News Digest — July 28, 2026
News Digest24-hour lookback · July 28, 2026
3GPP NTNAmazon files for 5,105-satellite direct-to-device constellation — Amazon Leo asked the FCC to authorize a LEO fleet for voice, data, and emergency service to unmodified smartphones, combining Kuiper infrastructure with Globalstar spectrum ahead of a planned 2028 rollout. SatNews frames the move as competition with Starlink Direct-to-Cell and terrestrial NTN providers under the FCC’s Supplemental Coverage from Space rules. SatNews · CNBCRel-19 5G-Advanced NR-NTN trial over OneWeb LEO highlighted — ESA, MediaTek, Eutelsat, Airbus, Sharp, ITRI, and Rohde & Schwarz achieved a 3GPP Release 19 NR-NTN link over OneWeb satellites using Ku-band, 50 MHz bandwidth, and conditional handover to a ground 5G core at ESTEC—an interoperability milestone for satellite–terrestrial 5G convergence. Online Media CafeAmazon–Apple satellite pact tied to expanded D2D network — Amazon’s FCC filing says Leo will power future iPhone and Apple Watch satellite features (Emergency SOS, Messages, Find My, Roadside Assistance) via Globalstar spectrum, with five orbital shells aimed at broader polar and populated-area coverage once the Globalstar acquisition closes in 2027. MacRumors5G-Advancede& UAE activates 1024QAM on live 5.5G network, hits 4.58 Gbps — The Abu Dhabi operator became the first in the Middle East to deploy 1024QAM modulation on a commercial 5G-Advanced (5.5G) network, recording 4,587 Mbps in a live test with a Huawei Pura 90s. The upgrade, rooted in 3GPP Release 18 specs, boosts spectral efficiency roughly 25% over 256QAM and is positioned to support AI, cloud gaming, and ultra-HD streaming. Arabian PostMadagascar launches 5.5G pilot, fourth country globally to test the technology — Operator Yas Madagascar and the government kicked off a 5.5G pilot in Andraharo, with the telecom minister framing it as a step toward AI, industrial automation, healthcare, and digital public services. Officials said success will be measured by economic impact—new businesses, jobs, and improved digital inclusion—not speed alone. TechAfrica News