Claro Costa Rica expands 5G to over 2 million, launches mid-year promo
COSTA RICA 10:19

Claro Costa Rica expands 5G to over 2 million, launches mid-year promo

Claro Costa Rica (America Movil) said it has expanded its 5G network coverage across all seven provinces of the country, reaching more than 2.1 million people, with the highest concentration of users in the Greater Metropolitan Area and sustained growth in Guanacaste, Puntarenas and Limón. Users can access the 5G service without additional cost, reaching speeds up to 10 times faster than 4G LTE, said Claro, which has launched a mid-year campaign to mark the milestone.

Veon's revenue in Bangladesh up 4% in Q2, tops 35 million mobile users in June
BANGLADESH 10:17

Veon's revenue in Bangladesh up 4% in Q2, tops 35 million mobile users in June

Veon reports that its Bangladeshi operations generate USD 120 million in revenue in the second quarter of 2026, which represents an increase of 3.1 percent year-on-year in reported US dollar terms and 4.1 percent in local currency. For the first half of 2026, Bangladesh revenue reached USD 236 million, up 3.7 percent year-on-year. Revenue growth was supported by pricing actions, improved customer monetisation and a larger contribution from digital services, Veon added.

Vodafone Germany brings 130,000 new fibre connections to market in June
GERMANY 10:16

Vodafone Germany brings 130,000 new fibre connections to market in June

Vodafone Deutschland said there are now 31 million households in Germany able to access its gigabit-speed broadband services via coaxial cable or fibre, or about three quarters of the population. It began marketing another 130,000 fibre connections in June, bringing its fibre reach to 14.8 million households.

Veon revenue in Pakistan jumps nearly 27% in Q2, tops 75 million mobile customers in June
PAKISTAN 09:59

Veon revenue in Pakistan jumps nearly 27% in Q2, tops 75 million mobile customers in June

Veon reports that its Pakistan business (Jazz and Mobilink Bank) generated USD 500 million in revenue in the second quarter of 2026, which represents an increase of 26.6 percent year-on-year in reported US dollar terms and 25.3 percent in local currency. For the first half of 2026, Pakistan revenue reached USD 956 million, up 23.5 percent year-on-year. Veon said its Pakistani business revenue growth was driven by continued price monetization in connectivity services, expansion of digital services, and stron

Spain launches EUR 18 mln 'very rural' 5G call
SPAIN 09:37

Spain launches EUR 18 mln 'very rural' 5G call

Spain's Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Administration has launched a new EUR 17.9 million funding call to deploy standalone 5G networks in remote rural areas that currently lack both 4G and 5G coverage. Dubbed "5G Redes Muy Rurales" (Very Rural 5G Networks), the programme targets locations where commercial rollouts are not planned within the next three years with a view to extending next-generation connectivity to the most isolated parts of the country.

India unveils proposal to create telecoms production powerhouse in Madhya Pradesh
INDIA 09:31

India unveils proposal to create telecoms production powerhouse in Madhya Pradesh

India is preparing to establish a dedicated telecom manufacturing and research zone (TMZ) in the state of Madhya Pradesh. The policy envisages the construction of a 350-acre industrial cluster in the town of Gwalior, capitalising on Madhya Pradesh's arterial location within India. The national government believes the project will attract an influential congregation of telecom manufacturers and innovators, with a focus on building turnkey production and research capacity to encourage domestic businesses.

Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry partners CRAN to expand digital economy
NAMIBIA 09:22

Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry partners CRAN to expand digital economy

The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) and the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) have signed a memorandum of understanding to accelerate digital economy growth, promote inclusive participation and strengthen public-private sector cooperation. NCCI CEO Titus Nampala said the partnership will provide chamber members with essential resources, knowledge and support to adapt to the fast-evolving digital marketplace. 

Helios Towers expects satellite technology to complement terrestrial networks as data demand grows
AFRICA 09:12

Helios Towers expects satellite technology to complement terrestrial networks as data demand grows

Helios Towers has published a white paper detailing how communications infrastructure should evolve to meet surging connectivity demand across Africa and the Middle East. It says terrestrial networks will continue to provide core capacity but that satellite technologies will support them by providing backhaul service and filling coverage gaps. Over the past five years, data consumption has climbed six-fold on Helios' footprint, driving record tenancy additions in the first quarter of 2026. Driven by populat

Elisa Estonia reports 9% fall in smartphone sales in H1
ESTONIA 09:12

Elisa Estonia reports 9% fall in smartphone sales in H1

Estonian operator Elisa said that sales of smartphones declined by more than 9 percent in the first half of this year. Nevertheless, revenues grew by more than 3 percent as the average retail price of a device increased by more than 14 percent. The Apple iPhone 17 Pro was the best-seller devices among consumer customers, followed by the Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone 17, Samsung Galaxy A17 5G and Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G.   

