Turkcell launches rewards programme for prepay customers
TURKEY 1 AUG

Turkcell launches rewards programme for prepay customers

Turkcell has introduced the 'Turkcell Yildiz' rewards programme for its prepaid customers. The service is available at no additional cost through the Turkcell app. Customers enrolled in the programme earn Stars each time they top up an eligible package. The accumulated Stars can be redeemed for mobile data or voice minute rewards through the app's rewards catalog.

Vodafone Turkiye tops 1 million ChatGPT package users in one month
TURKEY 1 AUG

Vodafone Turkiye tops 1 million ChatGPT package users in one month

Vodafone Turkiye has announced that, in the first month since the launch of its campaign with OpenAI, more than 1 million Vodafone customers activated unlimited ChatGPT packages. The offer enables Vodafone customers to use ChatGPT without consuming their mobile data allowance.

Lifecell leads number porting gains in H1
UKRAINE 31 JUL

Lifecell leads number porting gains in H1

A total of 334,341 telephone numbers were transferred to other networks using mobile number porting in Ukraine in the first half of this year, according to regulator NKEK. That includes 215,725 numbers, or 64.5 percent, transferred to the Lifecell network. Lifecell has attracted the most numbers since the introduction of the MNP service in Ukraine in 2019.

Montenegro's mobile and fixed markets see growth in June
MONTENEGRO 31 JUL

Montenegro's mobile and fixed markets see growth in June

Montenegro regulator Ekip reported 1.49 million mobile users in June, up 3.55 percent month-on-month and 5.34 percent year-on-year, pushing mobile penetration to 239.05 percent. Postpaid plans account for the bulk of the market at 60.07 percent. M:tel maintains the top mobile spot with a 41.71 percent market share, followed by Crnogorski Telekom (36.08%) and One Crna Gora (22.21%).

Constructel brings 5G to Bavarian Alps
GERMANY 31 JUL

Constructel brings 5G to Bavarian Alps

Constructel, a subsidiary of Nearing Visabeira, has brought high-speed mobile connectivity to the peak of the Jennerbahn in the Bavarian Alps. Situated at an altitude of roughly 1,800 meters within Berchtesgaden National Park, near the iconic Koenigssee and the historic Eagle's Nest, the newly constructed radio tower eliminates a long-standing dead zone for Deutsche Telekom in one of southern Germany's major tourist destinations, the company said. Nearing Visabeira's technical teams handled the complete ins

Beeline Kazakhstan EBITDA falls in Q2 on revenues up 4%
KAZAKHSTAN 31 JUL

Beeline Kazakhstan EBITDA falls in Q2 on revenues up 4%

Revenues of Beeline Kazakhstan, a subsidiary of Veon Group, increased by 3.8 percent year-on-year to KZT 107.388 billion in the second quarter of this year. Growth in fixed services, device sales, digital services and infrastructure-sharing revenue more than offset lower mobile service revenue. Fixed revenue benefited from repricing and subscriber growth, while mobile performance was affected by softer bundle revenue and slower subscriber momentum. 

Polish president signs law banning mobile phones at school
POLAND 31 JUL

Polish president signs law banning mobile phones at school

The President of Poland Karol Nawrocki has signed legislation banning the use of mobile phones in primary schools, for children aged 7 to 15, as well as in preschools, reports TVN24.pl. The ban will take effect on 01 September. Under the amendment, pupils of public and private basic schools will not be allowed to use handsets or other devices that enable communication, audio, or video recording. The ban will apply during lessons, breaks, and other activities taking place in the school. It will also apply to

AT&T FirstNet switches on 5G SA core built for public safety
UNITED STATES 31 JUL

AT&T FirstNet switches on 5G SA core built for public safety

AT&T's first-responder network FirstNet has formally launched its new 5G Standalone cellular core, bringing better uplink speeds to service critical uploads such as body-worn camera footage. FirstNet's 5G SA core will serve first responder clients across the US, and is claimed to be the first purely dedicated to public safety scenarios, though AT&T's rivals do offer targeted 5G slices.

