GSMA welcomes Mexican proposal to cut spectrum fees
MEXICO 09:23

GSMA welcomes Mexican proposal to cut spectrum fees

GSMA Latin America has welcomed a proposal from the Mexican government to reduce spectrum usage and exploitation fees in Mexico by 12 percent starting next year, calling it a positive step for the country's digital policy. The proposal included in the 2027 Economic Package submitted by the Executive Branch to Congress will serve to boost investment, connectivity, inclusion and innovation, said the industry body.

Cisco introduces on-premises Splunk AI built on Secure AI Factory architecture
GLOBAL 09:22

Cisco introduces on-premises Splunk AI built on Secure AI Factory architecture

Cisco is bringing features from its Splunk AI cybersecurity and visibility suite to on-premises customers through the Secure AI Factory with Nvidia initiative. In an expanded partnership with Nvidia, Cisco has launched a Splunk AI deployment playbook called Cisco AI Pod for Splunk, building on the modular AI Pod templates used in the Secure AI Factory reference architecture. This approach is intended to attract Splunk Enterprise customers with constraints around hosting sensitive data in the cloud.

NigComSat picks Hughes' Jupiter System to deploy 2A and 2B satellites
NIGERIA 09:17

NigComSat picks Hughes' Jupiter System to deploy 2A and 2B satellites

Nigerian Communications Satellite (NigComSat) has awarded EchoStar company Hughes Network Systems a contract to deploy its Jupiter gateway technology for the upcoming NigComSat-2A and 2B satellites. Hughes will supply a scalable Jupiter gateway system able to deploy capacity across NigComSat's new satellite fleet. The platform supports operations on the Ka, Ku and C bands, delivering high-speed broadband, enterprise services and government connectivity in Nigeria and neighbouring markets.

NPO shifts 2027 budget towards online, on-demand services
NETHERLANDS 09:08

NPO shifts 2027 budget towards online, on-demand services

Dutch public broadcaster NPO has proposed a shift in spending next year to on-demand and online output, with less for its traditional linear channels. According to the 2027 budget proposal, it also expects more income from its subscription streaming service, thanks to more subscribers and a price increase. 

Nigerian government aims to deploy 200 new telecom sites by December
NIGERIA 09:03

Nigerian government aims to deploy 200 new telecom sites by December

The Nigerian government plans to activate 200 new telecom sites by December under a nationwide effort to deliver connectivity to over 20 million unserved citizens, The Punch reported. ICT minister Bosun Tijani said the government plans to deploy 3,700 telecom towers across the country. Each tower is designed to connect between 5,000 and 10,000 residents.

NCC brings in Telecommunications Identity Risk Management System in October
NIGERIA 08:56

NCC brings in Telecommunications Identity Risk Management System in October

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) will launch its Telecommunications Identity Risk Management System (TIRMS) in October to curb mobile-linked financial fraud and identity theft, The Nation reported. The centralised platform has three core capabilities, namely monitoring mobile phone numbers across networks, flagging high-risk SIMs including swapped, recycled, abandoned or barred lines, and providing banks and service providers with up-to-date phone identity information for instant verification.

TIM offering 200GB, unlimited calls for under EUR 8
ITALY 08:55

TIM offering 200GB, unlimited calls for under EUR 8

Telecom Italia (TIM) has relaunched its range of plans aimed at new customers porting their number to the operator. They start at EUR 7.99 a month for the TIM Power Supreme Orange with 200GB of data at up to 5G speeds plus unlimited calls and 200 SMS for current customers porting their number from WindTre and Very Mobile.

Lebara NL celebrates 700,000 postpaid subscribers for 25th anniversary
NETHERLANDS 08:51

Lebara NL celebrates 700,000 postpaid subscribers for 25th anniversary

Lebara Netherlands announced the milestone of 700,000 postpaid subscribers. In a post on LinkedIn the company congratulated customers and staff, and said the progress was marked at a 25th anniversary celebration with its entire team. 