KT teams up with DeepX, Sesol to develop AI edge devices for transport market
KOREA, REPUBLIC OF 09:08

KT teams up with DeepX, Sesol to develop AI edge devices for transport market

KT announced a partnership with chipmaker DeepX and transport equipment specialist Sesol to develop edge AI devices and services for commercial vehicles. The AI edge boxes will be equipped with low-power and low-heat NPUs from DeepX, supporting the expansion of on-device AI services such as real-time video analysis for transport equipment like EV charging stations and mobile CCTVs. 

Digi Spain to sponsor Real Murcia until 2028
SPAIN 09:04

Digi Spain to sponsor Real Murcia until 2028

Spanish MVNO Digi Mobil, a subsidiary of Romania's Digi Communications Group, has announced its sixth sports sponsorship deal of the month, this time agreeing to become an official sponsor of Primera Federacion football team Real Murcia until the end of the 2027-2028 season. Under the agreement, Digi's logo will appear on the back of the men's first team jersey as whole as on those of the reserve and youth teams.

Ooredoo Maldives offers Truecaller Premium direct billing amid 21st anniversary promotions
MALDIVES 09:01

Ooredoo Maldives offers Truecaller Premium direct billing amid 21st anniversary promotions

Ooredoo Maldives has launched Truecaller Premium via direct mobile billing as part of its 21st-anniversary celebrations on 01 August. The integration lets subscribers pay via their Ooredoo account for Truecaller Premium, which offers advanced spam protection, profile-view insights, Incognito Mode, an ad-free interface and a verification badge. The operator is running anniversary promotions for customers of various services, too.

GERMANY 08:54

Ennoconn tender for Kontron still pending German foreign investment clearance

Almost 12.3 million shares in Kontron, equal to 19.5 percent of the outstanding shares, were tendered in Ennoconn's public bid for an increased stake in the company. In a statement, Kontron noted that the transfer of the shares to Ennoconn still requires regulatory approval, with Germany yet to decide on the transaction. 

RUSSIAN FEDERATION 08:47

Rostelecom expands fibre network in Kirov, Yugra

Russian national operator Rostelecom has deployed its fibre-optic network in the town of Pizhanka in the Kirov region to 1,350 households, delivering broadband at up to 700 Mbps for customers on the GPON network. The operator also covered 2,000 households with its fibre-optic network in the Nefteyugansk municipality in the Yugra region, providing broadband at up to 350 Mbps. In addition, Rostelecom said it upgraded the telecom infrastructure exchange in the city of Maykop in the Krasnodar region.

AFRICA 08:43

Vodacom Business offers Huawei SD-WAN service to SMMEs

Vodacom Business is offering a managed, carrier-grade Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) service with Huawei to small, micro, and medium enterprises (SMMEs). It is designed for rapid deployment and simplified administration and enables businesses to modernise their connectivity infrastructure, improve network performance and support cloud-based operations. Vodacom Business managing executive for fixed and mobile products Ismail Gani said the service lets SMMEs to expand their network reach efficien

SPAIN 08:42

Hispasat's Arganda del Rey teleport achieves WTA Tier 4 certification

The World Teleport Association (WTA) has granted Tier 4 Full certification to Hispasat's Arganda del Rey teleport near Madrid, the highest level in the industry body's independent assessment scheme. The designation, which will remain valid for three years, follows an on-site audit that validated the facility's infrastructure, redundancy and operational procedures against the programme's rigorous standards. 

GLOBAL 08:42

Veon raises guidance again after 17% revenue growth in Q2

Veon is raising its full-year guidance again after solid growth in the second quarter. Revenues for the three months to June rose 17.0 percent to USD 1.27 billion, and EBITDA was up 6.2 percent to USD 552 million. Veon now expects annual revenue growth of 15–18 percent, up from a previous forecast of 11-14 percent, and EBITDA growth of 9-12 percent, up from 7-10 percent under its outlook issued in May.

