Why San Marino’s Tiny Size Might Be Its Biggest Internet Advantage

Why San Marino’s Tiny Size Might Be Its Biggest Internet Advantage

Over 50% of subscribers are already on fiber, with Telecom Italia San Marino planning to retire all copper DSL by 2027. San Marino achieved full nationwide 5G coverage by the end of 2018, making it Europe’s first country with nationwide 5G. The internet market is highly concentrated, with Telecom Italia San Marino (TISM) controlling about 93% of subscriptions and Telenet San Marino roughly 7%. In 2023, San Marino’s ICT Authority issued rules to allow new telecom entrants and fair use of the national fiber network to spur competition. Average fixed broadband speeds are around 95–100 Mbps, placing San Marino ahead
14 June 2025
D2D Gold Rush: The Race to Own the Sky-to-Phone Future (2025–2033)

D2D Gold Rush: The Race to Own the Sky-to-Phone Future (2025–2033)

In April 2023, AST SpaceMobile’s BlueWalker 3 demonstrated the first two-way voice call from an off-the-shelf smartphone (Samsung Galaxy S22) to a satellite. In November 2022, Apple launched Emergency SOS via Satellite on iPhone 14 using Globalstar, with the service free for two years. In September 2022, Lynk Global received the FCC license for commercial satellite-direct-to-phone services, enabling a 10-satellite initial constellation for SMS. 3GPP Release 17, frozen in 2022, formally added Non-Terrestrial Networks support so standard 5G devices can connect to satellites with adjusted timing and error correction. In 2024, Viasat and BSNL demonstrated two-way SMS connectivity using a
Ukraine’s Mega 2025 Tenders Revealed: Multi‑Billion Projects Shaping Energy, Defense & More

Ukraine’s Mega 2025 Tenders Revealed: Multi‑Billion Projects Shaping Energy, Defense & More

The Dniester PSP Hydro Plant Expansion (Phase) by Ukrhydroenergo had a contract awarded in 2024 worth over UA,h 4 billion to expand the Dniester Pumped Storage Power Plant and boost hydroelectric capacity with multi-year construction. Tyligulska Wind Farm – Phase II Expansion, led by DTEK, involves €450 million announced in January 2025 to purchase 64 Vestas wind turbines adding about 384 MW, with ~60 MW online by winter 2025 and 500 MW by 2026. Ukrenergo High-Voltage Line & Substations, funded at roughly €84 million (loan+grant) agreed in May 2025, plans a new 330 kV transmission line and rebuild of substations
War-Fueled E-Commerce Boom: Inside Ukraine’s Online Shopping Surge in 2025

War-Fueled E-Commerce Boom: Inside Ukraine’s Online Shopping Surge in 2025

In 2024 Ukraine’s online retail sales totaled about ₴239 billion (≈$6–6.5 billion), roughly one-third higher than 2023. About 11 million Ukrainians were online shoppers in 2024, with online purchases comprising about 16% of total spending and roughly 30 million adults as “active online consumers.” Rozetka generated about ₴45 billion in revenue in 2023 and commanded an estimated 45–50% share of the online retail market, hosting more than 12 million products and 20,000 active marketplace sellers. OLX is Ukraine’s most visited e-commerce site by traffic. Zakaz.ua fulfilled over 1 million orders in 2023, with an approximate ₴5 billion turnover. In 2025,
14 June 2025
How Satellite Technologies Are Transforming Ukraine: From Warzones to Wheat Fields

How Satellite Technologies Are Transforming Ukraine: From Warzones to Wheat Fields

In August 2022, a Ukrainian charity crowdfunded access to an ICEYE SAR satellite, providing 24/7 all-weather imaging from one satellite and access to ICEYE’s full constellation for over a year. Commercial high-resolution imagery from Maxar, Planet Labs, and BlackSky documented battlefield events such as Russian troop buildups and missile strikes. Analysts have described the Russia-Ukraine war as the most documented conflict in history thanks to the avalanche of satellite data. After the 2022 invasion, SpaceX shipped thousands of Starlink user terminals to Ukraine, and by 2024 Starlink was a reliable frontline communications partner. In February 2022, commercial satellites captured a
State of Internet Access in Jordan: From Fiber Optics to Starlink

