Saudi Data and AI Authority introduces Ibram platform for digital signatures and verification
SAUDI ARABIA 07:39

Saudi Data and AI Authority introduces Ibram platform for digital signatures and verification

The Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA) has brought out Ibram, a centralised digital signature and sealing platform to allow Saudi government organisations and their employees to sign and verify official documents instantly and securely. It has already been integrated at more than 87 government bodies and establishes a legally binding framework to accelerate administrative workflows. Ibram has two primary authentication features, namely digital seals that verify the issuing agency's authority and guarantee

Banglalink secures licence for Mukto Pay digital payment platform launch
BANGLADESH 07:37

Banglalink secures licence for Mukto Pay digital payment platform launch

Veon has announced that its Bangladeshi subsidiary Banglalink has received a payment service provider (PSP) licence from Bangladesh Bank, the central bank of Bangladesh. Banglalink plans to launch its digital payment services under the brand 'Mukto Pay'. 'Mukto' translates to 'freedom' in Bengali. In addition to Mukto Pay, Veon has also applied for a separate digital bank licence in Bangladesh.

Icasa defends updated subscriber rules before parliamentary committee
SOUTH AFRICA 07:34

Icasa defends updated subscriber rules before parliamentary committee

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) has defended its updated 'End-user and Subscriber Service Charter Regulations' before parliament's portfolio committee on communications and digital technologies, ITWeb reported. The rules governing data rollover, bundle depletion and the transfer of voice minutes and data will take effect in January 2027, but MTN and Vodacom have taken Icasa to court to review and invalidate the rules. Briefing Members of Parliament, Icasa councillor Dikeledi

Singtel operating profit up 10% in Q1 on growth at Optus, IT services
SINGAPORE 07:28

Singtel operating profit up 10% in Q1 on growth at Optus, IT services

Singtel reported solid growth in underlying results in its fiscal first quarter to June, as growth in IT and data centres and at Optus in Australia helped offset weakness at the Singapore telecom business. Revenues rose 4.9 percent year-on-year to SGD 3.558 billion, and EBITDA was up 8.7 percent to SGD 1.076 billion, with growth at constant currency rates of respectively 0.4 and 4.1 percent. The adjusted net profit rose 21.0 percent to SGD 831 million, helped by positive results at associates Airtel and AIS

Icasa to hear public input on revised spectrum and fee rules on 19-20 August
SOUTH AFRICA 07:24

Icasa to hear public input on revised spectrum and fee rules on 19-20 August

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) said it will host hybrid public hearings from 19-20 August on proposed amendments to its radio frequency spectrum and spectrum fees regulations that were gazetted in May. Proposed changes include a dedicated registration regime for satellite space segment operators, blanket licensing for satellite terminal networks, and rules governing Earth Stations in Motion (ESIM).  They also outline revised spectrum fee formulas and enhanced regulatory pro

Lenovo revenue growth jumps to 43% in Q1 as server turnover doubles
GLOBAL 06:53

Lenovo revenue growth jumps to 43% in Q1 as server turnover doubles

Lenovo recorded a strong start to its fiscal year, with revenues in the three months to June up 43 percent year-on-year to USD 26.94 billion. Sales at the company's server division nearly doubled, and smartphone and PC sales also grew in double digits. Adjusted operating profit jumped to USD 1.52 billion from USD 631 million a year ago, while the net result was a loss of USD 609 million, hurt by a writedown of USD 1.69 billion on the value of warrants issued last year.

Cisco beats Q4 forecasts with revenues up 18%, net profit 51% higher
GLOBAL 06:28

Cisco beats Q4 forecasts with revenues up 18%, net profit 51% higher

Cisco announced better-than-expected results for its fiscal fourth quarter to July. Revenues rose 18 percent year-on-year to USD 17.3 billion, accelerating from 12 percent growth in the previous quarter and exceeding Cisco's forecast. The quarterly net profit jumped 51 percent to USD 3.9 billion, and the annual profit was 30 percent higher at USD 13.3 billion. Cisco said it booked USD 4 billion in revenue from AI infrastructure for hyperscalers in the past year and this is expected to grow to USD 7.5 billio

STT GDC secures USD 1.37 billion financing for 166MW Malaysia data centre deployment
MALAYSIA 05:50

STT GDC secures USD 1.37 billion financing for 166MW Malaysia data centre deployment

ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC) has secured a green financing facility of up to USD 1.37 billion (MYR 5.6 billion) to support the development of the STT Johor data centre campus in Malaysia. This financing package includes a Green Loan Facility for Phase 1 of the campus deployment.