NAMIBIA 08:34

Telecom Namibia board extends tenure of acting CEO for 6 months

Telecom Namibia's board of directors has extended the appointment of Armando Perny as acting CEO for six more months from 01 August until 31 January 2027. The extension ensures leadership continuity at the state-owned telecoms provider. The operator said it will publish updates about the permanent executive appointment process in due course.

UNITED KINGDOM 08:28

Openreach launches campaign to prepare for PSTN shutdown in 6 months

UK network operator Openreach is launching a public campaign to raise awareness of the upcoming shutdown of its copper network. PSTN service is set to end on 31 January 2027, and Openreach is launches its 'Big Switch Off' campaign to raise awareness amongst service providers and businesses still using the services.

GLOBAL 08:25

Intel Capital backs USD 300 mln funding for connectivity and switch silicon developer Xsight Labs

Connectivity silicon developer Xsight Labs has announced the completion of a USD 300 million+ funding round at a post-money valuation of around USD 2.8 billion. The transaction is led by Fidelity Management & Research Company with participation from unnamed investors in Xsight's existing shareholder base, as well as new participants. These include chipmaker Intel's corporate venturing arm, Intel Capital, in addition to Aliya Capital Partners, Atreides Management, Artisan Partners, Battery Ventures and Diago

ITALY 08:21

Open Fiber, INRiM launch test of certified time, quantum-secure networks

Italian wholesale fibre operator Open Fiber and the National Institute for Metrological Research (INRiM) have begun a 14-month collaboration to test ultra high precision time synchronisation, quantum communications and distributed fibre sensing technologies on optical networks. The aim is to integrate advanced metrology with telecommunications to make digital infrastructure more precise, secure and resilient for critical applications such as financial trading, energy grids, data centres and industrial platf

NIGERIA 08:21

IHS Nigeria donates business equipment to disabled traders in Abuja

IHS Nigeria has donated business support equipment for the benefit of disabled people in the Karonmajiji community of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The donation was part of the IHS Project Empower framework. Based on a localised needs assessment, the programme provided traders with practical business tools rather than cash grants to encourage long-term economic resilience and accountability.

SOUTH SUDAN 08:14

South Sudanese regulator approves second mobile tariff hike

Major South Sudanese mobile network operators Digitel, MTN and Zain have announced National Communication Authority (NCA) approval for the second phase of the Telecommunications Tariff Exchange Rate Adjustment. The new tariffs took effect at midnight on 26 July. The operators said the decision was finalised after consultations with government institutions, mobile network operators, civil society organisations and industry stakeholders.

BELGIUM 07:55

Proximus Q2 revenues down 1% after asset sales, positive postpaid and broadband customer growth

Proximus reported revenues for the second quarter of EUR 1.53 billion, down 0.9 percent from a year earlier due in part to the sale of Be-Mobile. The Belgian operator achieved positive net additions on its home market of 25,000 for postpaid mobile and 8,000 in fixed broadband, while losing 6,000 TV subscribers and another 42,000 fixed lines. Residential reported 2.2 percent revenue growth, and Business grew 1.8 percent on an organic basis, while Wholesale sales fell 6.3 percent. Proximus maintained its targ

Just In

10:19

Claro Costa Rica expands 5G to over 2 million, launches mid-year promo

10:17

Veon's revenue in Bangladesh up 4% in Q2, tops 35 million mobile users in June

10:16

Vodafone Germany brings 130,000 new fibre connections to market in June

09:59

Veon revenue in Pakistan jumps nearly 27% in Q2, tops 75 million mobile customers in June

Commentary

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?

5 MEI 10:55

KPN: the art of making one-offs structural

4 MEI 14:25

Open Dutch Fiber outlook: time to restart roll-out?

Background

26 JUL 23:19

The week in telecom: Samsung works on foldable challenge, US telcos try FMC

19 JUL 23:41

The week in telecom: OnePlus exits tough smartphone market and Apple takes on OpenAI

12 JUL 23:30

The week in telecom: European telcos take shape as Xavier Niel buys more of Vodafone, Telenor expands in Sweden

5 JUL 23:03

The week in telecom: Comcast gives up on vertical integration, BT and Verizon agree global alliance