Play adds Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 tablets
POLAND 08:09

Play adds Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 tablets

Polish operator Play, controlled by Iliad, has started sales of the tablets Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra and Galaxy Tab S12+ in its shops. The Galaxy Tab S12+ 12/256 GB WiFi costs PLN 4,549 with a subscription contract, and the price is PLN 5,549 without the contract. The Galaxy Tab S12 Ultra 12 GB/256 GB WiFi costs PLN 5,549 with a subscription and PLN 6,549 without a service contract.

BeCloud obtains PCI DSS 4.0.1 certificate
BELARUS 08:08

BeCloud obtains PCI DSS 4.0.1 certificate

Belarusian state-owned infrastructure operator BeCloud announced that it has been awarded the PCI DSS 4.0.1 certificate for its cloud platform.  The cloud infrastructure of the operator corresponds to information security requirements applied to payment systems. The audit was conducted by the certified QSA audit firm Compliance Control, which specialises in the security assessment of payment data.

Elisa Estonia cleared to acquire Pro IT
ESTONIA 08:07

Elisa Estonia cleared to acquire Pro IT

Estonian operator Elisa has been cleared by the national competition regulator to acquire Pro IT Teenused, an IT service provider with nearly 20 years of experience. This company has become part of the Elisa Group. Pro IT will continue operations as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Elisa Estonia.

Netherlands Tax Service drops Microsoft 365 for open-source, on-premise solution
NETHERLANDS 08:00

Netherlands Tax Service drops Microsoft 365 for open-source, on-premise solution

The Tax Service (Belastingdienst) in the Netherlands is abandoning a migration to hosted Microsoft 365 services in favour of an open-source software run on its own servers. The move was confirmed by finance state secretary Eelco Eerenberg in response to questions in parliament. The Tax Service previously planned to use the Microsoft Cloud, but has revised its plans, supported by an increase in data centre capacity. In the on-premise solution the software will run on its own servers or those it controls. 

NetOne launches 072 number range in Zimbabwe
ZIMBABWE 07:55

NetOne launches 072 number range in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwean operator NetOne has introduced the 072 mobile number prefix, expanding its capacity to accommodate growing subscriber demand. The state-owned operator already uses 071 numbers, which replaced the 011 prefix in 2010 following updates to Zimbabwe's national numbering plan.

Saigontel secures satellite-telecom licence, to distribute Starlink services in Vietnam
VIETNAM 07:53

Saigontel secures satellite-telecom licence, to distribute Starlink services in Vietnam

Saigontel reports it has secured a licence to resell telecommunications services, including fixed satellite internet nationwide and mobile satellite internet for maritime connectivity. The licence covers both domestic and international services. Saigontel previously signed a distribution agreement with Starlink Vietnam in September this year. The license will allow Saigontel to distribute Starlink satellite internet services in Vietnam. Issued by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Science and Technology on

Dutch data protection agency starts AI unit
NETHERLANDS 07:51

Dutch data protection agency starts AI unit

The data protection agency AP in the Netherlands has set up a supervision and coordination unit for AI and algorithms. The TCA will continue the work started in 2023 at the AP to monitor the AI sector, including working with the digital infrastructure agency RDI on an AI sandbox and coordination centre.

Cisco appoints Cognite chief Girish Rishi to directors' board
GLOBAL 07:47

Cisco appoints Cognite chief Girish Rishi to directors' board

Cisco has appointed Girish Rishi, CEO and chairman at industrial AI company Cognite, onto its board of directors to support its AI and network infrastructure strategy. Rishi is currently on the board of directors at Insight Enterprises, a Fortune 500 company focused on enterprise product and service integration. He also sits on Arizona Commerce Authority's executive board and is a member of the US think tank Council on Foreign Relations, as well as holding an advisory role with asset managers Blackstone.

Ziggo upgrades top broadband speed to 8 Gbps
NETHERLANDS 07:44

Ziggo upgrades top broadband speed to 8 Gbps

Dutch operator Ziggo has launched new top speeds of 4 and 8 Gbps for broadband customers in Utrecht and parts of Amsterdam. This follows the recent upgrade of its cable network to Docsis 4.0. The services are priced at EUR 91.40 per month for 8 Gbps and EUR 84.40 per month for 4 Gbps. Both are available at a promotional price of EUR 34.95 per month the first year of a two-year contract. 

