's a more interesting network upgrade than another logo on a billboard.
Afrihost, 1-Grid and Xneelo have detailed emergency responses to two critical PHP flaws that can allow remote code execution on vulnerable web servers. MyBroadband reports patching and mitigation work across their hosting environments, while Amazon says it detected exploitation attempts before public disclosure. Website owners should confirm their hosting is patched and investigate suspicious accounts or files. A security update closes a door; it doesn't prove nobody walked through earlier. Another quiet week on the internet, then.
Waking up to an empty data balance is irritating enough when you've actually used it. Vodacom customers reported bundles disappearing overnight on Thursday, affecting mainly prepaid users but some contract subscribers too. The operator acknowledged the fault and began telling customers from around 09:45 that it was resolved and their bundles should be visible again, MyBroadband reports. Some users also reported poor connectivity. Restoring the balances is welcome; customers shouldn't need a morning investigation to establish where their paid-for gigabytes went.
A Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra on Vodacom recorded a 1,021Mbps download in Sebokeng, according to MyBroadband Insights' third-quarter network testing. That's a serious burst of speed from a township connection, and a welcome reminder that fast mobile broadband shouldn't be reserved for expensive postcodes. The wider tests put Vodacom's average 5G download at about 260Mbps. Keep that distinction handy: a peak result shows what's possible, while your actual experience still depends on coverage, congestion and the phone in your hand.
South Africa's broadband builders may eventually spend less time negotiating access to ducts, towers and land. TechCentral reports that Solly Malatsi has directed Icasa to review infrastructure-sharing rules and develop rapid-deployment regulations, aiming to lower rollout costs. The direction asks the regulator to identify essential facilities and consider wholesale rates. There's a catch: its proposed dispute process could pause construction while disagreements are resolved. Cheaper connectivity is the goal. Whether another set of rules gets fibre into the ground faster will depend on the details.
A dispute over restrictions on Ukrainian military use of Starlink has raised an uncomfortable question: who really controls your communications when the infrastructure belongs to a private company? Ukrainian officials reported that unexpected service restrictions disrupted military drone operations, while conflicting accounts emerged about who ordered the changes. Reports have pointed towards SpaceX and US officials, but responsibility remains disputed. Whatever the explanation, the incident highlights a serious weakness in depending on infrastructure you don't control. Satellite internet might free you from terrestrial networks, but it doesn't necessarily free you from someone else's decisions.
Thailand's Advanced Info Service is spending $43.35 million (?R710 million) to acquire an effective 24.01% indirect stake in Lao Telecom, expanding its presence into a neighbouring market with plenty of room for growth. Laos has around 4.4 million mobile subscribers, but fixed broadband adoption remains relatively low. That makes the country an attractive prospect for an operator looking beyond its established customer base. For consumers, the hope is that new investment brings better coverage, faster internet and meaningful competition. For shareholders, naturally, the attraction is finding another few million people who haven't yet been introduced to recurring telecom bills.
Toshiba has introduced a new Quantum-Safe Networking platform designed to protect sensitive communications against a future where quantum computers could break some of today's encryption. The system combines advanced cryptography with quantum key distribution and can work alongside existing network infrastructure. It's a serious concern, particularly because attackers could steal encrypted information today and attempt to decrypt it years later. Whether the technology will be affordable enough for widespread deployment remains to be seen. On the bright side, telecom operators may soon be able to charge customers extra for protection against computers that don't yet exist in the required form.
American fibre provider Rightfiber has secured a whopping $1.6 billion (?R26.2 billion) credit facility to expand its network and potentially acquire competitors. Formed through the merger of Ritter Communications and Great Plains Communications, the company already operates across 20 states, with roughly 300,000 premises passed. Its strategy focuses partly on smaller communities still putting up with ageing DSL and cable networks. That's encouraging, assuming the money goes towards building better connections rather than simply swallowing every smaller operator in sight. Consumers generally appreciate improved broadband considerably more than another impressive corporate acquisition announcement.
Turkey has decided it would rather own some satellites than spend the next decade depending entirely on somebody else's. Defence technology company Aselsan is developing Astralink, a proposed constellation of 198 low-Earth-orbit satellites designed to deliver broadband connectivity. The first test satellite is planned for 2028, with operational services expected in the early 2030s. It's an ambitious project, particularly when Starlink already has such an enormous head start. But satellite broadband is becoming a matter of national infrastructure and technological independence. Apparently, nobody particularly likes the idea of their country's internet access depending on another company's off switch.
A proposed British law could make discounted broadband and mobile packages mandatory for customers receiving certain government benefits. Several operators already offer these social tariffs voluntarily, but awareness remains embarrassingly low. According to Ofcom, only around 8.6% of eligible households were actually using one, suggesting that having an affordable product isn't terribly useful if hardly anyone knows it exists. The legislation faces an uncertain journey through Parliament, but the underlying problem is worth discussing. Affordable connectivity shouldn't require consumers to become amateur detectives hunting for deals hidden somewhere between the terms and conditions.
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