Mobile operators across the globe are being squeezed by decreasing revenues per user, and a seemingly insatiable demand by users for more data. To efficiently manage the rapidly growing increase in data traffic in their networks, mobile operators need to build and improve their infrastructure in a much smarter way than they have hitherto done. Telecoms expert Peter Karaszi take a look at some new infrastructural solutions that can help mobile operators do just that...

Virgin chief Richard Branson has revealed that Virgin Mobile is currently holding discussions with Russian mobile operators with a view to launching an MVNO in the country...

The Croatian arm of Austrian operator Vipnet has procured 20MHz of spectrum in the 800MHz frequency band, which can be used to provide LTE services...

The global cost of copper has increased by nearly 285 per cent over the last nine years from £1260 a metric tonne in 2003 to around £4843 a metric tonne today. It’s a trend that looks set to continue, with global demand expected to rise by more than 40 per cent by 2020. Such hefty prices have become a perpetual concern for the global telecommunications industry, which traditionally uses copper wire and cabling for network grounding and transmission lines...

A new cloud-based mobile portal is being launched by a major Mexican operator...

Cloud computing offers many benefits for the Small, Micro and Medium Enterprise (SMME), including the ability to access the latest technology to optimise business efficiency, improved scalability and flexibility. On top of these is the advantage of moving this technology from a capital expense to an operational expense with a monthly bill for services instead of a large investment for technology infrastructure and software...

Operators across the Middle East and North Africa will be able to offer seamless LTE roaming services via an extension of IP exchange (IPX) services...

The Scandinavian operator Telenor has revealed its new Indian partner, following its confirmation that it would continue to have a presence in the country...

One of Russia’s largest operators has announced its plans to acquire a stake of over 25% in one of the country’s leading banks...

Mobile money transfers to Africa are to be facilitated by new remittance corridors into the region...

The top priority of any wireless provider is to make sure that the wireless signal from a device gets into the ground as soon as possible. To do this, it’s crucial to make efficient use of the available spectrum...

China Mobile has detailed its NFC rollout plans, with the launch scheduled for 2013 following an ongoing trial of the technology...

The Bangladeshi telecommunications market harbours significant growth potential in light of the low penetration rates...

Thailand’s regulator has lain down the gauntlet for the three 3G licence winners by demanding that they cut tariffs for voice and data by as much as 20% before they can launch services on their newly-obtained spectrum...

Now that the deadline for submissions has passed, operators have confirmed their involvement – or otherwise – in India’s 2G spectrum auctions...

The term ‘cellular backhaul’ covers more now than it did two or three years ago, encompassing a far broader range of technologies  that have become more widespread, including internet services offered by digital devices as well as remote or maritime communications facilitated by small cells...

ZTE has been named as the vendor for the TD-LTE networks that China Mobile is rolling out in five cities...

Considering the saga of Thailand’s 3G auctions, it is perhaps unsurprising that even after the bidding finally happened this week, they continued to court controversy...

One of Russia’s largest operators is acquiring a 50% stake in the country’s market-leading mobile retailer...

Three Nigerian CDMA operators have requested that the country’s regulator grant them permission to merge...

Qatar's two principal telecommunications operators reported better results than had been expected in the first quarter of 2012, following a relatively poor performance in the fourth quarter of 2011...

Kenya’s market-leading operator is overhauling its data traffic management with a new solution...

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have launched a new partnership called the ‘m-Health’ Initiative to use mobile technology, in particular text messaging and apps, to help combat non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular diseases and chronic respiratory diseases...

India’s market leader Bharti Airtel saw its subscriber numbers fall by 1 million in September, following an initiative by Indian operators to provide more accurate figures by disconnecting inactive subscribers...

Latin American telecom giant America Movil has reneged on a deal to acquire the entire El Salvador operation of Digicel...

Telenor will continue to have a presence in the Indian market via a newly created subsidiary which will take over the operations of Uninor, the Indian joint venture between the Norwegian firm and Unitech...

Two major Brazilian operators have selected the vendors that will provide equipment for their LTE networks...

No new entrants from abroad will participate in Thailand’s long-delayed 3G auctions, with the bidding to be dominated by the country’s top three domestic operators in a process which begins next week...

In an industry that’s always looking forward to the newest developments, saying that a technology is ‘mature’ could be considered a slight. However, far from being outdated, some technologies simply need a bit of time to grow before they can flourish, and the prevalence of carrier Ethernet services shows that this technology has well and truly arrived. With an established set of standards and a raft of benefits to operators, Ethernet services are an increasingly attractive prospect for players in emerging markets...

South Africa’s first commercial 4G LTE services are now live...

Indian operators will face a choice over any spectrum they hold that exceeds their allowance: pay a one-off charge, or relinquish it...

Yemen is very much the poorest country in the Middle East with approximately 39% of the population living below the poverty line...

Uganda was one of the first countries in sub-Saharan Africa to gain full internet connectivity...

Coming into 2012 major changes were on the horizon for Myanmar’s telecom sector, with the government planning to liberalise the market to some extent...