Telia plans 900 job cuts to save SEK 1 bln annually through localisation
EUROPE 07:43

Telia plans 900 job cuts to save SEK 1 bln annually through localisation

Telia Company announced plans to cut approximately 900 of its 14,100-strong workforce by year-end to save SEK 1 billion gross annually from its operating cost base. It will transfer about 220 positions to its country units, primarily from the common technology division. Telia expects restructuring charges of some SEK 600 million in the fourth quarter of 2026 with the effect on cash flow mainly appearing in 2027. The operator is standing by its FY 2026 financial outlook and mid-term targets.

Moody's upgrades TIM rating to Baa3 following Poste takeover
ITALY 07:43

Moody's upgrades TIM rating to Baa3 following Poste takeover

Ratings agency Moody's has again upgraded the credit rating of Telecom Italia (TIM) to "Baa3" from "Ba1", with a stable outlook, in a review initiated in August that followed the unanimous approval by the operator's board of Poste Italiane's voluntary public tender and exchange offer for all TIM ordinary shares. State-backed Poste now owns around 87 percent of TIM's shares following the closure of its takeover bid and additional acquisitions in early October.

Megafon and Bureau 1440 demonstrate hybrid mobile connectivity via LEO satellites
RUSSIAN FEDERATION 07:34

Megafon and Bureau 1440 demonstrate hybrid mobile connectivity via LEO satellites

Russian mobile operator Megafon and satellite operator Bureau 1440, belonging to ICS Holding, have conducted a test of hybrid connectivity using a Russian low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation with terrestrial radio access provided by a base station built by Russian company Yadro. The companies showcased the technology at the Digital Solutions forum in Moscow with a live broadcast from the Krasnoyarsk region. Engineering teams achieved high-speed, end-to-end data transmission from a subscriber devic

GERMANY 07:33

Deutsche Telekom extends rights to German third division on MagentaTV

Deutsche Telekom has once again secured the rights from the German Football Association (DFB) to broadcast the matches of the third German football division, 3. Liga, on MagentaSport. Telekom will broadcast the matches through the 2030/31 season. The agreement covers all 380 matches per season, promotion and relegation play-offs. It also includes broadcasting rights for post-match coverage, such as highlights and near-live clips, on MagentaTV and MagentaSport platforms. Under the agreement, Telekom can also

ALBANIA 07:33

Albanian fixed internet subscribers up 5% to 733,150

Fixed internet subscribers in Albania rose 5.54 percent in the second quarter of 2026 to 733,150, equal to 96.98 percent of households. Active mobile internet users reached 89.83 percent of the population, according to the latest figures from regulator Akep.

TURKEY 07:31

Turkcell raises TRY 500 million through bond issuance

Turkcell has completed the issuance of a TRY 500 million financing bond to qualified investors in Turkiye, under a TRY 15 billion debt securities issuance limit approved by the Capital Markets Board (CMB). The securities carry a fixed annual simple interest rate of 37 percent and have a maturity date of 8 January 2027, representing a 91-day term. The annual compound interest rate is 42.4638 percent. The issuance was conducted through a private placement without a public offering and is not listed on the sto

MONTENEGRO 07:31

Montenegro mobile lines increase nearly 6% in August

Data from Montenegrin telecom regulator Ekip shows that active mobile users in August rose to 1.67 million, an increase of 5.64 percent month-on-month and 4.66 percent more than a year earlier. That's equal to mobile penetration of 268.48 percent. Postpaid plans accounted for 54.09 percent of subscriptions. M:tel maintained its market lead with 41.72 percent, followed by Crnogorski Telekom (35.93%) and One Crna Gora (22.35%).

