Telecom

Subscription rates reshuffles power among India’s telcos, report finds

India’s telecom sector witnessed a striking fluctuation in its telcos’ subscribers, with Reliance Jio gaining 6.5 million and Airtel adding 1.9 million to its userbase during July, whereas Vodafone Idea’s consumer base went down by over 1.4 million, according to a data report by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). With the emergence of […]

One to charge them all: EU demands single plug for phones

The European Union announced plans Thursday to require the smartphone industry to adopt a uniform charging cord for mobile devices, a push that could eliminate the all-too-familiar experience of rummaging through a drawer full of tangled cables to find the right one. The European Commission, the bloc’s executive arm, proposed legislation that would mandate USB-C […]

Considerations for starting a mobile virtual network operator company

In a previous article, we discussed what a mobile virtual network operator, or MVNO, is and what their role is in the wider telecommunications ecosystem. We also discussed what sets them apart in the industry and their importance to the consumer. What we did not discuss is what an enterprising telecoms entrepreneur ought to consider […]

Saudi Arabia’s STC seals $966 million in IPO

Saudi Telecoms Company (STC) raised on Wednesday $966 million from its Initial Public Offering (IPO) following completion of the institutional subscription of its subsidiary Arabian Internet and Communications Services Co. Last week, the Kingdom’s state-owned telco set a price for its IPO at the highest rank of an analytical price range for Solutions by STC, […]

India alters KYC process flow to support telecom sector

India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT) disclosed on Tuesday the administration of a set of directives aimed to simplify Know Your Customer (KYC) processes for the sector’s latest mobile connections and prepaid to postpaid transfers to supplement telecom upgrades. Following the Cabinet’s issuance of its latest relief package directed at the telecom sector, the DoT, Minister […]

Orange MEA chooses Ericsson to boost African financial presence

In a bid to heighten Orange Money’s offering, Orange Middle East and Africa (MEA) joins forces with Swedish telecom vendor Ericsson to deploy mobile financial service solutions over phases spread across 14 countries in the region by mining into Ericsson Wallet Platform. Under the deal’s terms, Orange will tap into Ericsson’s Wallet Platform to enhance […]

Ooredoo, CK Hutchison merge Indonesia’s telco units for $6 billion

Qatar’s Ooredoo and Hong Kong’s CK Hutchison announced on Thursday a $6 billion merger deal that will look to combine Indosat Ooredoo and Hutchison 3 Indonesia (H3I) under a unified telecoms entity labelled “Ooredoo Hutchison Asia.” Both companies highlighted that the deal would set the stage to accelerate fierce competition in the telecoms and internet […]

Ethiopia’s RFP kicks off partial privatization of Ethio Telecom

Ethiopian authorities announced on Tuesday a bidding proposal for partial privatization of state-owned Ethio Telecom, inviting private investors to acquire a 40 percent stake in its lead telecom service provider. The country’s Ministry of Finance led the bidding process by delivering a request for proposal (RFP) for the partial privatization. The move is designed to […]

Indian Cabinet approves telecom relief package

India’s Union Cabinet approved on Wednesday a profusion of the eagerly anticipated relief package aiming to support the country’s distressed telecom sector by providing the option of converting interest on spectrum dues into government equity. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Union Cabinet confirmed nine structural reforms and five process reforms leading to a transformation of India’s […]

Myanmar’s authorities pull support of M1 Group’s Telenor buyout

Myanmar’s military government is forcing Norwegian provider Telenor to pursue other buyers following blunt corruption allegations against Lebanese-owned investment firm M1 Group, with rumors of suspected relations to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad. M1 Group is a Lebanese conglomerate that owns, manages, and oversees investments and subsidiaries in various sectors such as telecommunications, real estate, aviation, […]