Ukraine’s three largest mobile operators have commenced “joint actions” to expand their 4G-LTE networks using redistributed 900MHz frequencies.

According to Reuters and local press reports, South Africa's third-biggest operator, Cell C, has announced plans to lay off more than 38 per cent of its workforce.

Meeza, an end-to-end managed IT services and solutions provider based in Qatar, has announced plans to build a data centre in the capital, Doha. It will be the company’s fourth such project in the country.

Estonian mobile operators have called for the country’s Minister of Foreign Trade and IT to revise its licensing strategy for spectrum in the 3.4GHz - 3.8GHz range.

The upturn in Bharti Airtel’s financial fortunes continues, with a major sale netting it close to $46 million.

It’s been a newsworthy week for Digicel, a communications and entertainment provider in the Caribbean, Central America and Asia Pacific. Following a major step in the process of reducing its debt, which it announced last week, it has won an important court case.

Supermarket chain Walmart de Mexico y Centroamerica is now offering MVNO services in Mexico, branded as BAIT (Bodega Aurrera Internet y Telefonia).

The aftermath of the border skirmish between India and China in Ladakh is continuing to have an effect on telecommunications, with Chinese app vendors coming under attack from Indian consumers and uncertainty being expressed about operator contracts with Huawei and ZTE.

The company selling the assets of bankrupt Indian operator Aircel expects them to raise between INR9.5 billion and INR15.1 billion (USD124.8 million and USD198.4 million).

Digicel, a communications and entertainment provider in the Caribbean, Central America and Asia Pacific, has concluded what it calls the last significant milestone in the process to reduce its debt.

TurkNet is upgrading its core network with 400Gbps optical transport solutions from Ekinops.

At a time when the future of energy – not just oil and gas but renewables – is again a hot topic, Inmarsat, which owns and operates a global portfolio of mobile telecommunications satellite networks, plans to expands its presence in the Middle East by joining the Energy Industry Council.

Orange Botswana has announced the launch of LTE-A services, increasing data transfer rates on its 4G network. The upgrades are being branded 4G+ and have already rolled out in Greater Gaborone (which houses about 10 per cent of the country’s population) and Francistown, the country’s second-largest city.

The deadly skirmishes on India’s border with China may have a knock-on effect on the telecommunications market after government officials, quoted in the Indian media, floated the idea of barring Chinese vendors from supplying telecommunications companies.

O2 Czech Republic is launching its commercial 5G network next month, becoming the first operator in the market to achieve this milestone.

Some sort of resolution to India’s ongoing legal wrangles about AGR still looks a long way off after two operators refused to offer bank guarantees requested recently by the Supreme Court.

Romanian regulator ANCOM (National Authority for Management and Regulation in Communications) has begun a public consultation after its own review identified no issues requiring new regulation for the wholesale fixed market.

Chinese internet giants Tencent and Baidu are strengthening their existing relationship with Nokia to build out their software-defined data centre interconnect (DCI) infrastructure.

Orange’s Slovakian unit is increasing its 5G spectrum holding while also discussing a potential network-sharing arrangement with Slovak Telecom.

Estonia’s Telia Eesti is planning an investment of €10 million (US$11.3 million) into its mobile networks for 2020.

stc Bahrain has formed a new partnership with China Telecom Global aimed at digitalising economies in the Middle East and North Africa.

Jio Platforms has confirmed funding from two more overseas investors, racking up a collective investment of $13.7 billion within two months.

Indonesian mobile operator Telkomsel has announced that it is extending its 4G LTE coverage to more areas of the country.

Having newly generated $450 million in funding, Helios Towers has underlined its intention to increase its footprint across Africa.

A useful reminder that fibre is still a strong player – even in mobile-dominated markets – comes from Oman and Myanmar, where expansion of fibre-to-the-home services is under way.

Jordan’s Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (TRC) has stated that its attempts to ensure a consistent standard of internet service during the pandemic have led to “significant improvement” in access speeds.

After yesterday’s announcement that Zambia’s UZI has finally abandoned its attempts to roll out a network, it looks like another long-running saga involving a cash-strapped operator is coming to an end with an announcement from Brazil’s Oi.

After two years, MTN Group has finally reached an agreement for a long-term renewal of its operating licences in Uganda.