Telecom Egypt, Egypt’s first integrated telecom operator and one of the largest subsea cable operators in the region, has announced that EG-IX, the first open access internet exchange in Egypt, is live and available for customers.

Digital infrastructure company Equinix has announced plans to build a brand-new data centre in the city of Salalah on the south coast of Oman.

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), among the largest sovereign wealth funds in the world with total estimated assets of at least $500 billion, and Saudi telecommunications company STC Group have signed a joint venture agreement to establish a new company specializing in the Internet of Things (IoT).

The government of Papua New Guinea has passed an act imposing a tax liability on Digicel, an operator that is a major player in the Pacific and Australia.

Israel’s Ministry of Communications (MoC) has overhauled fixed broadband laws separating infrastructure and internet service provision.

Infobip has acquired a Service without Network (National) licence to operate in Zambia, which will help the firm expand in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.

The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) has confirmed that it will not issue new telecoms and broadcasting licences between 1^st October 2022 and 30^th September 2023.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has ordered that every telecom service provider (TSP) offering at least one ‘Plan Voucher’, one ‘Special Tariff Voucher (STV)’, and one ‘Combo Voucher’ renewable on the same date of every month.

Bahrain Telecommunication Company, trading as Batelco, has partnered with e& (formerly known as Etisalat Group) to connect Manama Internet Exchange (MN-IX) with SmartHub Internet Exchange (SH-IX) to provide a seamless peering experience for customers, enabling a two-way data path utilising the robust global network remotely.

India’s networking market which includes Ethernet Switch, Routers, and WLAN segments witnessed a 13.6% year-over-year (YoY) growth in terms of vendor revenues during 4Q 2021 (Oct-Dec), said a study.

Israel’s Ministry of Communications has approved Amphissa Holdings’ acquisition of a 27% stake in Partner Communications for US$300 million.

With the deadline of 31^st March now elapsed, Nigeria’s government has called on the country’s mobile phone users to register their National Identity Numbers (NINs) to their SIM cards in “the next few days.”

Saint Kitts and Nevis is set to build a new data centre in a bid to boost its economy.

Indian multinational telecommunications services company Bharti Airtel and compatriot information technology services and consulting company Tech Mahindra announced a strategic partnership to build and market innovative solutions for India’s digital economy by bringing together their core strengths. The partnership will co-develop and market 5G use cases in India.

Vodacom South Africa MD Balesh Sharma is leaving the mobile operator after less than two years in the role. He has decided to pursue a new opportunity in Europe after two decades with Vodafone Group, the parent company.

UAE’s telecom major e& (formerly known as Etisalat) has announced a strategic partnership with Meta, the entity that houses Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram.

Zambia’s regulator has claimed to have blocked over two million illegal SIM cards, a move that is part of plans to clamp down on illegal activities prevailing as citizens take up digital financial services.

Satellite operator Intelsat has been part of two very different deals recently, both underlining the diverse uses of satellite communications. One involves extending video connectivity in Brazil. The other aims to improve maritime connectivity across an area that includes Africa and the Middle East.

Nokia has instituted legal action against the Romanian government after being refused authorisation to provide 5G network hardware in the country.

Thai operator AIS, Qualcomm and ZTE announced claimed to launch the first in the field demonstration of 5G NR-DC (New Radio Dual Connectivity), a move that could potentially enhance Thailand’s 5G network and expand its use cases.

Togo is aiming to fiberise the country’s network of electrical power lines, according to the Minister of the Digital Economy and Digital Transformation Cina Lawson.

Nokia has signed an agreement with Etisalat UAE to deploy 5G private wiles networks to various industries in the region.

Indian mobile subscriber base dipped by nearly 10 million users in January as tariff hikes make services dearer, said the telecom regulator.

To enhance its wireless products offering, Tata Group’s company Tejas Networks will acquire a 64.40% stake in the wireless solution company Bengaluru (Bangalore)-based Saankhya Labs for INR 2.84 billion (USD 38 million) in a cash trade.

Supported by the growing fixed broadband service adoption, particularly in the emerging markets of the region, fixed communications service revenue in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region is set to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 1.7% to reach USD 406.2bn in 2026.

Zain South Sudan has selected Tecnotree’s BSS suite for a major digital transformation initiative.

Trilogy International Partners has agreed to sell a majority stake in Bolivian operator Nuevatel to Balesia Group for an undisclosed fee.

Cloud networking provider GTT Communications has partnered with Arc Solutions to consolidate and expand its service reach across the Middle East.

A new World Bank report – South Asia's Digital Opportunity: Accelerating Growth, Transforming Lives – looks at the opportunities and challenges related to digitalising the economies, societies and governments of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.