Operators

PLDT has stated that it would support a government plan to open the Philippines’ telecoms sector up to independent companies in order to increase the spread of base stations.

Zimbabwe’s High Court has ruled that the country’s mobile operators must restore internet services following a week-long nationwide shutdown ordered by the government.

Telefonica is seeking to bring in as much as €530 million by selling off majority stakes in two of its Movistar units in Central America.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has begun implementing measures to prevent service disruption of 9mobile amid reports that Teleology Holdings could abandon its acquisition deal of the beleaguered operator.

Bharti Airtel will sell some of its shares in its Tanzanian business to the country’s government to settle an ownership dispute and pave the way for a potential merger with Telkom Kenya.

Brazil’s Oi has resolved its legal clash with shareholder Bratel and will now look to restructure, having initially requested bankruptcy protection in June 2016.

Teleology Holdings could yet abandon its hard-won acquisition of Nigeria’s 9mobile following reports that the operator’s management has shot down the buyer’s turnaround plan.

Reliance Communications (RCom) has paid Ericsson INR1.31 billion ($18.6 million) in what will doubtless be seen as an attempt to placate the Swedish vendor in the face of renewed legal action against RCom chairman Anil Ambani.

MTN Nigeria will pay the country’s Central Bank a total of $53 million in penalties related to allegations that the operator illegally repatriated revenue between 2007 and 2015.

India’s Department of Telecommunication has withheld its approval of a spectrum trading agreement between Reliance Communications (RCom) and Reliance Jio.

China’s three major state-owned operators have been apportioned 5G spectrum in the mid-band range of frequencies.

Several Russian telecom operators are holding talks over creating a 5G consortium to deploy networks more cost-effectively using locally manufactured equipment and infrastructure.

In an effort to lower its costs by INR140 billion ($1.97 billion), Vodafone Idea has brought forward its target date for integrating its component firms by two years.

The Mislatel consortium, which is made up of China Telecom, Chelsea Holdings and Udenna Corporation, has been chosen to found the Philippines’ third mobile operator.

New Indian market leader Vodafone Idea registered a huge loss for its first quarter of operation following the merger of Vodafone India and Idea Cellular.

MTN Group’s CEO Rob Shuter is optimistic about settling its ongoing dispute with Nigeria’s telecom authorities, which claim that the operator owes the country $10.1 billion.

In the field of telephony as in many others, Africa has jumped a technological step by moving directly to mobile.