Icasa still working on rules for mobile data rollover
SOUTH AFRICA 07:50

Icasa still working on rules for mobile data rollover

 The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) is working on new rules that will allow consumers to roll over their mobile data bundles, MyBroadband.co.za reported. Parks Tau, the Minister of Trade, Industry, and Competition, said that Icasa is finalising the regulations for publication. Tau, who was responding to a Parliamentary question, said the regulations will address the rollover and transfer of data bundles to align with the Consumer Protection Act.

One Hungary fined over misleading pricing
HUNGARY 07:44

One Hungary fined over misleading pricing

The Hungarian Competition Authority (GVH) has issued a HUF 352 million fine to One Hungary, the successor to Vodafone Hungary, for failing to clearly communicate inflation-linked price adjustments to consumers between October 2022 and May 2024. The GVH's investigation found that Vodafone Hungary's advertising of loyalty packages was misleading. While promotions highlighted monthly fees, they did not adequately inform consumers about the potential for annual price increases due to inflation. This meant custo

Iran shuts down internet amid widespread violence
IRAN (ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF) 07:43

Iran shuts down internet amid widespread violence

Iran has shut down the internet across the country to curb growing unrest as videos showed anti-government protests raging across the country, Reuters reported. Iran's Ministry of information and communications technology said the decision to shut down the internet was made "by the competent security authorities under the prevailing circumstances of the country."

Pakistan to grant MVNO licences
PAKISTAN 07:41

Pakistan to grant MVNO licences

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority has officially launched the Mobile Virtual Network Operator policy framework, after receiving formal approval from the Federal Cabinet. This initiative allows new service providers to offer nationwide mobile and data services under their own brand names, without holding spectrum, using the existing infrastructure of established mobile network operators.

Starlink gets FCC approval to double satellite constellation
UNITED STATES 07:41

Starlink gets FCC approval to double satellite constellation

Starlink has received approval from the US Federal Communications Commission to double its satellite fleet. Under this grant, its owner SpaceX is authorized to construct, deploy and operate an additional 7,500 Starlink satellites as the second phase of its constellation, bringing the total to 15,000 satellites worldwide. The wider constellation is expected to support improved coverage, speed and latency from the satellite internet service, as well as the wider roll-out of direct-to-device mobile satellite s

SKS Technologies completes Delta Elcom acquisition for AUD 12.5 million
AUSTRALIA 06:51

SKS Technologies completes Delta Elcom acquisition for AUD 12.5 million

Australian IT services company SKS Technologies Group has completed its acquisition of Sydney-based data centre specialist company Delta Elcom, following an earlier announcement in December. Delta Elcom is an electrical and communications contractor specialising in data centre infrastructure and complex technology projects. The business generates annual revenue of around AUD 25 million and provides design, installation and maintenance services across data centre construction, network cabling and integrated

Meta removes almost 550,000 under-16 accounts in Australia
AUSTRALIA 06:30

Meta removes almost 550,000 under-16 accounts in Australia

Meta said it had removed access to almost 550,000 accounts belonging to users it believes are under the age of 16, one month after Australia's social media age ban law came into force. The company said the removals took place by 11 December 2025 as part of its initial compliance with the legislation. In an update on its Australian and New Zealand policy blog, Meta said ongoing compliance would involve a multi-layered approach that it expects to refine over time. It reiterated concerns about the lack of an i

LG Uplus expands membership programme benefits for 2026
KOREA, REPUBLIC OF 06:28

LG Uplus expands membership programme benefits for 2026

LG Uplus has announced an expansion of benefits under its flagship membership programme, U+2+, as it enters 2026, adding new food delivery, dining and leisure offers alongside incentives for long-term customers. From 13 January, eligible customers can access the updated benefits through the operator's U+one app. As part of the changes, LG Uplus will offer a two-month free subscription to Baemin Club, the paid delivery service from Baedal Minjok, marking the first time a Korean mobile operator has bundled th

NTT applies to shift telegram service to special correspondence framework
JAPAN 06:26