LY Corporation achieves carbon neutrality
JAPAN 05:27

LY Corporation achieves carbon neutrality

LY Corporation has announced it has achieved net-zero greenhouse gas emissions for Scope 1 and Scope 2 from its own business operations in its fiscal year ended 31 March 2026. The company reports it uses a significant amount of electricity to operate data centres and other facilities for its internet media and services business. In FY2025, LY said it sourced all of the electricity used in its own operations from renewable energy.

StarHub H1 profit hits SGD 258 million on Ensign gain, enterprise order book jumps 50%
SINGAPORE 05:14

StarHub H1 profit hits SGD 258 million on Ensign gain, enterprise order book jumps 50%

Singapore operator StarHub posted total revenue (excluding Ensign) of SGD 874.3 million for the first half of 2026. EBITDA amounted to SGD 158.6 million, while net profit was SGD 258.1 million, mainly due to a one-off gain from the termination of the Aggregate Assigned Rights arrangement in Ensign. Following the termination of the Aggregate Assigned Rights arrangement relating to part of StarHub's economic and equity interest in Ensign, announced on 15 April this year, Ensign is now accounted for as an asso

Telkom revenue up nearly 4% in H1, boosted by 11% growth in Telkomsel's digital business
INDONESIA 04:44

Telkom revenue up nearly 4% in H1, boosted by 11% growth in Telkomsel's digital business

Telkom Indonesia posted revenue of IDR 75.9 trillion for the first half of 2026, which represents an increase of 3.9 percent year-on-year. Revenue growth was boosted by 11 percent increase in Telkomsel's digital business.

Megafon deploys indoor network at Volga Arena in Nizhny-Novgorod
RUSSIAN FEDERATION 12 AUG

Megafon deploys indoor network at Volga Arena in Nizhny-Novgorod

Russian operator Megafon has deployed a telecommunications system in Volga Arena in Nizhniy-Novgorod. Mobile broadband at up to 250 Mbps speed has become available in the ice-hockey arena, the average speed is 100 Mbps. The 5G-ready network has been deployed in the arena, including 12,000 seats.

GLOBAL 12 AUG

Google updates Pixel range with increase in phone prices, predictive health on smartwatch

Google has unveiled its updated range of Pixel smartphones as well as introduced a new Pixel smartwatch with predictive health functions and its own Pixel Tag tracker. Powered by the new Google Tensor G6 processor, the Pixel 11 smartphone range costs USD 100 more than last year's models, starting at USD 899 for the Pixel 11 and going up to USD 1,899 for the Pixel 11 Pro Fold. During the pre-order period in August Google is offering up to USD 1,000 off with trade-ins and its new Pixel Watch 5 discounted or f

RUSSIAN FEDERATION 12 AUG

Rostelecom up 11% in Q2, EBITDA grows 9%

​Revenues at Russian national operator Rostelecom reached RUB 226.8 billion in the second quarter of this year, up by 11 percent year-on-year. The company said the main growth drivers were the expansion of digital services and growing demand for broadband, infrastructure, and mobile services. The share of digital services in revenue increased to 23 percent.

RUSSIAN FEDERATION 12 AUG

Beeline expands coverage in Moscow residential buildings

Russian operator Beeline has raised the capacity of its mobile network in residential areas in the city of Moscow and its surroundings. New base stations were deployed at 13 residential complexes there, and the operator also connected the buildings to its fixed broadband services.

