Japan consults on measures to strengthen submarine cables protection
JAPAN 06:52

Japan consults on measures to strengthen submarine cables protection

Japan's ministry of internal affairs and communications (MIC) has launched a public consultation on a draft report proposing measures to strengthen the protection, resilience and oversight of international submarine cables, which the government describes as critical infrastructure underpinning almost all of the country's international communications. The consultation runs from 13 June to 30 June 2026. The draft report was prepared by a study group chaired by professor Hiroshi Ohashi, vice president of the U

TIM receives EUR 1 bln licence fee refund
ITALY 06:52

TIM receives EUR 1 bln licence fee refund

Telecom Italia (TIM) said it has received a refund amounting to "just over EUR 1 billion" for licence fee payments dating back 28 years. The refund corresponds to the restitution of the licence fee TIM paid in 1998, the year after the country's telecommunications sector was deregulated. In a short statement, TIM confirmed the amount covers the original licence fee of just over EUR 500 million plus revaluation and accrued interest.

PNG and Australia review progress on digital partnership initiatives
PAPUA NEW GUINEA 06:49

PNG and Australia review progress on digital partnership initiatives

Papua New Guinea and Australia have reviewed progress on a range of digital cooperation initiatives, including connectivity infrastructure, AI governance, cybersecurity and digital public infrastructure, during discussions held in Port Moresby. Papua New Guinea acting minister for information and communications technology Peter Tsiamalili Jr. met Australia's ambassador for cyber affairs and critical technology Jessica Hunter, Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP) CEO Jonathan

NTT East and Chiyoda launch IOWN-based remote plant operations trial
JAPAN 06:47

NTT East and Chiyoda launch IOWN-based remote plant operations trial

NTT East and engineering company Chiyoda Corporation have begun a proof-of-concept project to develop a next-generation remote operations and maintenance (O&M) model for industrial plants using NTT's Innovative Optical and Wireless Network (IOWN) technology. The project was selected under Japan's ministry of internal affairs and communications regional society DX promotion package programme for advanced communications systems. Siemens and Emerson are also participating, providing virtual programmable logic

KT to showcase AI and cloud strategies at Busan Cloud Day 2026
KOREA, REPUBLIC OF 06:44

KT to showcase AI and cloud strategies at Busan Cloud Day 2026

Korea Telecom (KT) will present AI and cloud transformation strategies at Busan Cloud Day 2026, an event being held in partnership with the Busan Information Industry Promotion Agency to support digital transformation among businesses in South Korea's Busan, Ulsan and Gyeongnam regions. The event will take place on 18 June at BEXCO in Busan and is aimed at enterprises and industry stakeholders interested in AI and cloud adoption. KT said the programme will focus on practical implementation approaches and in

Korea advances AI and 6G security standards at ITU-T meeting
JAPAN 06:43

Korea advances AI and 6G security standards at ITU-T meeting

South Korea said it has secured approval for 14 new international standardisation projects covering AI, 6G security and digital identity technologies at a meeting of the International Telecommunication Union's Telecommunication Standardisation Sector (ITU-T) Study Group 17. The ministry of science and ICT said the approvals were achieved during the ITU-T security standards meeting held in Geneva from 1 to 10 June, where experts from 60 countries discussed information security standards. 

NTT Docomo to trial mixed reality tech linking physical and virtual spaces
JAPAN 06:41

NTT Docomo to trial mixed reality tech linking physical and virtual spaces

NTT Docomo will begin a public trial of its mixed reality (MR) technology, World Link Door, at Japan's National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation (Miraikan) from July 2026. The technology, developed jointly with Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST), enables users wearing an MR headset to move between physical and virtual environments by passing through a real-world door. The trial was selected as part of Miraikan's Future Creation Lab demonstration programme.

