The US Senate has made a significant leap forward with a new regulation requiring TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to divest from the platform or face a US ban. This move, echoed by President Biden’s support, stems from fears surrounding TikTok’s algorithm and ByteDance’s potential to share American user data with the Chinese Communist Party. However, TikTok’s CEO Shou Zi Chew vehemently denies these allegations.
Europe’s telecom industry is alert as the European Union investigates competitive fairness amid KKR’s acquisition of Telecom Italia’s fixed-line network. Questions arise about the impact on market competition and the deal’s opposition by Vivendi, the largest stakeholder in Telecom Italia.
Vodafone Carrier Services, the wholesale arm of Vodafone Business, has introduced Scam Signal, an API aimed at countering impersonation scams, particularly within the realm of Authorised Pushed Payment (APP) fraud.
This new API, Scam Signal, has demonstrated promising results, boasting a 30% improvement in scam detection during a successful pilot with a UK bank over three months.
DIDWW, a leading global telecoms provider specializing in two-way voice and SMS communications, has announced the latest coverage expansion of its emergency calling services. The Czech Republic, Switzerland, and Hong Kong are now included in the DIDWW SIP service, which extends the carrier’s emergency calling capabilities across 32 countries worldwide.
The Australian investment bank, Macquarie, is reportedly considering an exit from KCom amidst escalating competition within the UK alternative network (altnet) sector. A recent report in The Telegraph suggests that Macquarie has engaged advisors from PJT Partners to conduct a strategic review of KCom, indicating potential changes on the horizon.
According to Counterpoint’s Market Pulse Service, China’s overall smartphone sales saw a modest 1.5% year-on-year growth in Q1 2024, marking a second consecutive quarter of positive growth. Notably, Huawei experienced a remarkable 69.7% year-on-year increase in market share, solidifying its position in the market. This growth was attributed to Huawei’s successful launch of the 5G-capable Mate 60 series and its enduring brand reputation, particularly in the premium segment priced above $600. In contrast, Apple witnessed a 19.1% year-on-year decline in market share during the same period, partly due to Huawei’s gains in this segment.
Lycamobile, a multinational MVNO hailing from London, is raising serious accusations against T-Mobile, their US network partner since 2012. They cite considerable hurdles in acquiring basic services like eSIM and access to T-Mobile’s 5G standalone architecture. Lycamobile’s stance escalates further; by urging regulatory bodies to halt T-Mobile’s looming acquisitions, they imply an uneven playing field. Meanwhile, T-Mobile, combating allegations of litigation as a diversion, asks that Lycamobile’s claims be dismissed.
Vodafone has achieved a significant milestone in the UK’s Shared Rural Network (SRN) initiative, announcing the activation of its 200th site. This accomplishment marks a notable improvement from the 57 sites operational a year ago, underlining the urgency faced by the country’s major mobile network operators (MNOs) to meet rural coverage obligations.
Softbank, the Japanese telecommunications giant, is gearing up to bolster its supercomputing capabilities in a bid to support its ambitious generative AI (GenAI) strategy. As reported by Nikkei, Softbank plans to allocate JPY150 billion ($960 million) over the next two years towards upgrading its computing infrastructure, a significant leap from the JPY20 billion invested last year.
PJT Partners sets out to scrutinize UK telecom operator, KCOM’s business strategy, a move that could trigger significant changes like a sale or merger. This arises from previous disclosures regarding the potential interest of CityFibre and Virgin Media O2 in purchasing the uniquely positioned company that operates independently of BT’s Openreach network.