State of Internet Access in Jordan: From Fiber Optics to Starlink

As of Q4 2024, Jordan had about 812,000 fixed broadband subscriptions, with fiber representing roughly 73% (about 591,000) of fixed lines and total fixed broadband at 33.4% household penetration. Mobile broadband reached 8.0 million subscriptions in Q4 2024, with 4G LTE coverage exceeding 90% of the population and 5G launched commercially in 2023, tallying 112,900 5G subscriptions by end-2024. SpaceX Starlink became live in Jordan in April 2025, making Jordan one of the first Middle Eastern countries to offer land-based satellite internet. Orange Jordan introduced satellite broadband via the Eutelsat Konnect satellite in April 2025, delivering up to 100 Mbps
14 June 2025
Broadband Blackouts & Starlink Smugglers: Inside Venezuela’s Fight for Internet Access

Broadband Blackouts & Starlink Smugglers: Inside Venezuela’s Fight for Internet Access

CANTV, the state-owned fixed broadband incumbent, dominated traditional internet with about 56% market share as of late 2022, while its aging ADSL copper network remained slow and repair backlogs persisted. From August 2020 to August 2023, Venezuela jumped 50 places in Speedtest’s global broadband index, rising from an average 6.15 Mbps to 29.5 Mbps. By mid-2024, Speedtest reported a median fixed broadband speed of about 54 Mbps, placing Venezuela roughly 119th in the world. Movistar, Movilnet, and Digitel controlled about 50%, 26%, and 23–24% of Venezuela’s mobile market respectively in 2022–2023. About 60% of Venezuelan mobile users had 4G LTE
14 June 2025
Drone Laws Exposed (2025): The Ultimate Guide to U.S. FAA Rules, No-Fly Zones, and State Regulations

Drone Laws Exposed (2025): The Ultimate Guide to U.S. FAA Rules, No-Fly Zones, and State Regulations

The FAA divides drones into Recreational and Part 107 Commercial categories, with the latter requiring a Remote Pilot Certificate (minimum 16 years old, English proficiency, passing the Unmanned Aircraft General – Small exam, TSA background check) and a certificate valid for 2 years plus 24‑month recurrent training. Recreational flyers must pass the TRUST safety test, and any drone over 0.55 pounds (250 grams) must be registered with the FAA for $5 and remain registered for 3 years with the registration number on the drone. Remote ID became mandatory for drones that must be registered starting Sept 16, 2023, with enforcement
14 June 2025
Ukraine Tenders in 2025: Public Procurement Platforms, Processes and Opportunities

Ukraine Tenders in 2025: Public Procurement Platforms, Processes and Opportunities

In 2024 Prozorro concluded over 3.2 million public contracts totaling about 888 billion UAH, and in the first four months of 2025 it handled about 1.2 million contracts worth 444.4 billion UAH. As of 2024, Prozorro connects 10 authorized e-procurement platforms plus 2 platforms for observation/auction, with Zakupivli.Pro (Prom.ua) handling about 50% of tenders, DerzhZakupivli Online about 25%, E-Tender about 14%, and SmartTender about 7%. Prozorro.Sale complements public tenders by handling privatization auctions and state asset sales, with E-Tender functioning as a Prozorro.Sale marketplace. Private tenders are voluntary but common, with large firms like Naftogaz and DTEK issuing RFPs and
14 June 2025
Starting a Business in Ukraine in 2025: 10 Crucial Facts Every Entrepreneur Must Know

Starting a Business in Ukraine in 2025: 10 Crucial Facts Every Entrepreneur Must Know

<li Foreigners can own 100% of Ukrainian LLCs (TOV) and Joint-Stock Companies (JSCs), and an LLC can be formed with no minimum capital while registration commonly takes 1–3 days. <li A Ukrainian Joint-Stock Company (private or public) requires a minimum capital of 1,250 times the minimum wage (about UAH 10 million, roughly €217k) and its shares are securities regulated by the NSSMC, with formation typically 3–4 months. <li Foreign nationals may register as Private Entrepreneurs (FOP) with a Ukrainian TIN and notarized passport translation, often in-person registration, and in 2025 the uResidency program enables eligible foreigners to open a FOP
13 June 2025
Skyrocketing Fighter Jet Market 2025: Tech Triumphs and Global Rivalries Fuel a New Arms Race

Skyrocketing Fighter Jet Market 2025: Tech Triumphs and Global Rivalries Fuel a New Arms Race

