Nokia has clinched a major deal with Uzbekistan’s Perfectum, paving the way for the deployment of Central Asia’s inaugural 5G standalone (SA) network. Under this agreement, Nokia will be the exclusive supplier, furnishing Perfectum with a comprehensive end-to-end 5G SA network, including radio access, transport, core networks, and various network automation and service applications.
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.
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.
A monumental step for Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 appears on the horizon as the Public Investment Fund and stc group plan to merge TAWAL and Golden Lattice Investment Company (GLIC). This partnership, expected to have a value of $5.85 billion and annual revenues near $1.3 billion, could be a game-changer in the telecommunications infrastructure domain.
BT joins forces with UK Business Climate Hub to empower small to medium UK businesses to slash their CO2e emissions in half by 2030. The strategic partnership aims to combat climate change, utilizing BT’s experience and UKBCH’s resources, ultimately championing for net-zero emissions by 2050. However, reaching these transformational green goals may prove challenging for many businesses, highlighting the necessity of this collaborative initiative.
