The Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) said it is close to awarding new company Malcel a licence, enabling it to become the country’s third mobile operator, a move it hopes will bring competition against Airtel and Telekom Networks Malawi. 

Algérie Télécom Satellite (ATS), Algeria’s leading satellite services provider, has signed a reseller agreement with communications and IT services provider Speedcast to expand its business and widen its customer base.

The long-awaited launch of services by Ethiopia's new mobile operator Safaricom Ethiopia is due to take place this month. Meanwhile, state-owned incumbent operator Ethio Telecom is continuing to upgrade its offering. The latest improvement involves a new fraud management system to replace the operator's legacy system.

Internet Exchange operator AMS-IX has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with MainOne’s Lagos data centre, MainData Nigeria (MDXi).

Telecom Egypt and Orange Jordan have announced what is described as a strategic collaboration agreement to create a reliable terrestrial system connecting Iraq to Europe through Jordanian and Egyptian territories.

Nokia has entered a strategic alliance with network cabling firm Furukawa Electric that will see the partners accelerate optical LAN deployments in Latin America.

Leading regional satellite operator Türksat and satellite communications company ST Engineering iDirect have signed a multi-million dollar contract for the ground systems required to run a variety of services over the recently launched Türksat 5B satellite.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) gave 5G license winner Mafab Communications a five-month deadline extension to deploy its 5G services, reported Agence Ecofin.

It’s being widely reported in the South African press that telecom regulator the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) is planning to license additional radio frequency spectrum for mobile networks, although whether via auction or some other process is not clear.

In what is said to be a first for Africa, Nokia says it has successfully piloted 4G and 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) network slicing with Kenyan mobile operator Safaricom on its live commercial network.

American Tower Corporation and IHS Holding are reportedly in the running for Brazilian operator Oi’s tower assets, competing against rival Highline which has already submitted a binding proposal.

Israel’s Minister of Communications Yoaz Hendel has announced plans to incentivize cellular companies to maintain cell site partnerships, which will include sharing passive network components, such as the mast, structure and electricity, along with antenna sharing.

Zain Bahrain, a leading telecommunications operator in Bahrain and part of the mobile voice and data services group that has a commercial footprint in seven Middle Eastern and African countries, has said that it has deployed the “most innovative Internet of Things (IoT) technology” in collaboration with Ericsson.

Following news that the South African government is unhappy with mobile-data-only network operator Rain suggesting a potential merger between it and rival Telkom, Rain has, in effect, reined in its claim.

North International Bank (NIBank) has gone live with Temenos to digitally transform its retail banking and private wealth business lines.

Data centre company Ascenty, which has a strong presence in Latin America, has announced the opening of its second facility in Santiago, Chile. This is said to be its largest operation site in the country.

According to local press reports, Jordan has taken the first steps towards formalising 5G adoption, after the country’s Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) signed an agreement late last week with two operators, Orange and Umniah, in preparation for the introduction of 5G services in the kingdom.

Citing sources with knowledge of the matter, a number of news outlets have been reporting that a cable project may soon be formally announced that will connect Morocco with Mauritania through Western Sahara.

The South African government disapproved of operator Rain touting a potential merger between it and to merge with rival Telkom.

Roaming between Togo and Gabon may soon incur no additional charges after an agreement between the two states, which was made last week but only reported in recent days.

A third of Mexican households have no internet access, something the Mexican president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, is keen to change with a massive proposed investment in internet connectivity.

Telecom Egypt has signed a five-year national roaming deal with Orange Egypt.

Ericsson has partnered with multinational wireless communications engineering company SkyMax Network, in a move to construct a next-generation 5G broadband network and deliver digital services across sub-Saharan Africa.

Argentinian regulator Enacom has granted authorisation to Google to carry out the installation of its Firmina fibre optic cable in Argentine territorial waters.

The long-awaited spin-off of its Latin America cellular tower business by the giant Mexico-headquartered operator America Movil has finally been completed.

Bangladeshi operator Robi Axiata has revealed plans to power more than 1600 base stations using renewable solar energy.

Paratus, described as a full-service network spanning the African continent and connecting customers internationally, has launched Namibia’s largest carrier-neutral data centre.