MTN Group and IHS Towers pledged to work constructively to resolve a governance issue as the firms push to bolster their relationship after resolving disagreements last year.

Bangladesh telcos Grameenphone and Robi Axiata have reportedly secured another 20 MHz of spectrum each in the 2.6 GHz band, after two years of haggling over the price per MHz.

Attempts across Africa to manage the proliferation of SIM cards are continuing. This time it’s Tunisia’s turn.

Argentina’s telecoms regulator Enacom has permitted another big name in satellite services to enter the market.

Vodacom pledged to spend ZAR800 million (US$44.4 million) this financial year to upgrade its network and deliver connectivity to deep remote locations in the South African region of KwaZulu-Natal.

MTN subsidiary Bayobab signed a multi-year deal to integrate Eutelsat’s LEO satellites, a move to expand cellular backhaul and coverage in rural areas to meet rising demands from enterprise clients across Africa.

The first phase of OADC Texaf Digital, a joint venture between African data centre company Open Access Data Centres (OADC) and TEXAF, a major long-term investor in the economy of the Democratic Republic of Congo, is now live in Kinshasa in the DRC.

In a deal that seems to have been finalised last week but has only recently been widely reported, Uganda plans to sell 60% of its troubled state-owned service provider Uganda Telecommunications Corporation Limited (UTel) to Dubai-based global contractor Rowad Capital for US$225million.

The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) said on Tuesday it has officially issued a telecoms licence to SpaceX’s LEO satellite broadband operator Starlink to offer services in the country.

Local industry association the Association of Communications and Technology wants the South African government to lift its deadline for shutting down the country’s 2G and 3G networks.

The two competitors in what is an effective mobile operator duopoly in Ethiopia have both made headlines this week with upbeat news.

Safaricom announced on Monday that its 5G network is now available in all 47 counties in Kenya, which it claims makes it the biggest 5G operator in the country, although the network still only covers just 14% of the population.

Azercosmos, Azerbaijan's space agency, and the Civil Aviation Authority of Botswana have announced a new partnership, described as a ‘new milestone in connectivity’, to launch satellite services in Botswana.

Nigeria’s federal government has launched an initiative to establish digital free zones in the country. These zones will be designed to attract and support tech, finance and service-orientated businesses in what is described as “a conducive environment tailored to the 21st-century digital trade and technological age”.

Latin America-focused operator group Millicom rejected Xavier Niel’s latest buyout offer stating that it is still being significantly undervalued, and maintained shareholders should reject Niel’s bid. 

African technology business Liquid Intelligent Technologies has announced the official launch of the first Microsoft Azure Stack in Uganda.

The Arab Organisation for Industrialisation (AOI) has announced this week the establishment of a mobile phone tower manufacturing facility in Egypt at the group's Aircraft Factory.

The Latin American smartphone market recorded a fourth consecutive quarter of growth after being fuelled by affordable devices.

Pan-African operator group Axian Telecom poached MTN Nigeria COO Hassan Jaber (pictured) as its new group CEO, as the challenger operator continues to compete on the continent.

On August 8th, operations commenced at Yangtze Optics Mexico Cable S.A. de C.V. in Mexico’s Jalisco State, marking the establishment of Yangtze Optical Fibre and Cable Joint Stock Limited Company's (YOFC) first production facility in the nation.

MTN Group announced it received regulatory approval to sell its Guinea-Bissau unit to Telecel Group as the operator pushes on with its plan to focus on core markets in Africa.

Clear Mobitel, a UK-based technology data company, has announced plans to invest US$200 million in Zimbabwe’s telecommunications sector.

Independent tower operator IHS Towers announced on Wednesday that its subsidiary in Nigeria has signed a deal with MTN Nigeria to renew and extend its tower master lease agreements until December 2032.

Telecom Egypt said on Wednesday it has signed a multi-year agreement with Mada Communications to be its “preferred strategic provider” for international application-to-person (A2P) messaging services.

MTN Nigeria says it has taken full ownership of Mobile Money Payment Service Bank (MoMo PSB) after buying the 7.17% share owned by Acxani Capital for around NGN6.95 billion (US$4.36 million).

Paymentology, a card issuing and processing platform, has announced a partnership with Salaam Bank’s Waafi in Somalia.

This week has seen yet another airline announce an alliance with a telecoms company with the news that Kenya Airways has signed a strategic partnership with Kenyan operator Safaricom.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) called for telecoms operators to simplify their tariff plans, bundles and promotional activities in a bid to streamline consumer experience and grow the sector.

Incumbent Maldives telco Dhiraagu said it has inaugurated the official landing of the SEA-ME-WE 6 subsea cable in the Maldives, although the cable is still almost two years away from activation.