Regulation

Apple has complied with an order from the Cyberspace Administration of China to pull WhatsApp and Threads from the Chinese version of the App Store.

Peru’s Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC) has published a draft decree in line with the Regulation of the Law for the Promotion of a Connected Peru, passed in June last year, in which it lays out a number of proposals, notably the partial phasing out of public telephones.

The Togo Digital Agency (Agence Togo Digital or ATD) is said to be working on a plan to speed up the digitisation of Togo’s public services.

The Association of Mobile Telecom Operators in Bangladesh (AMTOB) has reportedly called on the government to lower taxes on telecoms companies, saying the current tax structure is limiting sector growth and hobbling the government’s own "Smart Bangladesh" strategy.

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) has published what it calles the Draft Radio Frequency Migration Plan (Draft RFMP) and the Draft International Mobile Telecommunication Roadmap (Draft IMTR) for public consultation.

Not surprisingly perhaps, the pace of technological change is forcing governments to move quickly – or to try to move quickly – to keep up, as indicated by recent news from India.

In a deal announced last week on its website by Ghana’s National Communications Authority (NCA), the NCA and the Autorité de Régulation des Communications Électroniques et de la Poste (ARCEP) of Benin say they have signed a bilateral roaming service agreement.

India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT) reportedly announced on Friday that it has launched an experimental licence module that will allow its established 5G labs across India to test 5G use cases.

India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has reportedly pushed back its next spectrum auction from May 20 to June 6 so that it can take place after the country’s general elections.

Telecom Namibia (TN) the state-owned telecommunications operator, has taken what it describes as a proactive step to align with regulatory requirements by deactivating 191,598 unregistered prepaid subscriber identity module (SIM) cards.

Malaysia’s communications watchdog opened a public consultation to review its licensing process and refocus how payment for licences will be made. 

The Indian government has announced plans to geotag key telecom infrastructure, including telecom towers and optical fibre cables, to facilitate coordination, particularly in disaster situations.

Malaysia's communications minister says the government’s National Digital Network (a.k.a. JENDELA) programme to upgrade its broadband infrastructure is on track to be completed by the end of next year, with much of the work already done.

A roadmap for a 5G launch and the system for granting licenses and marketing the service were announced by Tunisa’s Minister of Communication Technologies Nizar Ben Neji earlier this week.

Vietnam Posts and Telecommunications Group (VNPT) is the second telco to score 5G spectrum this month after reportedly winning the auction for the 3700-3800 MHz band.

Bangladesh operators Grameenphone, Banglalink, Robi Axiata and Teletalk have each received a unified licence from Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to streamline their operations and 5G evolution paths.

Google’s in-app payment policies are once again under scrutiny from India’s competition authorities.

The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) has reportedly urged the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to do more to stop the theft of telecoms gear from cell towers, which has escalated in the last few months amid aggressive 5G rollouts.

Cambodia’s Minister of Posts and Telecommunication has reportedly promised that the ministry is preparing to launch 5G technology in in the “near future” to support the country’s digital ambitions.

NOW Telecom suffered another legal setback in its quest to become the next major telco in the Philippines after the Supreme Court upheld earlier rulings denying its petition for a preliminary injunction against the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).

An ongoing dispute between Google and Indian start-ups over charges in its Android and Play Store app ecosystem seems to have escalated in the past few days.

Vietnam will reportedly begin blocking signals for 2G-only mobile phones next month as part of its broader plan to fully phase out 2G service later this year.

While 5G in much of India seems to be rolling out in record time, the same cannot be said of 5G services in and around airports. Could that soon change, however?

The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa competition commission opened an investigation into American Tower Corporation and Airtel Africa, for alleged anti-competitive conduct, after the two companies signed a partnership agreement in 2022. 

Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang has reportedly approved the country’s national data strategy up to 2030, which includes a plan to establish a national data services market.

Thailand’s Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DES) has reportedly finalised its proposal to deploy a cell broadcast emergency warning system later this year to be used during disasters, terrorist attacks or civil unrest.

Only days after Movistar’s request to suspend the process was turned down by the Court for the Defence of Free Competition (TDLC), Chilean telecommunications services regulator Subtel has again adjusted the calendar for the next 5G spectrum auction, which will award frequencies in the 3.5GHz band.

Operators MTN Nigeria and Globacom have, according to local news reports, agreed to resolve their latest dispute over interconnection fees.