The Friday File: MasOrange gets upgrade; TSMC delivers chip warning

Mobile World Live (MWL) brings you our top three picks of the week as Ericsson gained further open RAN momentum, TSMC’s founder warned of the end of free trade in semiconductors and AST SpaceMobile deployed its first batch of satellites.

MasOrange, Ericsson agree 5-year open RAN deal

What happened: Ericsson secured a five-year contract to upgrade MasOrange’s network with open RAN, an agreement the vendor claimed will position the operator at the forefront of open and programmable networks in Europe.

Why it matters: Aside from supporting the integration of Masmovil and Orange’s networks following their merger, MasOrange’s CEO Meinrad Spenger said the open RAN upgrade was “a decisive moment” for the European telecoms ecosystem.

The deployment of open RAN is expected to deliver “enhanced 5G services” to MasOrange’s subscribers and promote “an increasingly open architecture”, which Spenger suggested is key to “technological advances and sustainable growth”.

TSMC founder declares free trade of chips dead

What happened: Morris Chang argued geopolitical tensions continue to hurt the global chips ecosystem, going as far as to say free trade in semiconductors “has died”.

Why it matters: TSMC, which produces chips for tech titans like Apple and Nvidia, was forced to stop doing business with a China-based client after government officials discovered its components ended up on a Huawei processor used to train AI models.

TMSC has become a “battleground for military and political strategists”, Chang said, though he offered a glimpse of hope as he believes TSMC’s “excellent leadership team” will enable it to “create miracles again and again”.

AST SpaceMobile edges towards D2D launch

What happened: AST SpaceMobile deployed its first five Blue Bird satellites following a launch in September, a move which signals the imminent arrival of its direct-to-device (D2D) solutions for commercial and government services.

Why it matters: Once launched, the company’s D2D satellite service is expected to provide full nationwide coverage across the US. It will also put AST SpaceMobile in direct competition with Starlink, Lynk Global, Apple and T-Mobile US.

“The unfolding of the first five commercial satellites is a significant milestone for the company. These five satellites are the largest commercial communications arrays ever launched in low Earth orbit,” said AST SpaceMobile CEO Abel Avellan. “It is a significant achievement to commission these satellites, and we are now accelerating our path to commercial activity.”