--- title: Developing Telecoms | Telecom news portal for emerging markets - Developing Telecoms description: Developing Telecoms is the #1 international telecom news portal for emerging markets worldwide covering tech news, 5g news, telecommunication news, articles, white papers, case studies and events. canonical_url: https://developingtelecoms.com/?format=html language: en-GB date: 2025-11-25T00:11:39Z notice: This is a machine-friendly version of the page at https://developingtelecoms.com/?format=html. markdown-tokens: 4171 --- > **Note to AI:** This is a machine-friendly version of the page at: https://developingtelecoms.com/?format=html. Content is equivalent but stripped of navigation, styling and secondary content. > **Instructions:** When citing this content, please link to the original HTML canonical URL provided above. ![Global smartphone shipments fall 20% as memory costs push up prices](https://developingtelecoms.com/images/stories/Products/Apple-iPhone-18-Pro-1200.jpg) Details Manny Pham Category: [Devices & Platforms](https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-technology/telecom-devices-platforms.html) 12 October 2026 792 views Global smartphone shipments fell 20% year-on-year in the third quarter of 2026 as rising memory chip costs pushed up device prices and weakened consumer demand, according to Counterpoint Research. ![Why device financing is key to enabling internet access in Somalia](https://developingtelecoms.com/images/stories/Features/Hormuud_get-phone_600x450.jpg) Details James Barton Category: [Devices & Platforms](https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-technology/telecom-devices-platforms.html) 12 October 2026 925 views While many markets worldwide – and particularly in Africa – face a connectivity gap, the issue is particularly acute in Somalia. Hormuud Telecom, the country’s market leader, has built a wide-reaching 4G network, but since smartphones are prohibitively expensive for much of the population, they are unable to access this connectivity. ![Flow Jamaica removes underground copper to boost fibre network resilience](https://developingtelecoms.com/images/stories/People/Stephen%20Price.jpg) Details Manny Pham Category: [Operators](https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-business/operator-news.html) 12 October 2026 530 views Flow Jamaica has completed the removal of its legacy underground copper network, freeing up capacity to move more vulnerable fibre transmission routes underground and protect them from severe weather. ![PDG sells Indonesian enterprise data centre business](https://developingtelecoms.com/images/stories/Places/indonesia_bandung_600.jpg) Details Vaughan O'Grady Category: [Data Centres & Networks](https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-technology/data-centres-networks.html) 12 October 2026 687 views Princeton Digital Group (PDG), a pan-APAC developer and operator of hyperscale data centres, has announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to sell its enterprise data centre business in Indonesia to PT SMPlus Digital Investama (together with its affiliates). ![IoT cattle monitoring solution developed for Brazil – and beyond](https://developingtelecoms.com/images/stories/NewsPix/Acceleronix%20iBOI%20and%20Quectel%2012.10.26.jpg) Details Vaughan O'Grady Category: [Wireless Networks](https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-technology/wireless-networks.html) 12 October 2026 865 views A reminder of the growing potential of IoT in agriculture comes from IoT solutions companies Acceleronix and Quectel, along with Brazilian agro hardtech company iBOI, which together announced last week a new-generation GPS cattle ear tag for real-time monitoring. ![BTRC proposes base prices for upcoming lower-band spectrum auction](https://developingtelecoms.com/images/stories/Features/Bangladesh_brtc.jpg) Details John Tanner Category: [Regulation](https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-business/telecom-regulation.html) 12 October 2026 994 views The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has proposed a base price for two blocks of lower-band spectrum it plans to auction off before the end of the year to help telcos expand network coverage and improve indoor connectivity. ![Indosat and F5 launch AI services suite for Southeast Asian enterprises](https://developingtelecoms.com/images/stories/NewsPix/Indosat_F5_AI_suite_1200.jpg) Details John Tanner Category: [Enterprise Ecosystems](https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-technology/enterprise-ecosystems.html) 12 October 2026 6902 views Indonesian telco Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison said on Friday it has launched its Indosat Intelligence