LESOTHO 07:29

Vodacom Lesotho M-Pesa renews sponsorship of Maletsunyane Braai festival

VCL Financial Services, the operator of Vodacom's M-Pesa in Lesotho, has renewed its sponsorship of the Maletsunyane Braai Festival, extending its partnership with OTB Exclusive Events. The collaboration has spanned eight of the festival's nine years, reflecting a shared commitment to creating opportunities for local communities, supporting grassroots enterprise, and showcasing Lesotho to the world.

ITALY 07:12

Inwit investors exploring possible buyout - report

Ardian and Oak Holdings, the two leading stakeholders of Italy's Inwit, are discussing financing with banks for a possible buyout of minority shareholders in the country's largest mobile tower company, according to unnamed sources cited by Reuters. French investment firm Ardian currently owns 32 percent of Inwit, and Oak Holdings, backed by GIP, Vodafone and KKR, holds 39 percent.

BELARUS 07:10

Life Belarus launches 5G services in Grodno

Life Belarus has launched its 5G services in the city of Grodno. 5G services from the operator are also available in Minsk, Mogilyov, Vitebsk, Gomel and Brest. 

RUSSIAN FEDERATION 07:02

Beeline Cloud launches AI Hive Platform for AI-powered work spaces

Russian operator Beeline said that its unit Beeline Cloud has launched AI Hive Platform to deliver AI-powered work spaces for business. Instead of fragmented access to chatbots, companies gain a secure work environment where every employee is equipped with personal, autonomous, human-supervised AI agents. AI Hive Platform is designed to handle practical tasks for teams across all functions. Agents take on responsibilities such as code generation and verification, documentation and report preparation, data a

MIDDLE EAST 07:00

ZainTech delivers cloud transformation for Al Liwan Group

ZainTech, the digital solutions arm of Zain Group, has been chosen by Gulf-based financial services firm Al Liwan Group to design, deploy, and operationalize a secure Microsoft Azure Landing Zone. Under the contract, ZainTech will build a scalable, compliant Azure environment aligned with Microsoft's Cloud Adoption Framework (CAF) and enterprise-Scale architecture. This implementation equips Al Liwan Group with a standardized cloud operating model to drive digital growth while boosting security, governance

AFRICA 06:58

Standard Bank Group invests in OPay ahead of IPO

Standard Bank Group has agreed an investment in OPay, a digital financial platform operating across Nigeria and other African markets. The deal is expected to close alongside or shortly following OPay's proposed initial public offering, subject to completion of the IPO and customary regulatory approvals. 

BRAZIL 06:57

Vivo and Cerradinho Bioenergia partner to connect 1.4 mln hectares

Brazilian telecom operator Vivo has partnered with Cerradinho Bioenergia to deploy 14 telecommunications towers, expanding agricultural connectivity across up to 1.4 million hectares in Brazil's Midwest. The deployment covers industrial and agricultural operations in the states of Goias and Mato Grosso do Sul, extending connectivity to surrounding rural communities, schools, and local businesses.

ITALY 06:50

Unions call strike on WindTre contract renewals

Three of Italy's largest telecommunications unions have announced a national strike by WindTre workers on 12 October over the renewal of company-level contracts. SLC-CGIL, FISTel-CISL and UILCOM-UIL urged staff to join demonstrations outside the company's main offices, including in Rome and Milan.

Just In

08:09

Play adds Samsung Galaxy Tab S12 tablets

08:08

BeCloud obtains PCI DSS 4.0.1 certificate

08:07

Elisa Estonia cleared to acquire Pro IT

08:00

Netherlands Tax Service drops Microsoft 365 for open-source, on-premise solution

Commentary

24 SEP 13:37

What is KPN's response to the brand expansion at Odido and VodafoneZiggo?

8 SEP 10:16

Odido matches KPN and VodafoneZiggo on cash flow margin, but growth remains limited

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?

Background

11 OKT 23:39

The week in telecom: DT puts a figure on telco AI potential, SpaceX threatens mobile launch and Paramount seals WBD deal

4 OKT 23:20

The week in telecom: FTTH sparks UK competition, AI coming to telco bundles and Samsung raises prices

3 OKT 18:20

Belgian Weekly - Week 40

3 OKT 18:04

German Weekly - 40