Today’s telecom news includes announcements on Airtel Kenya’s 5G Network, MDA Space, Telesat, and others.
Airtel Kenya Acquires 100 MHz of 3.5 GHz Spectrum for $65 Million to Expand 5G Network
Airtel Kenya has acquired 100 MHz of spectrum in the 3500 MHz band for $65 million, securing usage rights for 25 years. The acquisition was disclosed in Airtel Africa’s October 30 financial results following approval from Kenya’s Communications Authority, subject to standard conditions. The additional mid-band spectrum provides capacity for expanding 5G mobile broadband and fixed wireless access. Kenya’s 5G subscriptions reached approximately 2.1 million in June 2026, increasing 75 percent from 1.2 million a year earlier. Average monthly data consumption among 5G customers reached 64.4 GB, compared with 15.8 GB for 4G users. Airtel has not disclosed the number of additional 5G sites planned or its spectrum activation schedule.
MDA Space Wins C$100 Million Antenna Agreement for 66 European IRIS² Satellites
MDA Space announced on October 30 an authorization-to-proceed agreement worth more than C$100 million with Thales Alenia Space. MDA will supply Aurora broadband digital phased-array antennas...