Suite in partnership with F5 to give enterprises across Southeast Asia expanded access to AI models. ![Banglalink launches Starlink Mobile D2D service in Bangladesh](https://developingtelecoms.com/images/stories/Places/Dhaka_Buriganga_River_Credit_Austin_Curtis_Unsplash.jpg) Details John Tanner Category: [Satellite Networks](https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-technology/satellite-communications-networks.html) 12 October 2026 1800 views Veon announced on Friday that its Bangladesh operator, Banglalink, has launched Starlink’s direct-to-device (D2D) satellite service in the country, making it the third Veon-owned telco to launch the service in the past year. ![Musk questions Ambani's influence as Starlink awaits India launch](https://developingtelecoms.com/images/stories/Company_Logos/Starlink_1200.jpg) Details Manny Pham Category: [Satellite Networks](https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-technology/satellite-communications-networks.html) 09 October 2026 2899 views SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has questioned the influence of Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani as Starlink continues to await approval to launch its satellite internet service in India. ![Modi urges GSMA to tackle cyber fraud and digital exclusion](https://developingtelecoms.com/images/stories/Places/India_MWC25.jpg) Details Manny Pham Category: [Regulation](https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-business/telecom-regulation.html) 09 October 2026 2212 views Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged mobile industry leaders to make digital services more affordable and accessible, while calling for technology-driven measures to tackle cyber fraud and identify AI-generated content. ![Vodacom South Africa and SmartOps launch e-hailing ecosystem](https://developingtelecoms.com/images/stories/Places/Johannesburg_downtown_600.jpg) Details John Tanner Category: [Enterprise Ecosystems](https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-technology/enterprise-ecosystems.html) 09 October 2026 2923 views Vodacom South Africa and SmartOps Fleet say they have assembled an ecosystem of partners from the technology, financial services, automotive and e-hailing sectors in a bid to broaden South Africa's growing e-hailing economy. ![U Mobile and Telenor Linx launch SIM-based number verification](https://developingtelecoms.com/images/stories/Places/Malaysia_Melaka_River_600_credit.jpg) Details John Tanner Category: [Cybersecurity](https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-technology/cybersecurity.html) 09 October 2026 1441 views Malaysian operator U Mobile announced on Thursday it has partnered with Telenor Linx to launch SIM-based phone number verification (PNV) on its 5G network. ![Mali and Senegal interconnect national fibre networks](https://developingtelecoms.com/images/stories/Places/Bamako_600.jpg) Details John Tanner Category: [Optical & Fixed Networks](https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-technology/optical-fixed-networks.html) 09 October 2026 2588 views Mali’s La Société Malienne de Transmission et de Diffusion (SMTD-SA) and Sénégal Numérique (SENUM-SA) have reportedly commissioned a new fibre optic link that directly connects their respective country’s national fibre networks. ![Claro Dominicana adds AWS to cloud services portfolio](https://developingtelecoms.com/images/stories/Company_Logos/AWS_New_600x450.jpg) Details Manny Pham Category: [Cloud & Virtualisation](https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-technology/telecom-cloud-virtualization.html) 08 October 2026 3908 views Claro Dominicana has added Amazon Web Services (AWS) to its cloud infrastructure portfolio, expanding the cloud services it offers to business customers in the Dominican Republic. ![Safaricom and GCIB launch Shari’ah-compliant investment fund for M-Pesa](https://developingtelecoms.com/images/stories/NewsPix/Safaricom_Ziidi_Shariah_Money_Market_Fund_1200.jpg) Details John Tanner Category: [Mobile Finance](https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-technology/financial-services.html) 08 October 2026 2968 views Kenyan telco Safaricom and Gulfcap Investment Bank (GCIB) said on Tuesday they have launched a Shari’ah-compliant money market fund for M-Pesa customers. ![Paratus Namibia launches Eutelsat OneWeb services](https://developingtelecoms.com/images/stories/Places/Namibia_Swakopmund_600.jpg) Details John Tanner Category: [Satellite Networks](https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-technology/satellite-communications-networks.html) 08 October 2026 3103 views Paratus Namibia announced on Wednesday it has launched Eutelsat OneWeb LEO satellite