NTT signs reseller agreement for Amazon Leo satellite broadband services
JAPAN 06:39

NTT signs reseller agreement for Amazon Leo satellite broadband services

NTT Group has expanded its collaboration with Amazon's low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite broadband initiative, Amazon Leo, through reseller agreements signed by group companies NTT Docomo Business, NTT-ME and NTT Media Supply. The agreements mark the next stage of a strategic partnership between NTT and Amazon announced in 2023. The companies said they will now conduct technical verification and service planning ahead of launching satellite broadband services for enterprise customers and public sector organis

NTT Docomo examines financial services alliance with online bank and Timee
JAPAN 06:37

NTT Docomo examines financial services alliance with online bank and Timee

NTT Docomo has signed an MoU with SBI Sumishin Net Bank and gig work platform Timee to explore a partnership centred on financial services for people using Timee's employment platform. The companies said they will begin detailed discussions on service design, with a focus on developing new financial offerings for workers who find jobs through Timee. Specific services and launch dates have not yet been determined.

Australia plans to give operators new powers to block cyber threats upstream
AUSTRALIA 06:34

Australia plans to give operators new powers to block cyber threats upstream

The Australian government plans to work with telecom providers, cloud operators and other infrastructure providers to enable the upstream blocking of cyber threats as part of the next phase of its national cybersecurity strategy. The initiative is one of the key measures outlined in the Horizon 2 Action Plan for the 2023–2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy, backed by an additional AUD 89.3 million in funding over four years.

Korea fines Coupang KRW 624.7 bln over data breach and privacy violations
KOREA, REPUBLIC OF 06:31

Korea fines Coupang KRW 624.7 bln over data breach and privacy violations

South Korea's Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) has imposed penalties totalling KRW 624.68 billion (USD 455 million) on Coupang and a further KRW 248 million on subsidiary Coupang Fulfilment Services (CFS) following investigations into a large-scale data breach and multiple privacy law violations. The regulator said Coupang would face a KRW 423.58 billion penalty and KRW 16.8 million fine for security failings linked to a data breach that exposed personal information belonging to approximate

Optus signs three-year sponsorship agreement with NBL and WNBL
AUSTRALIA 06:29

Optus signs three-year sponsorship agreement with NBL and WNBL

Optus has been named a major partner of Australia's National Basketball League (NBL) and Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) under a new three-year agreement covering both competitions. The partnership brings together the operator and the two basketball leagues as they seek to strengthen fan engagement and support the development of the sport across Australia. The agreement spans both the men's and women's leagues and is intended to support initiatives focused on fan connection, community engagement a

JAPAN 06:28

NTT expands weather observation research to improve forecasting of heavy rainfall

NTT will expand its weather observation research in 2026 to include monitoring atmospheric water vapour over the East China Sea, as part of efforts to improve forecasting of linear rain bands and typhoons in Japan. The operator, working with the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) and the Japan Meteorological Agency's Meteorological Research Institute, said it will broaden an existing programme that uses autonomous marine observation vehicles and ocean buoys to collect atmospheric and oceanog

KOREA, REPUBLIC OF 06:26

Korea launches telecom equipment recycling initiative for critical minerals

South Korea's ministry of science and ICT and ministry of climate, energy and environment have signed an agreement with the country's three mobile operators to strengthen the recycling of decommissioned telecommunications equipment and recover critical minerals used in network infrastructure. The agreement, signed with SK Telecom (SKT), Korea Telecom (KT), LG Uplus, the Korea Communications Agency and the Korea Environment Corporation, aims to establish a domestic circular economy for telecommunications equ

BELGIUM 06:24

Smals selects Google Cloud as primary public cloud provider

Smals, the shared IT organisation serving more than 300 Belgian public institutions, has selected Google Cloud as its primary public cloud provider as part of a broader infrastructure modernisation strategy. The agreement was awarded to SoftwareOne and Google Cloud following a procurement process conducted under the GEANT OCRE24 framework. Smals said the arrangement will give its member organisations access to Google Cloud services while supporting the delivery of digital services across Belgium's public se

KOREA, REPUBLIC OF 06:22

LG CNS and LX Pantos plan humanoid robot deployment at logistics centre

LG CNS and logistics company LX Pantos have signed an MoU to develop a next-generation smart logistics system using humanoid and shuttle robots at LX Pantos's MegaWise Cheongna logistics centre. Under the agreement, the companies will build and test an automated logistics workflow that combines humanoid robots with shuttle robots across warehouse operations. The planned system would see shuttle robots retrieve goods scheduled for dispatch from storage areas, with humanoid robots receiving the items and load

MALAYSIA 05:04

Maxis launches football season promo with MYR 1 million in giveaways and device deals

Malaysian operator Maxis has launched mobile and home device promotions for football fans. Until 19 July, the operator is offering over MYR 1 million in giveaways for the football season. Subscribers can win weekly prizes by upgrading their plans, buying new devices, or signing up for eligible home internet packages.

