AT&T intros national RedCap | Synopsys closes on Ansys | SK Telecom's controversial AI deal | July 17 2025 RCR Daily
Red hot summer
It's not just record-breaking temps spreading across the U.S. this summer — AT&T has launched nationwide 5G RedCap, reaching 200M+ POPs and beginning the phase-out of NB-IoT. The SparkNotes: The Franklin RG350 is the first certified device, and forecasts point to 1B RedCap links by 2030. For more on this milestone — and the tech’s mixed market outlook — don’t miss James Blackman’s coverage below. Also in today’s edition: FCC Chairman Brendan Carr’s summer agenda, SK Telecom’s controversial AI deal and highlights from the AWS Summit.
RCR Top 5
AT&T intros national RedCap: AT&T has launched nationwide 5G RedCap coverage across the U.S., targeting mid-tier IoT use cases with lower-cost, lower-power 5G connectivity and replacing its decommissioned NB-IoT network. Carr’s summer plans: No vacation for the FCC, says Chairman Brendan Carr — In a new blog post, he outlines August votes on spectrum auctions, rule rollbacks and infrastructure reforms, from sea to space.
Synopsys closes on Ansys: In a deal with major implications for the chip design space, Synopsys has closed on its $35 billion Ansys acquisition. The combined company will be able to offer more holistic and integrated development tools.
SKT's controversial AI deal: SK Telecom reportedly won a key AI infrastructure contract in South Korea without meeting national cloud security standards. A sudden rule change has triggered backlash from providers and raised concerns.
AWS powers up AI agents: AWS unveiled AgentCore and launched a new AI agent marketplace, aiming to make it easier for enterprises to scale, manage and deploy secure AI agents across industries and use cases.
Beyond the Headlines
SES/Intelsat closes: SES finalized its $3.1 billion purchase of Intelsat, positioning itself as a stronger multi-orbit competitor with a fleet of 120 satellites and an eye on emerging growth markets, including IoT and direct-to-device.
India greenlights Starlink: Starlink has secured regulatory approval to enter India’s satellite broadband market, but must first clear spectrum and security hurdles before launch. TRAI is finalizing spectrum pricing and allocation guidelines.
Blackstone invests in grid, DCs: Blackstone plans to invest $25 billion in Pennsylvania’s data center and energy infrastructure, working with QTS and PPL to expand capacity and support AI-related development across the state.
Private 5G myths: Private 5G is not just for automation or remote areas — it boosts reliability, security, and control, and offers strong and quick ROI. So don’t listen to all the naysayers, explains Boldyn Networks.
AI’s dual role in telecom security: AI accelerates telecom security — catching fraud and intrusions at machine speed. But cybercriminals wield the same tech, points out the GSMA's Head of Industry Security Samantha Kight.
What We're Reading
FAA not swapping for Starlink: The U.S. FAA said it is not considering replacing its L3Harris and Verizon contracts with Elon Musk’s Starlink, despite recent speculation about adopting the satellite network for aviation communications.
UK Moonlight team expands: Viasat’s UK Moonlight team is expanding, with new space experts joining its effort to support the European Space Agency’s lunar mission program aimed at building communications infrastructure around the Moon.
AI cuts costs— and jobs: Microsoft is saving millions by using AI to automate tasks — and laying off thousands in the process. As generative AI reshapes work, the big question is: who benefits, and who’s left behind?
A week with Apple CarPlay Ultra: Ars Technica spent a week with Apple CarPlay Ultra and found a smarter, sharper and more seamless in-car experience — but it still faces real-world quirks and automaker pushback.
Telenor sells Allente stake: Telenor Group has signed an agreement to sell its 50% stake in TV content distributor Allente to Viaplay for a total consideration of SEK 1.1 billion. Allente serves subscribers across the Nordics.
Upcoming Events
In-Person Event - CCA’s 2025 Annual Convention - September 15-17, San Antonio, TX Join innovators and thought leaders in the communications service provider community for unmatched networking and educational opportunities.
Virtual Forum - NTN Forum 2025 - September 9th, Virtual Join this event to examine the role NTNs will play in the evolving 5G and 6G ecosystem and explore key challenges, such as the integration and interoperability of NTNs with terrestrial networks.
Virtual Forum - Open RAN Global 2025 - September 23th, Virtual Join this event to explore where Open RAN stands today — its technical and operational maturity, the role of AI and automation, performance at scale and the path toward 6G integration.
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Industry Resources
Webinar, August 5th Will 6G be an evolution or a revolution—standards, spectrum and use cases
Webinar, August 7th Powering logistics 4.0: Five trends driving private 4G/5G in warehouses
Editorial Report Telco cloud and edge market pulse report