Mobile data is least affordable in African countries. That’s a major finding of a recent blog on the Top Dollar Financial Insights Hub, offered by US debt relief options and savings company Accredited Debt Relief.

The somewhat erratic nature of India’s tax system came back under the spotlight this week as the government amended its Income Tax Act to nullify certain retrospective tax demands. The Vodafone Group will be one of the beneficiaries.

The third telecommunications player in the Philippines, DITO Telecommunity Corp it already has two million subscribers, five months after its commercial launch.

The private equity investor I Squared Capital (ISQ), which owns HGC Global Communications, is to buy Mexico’s largest data centre operator KIO Networks.

Russian long-distance telephone provider Rostelecom has signed an agreement with the compatriot universal bank VTB to create a system for issuing electronic signature certificates to the Russian Ministry of Digital Development, Communications, and Mass Media.

Brazilian investment fund The Bordeaux Participações fund transferred BRL 2.5 billion (US$ 4480 million) in the account of the government of Parana and took the last step towards the purchase of Copel Telecom.

MTN Nigeria, the biggest operator in the pan-African MTN Group in terms of subscriber numbers, says it is planning to invest 600 billion naira (about $1.46 billion) over the next three years to expand broadband access.

India's largest integrated telecom service provider Reliance Jio will support automotive solutions designed to deliver an array of consumer and enterprise services.

The telecommunications company that operates in Albania, One Telecommunications (Telekom Albania), has completed the second and final phase of network modernisation, relying entirely on Ericsson technology.

Telecom Armenia, an IPTV operator working under the Beeline Armenia brand, has deployed Ateme's OTT video-delivery solution.

Cloud and network connectivity provider Gulf Bridge International (GBI) is expanding its collaboration with Equinix by establishing a point-of-presence at the Equinix data centre in Oman.

We reported in early July that Djibouti was planning to open up its telecoms sector to competition. Now the country has set Thursday 16 September as the deadline for investors to express interest in taking a 40 percent stake in the incumbent operator.

Mantra Data Centres (MDC), an independent data centre platform and wholesale colocation provider, has announced plans to invest $1 billion to develop data centres across India.

South African operator MTN has announced plans to invest some $11.8 million in network expansion in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province.

Trinidad and Tobago’s state-owned telecommunications provider TSTT has been told that it is legally obliged to implement fixed number portability (FNP). However, TSTT may attempt to bring the case back to court.

Somalia’s National Communications Authority (NCA) has set a deadline of 31st August for all unlicensed service providers nationwide to apply for an operating permit.

The Moldovan telecom market has been affected by a combination of high unemployment and economic difficulties which have led to constraints on consumer spend.

Latvia’s telecom market continues to benefit from investment and from regulatory measures aimed at developing 5G and fibre-based infrastructure.

The economic prosperity of Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH) largely rests with the country’s continuing integration with the EU. GDP growth was inconsistent for several years before 2015, since when the economy had grown at above 3% annually.

Indonesian telecommunications provider PT Indosat (Indosat Ooredoo) has reaffirmed plans to phase out its 3G network as it shifts resources to develop 4G and 5G services in a rapidly evolving market.

Serbian state-owned telecommunications operator Telekom Srbija will establish a subsidiary in North Macedonia called Mtel and start offering mobile services there by the end of 2021.

Chinese multinational technology company Huawei Technologies has announced the launch of a new data processing centre in Russia.

Interswitch Group, the Africa-oriented technology-driven company focused on payments, has signed a deal with K-Unity Sacco to provide the savings and credit society's more than 100,000 members with secure digital payment services.

If recent reports are anything to go by, another major operator, this time Philippines-headquartered PLDT, is considering selling some of its passive infrastructure.

A new subsea and terrestrial system linking Europe, the Middle East and India is on the way – and a specialist investment trust has announced a significant financial input into the project.

Digicel Fiji has launched a satellite broadband service branded as Digisat that aims to deliver affordable universal data connectivity to remote communities across Fiji.

Uruguay’s state operator Antel is aiming to invest US$147 million into upgrading its fibre-optic network throughout 2022.

Ericsson has won a 3% share of a joint 5G radio contract offered by China Telecom and China Unicom.

Axiata Group and its Indonesian subsidiary XL Axiata have signed a non-binding agreement to acquire a 66.03% holding in Indonesian broadband provider LinkNet.

Jamaica’s telecom sector has for many years been propped up by the mobile sector, which accounts for the vast majority of internet connections and voice lines – as well as just over half of telecom sector revenue.

Although Bolivia had enjoyed strong economic growth prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, GDP remains among the lowest in South America.