NTT applies to shift telegram service to special correspondence framework

NTT East and NTT West have applied for government approval to operate their telegram service under Japan's special correspondence delivery regime, following amendments to the Telecommunications Business Act. The two operators said they have submitted an application to the minister for internal affairs and communications to begin operating as a licensed "specified correspondence delivery" provider. The move reflects legal changes that will remove telegram services from the scope of regulation under the Telec

Industry seeks clarity as Korean AI Framework Act looms
KOREA, REPUBLIC OF 06:23

Industry seeks clarity as Korean AI Framework Act looms

South Korea is preparing to enforce what it describes as the world's first comprehensive AI law, positioning itself as an early regulator of AI as global rules remain fragmented, according to the Korea Herald, citing industry sources. The AI Framework Act, passed in December 2024, is due to take effect on 22 January, with the government promising a one-year grace period before penalties are applied.

SK AX gains first government recognition for gen AI certification
KOREA, REPUBLIC OF 06:21

SK AX gains first government recognition for gen AI certification

South Korea's SK AX has received government recognition for its generative AI skills certification scheme, marking the first such approval in South Korea for a programme focused on generative AI capabilities. The company said its AI Competency Certification Platform had been approved under the "company qualification government recognition system" by the ministry of employment and labour and the human resources development service of Korea.

KT has lost over 210,000 customers since penalty waiver
KOREA, REPUBLIC OF 06:18

KT has lost over 210,000 customers since penalty waiver

More than 210,000 customers of Korea Telecom (KT) have left the operator for a different service provider after it began waiving early termination fees following its major data breach, according to Maeil Business, citing industry sources. As of 11 January, 210,603 KT users switched to rival carriers since 31 December, averaging more than 17,000 departures per day. On 8 January alone, 24,252 subscribers left KT, including 15,701 who moved to SK Telecom (SKT). On 10 January, as more users moved to other carri

KOREA, REPUBLIC OF 06:17

South Korea steps up AI cooperation with Nvidia and OpenAI

South Korea's ministry of science and ICT has moved to deepen international cooperation on AI following senior-level meetings with Nvidia and OpenAI in California, alongside engagement with Korean-founded startups and investors in the US. The ministry said second vice minister Ryu Je-myoung visited the headquarters of Nvidia and OpenAI on 9 January, as part of efforts to strengthen public-private collaboration on AI infrastructure, talent development and safety. The visit builds on discussions held last yea

NETHERLANDS 06:17

Broadband, TV, mobile soon most popular multi-play bundle

Broadband, TV and mobile (BBTVMO) is set to become the most popular consumer multi-play bundle in 2026 in the Netherlands. According to research by Telecompaper, the combination already had the second biggest subscriber base in Q3 2025, at one in four households in the Netherlands.

AUSTRALIA 06:13

Wild weather and vandalism disrupt telecoms across Australia

Telecommunications services in parts of north Queensland were disrupted over the weekend after vandalism damaged network infrastructure as Tropical Cyclone Koji approached the coast, compounding challenges for operators managing severe weather impacts. An unplanned outage caused by vandalism disrupted services to around 5,000 premises in parts of Townsville on Saturday 10 January. According to an NBN Co spokesperson, technicians worked through the night and restored services for the majority of affected cus

KOREA, REPUBLIC OF 06:09

ChatGPT tops Korea's mobile app downloads last year

ChatGPT ranked first in new installations in South Korea's mobile application market last year, far outpacing other apps, according to IGAWorks' Mobile Index. ChatGPT reached 16.57 million cumulative new downloads last year, the highest among all mobile applications. The number of ChatGPT users leapt by 341 percent from January to December last year, pushing its overall ranking up to 27th. According to Maeil Business, citing company sources, the number of active devices using the app also reached 19.49 mill

UNITED STATES 06:07

SoftBank and OpenAI to invest USD 1 billion in SB Energy

OpenAI and SoftBank Group have agreed to invest USD 1 billion into SB Energy, which is backed by SoftBank and Ares Management, to support the buildout of AI data centres as part of the Stargate initiative. OpenAI and SoftBank are each investing USD 500 million into SB Energy. OpenAI has also selected SBE to build and operate its previously-announced 1.2 GW data centre site in Milam County. The equity funding supports SB Energy's growth as a development and execution partner for data centre campuses and asso

