India’s Optiemus Electronics, a diversified business group with over two decades of experience in the manufacturing, distribution and retail of global telecom brands across India, is partnering with contract manufacturer Wistron Corp of Taiwan to build products such as smartphones and laptops.

MTN Ghana’s CEO Selorm Adavehoh has expressed his hope that the operator will be able to launch 5G services as early as next year.

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), a regulatory body whose key role is the regulation of the communications and multimedia industry, is holding a public inquiry to review the Access List.

Namibia’s market leader MTC (Mobile Telecommunications) has been cleared for a public listing by the main board of the Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX).

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has outlined its plans for auctioning 1800MHz and 2100MHz spectrum in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan regions.

The government of Kyrgyzstan is reportedly evaluating a number of proposals for the sale of the state-owned mobile provider MegaCom, with the National Bank of Kyrgyzstan one of several potential buyers.

Brazil’s Minister of Communications Fabio Faria has indicated that the country’s delayed 5G spectrum auctions will finally take place in October this year.

The Cuban Ministry of Communications (Mincom) has officially implemented several new laws concerning the country’s telecoms sector.

Altice Dominicana and Claro Dominicana have submitted technical and economic offers to The Dominican Telecommunications Institute (Indotel) as the regulator prepares to auction 5G spectrum.

Lebanon’s state-owned provider Ogero confirmed that it is unable to offer connectivity in three locations until further notice, since no diesel is available to fuel electricity generators.

While rival operator Vodafone Idea is still having a tough time, Bharti Airtel appears to have had a fairly good week, at least in financial terms, with the confirmation of a spectrum sale to the third major Indian operator Reliance Jio Infocomm.

The Croatian Regulatory Authority for Network Industries (HAKOM) announced its decision on the assignment for use of radio frequency spectrum in 700 MHz, 3600 MHz, and 26 GHz radiofrequency bands, used for 5G mobile communications networks.

Two of Azerbaijan’s operators have detailed recent deployment expansions, with both noting that they have installed base transceiver stations (BTS) in a region that experienced military conflict during 2020.

Liberty Latin America (LLA) has extended its reach in the Latin American market with the confirmation of its latest acquisition.

The Ethiopian authorities are to allow the new licence offered to a Safaricom-led consortium in May to be upgraded to include mobile financial services.

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) is going to install a telecom monitoring system at a cost of Tk77.65 crore (USD 9.13 million) to oversee the activities of mobile operators and improve the quality of mobile phone services.

It wasn’t too long ago that pan-African operator MTN seemed keen to have another try at the second Ethiopian telecoms licence it failed to win in May. That opportunity has now been offered, but MTN may no longer be as keen to get involved.

MTN Group, a South African multinational mobile telecommunications company, operating in many African and Asian countries, has confirmed the renewal of its operating licence in Rwanda with effect from 1 July 2021.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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