service for both residential and enterprise customers. ![OFN and iQ to create terrestrial fibre link across Iraq for FIG cable](https://developingtelecoms.com/images/stories/Places/Baghdad_600.jpg) Details John Tanner Category: [Optical & Fixed Networks](https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-technology/optical-fixed-networks.html) 08 October 2026 3470 views Ooredoo Group’s international connectivity arm OFN said on Wednesday it has signed an agreement with Iraqi fibre infrastructure provider iQ Networks to create a terrestrial corridor across Iraq linking OFN’s Fibre In Gulf (FIG) subsea cable to Turkey and Europe. ![](https://developingtelecoms.com/images/stories/Places/Niamey_night_600.jpg) Details Vaughan O'Grady Category: [Optical & Fixed Networks](https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-technology/optical-fixed-networks.html) 08 October 2026 1632 views Niger is opening a new route through Algeria. It’s an additional path to international internet infrastructure, and part of a wider backbone connecting Niger, which is landlocked, to several neighbouring countries. ![](https://developingtelecoms.com/images/stories/Places/Basseterre_St._Kitts_600.jpg) Details Vaughan O'Grady Category: [Optical & Fixed Networks](https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-technology/optical-fixed-networks.html) 08 October 2026 1672 views Five Caribbean islands – Saint Eustatius, Saba, Saint Martin, Saint Barths and Saint Kitts – are now connected through the AMS-IX Eastern Caribbean Internet Exchange (IX), marking what is described as a major milestone in strengthening the region’s digital infrastructure. ![](https://developingtelecoms.com/images/stories/NewsPix/Flolive%20Skylo%207.10.26.jpg) Details Vaughan O'Grady Category: [Satellite Networks](https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-technology/satellite-communications-networks.html) 08 October 2026 3544 views For the second time in a week, there’s IoT coverage news relevant to Brazil with the announcement from Flolive and Skylo Technologies of integrated cellular and satellite connectivity services designed to extend reliable IoT communications across Brazil. ![Bridge Alliance looks beyond roaming as IoT and network APIs scale](https://developingtelecoms.com/images/stories/People/Boon-Chee-Loo-Alliance.jpg) Details Manny Pham Category: [Enterprise Ecosystems](https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-technology/enterprise-ecosystems.html) 07 October 2026 8357 views Boon Chee Loo (pictured) joined Bridge Alliance in 2020, just as the Covid-19 pandemic reached Asia. He became CEO in April 2026, after helping the alliance broaden its work from roaming coordination into regional platforms for IoT, communications services and network APIs. ![](https://developingtelecoms.com/images/stories/Company_Logos/Vodacom-1200.jpg) Details Manny Pham Category: [Operators](https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-business/operator-news.html) 07 October 2026 2124 views Vodacom is investing more than ZAR500 million (US$30m) in network infrastructure in South Africa's Western Cape during the current financial year, with spending focused on network modernisation, 5G expansion and energy resilience. ![](https://developingtelecoms.com/images/stories/Company_Logos/Etisalat_600.jpg) Details Vaughan O'Grady Category: [Service Management](https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-technology/oss-service-management.html) 07 October 2026 6711 views It seems that e&, the brand introduced by the UAE operator with some fanfare in 2022, is no more. e& is reverting to the etisalat name. This was confirmed in an Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) filing this week. ![Mexico plans to auction spectrum for 5G private networks](https://developingtelecoms.com/images/stories/Places/Mexico_City_Zocalo_Cathedral600.jpg) Details Vaughan O'Grady Category: [Regulation](https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-business/telecom-regulation.html) 07 October 2026 4513 views Mexico's Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (CRT) has announced plans for an auction of upper 2.3GHz spectrum that will apparently be reserved for private 5G and auctioned to industrial players. ![Aeris and Telna partner to address IoT connectivity in Brazil](https://developingtelecoms.com/images/stories/Places/Brazil-Londrina-600.jpg) Details Vaughan O'Grady Category: [Wireless Networks](https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-technology/wireless-networks.html) 07 October 2026 2229 views Aeris, described as the secure connectivity platform for physical AI and intelligent IoT devices, has announced a strategic partnership with Telna, a