Senegalese regulator ARTP (L’Autorite de Regulation des Telecommunications et des Postes) has issued formal notices to two of the country’s operators for failing to comply with mobile number portability (MNP) regulations.

Brazilian investment bank BTG Pactual has reportedly won 58 percent of operator Oi’s fibre business, for which it is expected to pay $2.3 billion.

Sri Lanka’s regulator is introducing new legislation aimed at boosting mobile coverage and service quality across the island nation.

Phase-outs of two forms of telecoms technology are under way in Russia and Ukraine. While the contexts differ, both phase-outs aim to improve and modernise end user connectivity – eventually.

IHS Towers is boosting its footprint in Latin America with the acquisition of Centennial Towers’ operations in Brazil and Colombia.

A good eight years after the idea was first mooted, Botswana’s attempt to introduce mobile number portability (MNP), which allows customers to change their network provider while retaining their original number, has ground to a halt.

The Telecommunication and Posts Regulatory Authority (ARPT) of the Republic of Guinea and the company Global Voice Group (GVG), a provider of ICT and RegTech solutions, have announced a partnership relating to the deployment of what is described as a leading-edge mobile and digital ecosystem regulation platform in Guinea.

Bharti Airtel has agreed to sell its 800MHz spectrum for three of India’s telecom circles to larger rival Reliance Jio Infocomm.

It appears that the dispute over 5G licenses in Bulgaria has been resolved after an apparently successful 3.6GHz spectrum auction finally took place recently.

In what has been described as an eleventh-hour decision in response to requests from bidders, the Ethiopian Communications Authority (ECA) has again extended the deadline for operators bidding for new operating licences. Instead of 5 April the bids are now required by 26 April.

The past few days have seen the Tanzanian government take action after what has been described as ‘public uproar’ relating to new data bundle pricing from the country’s operators.

Croatian regulator HAKOM (Regulatory Agency for Network Operations) has invited feedback on its proposals for the auction of 5G-ready spectrum in the 700MHz, 3.5GHz and 26GHz bands.

The original deadline for NIN-SIM registration in Nigeria was the end of 2020. It’s been moved three times since then. The new deadline – the fourth in total – is 6 May.

The long-promised Russian software legislation favouring local companies came into force late this week. Smartphones, computers and other smart devices purchased in Russia must now come pre-installed with Russian software.

Pan-African group Smile Telecoms Holdings has agreed a debt restructuring plan with its lenders.

Cellnex will formally assume control over 7000 telecom tower sites formerly owned by Poland’s Play (Polkomtel).

Saudi Arabia’s Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) has issued what it calls its Three-year Outlook for Commercial and Innovative Use of the Spectrum in Saudi Arabia – and Wi-Fi supporters appear to be very happy with the contents.

Brazil’s Oi has closed the sale of its tower unit to Highline after signing an initial agreement in November last year.

Digitec Communications appears on track to launch mobile services in Papua New Guinea by the end of 2021.

Cambodian operator Smart Axiata has announced plans to invest more than $90 million in its mobile network infrastructure in 2021.

Hungary-based IT service management company 4iG Plc says it has entered into a preliminary agreement with the Romanian RCS & RDS consortium for the acquisition of the Hungarian interests of the Digi Group, a leading telecommunications service provider in Hungary.

Botswana’s information technology and communication (ICT) sector may be about to receive a boost, after news that the country’s government has decided to direct more projects towards locally owned ICT businesses.

According to local press reports, India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is set to earmark additional 5G spectrum bands in the run-up to the next auction. The question, however, is, which ones will be added?

South Africa’s operators will be able to make use of their emergency spectrum allocations for an additional two months after regulator ICASA (Independent Communications Authority of South Africa) delayed a scheduled multi-band auction.

Recent news from India indicates that there has been a lot of activity and comment relating to 5G spectrum and its pricing and allocation. However, whether this will help to advance the rollout of 5G is hard to say.