Bangladesh adds nearly 2.7 million internet subscribers in May
BANGLADESH 06:39

Bangladesh adds nearly 2.7 million internet subscribers in May

Bangladesh added 1 million mobile subscribers in May this year, according to a report from Bangladesh Telecom Regulatory Commission (BTRC). Bangladesh ended May with 188.60 million mobile customers, up from 187.07 million in the previous month and 187.61 in May 2025.

Vocus unveils AUD 500 mln Sydney-Melbourne fibre project
AUSTRALIA 06:22

Vocus unveils AUD 500 mln Sydney-Melbourne fibre project

Australian operator Vocus has announced plans to build what it says is the country's first ducted long-haul fibre route between Sydney and Melbourne as the initial project under its new Australian Digital Infrastructure Platform (ADIP). The operator said the route will be capable of supporting up to 6,912 fibre cores (3,456 fibre pairs) and is scheduled to enter service in 2029. Vocus said the project represents an investment of approximately AUD 500 million and is expected to create more than 1,000 jobs.

NTT to launch Osaka-area data centre interconnection service
JAPAN 06:18

NTT to launch Osaka-area data centre interconnection service

NTT SmartConnect, the NTT Group's western Japan data centre and interconnection operator, will launch a new data centre interconnection (DCI) service in the Osaka metropolitan area on 1 January 2027, expanding connectivity between its own data centres and third-party facilities. The operator said the new service will complement its existing inter-data centre cabling services in central Osaka by providing high-quality optical fibre connections between multiple data centres in central Osaka and the Saito area

Equinix, NTT and Sakura Internet plan IOWN APN trial linking Tokyo and Hokkaido
JAPAN 05:55

Equinix, NTT and Sakura Internet plan IOWN APN trial linking Tokyo and Hokkaido

Equinix Japan, NTT East and Sakura Internet plan to begin a proof of concept in the second half of 2026 using the IOWN All-Photonics Network (APN) to connect Sakura Internet's Ishikari Data Center in Hokkaido with an Equinix facility in Tokyo. The companies said the trial will evaluate the use of low-latency, high-capacity optical networking for distributed computing and AI workloads. The project will use NTT East's All-Photonics Connect powered by IOWN service to link the two sites and assess operational p

Chinese smartphone makers cut 2026 shipment targets amid supply shortages - report
GLOBAL 05:53

Chinese smartphone makers cut 2026 shipment targets amid supply shortages - report

Chinese smartphone manufacturers including Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo have again reduced their handset shipment targets for 2026 as component shortages and rising costs continue to disrupt the market, according to Nikkei, citing industry sources. Xiaomi has lowered its internal shipment forecast to around 95 million smartphones, down from an earlier target of 135 million units and well below the 170 million devices it shipped in 2025. Industry sources said the company attributed the latest reduction to severe co

ACCC takes Amazon to court over Prime Video advertising changes
AUSTRALIA 05:50

ACCC takes Amazon to court over Prime Video advertising changes

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has launched Federal Court proceedings against Amazon Commercial Services, alleging the company breached the Australian Consumer Law by including unfair contract terms in its Amazon Prime subscription agreements and later relying on those terms to introduce advertising to Prime Video. The regulator alleges that between November 2023 and August 2025, Amazon's contracts with more than one million annual Prime subscribers contained five unfair terms tha

SKT expands A-dot AI assistant with call handling and task management features
KOREA, REPUBLIC OF 05:48

SKT expands A-dot AI assistant with call handling and task management features

SK Telecom (SKT) has expanded the AI agent capabilities of its A. (A-dot) assistant, adding features that allow the application to manage customer service call queues, summarise text messages and generate task lists based on calls and messages. The new Agent Call feature supports calls to businesses listed in the A-dot business contacts directory, including customer service centres. Before a call is placed, the application displays an indication of expected call congestion based on call volumes over the pre

New Australian telecoms transparency rules take effect
AUSTRALIA 05:46

New Australian telecoms transparency rules take effect

New telecommunications transparency rules introduced by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) have come into force, requiring mobile network operators to publish standardised mobile coverage maps and public registers of resolved network outages. Under the new requirements, operators must publish 4G and 5G coverage maps using four standard categories: good, moderate, basic and no coverage. The maps must include plain English explanations of each coverage level and be updated at least every

