Local industry association the Association of Communications and Technology wants the South African government to lift its deadline for shutting down the country’s 2G and 3G networks.

The two competitors in what is an effective mobile operator duopoly in Ethiopia have both made headlines this week with upbeat news.

Latin America-focused operator group Millicom rejected Xavier Niel’s latest buyout offer stating that it is still being significantly undervalued, and maintained shareholders should reject Niel’s bid. 

Pan-African operator group Axian Telecom poached MTN Nigeria COO Hassan Jaber (pictured) as its new group CEO, as the challenger operator continues to compete on the continent.

MTN Group announced it received regulatory approval to sell its Guinea-Bissau unit to Telecel Group as the operator pushes on with its plan to focus on core markets in Africa.

Clear Mobitel, a UK-based technology data company, has announced plans to invest US$200 million in Zimbabwe’s telecommunications sector.

Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison (IOH) opened its Digital Intelligence Operations Center (DIOC), a move to leverage AI to enhance its network.  

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) called for telecoms operators to simplify their tariff plans, bundles and promotional activities in a bid to streamline consumer experience and grow the sector.

Hungarian operator group 4iG’s chairman met with North Macedonia’s Deputy Prime Minster to explore the possibility of launching its operations in the country.

India’s telecom regulator TRAI has announced plans to tighten up on quality of service (QoS) requirements relating to 4G and 5G networks, in a bid, it is reported, to reduce instances of call drops and network downtime problems.

UPDATE: Bangladesh's Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman has confirmed that he has assumed power following the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who has now fled the country. At the time of writing, data from NetBlocks indicates that internet connectivity has been restored and remains available in Bangladesh.

MTN Group announced multiple changes to its executive with its Congo-Brazzaville unit gaining a new Chief Executive.  

Liberty Latin America announced on Thursday that Liberty Costa Rica will merge with Millicom International Cellular’s Tigo Costa Rica via an all-stock deal focused on boosting investment in fibre networks in the country.

Indian authorities have hit leading IT outsourcer Infosys with a US$3.9 billion tax demand – and some news reports suggest the pursuit of alleged unpaid taxes will soon target other big names.

India’s news media outlets are reporting that there may be government interest in reallocating some broadcasting spectrum for use in 5G networks.

Millicom International Cellular says it has entered into a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MoU) to acquire a 67.50% stake in Colombia Telecomunicaciones (aka Coltel or Telefonica Colombia) from owner Telefonica Hispanoamerica, for approximately US$400 million.

Struggling Nigerian operator 9Mobile reportedly secured a UK-based buyer after years of rumours surrounding a buyout.

Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison IOH reported growth across its business in the first half of the year pointing to optimisation of operations, while revealing more AI use cases will come in the latter half of this year.

Vietnam set a target to shutdown 3G networks by September 2028 to pave the way for 4G and 5G services, and meet subscriber demand.

Globe Telecom announced it gained PHP13.5 billion (US$230 million) from the transfer of more towers as it seeks more cash to pay down debts and fund future capex intensive projects.

Popular social media and OTT messaging services in Malaysia will have to apply for a class licence under a new framework to be introduced by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) this week.

Mobile internet services in Bangladesh were restored on Sunday after being down for 12 days. However, access to social media and messaging apps reportedly remains blocked pending a meeting with social media reps and government officials later this week.

The mobile economy of the Asia Pacific was predicted to grow by US$130 billion by 2030 and hit US$1 trillion, due to faster adoption of 5G technologies in the region.

Brazilian telecoms regulator Anatel has expressed its disappointment  at a recent decision by another government agency, the electricity-focused Aneel to, essentially, abandon plans discussed by the two regulators on the vexed topic of infrastructure sharing or, more accurately, pole sharing.

Orange credited “remarkable” results from its Africa and Middle East unit for a solid performance in the second quarter.

Airtel Africa reported profit gains subscriber growth as the group continues to battle against currency devaluation on the continent.

Fixed broadband in Bangladesh was reportedly set to be completely restored on Wednesday night, but the government said that mobile internet access will remain offline until at least Sunday or Monday, which means most people will remain unconnected.

Fixed line broadband internet connectivity in Bangladesh has been partially restored in select areas and for certain business sectors after a five-day blackout that has reportedly wreaked havoc on almost every aspect of life in the country.