UNITED STATES 06:05

Meta sets out US nuclear power agreements to support data centre growth

Meta has announced a series of agreements to support existing and new nuclear power projects in the United States, with the aim of securing long-term electricity supply for its data centre and AI infrastructure. The company said the projects could support up to 6.6 GW of new and existing nuclear capacity by 2035, supplying grids that serve Meta's operations, including its Prometheus data centre cluster in New Albany, Ohio.

JAPAN 06:02

CAICA Digital completes Web3 IoT trial using 5G RedCap and MQTT

Japan's CAICA Digital has completed the second phase of a proof-of-concept trial for its Web3-based IoT integration initiative, advancing work on a real-time machine-to-machine and edge computing platform using 5G RedCap and MQTT. The trial is being carried out jointly with its subsidiary, NCXX, and is structured in three stages: initial implementation of an M2M and MEC platform, enhancement of communication protocols, and the planned introduction of decentralised identity authentication.

GLOBAL 06:00

Kepler launches first optical relay satellites

Satellite company Kepler Communications announced the successful launch of the first tranche of its optical relay satellites aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. The satellites will now begin commissioning as Kepler transitions its optical data relay network into operational service. The tranche consists of 10 satellites, each approximately 300 kilograms, equipped with high-capacity SDA-compatible optical terminals and multi-GPU on-orbit compute modules with terabyte

PAKISTAN 04:35

Pakistan to slash taxes on mobile phone imports

Pakistan's National Assembly Standing Committee on Finance has formally directed the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and the Ministry of Finance to reassess the current tax structure for imported mobile phones. The FBR is expected to submit a report with specific 'policy options' for tax reduction by March 2026.

PAKISTAN 03:46

Jazz unveils JazzWorld corporate identity, appoints chief AI officer

Pakistani operator Jazz has unveiled 'JazzWorld', its refreshed corporate group identity. The operator says JazzWorld reflects its evolution into a multi-business organization, bringing together connectivity, digital, financial, lifestyle, health, data centre, AI, and platform businesses under one unified vision.

GLOBAL 00:04

The week in telecoms: CES brings Wi-Fi 8 and more smart glasses, while Warner sticks with Netflix

CES last week brought news of more smart glasses and the first Wi-Fi 8 products, while Samsung's preliminary earnings report suggests the Korean company is profiting fully from the AI-driven demand for memory chips. Warner Bros meanwhile has decided to stick with Netflix and officially rejected Paramount's rival offer, while Italy takes a stance on Cloudflare's role in piracy and gets a new network sharing alliance.

BELGIUM 9 JAN

Orange Belgium's Hey! wins brand of the year award

Orange Belgium's budget brand Hey! has been named Brand of the Year for 2026 by Product of the Year (POY) Belgium. This is the first time a telecom brand has been named in this category, with the award based on a survey of around 10,000 consumers. 

Just In

07:50

Icasa still working on rules for mobile data rollover

07:44

One Hungary fined over misleading pricing

07:43

Iran shuts down internet amid widespread violence

07:41

Pakistan to grant MVNO licences

Commentary

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15 DEC 2025 13:56

Video market set for slower growth ahead

8 DEC 2025 11:38

Netflix buys Warner Bros to deepen content catalogue

31 OCT 2025 11:11

KPN's mixed performance in Q3 raises questions for strategy day

Background

00:04

The week in telecoms: CES brings Wi-Fi 8 and more smart glasses, while Warner sticks with Netflix

5 JAN 00:52

The week in telecom: Finnish security check, M&A completions and telco job cuts

23 DEC 2025 10:32

Netherlands TV-video market grows 2.6% in Q3 to EUR 759 mln

22 DEC 2025 00:25

The week in telecoms: YouTube, Instagram take on TV market and WBD rejects Paramount