SK Telecom outlines roadmap for 15 GW AI data centre programme
KOREA, REPUBLIC OF 05:45

SK Telecom outlines roadmap for 15 GW AI data centre programme

SK Telecom (SKT) has provided further details of the SK Group's plan to develop up to 15 GW of AI data centre capacity in South Korea by 2035, with the first 5 GW scheduled to be brought online in phases from 2029. The operator said the 15 GW target represents a long-term expansion roadmap intended to address growing global demand for AI training and inference infrastructure. 

Naver Labs Europe introduces universal encoder for autonomous robots
EUROPE 05:41

Naver Labs Europe introduces universal encoder for autonomous robots

Naver Labs Europe has announced Divine, a universal encoder designed to enable autonomous robots to perform multiple AI tasks using a single processing system, with the aim of reducing computing requirements for industrial and everyday applications. Autonomous robots have traditionally relied on multiple AI encoders to process data from sensors such as cameras and LiDAR for tasks including localisation, depth estimation, spatial understanding and human perception. Divine combines these functions into a sing

X2M appoints board director and data centre chief
AUSTRALIA 05:39

X2M appoints board director and data centre chief

Australian technology company X2M Connect has appointed Kate O'Sullivan as a non-executive director and Dr Sajjad Ahmed as general manager for data centres and smart cities as the company seeks to expand its Australian activities across smart communities, AI infrastructure and data centres. O'Sullivan joins the board from 1 July, bringing more than three decades of executive and board experience, including more than 15 years at Tabcorp Holdings, where she held senior management roles. 

BBIX and Ishikawa add Hakusan data centre to OCF cloud network
JAPAN 05:37

BBIX and Ishikawa add Hakusan data centre to OCF cloud network

SoftBank's IX subsidiary BBIX and Ishikawa Computer Center (ICC) have added ICC's Hakusan Data Center as a connection point for OCX Compute Fabric (OCF), with the service becoming available at the facility in June. OCF is a regionally distributed cloud infrastructure service provided jointly by BBIX and IDC Frontier. The service uses BBIX and BBSakura Networks' Open Connectivity eXchange (OCX) cloud-based networking platform to distribute cloud infrastructure across multiple data centres in different region

NEW ZEALAND 05:34

InternetNZ appoints two new board members

InternetNZ has appointed Darryn Russell and Keri Milne-Ihimaera as appointed members of its board, with both due to take up their roles on 13 August 2026 following the organisation's annual general meeting. The appointments follow a board recruitment process conducted with the Institute of Directors in accordance with InternetNZ's constitution. The organisation said the recruitment attracted strong interest and that the selected candidates were chosen following a comprehensive selection process.

JAPAN 05:33

Japan to back Rakuten-led LEO satellite network with JPY 150 bln subsidy

The Japanese government is expected to provide JPY 150 billion (USD 926 million) in subsidies to a Rakuten Group-led consortium to develop a domestic low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite communications network, according to Nikkei, citing industry sources. Japan's ministry of internal affairs and communications is expected to formally approve the funding, which would be distributed over three years. The subsidies would support equipment procurement and the construction of ground infrastructure needed to launch,

KOREA, REPUBLIC OF 05:30

SK Telecom and KAIST AI video synthesis research accepted for ECCV 2026

SK Telecom (SKT) said a research paper on an AI-based video synthesis technology developed jointly with the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) has been accepted for presentation at the European Conference on Computer Vision (ECCV) 2026, which will be held in Malmo, Sweden, from 8 to 12 September.