By late 2024, the F-35 Lightning II had surpassed 1,000 deliveries worldwide, fueling Lockheed Martin’s market dominance and its ubiquity across more than a dozen nations. Lockheed Martin continues F-16 production into a 50th year with new Block 70/72 variants exported to Slovakia and Bahrain. Boeing is delivering the F-15EX Eagle II to the U.S. Air Force, while the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet line ends in 2025 and India’s export bid remains pending. Dassault secured a 42-aircraft Rafale F4 tranche in 2023 to be delivered from 2027, with Indonesia also ordering 42 Rafales. Saab has 96 firm Gripen E/F orders (60
Everything You Need to Know About Internet Access in Sweden—Even from Space

Everything You Need to Know About Internet Access in Sweden—Even from Space

As of 2022, about 96% of Swedes use the internet. Nearly 99% of Swedish households have internet access. 67% of the population has at least basic digital skills. Fiber-optic broadband is available to over 98% of premises, with about 85% of buildings connected and Very High Capacity Network coverage of roughly 83%. By 2024, roughly 98% of households or businesses are either connected to or near a network capable of 1 Gbps speeds. By 2023 around 82% of the population had access to 5G service, up from 18% in 2021. The 2016 National Broadband Strategy aimed for 95% of households
Flying Into Trouble? These Are the Drone Laws in Every Country You Must Know in 2025

Flying Into Trouble? These Are the Drone Laws in Every Country You Must Know in 2025

Most countries require registration for drones over 250 g, with examples including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the EU, China, and Japan, and fees typically around $5 for 1–3 years. In the United States, recreational flyers must pass the TRUST test and follow community safety rules, while commercial operators must hold an FAA Remote Pilot Certificate (Part 107); since March 16, 2024, Remote ID is mandatory, and penalties can reach $27,500 civil or $250,000 criminal. The European Union uses a three‑category system (Open, Specific, Certified) under EASA rules, with an Open category limited to 120 m (400 ft)
13 June 2025
Reconstruction of Ukraine: Plans, Progress, and Outlook (Mid-2025)

Reconstruction of Ukraine: Plans, Progress, and Outlook (Mid-2025)

Direct war damage reached $176 billion by end-2024, with 72% of losses concentrated in frontline regions Donetsk, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Kyiv oblasts. An updated needs assessment estimates Ukraine will require about $524 billion (€506 billion) over the next decade to repair and rebuild, roughly 2.8 times the country’s 2024 GDP. Housing is the largest reconstruction need at about $84 billion, with 13% of housing stock damaged or destroyed by December 2024, affecting more than 2.5 million households. As of early 2025, about 3.7 million people were internally displaced; 6 million Ukrainians had fled abroad; and 12.7 million would
13 June 2025
Hungary’s Digital Lifeline: How Fiber, 5G, and Satellites Are Rewiring the Nation

Hungary’s Digital Lifeline: How Fiber, 5G, and Satellites Are Rewiring the Nation

As of late 2023, more than 97% of Hungarian households have access to wired fixed broadband networks, including FTTH and upgraded cable. Thanks to the Superfast Internet Programme (SZIP), by 2020 at least 30 Mbps service reached over 95% of households in underserved areas. By 2022, gigabit-speed networks pass about two-thirds of households, and Very High Capacity Network coverage rose from 72% in 2021 to 80% in 2022, well above the EU average of about 72%. Pure fiber (FTTP) coverage reached 70% of households by 2022, up from roughly 50% two years earlier. Mobile networks provide nearly universal 4G coverage
Mobile & Portable Satellite Internet in 2025: The Ultimate Guide to Starlink Roam, HughesNet, Inmarsat, Viasat & More

Mobile & Portable Satellite Internet in 2025: The Ultimate Guide to Starlink Roam, HughesNet, Inmarsat, Viasat & More

Starlink Roam hardware costs $599, with Regional plans at $150 per month and Global plans at $200 per month, offering unlimited data and high speeds. As of May 2025, SpaceX’s Starlink LEO constellation includes over 7,600 satellites and provides coverage in more than 100 countries. Starlink Roam typical real‑world performance ranges from 50–150 Mbps download and 5–20 Mbps upload, with latency around 30–50 ms. HughesNet’s Jupiter 3 satellite (GEO) delivers up to 100 Mbps download and 5 Mbps upload, with roughly 600 ms latency across North and South America. Viasat is deploying the ViaSat-3 global constellation, with three satellites each
5G From Space: How Satellite Internet is Revolutionizing Global Connectivity