POLAND 12 AUG

Poland to allocate PLN 10 bln to business and economy digitisation

Poland's state development bank BGK and the Ministry of Digital Affairs will allocate a total of PLN 10 billion to the digitisation of businesses and the economy in the coming months and years, the deputy prime minister and minister for digital affairs Krzysztof Gawkowski said at a press conference reported by the news agency PAP. The funds will be allocated in the coming months and years, Gawkowski said. This money will be available for use across various programmes, as it will also come from the Security

AFRICA 12 AUG

MTN South Africa launches AI-powered job platform

MTN South Africa says it's advancing its commitment to digital and economic inclusion by introducing an AI-enabled Job Board to the MTN Skills Academy. In a statement issued to mark International Youth Day, MTN said the new feature brings job opportunities, high-demand courses, and personalized skills guidance together onto a single platform. Available across eleven MTN Skills Academy markets, the Job Board features regional job listings and uses algorithmic recommendations based on each candidate's backgro

POLAND 12 AUG

MVNO Otvarta grows annual revenues 13%

Revenues of Polish MVNO Otvarta totaled PLN 12.891 million in 2025, up by 13.25 percent year-on-year, reports Telko.in from a corporate filing at the national register. The company's net profit was PLN 2.496 million, up by 12.83 percent. Otvarta provides mobile services on the Polkomtel network.

POLAND 12 AUG

Orange to deploy rail traffic management infrastructure in Pomerania

Orange Poland, in cooperation with Hitachi Rail and ZUE, has won a contract to deploy a digital system for rail traffic management in the Pomerania region. The system will cover a 56-kilometre section of train line No 202 with nine stations, connecting Gdynia Chylonia and Lebork. New infrastructure and a cable network will be deployed, wired and wireless communications systems installed, and video surveillance, dynamic passenger information, closed-circuit television at railway crossings, fire protection sy

MIDDLE EAST 12 AUG

Middle East smartphone market contracts 19% in Q2 as vendors prioritize profitability

Middle East smartphone shipments (excluding Turkey) fell 19 percent year-on-year to 10.6 million units in Q2, the region's sharpest decline since Q4 2025, according to Omdia's latest research. Rising device prices, persistent supply constraints, and ongoing geopolitical uncertainty led vendors to prioritize unit profitability over sheer volume. Concurrently, regional retailers adopted cautious inventory strategies to mitigate softening consumer confidence.

SOUTH AFRICA 12 AUG

MTN South Africa offers one hour free data for TikTok on Sundays

MTN South Africa launched TikTok Open Time, a new offer under its updated MTN App rewards platform. Available through the MyGifts tab in the MTN App, the feature provides subscribers with one hour of free, uninterrupted TikTok access every Sunday, with no data charges. The offer must be redeemed before noon. The new reward is part of the MTN 'Yiyo' campaign, promoting its platform as the only Sim a person needs to stay connected. 

MALAWI 12 AUG

CTN, Unconnected.org and Internet Society expand LTE internet access across Lilongwe

Converged Technology Networks (CTN) has extended its LTE fixed-wireless coverage across multiple neighborhoods in Malawi's capital, Lilongwe, in partnership with Unconnected.org and the Internet Society. Brian Munyao Longwe, chief executive officer of CTN confirmed that the collaborative initiative will also provide more than 20 secondary schools with permanent, free internet access. By eliminating recurring service fees for educational institutions, the program aims to bolster digital learning, enhance acc

LIBERIA 12 AUG

Liberia streamlines telecom licensing with online system

The Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA) is automating its licensing and renewal process to cut processing times, lower costs, and eliminate unnecessary paperwork for applicants nationwide. LTA said in a statement that citizens and business owners across Liberia will no longer need to travel to the capital to apply for or renew telecommunications licenses, as it prepares to roll out a nationwide digital licensing platform. The automated system is designed to modernize operations, allowing individuals,

GERMANY 12 AUG

1&1 Versatel expands security services portfolio for business customers

1&1 Versatel is expanding its portfolio of security services for business customers. The company is introducing 1&1 Security Services, a solution combining secure connectivity, cybersecurity consulting, and managed security services. 1&1 Security Services bundles Penetration Testing & Security Consulting, Managed Firewall, and round the clock monitoring of security-relevant events. The solution enables companies to secure their IT and network infrastructures and meet regulatory requirements such as NIS2 an

Just In

07:39

Saudi Data and AI Authority introduces Ibram platform for digital signatures and verification

07:37

Banglalink secures licence for Mukto Pay digital payment platform launch

07:34

Icasa defends updated subscriber rules before parliamentary committee

07:28

Singtel operating profit up 10% in Q1 on growth at Optus, IT services

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Background

9 AUG 23:44

The week in telecom: Starlink's mobile ambitions and LEO challengers, plus Hollywood studios try streaming shorts and sports

2 AUG 23:37

The week in telecom: Telcos resist economic slowdown in Q2 while big tech gears up for more AI investment

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