JAPAN 05:28

University of Tokyo, NTT and IBM Japan evaluate medical data archive platform

University of Tokyo Graduate School of Medicine, NTT East and IBM Japan will begin a proof of concept in late July 2026 to evaluate a long-term, high-capacity data storage platform for digital pathology images and other medical research data. The project forms part of the organisations' Remote Bio DX Project, which has been underway since 2023. It will combine pathology data and expertise from the University of Tokyo, a private network and data platform developed by NTT East, and IBM Japan's IBM Storage Dee

AUSTRALIA 05:26

Firmus signs 600 MW energy supply agreement for AI infrastructure

Australian neocloud provider Firmus Technologies has signed a 12-year wholesale electricity supply agreement with Gunvor Group to secure 600 MW of firm power for planned AI infrastructure developments in South Australia. The agreement will support the next phase of the company's Project Southgate programme. The arrangement includes support for the development of 1.2 GW of new renewable generation and 1.5G Wh of battery storage by 2032 to supply its planned AI facilities.

PAKISTAN 03:12

GameNow, Finz strike mobile gaming partnership deal

JazzWorld's gaming platform GameNow has signed a partnership agreement with Finz, a Pakistani mobile gaming studio and publisher. The partnership covers game publishing, developer enablement, and content distribution across local and international markets.

PAKISTAN 29 JUN

JazzWorld launches Ziyarat roaming offer for pilgrims traveling to Iraq, Iran

Pakistani operator JazzWorld has launched the Ziyarat Offer, a dedicated international roaming package designed to support customers travelling to Iraq and Iran for religious pilgrimage during Muharram. The Ziyarat Offer provides 5GB of roaming data, valid for 30 days across Iraq and Iran for PKR 5,500 (tax included) for both prepaid and postpaid customers.

PAKISTAN 29 JUN

JazzWorld, Malala Fund to support girls' education in Pakistan

JazzWorld has partnered with Malala Fund to support girls' education across underserved communities in Pakistan. JazzWorld and Malala Fund plan to jointly promote girls' education through Tamasha-led advocacy and awareness initiatives, and engagement around key international observances, including the International Day of the Girl Child, with educational content developed by Malala Fund Pakistan amplified to reach communities and audiences across the country.

SLOVAKIA 29 JUN

LepsiaTV upgrades internet platform for lower latency

Slovak online TV service Lepsia TV said that it has upgraded its online TV platform so latency is reduced for numerous TV channels. The latency is as much as one minute less than previously. The current broadcast delay is supposed to be approximately 25 seconds.

FRANCE 29 JUN

Bouygues Telecom targets families with 'no hassle' ad campaign

French operator Bouygues Telecom announced the launch of a new multi-channel advertising campaign developed by its agency partner BETC. The key brand message is that Bouygues provides a "no hassle" experience in customers' daily lives, with the communication targeted particularly at parents with children. As part of the campaign's media coverage, three commercials will promote the operator's Kids Watch bundle and recently launched parental control service, as well as the advantages of the B.iG multi-play in

BRAZIL 29 JUN

Brazil expands safe phones plan with messaging campaign

The Brazilian Federal Government has launched a new phase of its 'Celular Seguro' (Safe Mobile Phone) programme, targeting areas with high rates of mobile phone theft and robbery. People in these regions have started receiving messages advising them to register trusted contacts for emergencies and to check a phone's IMEI before purchase to ensure it's not stolen. The messages also inform users about reporting stolen or lost phones to the National Bank of Mobile Phones with Restriction (BNCR).

SLOVAKIA 29 JUN

Satro offers 3 channels free in July

Slovak pay-TV platform Satro offers three TV channels in an open window in July. The list includes FilmBox+ Emotion, National Geographic Wild, as well as the cooking channel TV Paprika.

Just In

06:39

Bangladesh adds nearly 2.7 million internet subscribers in May

06:22

Vocus unveils AUD 500 mln Sydney-Melbourne fibre project

06:18

NTT to launch Osaka-area data centre interconnection service

05:55

Equinix, NTT and Sakura Internet plan IOWN APN trial linking Tokyo and Hokkaido

Commentary

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

20 APR 10:36

Netflix back to organic growth and doing just fine

Background

28 JUN 23:51

The week in telecoms: Apple raises prices, Qualcomm tries server market and Jio going public

21 JUN 22:52

The week in telecom: sovereignty debate comes to VivaTech, Ericsson succession and Fox buys Roku

1 JUN 00:13

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