5G From Space: How Satellite Internet is Revolutionizing Global Connectivity

Starlink has over 6,700 satellites in orbit as of early 2025 and surpassed 4 million subscribers by late 2024 across 100+ countries. Starlink satellites orbit at about 550 km altitude and deliver typical download speeds of 50–200 Mbps with latency around 20–40 ms. Starlink Gen2 introduces inter-satellite laser links to route data between satellites, reducing reliance on ground gateways. SpaceX began testing Direct-to-Cell satellites in 2023–2024 to text ordinary phones using T-Mobile spectrum, with voice and data services planned for 2025. OneWeb’s first-generation constellation targets 648 satellites, with about 632 operational by late 2024, and it merged with Eutelsat to
Drone Imports and Exports Involving Ukraine (2025)

Drone Imports and Exports Involving Ukraine (2025)

Countries and Companies Supplying Drones to Ukraine Types and Models of Drones Used by Ukraine (by Function) Ukraine employs a vast array of drones, both military-grade and civilian, serving different functions on and off the battlefield. Below are the major categories of drone types and notable models in each category: Ukrainian Drone Manufacturers and Domestic Capabilities Prior to 2022, Ukraine had only a handful of drone makers and mostly imported its UAVs. The war, however, spurred an explosive growth in domestic drone manufacturing, transforming Ukraine into a drone technology hub. By 2025 there were roughly 500 Ukrainian companies producing drones
13 June 2025
Import of Military-Grade Drones to Ukraine (2025 Update)

Import of Military-Grade Drones to Ukraine (2025 Update)

In February 2023 Parliament exempted UAVs from import duty and VAT, with the exemption extended through 2025 and renewed to cover defense goods until at least January 1, 2026; by early 2025, 98% of drones imported entered duty-free. A late-2022 Cabinet resolution allowed drones to clear customs with simplified procedures and no required bonds, and August 2023 saw removal of some documentation and certificates for civil or dual-use drones to speed imports. Exemption generally requires military or humanitarian use; volunteers, charities, or units can import drones tax-free if destined for the war effort. Ukraine maintains both official government import channels
13 June 2025
Fiber-Optic Drones in Ukraine: Evolution, Applications, and Impact

Fiber-Optic Drones in Ukraine: Evolution, Applications, and Impact

The Knyaz Vandal Novgorodsky fiber-optic FPV drone, built by the Russian volunteer group Ushkuinik led by Aleksey Chadaev, was deployed in August 2024 in Russia’s Kursk region to counter Ukrainian incursions. By late 2024 and early 2025, elite Russian fiber-optic FPV units named Rubicon and Sudny Den operated in eastern Ukraine, carrying spools up to about 10.8 km and achieving ranges of 20–30 km with roughly 80% success at 20 km. In December 2024 Ukraine demonstrated FPV drones controlled via fiber-optic cables to high-ranking officers, presenting more than a dozen domestic models with payloads up to 3 kg. By early
13 June 2025

Stock Market Today

CBA share price: Commonwealth Bank stock steadies after ASX selloff as earnings loom

CBA share price: Commonwealth Bank stock steadies after ASX selloff as earnings loom

8 February 2026
Commonwealth Bank of Australia closed Friday down 0.23% at A$158.91, outperforming a 2.03% drop in the S&P/ASX 200. Investors await CBA’s half-year results on Feb. 11 and commentary from CEO Matt Comyn. The Reserve Bank’s recent cash-rate hike to 3.85% and upcoming mortgage repricing are in focus. CBA flagged A$68 million in provisions and A$53 million in non-recurring income items.
Boeing stock jumps 2.6% to $243 — what Wall Street is watching before Monday

Boeing stock jumps 2.6% to $243 — what Wall Street is watching before Monday

8 February 2026
Boeing shares closed up 2.6% at $243.03 Friday, buoyed by reports of possible major aircraft orders from Saudi Arabia and India. India’s trade minister said a $70–80 billion Boeing deal could be signed by March. Supply-chain delays and regulatory scrutiny remain key risks. Boeing’s chief engineer sold over 10,000 shares earlier in the week.
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