Private networks are in the news again. This time Sociedad Portuaria Puerto Bahía, a port terminal in Cartagena, Colombia, is announcing that it is the first multipurpose terminal to adopt a private 4G technology in Latin America after a deal involving Nokia and operator Claro Colombia.

The new Nokia Middle East and Africa (MEA) Mobile Broadband Index research report is out. It confirms that the Middle East is far ahead of Africa in terms of 5G adoption, and that many operators in Africa are still developing their business models around 4G.

Ecobank Kenya, in collaboration with Fingo, a Kenyan fintech, has unveiled the Fingo Africa banking app, aimed at young people. Launched last week in Nairobi, the app will roll out across Ecobank’s pan-African footprint of 33 countries as well as France, the UK, the UAE and China.

South Africa’s Eastern Cape is getting its own internet exchange point (IXP). INX-ZA, an autonomous division of the Internet Service Providers’ Association (ISPA) of South Africa, has launched the Nelson Mandela Bay IXP, or NMBINX in Gqeberha, about 770 km east of Cape Town, providing what is described as a boost for business and for the growth and development of the Eastern Cape internet ecosystem.

As promised earlier this year, South African operator Rain is no longer a data-only service provider. It is now part of the country’s highly competitive mobile network space, joining Vodacom, MTN and Telkom with a network offering national voice, SMS and data coverage.

Bahraini broadband provider BNET signed a memorandum of understanding with Huawei to identify strategic objectives, outline governance rules, and set the terms for long-term collaboration, reported CommsUpdate.

Bolivia and Costa Rica have separately issued major updates regarding 5G progress in their markets.

Carrier-neutral data centre services provider GPX Global Systems, in collaboration with Redcon Group, a major name in construction, has announced a new data centre investment in Egypt.

Hispasat has secured the infrastructure deals required for its Amazonas Nexus satellite to begin operations.

Malaysian operators have thrown their weight behind the government's decision to reverse course and create a second 5G network.

Cuba's second-ever submarine cable, connecting Cuba to Martinique and deployed by Orange, is now being tested. The testing process began in April.

Orange Jordan has chosen Nokia’s 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) equipment for its nationwide deployment.

Philippines-based NOW Corporation, which has investments in telecoms, media, and technology, and low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite communications company OneWeb have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to bring high-speed, low-latency broadband connectivity to the Philippines.

Underlining the massive streaming potential of the mobile phone user market in Africa, Wi-flix, described as the fastest-growing streaming platform in Africa, has expanded its presence to Zambia following the launch of packages with mobile telecommunications giant MTN.

Zoom Video Communications (ZVC) India, a division of video-first unified communications platform provider Zoom, has announced that it has received three licenses from the Indian Department of Telecommunications (DoT): a unified license with pan-India access, a national long-distance licence, and an international long-distance licence.

A new partnership aims to offer advanced satellite data and monitoring that, the partners say, will transform disaster response and environmental monitoring in Southeast Asia.

Vodacom has become the first operator in Mozambique to launch commercial 5G, with its network now available in Maputo City.

Philippines-based operator PLDT revealed it is in discussions with consortium partners to build another subsea cable with ambitions to increase international data capacity to 1Tbps in the next five years.

In an unusual turn of events, India’s operators are said to be asking for a relaxation in 26GHz 5G rollout rules because there are not enough 26GHz-capable devices to make it worthwhile.

India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is reportedly planning to carry out  another round of 5G spectrum auctions in January and February next year. Spectrum in 11 bands, ranging from 600MHz to above 37GHz, is likely to be put up for sale.

There’s been some controversy reported in Uruguay in the run-up to operators Claro and Movistar prequalifying for 5G spectrum in an auction scheduled for 9 May.

4G is about to become a reality in São Tomé and Príncipe in the Gulf of Guinea, off the western equatorial coast of Central Africa, thanks to Unitel STP, which has announced that it has become the first mobile operator to launch commercial 4G services in the country, after receiving approval from regulator AGER.

The EU and US have warned the Malaysian government to not use Huawei equipment in 5G infrastructure, as the new administration was reportedly mulling plans to deviate from its controversial single 5G network strategy by building a second.

GTT (Guyana Telephone and Telegraph) is partnering with domestic satellite firm Wansat to deliver satellite connectivity to Guyana’s rural regions.

The Ghanaian National Communications Authority (NCA) set a hard deadline for the 11 million remaining unregistered SIM cards to be signed up, warning those SIMs will be cut off from services at the end of the month. 

Iraq’s Communications and Media Commission (CMC) has ordered mobile operator Korek Telecom to pay US$800 million to resolve an ongoing dispute over outstanding unpaid fees.

The Timor-Leste (East Timor) government approved the purchase of Brazilian operator Oi’s stake in Timor Telecom for US$21.1 million, a move that would make the state the majority shareholder.

Tomorrow will see a potentially significant development for the Sierra Leonean economy as the Bank of Sierra Leone officially launches the National Payment Switch, a system that, it is hoped, will move the country closer to achieving the objective of building a cashless economy.

Camtel, MTN and Orange have been ordered by the Cameroonian government to immediately fix mobile services after subscribers staged protests over the lack of quality service.

Flō Networks, a provider of digital infrastructure solutions, has announced that it has completed the acquisition of American Tower's Mexico fibre business, ATC Holding Fibra México (known commercially as redIT), and its high-capacity fibre optic network, which maintains a dense presence in over 40 cities throughout Mexico.

Dito Telecommunity is banking on the launch of post-paid mobile plans and entry into enterprise this year for growth this year.