ICT network solutions, satellite connectivity and infrastructure company the Paratus Group has said it is on the verge of establishing a highly sophisticated network hub in Angola.

Less than a year after the last review, the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) has allowed operators to raise their tariffs.

In a rather unusual escalation of a dispute between Apple and Ericsson, it seems both the import and sale of 5G iPhones and iPads have been banned in Colombia where a court has determined that Apple's products infringe on a 5G patent owned by Ericsson.

Cable & Wireless Seychelles (CWS) has selected Cerillion to implement a complete digital BSS/OSS solution.

Chinese smartphone vendor Vivo requested the Indian government to unfreeze its bank accounts to resume operations as raids on the company “jeopardised its very existence”.  

Tigo Guatemala, part of the Millicom stable of operators, has activated what it claims to be Guatemala’s first 5G network, at the Experience Centre in Cayalá, a purpose-built private city with a focus on housing, dining, shopping, entertainment and business, on the outskirts of the capital Guatemala City.

Deutsche Telekom and PPF Group had their concessions for network sharing agreements between their units in the Czech Republic accepted by the European Commission.

Orange Cameroon has been granted permission by the country’s Ministry of Finance to launch Orange Money Cameroon SA, a subsidiary dedicated to financial transactions via mobile phones.

Hungary’s National Media and Communications Authority (NMHH) has announced that it is extending its device replacement subsidy scheme until 31^st March 2023.

Operator AT&T Mexico and vendor Nokia have announced that they are collaborating to bring the benefits of 5G to Mexico.

Indian conglomerate Adani Group confirmed it will participate in India’s highly anticipated 5G auction, as part of plans to launch private network solutions with no intentions to launch consumer services.

Russia’s State Commission for Radio Frequencies (SCRF) has agreed to repurpose millimetre wave (mmWave) frequencies for 5G access networks.

The Chinese government warned of lowered confidence in conducting business in India after smartphone maker Vivo became the latest to be hit with “frequent investigations” by Indian authorities on Chinese businesses.

Kazakhstan’s state-backed operator Kazakhtelecom (KT) has published its roadmap for launching 5G in a bid to kick-start the digital transformation of the country’s economy.

Nokia and the Indian Institute of Science opened a centre of excellence (CoE) to develop the vendor’s capabilities in robotics and advanced communication technologies in 5G and AI.

Brazil has seen its first Standalone (SA) 5G networks go live in the capital Brasilia, with Claro, TIM and Vivo all launching their networks after receiving government approval.

Lenovo, which claims the world’s widest portfolio of technology products, and operator Etisalat UAE are planning to build a new 5G edge solution. This, they say, will enable the rapid roll-out of 5G connectivity for a wide range of edge-of-network deployment scenarios.

For the second time in a week, Safaricom’s M-Pesa is in the news with one of its products, as the Kenyan mobile money service launches an interest-free loan service for buying goods.

Indonesian operator Telkomsel has commenced the shutdown of its 3G network in parts of Jakarta after aggressively expanding its 4G network and launching a smartphone/data package to spur uptake.

South African technology company Huge Group acquired MVNO Tethys Mobile for an undisclosed fee, a move to bolster its software capabilities and develop a platform that enables companies to launch MVNO services. 

Beleaguered South African operator Cell C has had a reprieve after a vote in which some lenders have agreed to take an 80% loss on their debt.

In a reminder of the changing business models of many operators in Africa, it has been reported that the M-Pesa virtual Visa card, introduced in June, is now undercutting Kenya’s commercial banks in the foreign exchange market.