All Tech News

Axess Networks, a global provider of satellite communications solutions, has announced plans to connect more than 700 new 4G nodes via satellite as part of the CFE TEIT programme, a national development plan in Mexico. TEIT stands for TElecomunicaciones e Internet para Todos or Telecommunications and Internet for All.

The Middle East data centre market has been in the news recently, with plans announced for a massive new data centre in Cairo and the arrival of a new report suggesting impressive growth expected for Oman’s data centre sector.

Private networks are in the news again. This time Sociedad Portuaria Puerto Bahía, a port terminal in Cartagena, Colombia, is announcing that it is the first multipurpose terminal to adopt a private 4G technology in Latin America after a deal involving Nokia and operator Claro Colombia.

The new Nokia Middle East and Africa (MEA) Mobile Broadband Index research report is out. It confirms that the Middle East is far ahead of Africa in terms of 5G adoption, and that many operators in Africa are still developing their business models around 4G.

Ecobank Kenya, in collaboration with Fingo, a Kenyan fintech, has unveiled the Fingo Africa banking app, aimed at young people. Launched last week in Nairobi, the app will roll out across Ecobank’s pan-African footprint of 33 countries as well as France, the UK, the UAE and China.

South Africa’s Eastern Cape is getting its own internet exchange point (IXP). INX-ZA, an autonomous division of the Internet Service Providers’ Association (ISPA) of South Africa, has launched the Nelson Mandela Bay IXP, or NMBINX in Gqeberha, about 770 km east of Cape Town, providing what is described as a boost for business and for the growth and development of the Eastern Cape internet ecosystem.

Bolivia and Costa Rica have separately issued major updates regarding 5G progress in their markets.

Carrier-neutral data centre services provider GPX Global Systems, in collaboration with Redcon Group, a major name in construction, has announced a new data centre investment in Egypt.

Hispasat has secured the infrastructure deals required for its Amazonas Nexus satellite to begin operations.

Cuba's second-ever submarine cable, connecting Cuba to Martinique and deployed by Orange, is now being tested. The testing process began in April.

Orange Jordan has chosen Nokia’s 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) equipment for its nationwide deployment.

Philippines-based NOW Corporation, which has investments in telecoms, media, and technology, and low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite communications company OneWeb have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to bring high-speed, low-latency broadband connectivity to the Philippines.

Underlining the massive streaming potential of the mobile phone user market in Africa, Wi-flix, described as the fastest-growing streaming platform in Africa, has expanded its presence to Zambia following the launch of packages with mobile telecommunications giant MTN.

Zoom Video Communications (ZVC) India, a division of video-first unified communications platform provider Zoom, has announced that it has received three licenses from the Indian Department of Telecommunications (DoT): a unified license with pan-India access, a national long-distance licence, and an international long-distance licence.

A new partnership aims to offer advanced satellite data and monitoring that, the partners say, will transform disaster response and environmental monitoring in Southeast Asia.

Vodacom has become the first operator in Mozambique to launch commercial 5G, with its network now available in Maputo City.

In an unusual turn of events, India’s operators are said to be asking for a relaxation in 26GHz 5G rollout rules because there are not enough 26GHz-capable devices to make it worthwhile.

4G is about to become a reality in São Tomé and Príncipe in the Gulf of Guinea, off the western equatorial coast of Central Africa, thanks to Unitel STP, which has announced that it has become the first mobile operator to launch commercial 4G services in the country, after receiving approval from regulator AGER.

GTT (Guyana Telephone and Telegraph) is partnering with domestic satellite firm Wansat to deliver satellite connectivity to Guyana’s rural regions.

Tomorrow will see a potentially significant development for the Sierra Leonean economy as the Bank of Sierra Leone officially launches the National Payment Switch, a system that, it is hoped, will move the country closer to achieving the objective of building a cashless economy.

Flō Networks, a provider of digital infrastructure solutions, has announced that it has completed the acquisition of American Tower's Mexico fibre business, ATC Holding Fibra México (known commercially as redIT), and its high-capacity fibre optic network, which maintains a dense presence in over 40 cities throughout Mexico.

Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi and telecom tower infrastructure provider Indus Towers this week both unveiled plans to substantially reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Analyst firm Canalys reported smartphone shipments in China saw an 11% year-on-year decline in Q1 2023 to 67.6 million units, a fifth consecutive quarter of decline for the Chinese market, as it continues to recover from Covid-19 restrictions.

India’s RMZ Corp, one of one of Asia's largest privately-owned real estate owners, investors and developers, is reported to be expanding into three new asset classes, including data centres.

Vietnamese technology giant FPT is said to be planning to build a cable to connect Vietnam with the undersea Asia Link Cable.

Telecentro Argentina has selected solutions from Nokia for its network transformation.

Indian telecommunications provider Bharti Airtel has teamed up with Secure Meters, a company that focuses on users of energy in homes and workplaces to help reduce energy waste, to deploy 1.3 million smart meters in Bihar, a state in eastern India. The smart meters will use NB-IoT services.

Two more indications of the growing role of renewable energy in network rollout – both to save the environment and to save money – have come from Brazil and Bahrain.

Latin America and Africa could be among the beneficiaries of plans recently announced  by Gilat and Intelsat to strengthen their strategic partnership.

In another example of the growing interest in 5G shown by many industries, Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL)-Bokaro Steel Plant (BSL) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Telecommunications Consultants India Ltd (TCIL) to explore the potential of applications of 5G and other wireless communication technologies in its SAIL-Bokaro Steel Plant.

Rack Centre, which describes itself as the only carrier and cloud-neutral Tier III Constructed Facility Certified data centre in Africa, has revealed plans to build a new 12MW data centre in the Ikeja area of Lagos in Nigeria.

Africell has launched its mobile money platform Afrimoney in Angola as the operator highlighted low mobile finance penetration in the country in its pursuit of growth.  

Tanzania's incumbent telecom operator Tanzania Telecommunications Company Limited (TTCL) has signed a Tsh 37.3 billion (US$15.9 million) contract with tech giant Huawei for the extension of the country’s National ICT Broadband Backbone (NICTBB) to 23 districts.