Nokia is expanding its Fixed Networks R&D facility in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has set 14 September 2024 as the final registration date for subscriber identification module (SIM) subscribers, just under four years since the country’s SIM registration procedure began.

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets, and tech giant Microsoft have signed a strategic agreement to identify and enhance investment opportunities in digital transformation across Latin America and the Caribbean.

Malaysian operator U Mobile joined rival Maxis in signing a 5G cooperation agreement with China Mobile International (CMI) to explore how to advance 5G connectivity.

Telkom Indonesia said on Tuesday that it has struck a strategic collaboration deal with Silicon Valley-based multimodal AI startup Reka AI to accelerate the development of AI that understand the 700+ languages spoken in Indonesia.

Chile may soon become the first country in the Americas to implement an initiative mandating a universal charger for electronic devices.

India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has reportedly rejected demands by telcos to regulate OTT players like WhatsApp and Telegram under the same rules as telecoms companies, although they could still be regulated under other laws.

Ericsson has announced a new partnership with operator e& Egypt that marks what is described as a ‘significant milestone in advancing ICT infrastructure in Egypt and the wider region’.

There’s a new MVNO about to enter the market in Brazil after Unifique received authorisation from regulator Anatel to launch in most of the country.

Malaysian 5G wholesale operator in Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB) said on Friday that Telekom Malaysia’s share subscription agreement (SSA) to buy a stake in DNB has been terminated after it failed to meet the deadline to finalise the SSA.

The Vietnam Internet Network Information Center (VNNIC) announced Vietnam’s national average mobile data speed increased 40% from 38.69Mbps in March to 54.34Mbps in July.

Tech Mahindra announced a strategic partnership with Google Cloud to tap into the technology giant’s generative AI products to digitally transform its parent company’s various industrial units.

Magyar Telekom announced the sale of spectrum to rival Yettel in a move to optimise its frequencies portfolio, and increase capacity in 4G and 5G services.   

The question of whether over-the-top (OTT) services need to pay for the infrastructure they use has come up again – this time in South Africa, where an industry organisation wants digital content and service providers to help pay for the roll out and upgrade of network infrastructure .

African fibre company Liquid Telecommunication Holdings is seeking to raise US$225 million in equity by the end of the year, according to a number of reports.

The Acting Board of the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA) has signed two major regulations which, it argues, are aimed at enhancing opportunities for many Liberians, including entrepreneurs, and will improve service quality and government revenue.

State-owned operator Viettel labelled its latest standalone 5G network test as a “major step” towards its expected commercial deployment this year.

Mubadala Investment Company, the Abu Dhabi sovereign investor, has announced an investment in Yondr Group, a leading global hyperscale data centre developer.

Telecoms players in the Philippines say that the government’s recent moves to streamline the permit process for faster network rollouts are helping, but that stakeholders need to do more to make the process smoother.

Peru’s recently published Legislative Decree 1627, related to 5G deployment, comes with an attractive offer: 5G spectrum, at no apparent cost, in exchange for coverage.

India’s state-owned operator BSNL plans to launch 4G services in the country this October, according to local news reports. This follows what seem to be encouraging trial results.

Nokia announced it secured a contract from TIM Brasil to expand the operator’s 5G network across 15 Brazilian states in January 2025, a move that will deliver high-speed connectivity to a wider population and enable enterprises to tap into digital services.

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) has kicked off a consultation process to develop a new framework that will make it easier for LEO satellite operators such as Starlink to acquire a licence to offer services.

Malaysian telco Maxis says it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China Mobile International (CMI) to collaborate on exploring and developing private 5G applications and solutions for enterprises.

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.

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.

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.

Malaysian operators CelcomDigi and U Mobile, alongside ZTE announced recognition in the Malaysia Book of Records for achieving the fastest mobile speeds in in the world.