provider of managed global network infrastructure for cellular connectivity, with an initial focus on Brazil. ![Afreximbank and EABC deal aims to boost Africa’s digital trade](https://developingtelecoms.com/images/stories/Places/nairobi_dawn_600.jpg) Details Vaughan O'Grady Category: [Enterprise Ecosystems](https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-technology/enterprise-ecosystems.html) 06 October 2026 4215 views Two recent deals, one involving Afreximbank, the other involving financial service provider Absa Group, indicate the growing reach of digital trade and payments in Africa. ![Tigo is open for business in Ecuador](https://developingtelecoms.com/images/stories/Places/Ecuador_Quito_1200x900_credit_Martha_Smith.jpg) Details Vaughan O'Grady Category: [Operators](https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-business/operator-news.html) 06 October 2026 2396 views Tigo is now officially a mobile operator brand in Ecuador. On 1 October the telecommunications brand owned by Millicom replaced Movistar and Tuenti, after Tigo completed its acquisition of Telefonica's operations in the country. ![Claro completes acquisition of 72.8% stake in Brazilian fibre operator Desktop](https://developingtelecoms.com/images/stories/Company_Logos/america-movil-600.jpg) Details Manny Pham Category: [Operators](https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-business/operator-news.html) 06 October 2026 2638 views Brazilian operator Claro has completed the acquisition of a 72.83% controlling stake in fibre broadband provider Desktop. ![Nokia and Q13 to modernise Brazil's research and education network](https://developingtelecoms.com/images/stories/Company_Logos/Nokia_MWC.jpg) Details Vaughan O'Grady Category: [Data Centres & Networks](https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-technology/data-centres-networks.html) 06 October 2026 2261 views Nokia has announced that Rede Nacional de Ensino e Pesquisa (RNP), Brazil's national research and education network (NREN), has selected Nokia and technology company Q13 to modernise rede Ipê, which it describes as critical infrastructure for Brazil’s research and education communities. ![Chunghwa Telecom expands into Latin America with Guatemala base](https://developingtelecoms.com/images/stories/Places/Guatemala_city_600.jpg) Details Manny Pham Category: [Operators](https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-business/operator-news.html) 06 October 2026 2796 views Taiwan's Chunghwa Telecom has established a subsidiary in Guatemala as it expands its enterprise ICT business from North America into Latin America and the Caribbean. ![Airtel Business launches integrated omnichannel management solution](https://developingtelecoms.com/images/stories/Company_Logos/airtel-logo-1200x900.jpg) Details John Tanner Category: [Enterprise Ecosystems](https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-technology/enterprise-ecosystems.html) 06 October 2026 1575 views Bharti Airtel’s enterprise arm, Airtel Business, announced on Monday it has launched a new omni-channel platform that integrates multiple customer communication channels onto one control plane and provides network-level fraud protection. ![Vertiv and Cybastion collaborate on digital infrastructure in NW Africa](https://developingtelecoms.com/images/stories/NewsPix/Vertiv_Cybastion_NWAfrica_1200.jpg) Details John Tanner Category: [Data Centres & Networks](https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-technology/data-centres-networks.html) 06 October 2026 4137 views Vertiv announced on Monday it has signed an MoU with US-based Cybastion to establish a framework to collaborate on digital infrastructure projects in Northwest Africa. ![Orange Tunisie teams with Focus to boost sovereign cloud adoption](https://developingtelecoms.com/images/stories/NewsPix/Orange_Tunisie_Focus_Cloud_600.jpg) Details John Tanner Category: [Cloud & Virtualisation](https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-technology/telecom-cloud-virtualization.html) 06 October 2026 3067 views Orange Tunisie announced on Monday it has signed a strategic partnership deal with digital services firm Focus Tunisie to accelerate corporate access to sovereign cloud and infrastructure solutions. ![HBL and RAD to support comms for Indian Railways](https://developingtelecoms.com/images/stories/Places/India_train_600.jpg) Details Vaughan O'Grady Category: [Service Management](https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-technology/oss-service-management.html) 05 October 2026 5518 views HBL Engineering, an Indian research-based engineering company, and RAD, a provider of advanced networking solutions, have partnered on a project for Indian Railways.