The number of telephone subscribers in India increased from 1,168.66 million in the third quarter of 2020 to 1,173.83 million in the last quarter of 2020, registering a growth rate of 0.44%. This reflects a Year-On-Year (Y-O-Y) growth rate of 0.12% over the same quarter of the last year.
Only a few weeks after the country’s 3.6GHz spectrum auction finally took place, operator Telenor Bulgaria has announced that it has scheduled the commercial nationwide launch of its 5G service for 10 June.
Japanese group OCC (Ocean Cable & Communications Corporation) is reportedly acquiring Nepalese operator Smart Telecom for NPR12 billion (US$99 million).
As the government of India implementing curfew and lockdown situations in many states due to surging COVID-19 cases, it becomes of utmost importance to ensure the continuity of telecom tower operations 24 x7.
Neterra, the Bulgarian operator for telecommunications services and projects in Southeast Europe, said that it expanded Dedicated Internet Access (DIA) service in over 180 countries.
Filipino operator Globe Telecom has surpassed its network upgrade targets for Q1 2021, deploying 318 new sites for a year-on-year increase of 152%.
Thai energy firm Gulf Energy Development has lodged a bid to take over Intouch Holdings, which holds a 40.45% stake mobile market leader AIS.
State-owned operator Telecom Egypt and Sudatel Group, a leading telecommunications service provider in Sudan, have signed a cooperation agreement in the field of international connectivity.
Slovenia’s multi-band 5G spectrum auctions have generated a total of EUR164.2 million (US$195.7 million).
Bharti Airtel’s board has approved a proposed restructuring of the operator’s business to shift its focus towards digital initiatives.
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.
Negotiations over a potential merger of the Malaysian mobile operations of Axiata and Telenor are reportedly at an advanced stage.
Vikram Sinha is a veteran of the telecoms industry, having spent 10 years with Bharti Airtel across India and Africa before moving to the Ooredoo Group.
Bharti Airtel has agreed to sell its 800MHz spectrum for three of India’s telecom circles to larger rival Reliance Jio Infocomm.
Cellnex will formally assume control over 7000 telecom tower sites formerly owned by Poland’s Play (Polkomtel).
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.
Delivering reliable coverage in Africa presents many logistical challenges, but since joining Airtel Africa in 2016 the group’s Chief Technology Officer Razvan Ungureanu has overseen the expansion and development of the operator’s networks into some of the continent’s most isolated and unconnected areas.
Cambodian operator Smart Axiata has announced plans to invest more than $90 million in its mobile network infrastructure in 2021.
UPDATE: Indosat Ooredoo has now signed a sale and leaseback agreement with Digital Colony subsidiary Edge Point Indonesia (PT EPID Menara AssetCo) for more than 4,200 telecom towers.
Senegal’s Sonatel has won a contract from Benin’s government to run the state-owned SBIN (Societe Beninoise d’Infrastructures Numeriques, or Beninese Digital Infrastructure Company) with the ultimate goal of launching a third network in the market.
Zimbabwe’s smallest mobile operator Telecel is reportedly courting investors to generate funds for a new network expansion.
The government of India has fully divested its final 10% stake in Tata Communications.
Airtel Africa, a pan-African operator with a presence in 14 countries across Africa, has announced the signing of agreements to sell its telecommunications tower companies in Madagascar and Malawi to Helios Towers plc, a leading independent telecommunications infrastructure company in Africa.
Operator STC Kuwait and a Virgin Mobile Middle East & Africa-led consortium have received an MVNO license from Kuwait’s Communication and Information Technology Regulatory Authority (CITRA). This makes Virgin Mobile Kuwait, as the service will be known, the country’s first MVNO.
January 2021 saw Vodafone Idea (Vi) register its first monthly increase in subscribers for over a year, amid a broader nationwide trend towards subscriber growth.
The Philippines’ new major player DITO Telecommunity has revealed that it aims to achieve profitability by its fifth year in operation.
The woes of state-owned Indian operator Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) have apparently deepened after a request to use 4G core technology from established names for a future rollout was turned down.
A Zimbabwean union of communications workers is calling for the beleaguered state-backed mobile firm Telecel to enter receivership or a corporate rescue process.
The situation regarding the merger of India’s state-run telecommunications operators Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) has become a touch more complex.
United Group is reportedly weighing up whether to remove equipment manufactured by Huawei from its networks.
The Philippines’ newest operator DITO Telecommunity has been awarded a 25-year operating franchise after the Senate committee on public services approved the move.
Bangladesh’s latest round of 4G spectrum auctions has generated $898.2 million as operators seek to increase their holdings amid surging demand for data services.
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