US invests USD 155 mln in WIOCC alongside Vision Invest and Africa Finance Corporation
AFRICA 08:44

US invests USD 155 mln in WIOCC alongside Vision Invest and Africa Finance Corporation

The US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) has announced an equity investment of up to USD 155 million in WIOCC Group to expand connectivity across Africa. It will be provided by DFC in partnership with Vision Invest and the Africa Finance Corporation. The investment will help WIOCC to expand its platform by upgrading subsea and terrestrial networks, adding nearly 25 MW of data centre capacity, and scaling its fibre subscriber base 100-fold by 2031. These initiatives should widen broadband a

Talpa reorganises with new divisions and branding
NETHERLANDS 08:33

Talpa reorganises with new divisions and branding

Dutch media group Talpa announced a reorganisation, bringing together its broadcast business Talpa Network with production unit Talpa Studios under a single brand with a new internally developed house style. At the same time Talpa Network will be divided into three business units: Talpa Video, Talpa Audio and Talpa Media. Talpa Studios will continue to operate as an international, independent producer within the group. Expertise in areas such as AI, innovation, data and technology will be combined at group

TV makers expand deal to cut US-Canada power use and bills
CANADA 08:27

TV makers expand deal to cut US-Canada power use and bills

The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) announced that major television manufacturers, operating system vendors and energy-efficiency groups have expanded a voluntary agreement to cut electricity use and household bills across the US and Canada. The programme is expected to save consumers around USD 1.8 billion a year once fully implemented.

Asus wins Covered List exemption for consumer router line-up
UNITED STATES 08:25

Asus wins Covered List exemption for consumer router line-up

Asus has won a conditional approval from the US FCC to import its entire consumer router portfolio for domestic sale. The approval means Asus is exempt from the Covered List prohibition introduced for all consumer routers manufactured abroad. The Taiwanese vendor claims the decision will support its commercialisation of next-generation wireless routers powered by the Wi-Fi 8 standard, while providing assurances to retail around stock and long-term software updates.

JORDAN 08:21

Zain Jordan opens contact centre in Karak under youth employment scheme

Zain Jordan and the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation have launched a customer service contact centre in Karak Governorate, creating fifteen sustainable youth jobs. The ministry said the opening is part of the Economic Modernisation Vision to strengthen public-private partnerships and expand youth opportunities in different governorates. Between 2018 and 2023, the ministry helped fund and establish eight contact centres in partnership with Zain, and with the addition of the Karak site, the

UNITED STATES 08:08

Amazon progresses Maryland PFE hub for Fastnet US-Ireland link

Amazon has unveiled plans for a Power Feed Equipment hub (PFE) in Maryland to bring electricity to the Fastnet subsea cable linking the US and Ireland. The PFE site would be situated at Maryland's Ocean City Municipal Airport in Worcester County. As the area is already in a planning zone, Amazon will need to ask county authorities to update its permitting code to allow a PFE building and overseas telecoms cables. The Fastsea cable is due to launch in 2028, linking Maryland and County Cork, Ireland at a desi

MALTA 08:05

Melita to acquire Epic in proposed Malta mobile consolidation

Melita and Epic Communications have agreed to combine their operations in Malta. Under the proposed transaction, Melita will acquire 100 percent of Epic from its parent company Monaco Telecom. If approved by regulators, the deal would leave the country with just two mobile network operators rather than three. No financial details were disclosed.

GLOBAL 08:04

Samsung begins One UI 9.0 rollout with Galaxy S26 series

Samsung has officially announced the launch of its One UI 9.0 software interface across Galaxy smartphones, starting with a stable update for the Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26+ and Galaxy S26 Ultra. More eligible devices will receive the update in the coming weeks, including the Galaxy A25, A35, A36, A37, A55, A56, A57, S23, S24, S25, Z Flip 6, Z Flip 7, Z Fold 6 and Z Fold 7.

UNITED KINGDOM 07:58

3 UK confirms pricing for new iPhone 18 models

3 UK has confirmed pricing for the new iPhone 18 and Apple Watch devices. Customers can get the new iPhone 18 Pro range from GBP 51.88 per month with 30GB data on a 36-month device plan (GBP 34.88) and 24-month Lite airtime plan (GBP 17). The Apple Watch Series 12 (42mm) is available from GBP 13.50 per month over 36 months; with the new AirPods 5 starting at GBP 119. Customers can save up to GBP 855 on a new iPhone 18 model when trading in an iPhone 17 Pro Max 2TB. 

