Malawi has unveiled a five-year Digital Economy Strategy aimed at massively boosting access to connectivity by 2026.

Gautam Buddha International Airport has become the second airport in Nepal to deploy a TETRA (two-way radio) communication solution, following TETRA adoption by Tribhuvan International Airport. The solution will be led by SC20 hand-held radios from Sepura, a leading supplier of public safety communications, which deploys radios in both of Nepal's airports.

The situation regarding the merger of India’s state-run telecommunications operators Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) has become a touch more complex.

United Group is reportedly weighing up whether to remove equipment manufactured by Huawei from its networks.

Cape Verde is on track to clear its “digital dividend” spectrum by the end of June.

The Philippines’ newest operator DITO Telecommunity has been awarded a 25-year operating franchise after the Senate committee on public services approved the move.

Jordan’s Umniah has confirmed imminent plans to shutter its 2G network to allow further investment and more extensive upgrades to its 3G and 4G networks.

A plan to build one of the largest new greenfield campuses in the Mumbai region has been announced by Singapore-based Princeton Digital Group (PDG), one of Asia’s leading data centre providers.

Digicel has signed an agreement with the Government of Curaçao under the School Digitalisation Project that will see 118 schools receive high-speed fibre optic internet connectivity.

Zambia has passed sweeping laws to criminalise cyber abuse. But local commentators have argued that the move is really a way of stifling free speech in the run-up to elections due in August – and it does appear to have uncomfortable echoes of state intervention in places like Russia, China, Uganda and Cambodia.

Hot on the heels of its rival Claro, Entel Peru has announced the launch of a 5G New Radio (NR) fixed-wireless broadband offering using 3.5GHz spectrum.

Telecom Armenia has begun construction on a new fibre-optic Next Generation Network (NGN) in the Armenian capital of Yerevan.

Etisalat, one of the leading telecommunications operators in emerging markets, has selected Domain Orchestration solutions from Netcracker Technology – a subsidiary of NEC Corporation that offers digital transformation solutions – to complement its strategy of bringing new and innovative 5G services to market.

The saga of South African regulator ICASA and the release of more spectrum to operators has taken another twist, with ICASA now planning to appeal a recent court order halting a forthcoming spectrum auction.

A recently signed partnership agreement between connectivity provider Dwi Tunggal Putra (DTP) and SES Networks is likely to boost access to telecommunications for residents of 158 villages in remote parts of Indonesia’s West Java Province.

Hard on the heels of South Africa’s similar announcement, Nigeria’s National Broadcasting Commission now says that the country’s Digital Switch Over (DSO) project will be completed by middle of 2022 when the country will fully transit from analogue to digital terrestrial broadcasting.

Guinean regulator ARPT (L’Autoritie de Regulation des Postes et Telecommunications) will deactivate any SIM cards that remain unregistered from 2nd May this year.

Claro Peru is now offering commercial fixed-wireless 5G broadband via its 3.5GHz spectrum holding.

Last week saw Paratus Namibia announce the signing of its first fibre Open Access agreement, onboarding Africa Online as a client.

Brazilian regulator Anatel (Agencia Nacional de Telecomunicacoes) has cleared a proposal that will see the 6GHz (5925MHz-7125MHz) frequency band opened for unlicensed Wi-Fi 6E access.

Zain’s local unit in South Sudan has launched a commercial 4G offering in the capital city Juba.

Tuvalu Telecommunications Corporation’s (TTC) is upgrading its network with satellite services provider ABS to expand Pacific Islands connectivity.

Ghana’s only Tier IV data centre has reportedly been bought by fund management group African Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM), which now promises to make the former Etix facility the largest data centre in the country.

Slovenian operator T-2 has filed a new damages claim against Telekom Slovenije, accusing the market leader of abusing its dominance.

Vodafone Hungary has confirmed that it now has 200 5G base stations live in Budapest, marking the completion of the expansion plan it announced in October 2020.

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is making its first investment into Kyrgyzstan in the form of a US$3 million loan to wholesale broadband operator ElCat.

TIM Brasil has entered exclusive talks with IHS Brasil Participacoes over the potential sale of a stake in its fibre network assets unit, FiberCo Solucoes de Infraestrutura (FiberCo).