Slovak Telekom offers EUR 99 smartphone with annual prepaid packs
SLOVAKIA 31 JUL

Slovak Telekom offers EUR 99 smartphone with annual prepaid packs

Slovak Telekom has introduced a promotion to customers connecting to its annual Easy prepaid packages, reports Zive. They can get the Samsung Galaxy A17 5G 128 GB smartphone for the discounted price of EUR 99 in all shops of the operator across the country starting from 03 August. 

STC Pay Bahrain partners with PayPal
BAHRAIN 31 JUL

STC Pay Bahrain partners with PayPal

Digital wallet operator STC Pay Bahrain said it has partnered with global digital payments platform PayPal to introduce cross-border fund transfers. This lets users link their PayPal accounts to the STC Pay app and move money between both platforms. STC Pay Bahrain CEO Metin Zavrak said the integration supports the needs of digital-first consumers while strengthening Bahrain's position as a regional fintech hub. Otto Williams, senior VP, regional head and GM for the Middle East and Africa at PayPal, said th

Beeline Uzbekistan achieves 5% revenues growth in Q2 on lower mobile base
UZBEKISTAN 31 JUL

Beeline Uzbekistan achieves 5% revenues growth in Q2 on lower mobile base

Revenues at Beeline Uzbekistan, a subsidiary of Veon Group, increased by 5.3 percent year-on-year to UZS 1.009 trillion in the second quarter of this year. The company said growth was supported by pricing actions, higher mobile financial services revenue, bundled device contracts, stronger network infrastructure income and higher guest roaming revenue.

M.Video says Samsung phones most common trade-in
RUSSIAN FEDERATION 31 JUL

M.Video says Samsung phones most common trade-in

Russian mobile and electronics retail chain M.Video announced the most popular smartphones collected under the trade-in programme from the chain in the first half of this year. The study is based on data from M.Master, the repairs unit of M.Video. Samsung led among brands (47.1 percent of returned smartphones). Xiaomi followed with 17.7 percent, and Apple iPhones accounted for 15.3 percent of trade-ins. Realme (7.4 percent) and Honor (3.7 percent) also were in the top-5 list of brands.

SERBIA 31 JUL

A1 Serbia tops mobile number porting gains in Q2

A1 Serbia led the country's mobile sector in attracting users through number porting in the second quarter of 2026, gaining 15,994 new subscribers, according to data from Serbian regulator Ratel. Telekom Srbija took second place with 10,413 net additions, while Yettel added 6,053. Telekom Srbija saw the highest churn via porting, losing 17,099 mobile customers to competitors.

RUSSIAN FEDERATION 31 JUL

T2 expands 'roam like home' calls to 70 countries

Russian mobile operator T2, a subsidiary of the national operator Rostelecom, has expanded the list of countries where roaming calls are charged at home network rates, reports Forbes.ru. The option has become available in Egypt, Japan, the US, India and Saudi Arabia. The list currently includes more than 70 countries. Outgoing calls to Russian networks are offered without roaming surcharges in those countries. 

GLOBAL 31 JUL

Mediatek realises surprise increase in Q2 sales and forecasts stronger FY growth

MediaTek reported better-than-expected sales for the second quarter, as expansion into new product segments helped offset the slowdown in the smartphone market. Revenue rose 2.0 percent quarter-over-quarter and 1.2 percent year-over-year to TWD 152.2 billion, exceeding the chipmaker's guidance. The trend is expected to continue in Q3, leading to strong growth in the full year.

GLOBAL 31 JUL

Belden achieves record Q2 with sales up 12%

Belden reported a record turnover of USD 750 million for the second quarter, driven by sharp growth in its automation subsidiary and modest rises in broadband platforms and smart buildings. Group sales grew by about 12 percent year-on-year and 8 percent organically. Revenues finished at the top of Belden's USD 735-750 million estimate and just ahead of Q1's 11 percent growth rate. The earnings per share was USD 1.74, up roughly 24 percent year-on-year, with net profits rising 12 percent to USD 68.5 million.

COSTA RICA 31 JUL

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.

BANGLADESH 31 JUL

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.

PAKISTAN 31 JUL

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 31 JUL

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.

AFRICA 31 JUL

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

ESTONIA 31 JUL

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.   

KOREA, REPUBLIC OF 31 JUL

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. 

MALDIVES 31 JUL

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.

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