Regulation

The government of Chad late last week ordered mobile operators Airtel and Moov Africa to connect to its national fibre-optic backbone within seven days or face potential sanctions, after the Telecommunications Minister Boukar Michel met executives from both operators on Wednesday.

Argentina has apparently made plans to start allocating spectrum for private mobile networks. Regulator Enacom has assigned the 2300-2400MHz frequency band for private mobile wireless broadband systems. The spectrum allocation will be for ten years and can be used for indoor or outdoor deployments, according to the resolution published on Monday.

Legislation intended to make it easier for new players to enter the Philippines’ data services market lapsed into law on Sunday over the objection of telcos that have complained the bill is unfair to them and raises cybersecurity issues.

A feared increase in telecom service prices, an apparent extension of a 5% excise tax previously earmarked for telecommunications services in Nigeria, may not now happen.

Turkey is officially going ahead with 5G spectrum auction plans. Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu announced earlier this week that the 5G frequency tender would take place in October.

Ghana and Burkina Faso have reportedly begun a bilateral meeting to address cross-border signal interference. The National Communications Authority (NCA) of Ghana and Autorité de Régulation des Communications Électroniques et des Postes (ARCEP) of Burkina Faso began the meeting, held virtually, on 19 August.

In a move that, unlike some regulatory initiatives, may actually prove popular with mobile operators and consumers, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued a manual to aid in the assessment of digital connectivity in properties.

The communications regulators of the Republic of Congo and the Republic of Angola have reportedly taken what is called a decisive step in bilateral cooperation in the management of radio frequency spectrum to reduce interference problems along the common borders of the two countries.

Chilean telecoms regulator Subtel has launched an online platform that aggregates mobile and broadband providers, aiming to make it easier for citizens to get connected and advance the country’s goal of closing the digital divide.

The Armenian government has dismissed media claims that it authorised the sale of its 20% stake in Viva.

Kyrgyzstan has decided to nationalise access to international internet traffic for a year. A presidential decree earlier this week said the government was "establishing a temporary 100% state monopoly on the supply and provision of international internet traffic on the territory of the Kyrgyz Republic”.

Morocco’s telecommunications regulator, the ANRT, has awarded 5G licences to the country’s three main operators - Maroc Telecom, Inwi, and Orange Morocco - raising MAD2.1 billion (US$210 million) for state coffers and marking a major step forward in the country’s national digital transformation agenda.

Thailand’s telecoms regulator has reportedly instructed Advanced Info Service (AIS) and True Corp to submit detailed plans to shut down their 2G and 3G networks by the third quarter of 2026, ostensibly as part of an anti-fraud strategy.

The Sudanese authorities’ decision to block voice and video calls on WhatsApp for an unspecified period came into effect on Friday 25 July. It seems that text messaging and group chats remain unaffected.

The GSMA and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed a strategic agreement aimed at accelerating digital transformation and expanding mobile connectivity across the Asia Pacific region.

Morocco’s National Telecommunications Regulatory Agency (ANRT) has officially invited telcos to submit tenders for 5G licences that will enable them to launch commercial services by November.

The Kenyan government is inviting suppliers and service providers to support a major fibre broadband rollout, part of a World Bank-funded initiative aimed at improving connectivity between Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia.

Two recent news items from Pakistan highlight the country's attempts to manage two very different but pivotal areas of the modern telecommunications landscape: QoS and satellite internet.

Zambia’s telecoms regulator has fined Airtel and ordered it to compensate customers following a major network outage that caused widespread disruption.

Bangladesh’s telecoms regulator has rejected an appeal by Banglalink to acquire 5MHz of spectrum in the 2,100MHz band outside of the ongoing auction process.

The Trump administration is reportedly drafting a new rule that would restrict shipments of US-made AI chipsets to Malaysia and Thailand in an effort to prevent the chips from finding their way into China.

Pakistan’s long-awaited 5G spectrum auction is facing delays due to Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL), which is allegedly withholding key documents related to its proposed acquisition of Telenor Pakistan, according to the country’s Minister for IT and Telecommunications.

Thai telcos Advanced Info Service (AIS) and True Corp purchased spectrum bands in the 1500-MHz, 2100-MHz, and 2300-MHz bands for over THB41 billion (US$1.26 billion) in an auction by the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) on Sunday.

The Vietnamese government has reportedly approved a proposed merger of Vinaphone and VNPT-Media into their parent company, VNPT, to streamline group operations and enhance efficiency.

Thailand’s National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has reportedly ordered Thai telecoms service providers to cut all internet links to Cambodia – ostensibly to combat cyberscammers, although the move also comes amid an ongoing border dispute between the governments of both countries.

Kenya’s competition watchdog has warned landlords against signing exclusive access deals with broadband providers, saying such practices restrict consumer choice and could lead to heavy fines.

Morocco’s National Telecommunications Regulatory Agency (ANRT) has reported that it has made a decision approving the creation of two new joint ventures by Moroccan operators Maroc Telecom and Inwi.

A cross-border payment platform specialising in emerging markets, dLocal, has announced that it has obtained what it calls three pivotal licenses and authorisations in the Middle East and Asia.

The Philippine Chamber of Telecommunication Operators (PCTO) urged President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. on Tuesday to veto new legislation that would relax requirements for new data transmission operators to set up operations, particularly satellite operators.

The Argentinian government has again raised concerns over operator Telecom Argentina’s plan to acquire rival Telefónica Móviles Argentina and the possibility of a two-player market. So what happens now?

After a lengthy investigative process, Mexico's telecommunications regulator Instituto Federal de Telecomunicaciones (IFT) has fined America Movil's subsidiary Telcel MXN1.78 billion (US$93.3 million) for alleged monopolistic practices.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is apparently capping connectivity costs for public Wi-Fi providers in what is widely seen as an effort to boost internet accessibility, but one that has not been well received by the companies whose infrastructure is helping to enable public Wi-Fi.

Ghana’s Communication and Technology Ministry announced that operators MTN, Telecel, and AirtelTigo have committed to investing a combined US$150 million this year to enhance their networks, driven by regulatory demands for improved service.