KENYA 07:56

Kenya govt appeals against court decision reversing Safaricom share sale to Vodacom Group

The Kenyan government filed a notice of appeal on 16 September against a High Court ruling that canceled the sale of a 15 percent stake in Safaricom to Vodacom. Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has expressed confidence that the transaction was lawful and included proper public participation. He said the National Treasury will pursue the appeal vigorously to overturn the decision.

UNITED KINGDOM 07:52

BT says over 95% of customers have migrated to digital landlines

BT is expanding a trial to encourage customers who have not responded to communications about the PSTN service withdrawal to get in touch and take action. A recent trial saw BT temporarily pause broadband service for a small group of customers who failed to respond to multiple letters, e-mails, calls and texts over the last two years. This was done safely by keeping their landline services running. 

GERMANY 07:48

Deutsche Telekom instals masts using LTE 1500 MHz frequencies at Oktoberfest for first time

Deutsche Telekom said it has installed mobile telecom masts providing LTE 1500 MHz bands at the festival site of the upcoming Oktoberfest this year, the first time it has deployed these frequencies there. They are used primarily for downloads, enabling higher data speeds and increased capacity for a large number of users. This year, Telekom has installed fourteen temporary mobile sites at the Oktoberfest venue to provide LTE connections in the 1800, 2100 and 2600 MHz frequency bands, as well as 5G in the 21

SPAIN 07:44

Vodafone Spain lands 3-year Amazon mobile connectivity deal

Vodafone Spain (Zegona) has secured a three-year deal to manage Amazon's mobile connectivity across the country, according to sources cited by business daily Cinco Dias. The contract, previously held by Telefonica, encompasses the rollout and support of more than 4,000 corporate mobile lines nationwide. Vodafone already supplies fixed-line services to Amazon's Spanish headquarters, logistics hubs and warehouses.

JAPAN 07:43

SoftBank, partners demo ground-based real-time tracking, laser ranging of HAPS operating in stratosphere

SoftBank, Hitotsubashi University and the National Institute of Polar Research (NIPR) have demonstrated ground-based real-time tracking and laser ranging of a High Altitude Platform Station (HAPS) operating in the stratosphere. For the demonstration, NIPR developed a corner cube reflector (CCR) for installation on a HAPS, while SoftBank developed a reflector assembly incorporating the CCR. The reflector was installed on an LTA (Lighter Than Air)-type HAPS operated by Sceye.

CANADA 07:43

Canada, Germany invest in safe-by-design AI company LawZero

The Canadian and German governments plans to invest CAD 150 million and EUR 100 million respectively in Montreal-based LawZero, non-profit developing a new form of advanced AI that is safe, trustworthy and transparent by design. Canada's funding will be made through the Strategic Response Fund and be used to support research and engineering workers and computing capacity for the LawZero's 'Scientist AI' methodology. 

SOUTH AFRICA 07:38

South African competition tribunal clears AIIM-backed acquisition of Vantage's JNB11 data centre

The Competition Tribunal has approved a merger allowing Main Street 2156, managed by African Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM), to take sole control of the JNB11 data centre by acquiring all the shares in VDC JNB11 Opco and Propco from Vantage Data Centres South Africa. AIIM is a subsidiary of Old Mutual Alternative Investments with a portfolio of South African telecom assets including 100 percent of Octotel and a 37 percent stake in MetroFibre, making it MetroFibre's single biggest shareholder.

Just In

09:23

GSMA welcomes Mexican proposal to cut spectrum fees

09:22

Cisco introduces on-premises Splunk AI built on Secure AI Factory architecture

09:17

NigComSat picks Hughes' Jupiter System to deploy 2A and 2B satellites

09:08

NPO shifts 2027 budget towards online, on-demand services

Commentary

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11 AUG 10:49

Can Ziggo Group creation improve visibility for the Dutch market?

2 JUL 11:26

Canal Plus misses chance to strengthen Dutch business, time for exit?

23 JUN 09:56

ACM blocks Delta/Glaspoort deal - what can KPN do?

Background

14 SEP 00:34

The week in telecom: iPhone comes to foldable market, European satellite summit underlines sovereign push

7 SEP 11:54

Citymesh capital injection eases doubts over Digi Belgium future

6 SEP 21:46

The week in telecom: smart wearables at Ifa, Deutsche Telekom reshuffle and Vodafone tries premium 5G

30 AUG 23:50

The week in telecom: Meta pays up, SKT and MTN monetise data centres, and mobile network-sharing in demand