The South African telecom giant, Telkom, recently rejected an acquisition bid from a consortium led by its former Chief, Sipho Maseko. The bid, whose details remain undisclosed, sparked extensive board deliberations and was followed by a 7% fall in Telkom’s share price. CEO Serame Taukobong maintains, however, that offers for a takeover will remain on hold until viable proof of deliverability is presented.
In the quest for digital transformation, Huawei, at MWC Shanghai 2023, introduced groundbreaking ICT and software innovations. Bruce Xun, Huawei’s Vice President, emphasized the company’s intention to construct robust networks with global carriers while focusing on creating intelligent digital talent. Embracing the dual-E concept, Huawei is striving for a green, efficient integration looking to reduce carbon emissions and enhance user experience.
Telefonica and Entel are poised to merge their fiber infrastructure in Peru, with KKR being the expected majority stakeholder, following Telefonica’s previous success in other Latin American markets. This move anticipates significant expansion of Peru’s high-speed connectivity by leveraging KKR’s successful fiber ventures in Chile and Colombia, amidst the industry’s race to a digitally-empowered future. Details of the deal remain discreet as it awaits regulatory approval.
Instagram’s new Threads app has garnered over 30 million sign-ups within 24 hours of its launch, along with a staggering 95 million posts and 190 million likes. While some features are missing, such as DMs and integration with ActivityPub, the impressive numbers indicate a promising start for Meta’s Twitter competitor.
Italy’s telecommunications tycoon, Retelit, ushers in a new era of growth under the leadership of newcomer CEO, Jorge Álvarez. With the recent Retelit-Irideos merger, Álvarez is set to navigate the future of this B2B market leader, backed by a solid 20-year career in the global telecom industry.
GoFibre, the Scottish network provider, has recently announced its readiness to commence deployment of fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) in the North Northumberland region, a venture backed by a £7.3 million Project Gigabit contract. They expect to offer commercial services by Autumn, revolutionising the digital landscapes of connected rural communities. However, whilst the mission focuses on battling the rural digital divide, stakeholders question if the UK is meeting its ambitious gigabit rollout targets. Meanwhile, other telecom giants are making their own pioneering moves in the sector.
Cisco’s Webex, a leading unified communications and collaboration platform, has become the first of its kind to achieve adherence to the EU Cloud Code of Conduct (EU Cloud CoC) Level 3. This significant milestone was reached after undergoing an independent third-party assessment and audit, which verified the platform’s compliance with all code controls.
Top tech giants, including Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft, have recently been identified by the European Commission under the new Digital Markets Act (DMA) as potential digital ‘gatekeepers’. These firms, commanding vast economic and influential prowess, now sit waiting during a 45 day review period that could officially brand them as such. Following the conclusion of the evaluation process, each company will need to navigate a six-month transition to achieve full compliance with the DMA directives. These guidelines are aimed at fostering competition and safeguarding both end-user rights and the interests of small scale businesses.
The City of Bellevue, renowned for its digital innovation, has partnered with T-Mobile to launch a collaborative project utilizing Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X) technology and T-Mobile’s 5G network. The initiative aims to facilitate near real-time communication between vehicles, traffic infrastructure, pedestrians, and cyclists, in support of Bellevue’s Vision Zero program, which seeks to eliminate road-related fatalities and serious injuries by 2030.
The Met Office has launched its Climate Data Portal, providing telecoms organizations with enhanced access to climate data and resources to improve their understanding and response to climate change. As part of the Met Office’s broader data optimization strategy, the portal offers 60 different data layers, along with guidance and information.