RUSSIAN FEDERATION 11 JUN

MTS starts offering QR payments in Egypt

Russian operator MTS has expanded payments using its QR code system to Egypt. This method is available through the My MTS app using a local QR code. Payments can be made from the customer's mobile balance or accounts with Russian banks. The minimum payment sum is RUB 1,200 and the maximum is RUB 400,000.

RUSSIAN FEDERATION 11 JUN

Teleport deploys private 2G network for mining company

Russian company Teleport, belonging to the Nota Group, has completed test operations of a private 2G network deployed for the mining company Rosgeologia in the Republic of Sakha, reports Dprom.ru. The project is worth RUB 10 million. The project used 2G technology alongside a satellite link in a location lacking terrestrial infrastructure. Nota Group had previously deployed private 2G and LTE networks.

RUSSIAN FEDERATION 11 JUN

MTS upgrades mobile network in Sochi

Russian operator MTS has completed a major upgrade of its mobile network in the Greater Sochi area, reports Dg-yug. Its 2G/4G equipment has been fully replaced with the equipment supporting 5G on more than 2,000 base stations.

RUSSIAN FEDERATION 11 JUN

Megafon launches backbone line based on 400G transceivers to connect data centres

Russian operator Megafon has deployed a backbone line on the basis of compact 400G tranceivers, reports RBC. The solution enables to quadruple the capacity and to reduce construction costs significantly. Compact transceivers from Russian company Neoros have been used for this purpose. The new line has interconnected data centres of the operator in Moscow.

SOUTH AFRICA 11 JUN

Samsung signs deal with Durban University of Technology for innovation

Samsung has signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Durban University of Technology (DUT) to launch the Samsung Innovation Campus (SIC) programme and provide students with future-ready technology skills to enhance their graduate employability. The SIC scheme will be hosted at the DUT Business School and tain 60 young people in Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies.

AFRICA 11 JUN

Airtel Africa Foundation invests USD 6 mln in 2025

The Airtel Africa Foundation said it invested USD 6.2 million across its core philanthropic pillars during its first full year of operations. The foundation connected 1,028 schools to the internet through its UNICEF partnership, expanding the total network to 3,296 schools across thirteen countries, benefiting over 2 million pupils and nearly 39,000 teachers. The launch of 64 zero-rated digital platforms provided more than 11 million pupils with access to educational content. The School Adoption Programme c

PORTUGAL 11 JUN

Smart TVs dominate Portuguese streaming

The 'BStream' study by Marktest reveals that 2.9 million mainland Portuguese residents over the age of 15 years old (33.2% of the demographic) primarily access streaming services via "smart" television sets. This indicates that roughly one in three Portuguese people streams content on a smart TV. However, viewing habits differ among younger demographics, with those aged 15-24, preferring mobile apps slightly (53.8%) for streaming rather than smart TVs (53.2%).

Just In

06:52

TIM receives EUR 1 bln licence fee refund

06:52

Japan consults on measures to strengthen submarine cables protection

06:49

PNG and Australia review progress on digital partnership initiatives

06:47

NTT East and Chiyoda launch IOWN-based remote plant operations trial

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Background

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The week in telecom: EU telcos push sovereign services as governments question foreign tech investors

23 MEI 23:42

The week in telecom: Starlink ready to go public, Singapore telco M&A and Google courts AI subscribers at I/O

18 MEI 00:31

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11 MEI 00:53

The week in telecom: Lumen, NTT turn to data centre market to revive growth, Hutchison exits UK