Axiata Group, a Malaysian telecommunications conglomerate, has announced the sale of its towers operations in Myanmar in a deal worth US$150 million with an undisclosed buyer. This decision reflects a growing trend among international telecom giants to exit Myanmar due to the country’s challenging economic and operational environment amidst ongoing civil conflict.
Several major technology companies have joined forces to establish The AI-Enabled ICT Workforce Consortium, aimed at enhancing skills and knowledge among tech professionals facing potential disruption from artificial intelligence (AI). Notable participants include Cisco, Accenture, Eightfold, Google, IBM, Indeed, Intel, Microsoft, and SAP, supported by key industry and labor organizations.
Unearthing the UK’s surprising predilection for telephone poles, an ISPA survey reveals 70% of respondents would welcome a new pole for improved broadband. As connectivity takes precedence over visual impact, 75% agreed to poles ensuring excellent broadband, while only 17% disapproved. A noteworthy 37% were indifferent, rarely noticing the poles.
Telecom26 and MiWire are pushing the envelope with a pioneering maritime connectivity trial. The eSIM-based service aims to shift the commercial shipping industry’s reliance on costly and inflexible satellite technology, unlocking cost-effective data accessibility. Ships that stick to set routes can benefit from seamless, uninterrupted service leveraging terrestrial cellular networks for up to 50km sea distance, before transitioning to satellite connectivity.
GoTo’s Miradore Premium+ is a new subscription tier designed for growing businesses, offering enhanced MDM capabilities. CallTower introduces CT Text with MMS and SMS features in Cisco Webex. NGMN’s report underscores the necessity of industry-standard measures for tracking energy consumption in virtualized mobile networks. Casa Systems is selling its Axyom business to Lumine Group and its cable interests to Vecima Networks due to reduced capital spending.
In a significant move, AT&T has pledged an additional $3 billion investment by the end of the decade to address the digital divide in the United States, bringing its total commitment to this cause to $5 billion. This announcement comes as part of the telco’s ongoing efforts to ensure more Americans have access to affordable high-speed internet.
The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is gearing up for a pivotal vote on April 25 to reinstate net neutrality, a move that has stirred controversy, particularly among Republican commissioners.
With the looming switch-off of ISDN and PSTN circuits, businesses in the UK will have no choice but to update their phone systems to the cloud before December 2025. This is when the old networks will be turned off. These older networks are being replaced with newer technology, such as VoIP as well as the discontinuation of ISDN and PSTN; broadband lines with a dial tone such as ADSL and FTTC are also being discontinued and replaced with new products such as SOGEA and FTTP (Fiber to the Premise).
In a landmark verdict, Telecom Italia (TIM) resolves a decade-long license fee dispute. Awarded a €1 billion payout by the Italian Government, TIM’s victory prompts further scrutiny of the necessity of these fees post-privatization.
The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is ready to plunge into an in-depth probe into a possible £15 billion merger between telecommunications giants Vodafone UK and Three UK, a decision that could reshape the mobile market landscape. This action, while not surprising, showcases how the regulator continues to question the ambiguous benefits claimed by the companies regarding impact on competition and investment.
