MEF Mobile News Weekly Wrap

Nokia Reaches for the Moon with 4G-Enabled Spacesuits for Artemis III

Nokia has partnered with Axiom Space to equip next-generation spacesuits with 4G LTE for the Artemis III lunar mission, set for 2026.

This will enable network connectivity for astronauts, allowing real-time HD video transmission and communication with mission controllers on Earth.

Nokia's Lunar Surface Communications System will integrate network elements into the Axiom Mobility Unit and spacesuits, supporting HD video, telemetry data, and voice communication on the Moon.

Nokia is also working on deploying the first lunar cellular network in 2024 to test connectivity for future missions.

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Lingo Fined $1M for AI-Generated Biden Robocall Scandal

The Texas based carrier Lingo Telecom has been fined $1 million for transmitting AI-generated robocalls using President Biden's voice to discourage voting in the New Hampshire primary, violating state election laws, Reuters reported.

The calls were organized by political consultant Steve Kramer.

New Hampshire's Attorney General previously issued a cease-and-desist order against Lingo Telecom, identifying them as the service provider for Life Corp, the source of the calls.

The robocalls, made two days before the January 23 primary, spoofed caller IDs to appear as if they were from a former Democratic committee chair.

Ericsson Offloads U.S. Call-Routing Biz Iconectiv to Koch for $1B

On Monday, the Swedish telecom-equipment maker Ericsson said it has agreed to sell its U.S. call-routing business, Iconectiv — a MEF member — to Koch's private investment arm for $1 billion.

Ericsson expects to net around 10.6 billion kronor ($1 billion) in cash after taxes and expenses, with the deal expected to close in the first half of 2025.

The sale is anticipated to generate one-time earnings of about 8.8 billion kronor.

This move is part of Ericsson's efforts to cut costs and improve margins amid ongoing challenges in the telecom-equipment market, where demand for 5G technology has been lower than expected.

FICO and Jersey Telecom Slash UK Scam Rates by 41% with New Anti-Fraud Tool

MEF member FICO and Jersey Telecom have developed a solution to combat the growing issue of Authorized Push Payment (APP) fraud, now available in the UK and Spain.

The FICO Customer Communications Service Scam Signal uses real-time telephony and payment data to detect and prevent scams, enabling immediate customer intervention.

UK banks piloting the product have seen a 41% reduction in scam incidents and a 44% decrease in fraud losses, Fico says.

The solution is set to expand to additional markets. It has just won the Datos Insights Award and has been shortlisted for the Anti-Fraud Solution of the Year in the 2024 UK Payments Awards.

Starlink Tops DSL and Cable in Reliability, but Trails Fiber: Study

A survey by Recon Analytics found that SpaceX's Starlink satellite broadband service reported fewer outages than DSL and cable but lagged behind fiber for reliability.

The survey, which included over 1,300 Starlink users, mainly from rural areas, revealed that 11% of subscribers were new to home internet.

Starlink outperformed competitors in customer satisfaction areas like internet speed, router stability, and device connectivity.

However, areas needing improvement include billing and technical support over the phone, and the in-store experience.

Starlink's main growth drivers were customers switching from CenturyLink, Charter Spectrum, and Frontier.