Telekom Networks Malawi (TNM) claims to have launched the country’s first 5G network pilot.

The slightly confusing saga of Brazilian operator Oi continues. It is now seeking a huge sum of money in emergency funding.

Oman’s Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has unveiled a number of coverage and service provision targets during a recent meeting discussing telecommunications infrastructure expansion projects for this year.

Indian state-owned operator Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) ordered INR150 billion (US$1.83 billion) worth of infrastructure equipment and software from IT firm Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). 

MTN Nigeria expanded its 5G network to 13 cities since its commercial launch in September last year and revealed there are no plans to shut down 2G and 3G networks. 

Angola Cables and Orange have agreed to an infrastructure sharing agreement on the West African Djoliba Network.

Uzbektelecom, which operates as Uztelecom, is pushing high speed fibre broadband access across Uzbekistan by deploying AirPON (Air Passive Optical Network) fixed-mobile convergence (FMC) technology.

Bahrain-headquartered technology group Beyon has made a number of significant announcements relating to digital infrastructure that will, it says, support the acceleration of Bahrain’s digital transformation and the growth of the country’s digital economy.

Hispasat, a provider of broadband and connectivity services, has reached an agreement with Comitas e-Health, a provider of telemedicine and tele-diagnostic solutions, to market a satellite telemedicine solution in remote areas of Latin America.

A Kenyan government official has promised that the country will unveil its first locally made – and affordable – smartphones in the next two months in an attempt to increase the penetration of internet-enabled mobile phones in the country.

Guyana’s Public Utilities Commission expects mobile number portability to go live across the country this July.

Argentina’s regulator ENACOM (Ente Nacional de Comunicaciones) has revealed that it is aiming to hold the country’s long-delayed multi-band 5G spectrum auction in June 2023.

Further evidence of the innovation the Internet of Things (IoT) can enable comes from elevator and escalator manufacturing, installation and service company Otis Worldwide Corporation, which has announced the launch of its new Otis ONE IoT service platform in the Middle East.

New and expanded Microsoft Airband partnerships are set to provide high-speed internet access to nearly 40 million people across Latin America and Africa, the company says.

Armenia’s Ucom is renewing its collaboration with Ericsson Nikola Tesla as it seeks to upgrade its infrastructure across the market.

Zimbabwean state-owned mobile provider Telecel has been placed under bankruptcy protection measures to avoid its liquidation.

West African internet service provider Tizeti has expanded its collaboration with Microsoft to bring internet access to almost five million people in Cote d’Ivoire.

China Telecom do Brasil (CTB), the largest subsidiary of China Telecom Americas in Latin America and a leading provider of internet and cloud computing services in Brazil, has announced the launch of eSurfing cloud services in the country.

The Tanzanian government, with support from the World Bank, has embarked on a project called Digital Tanzania in partnership with mobile network operators that will, it says, see the extension of broadband services to 713 wards – around 1,407 villages – and benefit over 8.5 million Tanzanians across the country upon its completion.

Liquid Dataport, a business of Cassava Technologies, a pan-African technology group, has launched what it describes as the first terrestrial fibre route connecting Mombasa to Johannesburg.

iot squared and OQ Technology have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will help expand satellite IoT connectivity in Saudi Arabia.

Ghanaian broadband wireless access (BWA) provider Surfline Communications has shuttered its data centre and radio access network (RAN), citing financial problems.

Guinea’s telecom minister Ousmane Gaoual Diallo has confirmed that state-owned player Guinee Telecom – formerly Sotelgui (Societe des Telecoms de Guinee) – has commenced the public test phase of its mobile network.

The Egyptian government has sold a 9.5% holding in fixed-line provider Telecom Egypt for EGP3.747 billion (US$121 million).

An investment consortium led by Zimbabwean businessman Edd Branson is mobilising a US$100 million fund to obtain holdings in mobile network providers in Benin, Chad and Gambia.

As seen in other global markets, smartphone shipments in the Middle East and Africa have fallen 11% year-on-year, the lowest Q1 shipment figure since 2016, as macroeconomic factors continue to batter economies.

MTN and Airtel Africa have confirmed that their respective Nigerian units will renew their 2100MHz spectrum licences for a further 15 years.

Cisco announced it will start manufacturing in India as part of plans to diversify its global supply chain and drive US$1 billion in domestic production and exports over the next few years. 

Mavenir has formed a strategic partnership with BSS provider i2i Systems to drive collaboration for Open RAN in Turkey.