Telefónica reported a net profit of €1.33 billion from continuing operations in the first nine months of 2026, up 21.6% year on year, as stronger earnings and cash generation prompted the Spanish telecoms group to raise its full-year financial targets.

Vodafone Qatar and Iraq’s state-owned Informatics and Telecom Public Company (ITPC) have signed a joint cooperation agreement to establish a framework for collaborating on telecoms and digital infrastructure.

Proparco, a French development finance institution, is investing €600,000 (about US$$670,000) into Cashi, a fintech company developing digital payment solutions to expand access to financial services across overlooked markets in Africa. 

Regulator the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) says it has embarked on a process to make additional high-demand spectrum available for assignment to the providers of mobile communication services.

Israeli telecoms group Bezeq has agreed to acquire mobile operator Wecom for up to NIS265 million (US$84 million), with the deal expected to generate cost savings of up to NIS100 million for the group over the longer term.

PLDT’s wireless unit Smart Communications said on Monday it has rolled out three new cell sites to connect geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDA) in Cebu, Bukidnon and Cotabato.

The International Telecommunication Union's Plenipotentiary Conference 2026 started this week in Doha, Qatar. Over the next three weeks, delegates from ITU's 194 Member States will address the world's most pressing digital opportunities and challenges.

Vodacom Group increased EBITDA by 40% to ZAR42.7 billion (US$2.6 bn) in the six months to 30 September 2026, with the consolidation of Safaricom helping to boost earnings as the operator reported stronger growth across its African markets.

MTN Group increased service revenue by 17.2% to ZAR176.2 billion (US$10.7 billion) in the first nine months of 2026, with growth accelerating through the third quarter and earnings rising faster than revenue.

PLDT’s wireless arm, Smart Communications, said on Friday it has launched a new service for premium postpaid customers that uses AI noise cancellation to filter out background noise during voice calls.

The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) is reportedly looking to establish legal measures that would require parents to report all SIM cards used by their children as an online safety move.

Bharti Airtel reported a 16.7% year-on-year increase in consolidated revenue to INR608.78 billion (US$6.8 billion) for the second quarter of its 2026-27 financial year, driven by growth in India and Africa.

Vietnam's mobile services revenue is forecast to grow by an average of 3.4% a year between 2026 and 2031, as rising data consumption and 5G adoption offset declining income from voice services, according to GlobalData.

An estimated 6.3 billion people, or 76% of the world's population, are using the internet in 2026, but around two billion remain unconnected, according to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

Telefonica Brasil, which operates under the Vivo brand, has confirmed preliminary talks with shareholders of Brazilian fibre broadband provider Vero, as it looks to expand its fixed-line footprint amid consolidation in the country's broadband market.

Airtel Kenya has reportedly acquired 100 MHz of 5G spectrum in the 3500 MHz band for US$65 million after the Communications Authority of Kenya granted it a 25-year licence for the spectrum.

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) and Aramco, the state-owned integrated energy and chemicals company, have announced the closing of a transaction in which Aramco, through a wholly owned subsidiary, acquires a 49% stake in full-stack AI ecosystem Humain, with PIF retaining 51% ownership.

TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) has set out draft guidelines for the implementation of AI (artificial intelligence) into telecom networks, infrastructure, and services.

The GSMA has re-elected Bharti Airtel executive vice chairman Gopal Vittal (pictured, below) as its chair for the 2027-28 term, while MTN Group CEO Ralph Mupita and Vodafone Group CEO Margherita Della Valle have retained their positions as co-deputy chairs.

The GSMA has urged the Gabonese government to reduce taxes on smartphones and mobile services to make internet access more affordable and bring more people online.

Guinea has appointed Mamy Diaby as CEO of state-owned telecoms operator Areeba, as the government restructures the struggling business after a sharp decline in subscribers and revenue.

Chilean regulator Subtel has refused to renew concessions in the 800MHz band for operator WOM, apparently due to lack of use. Indeed, the operator has not had customers on these frequencies since 2 November 2016.

The US$3.2 billion IPO of Indian technology and digital services multinational Reliance Jio Platforms has been one of this week’s big business stories, not least because the company's shares rose 27% in its Mumbai debut on Wednesday, making it India's second-largest company by market capitalisation.

Hayo, a global digital service provider, says it has expanded its presence in East Africa by establishing operations in Tanzania with the aim of helping to design, build and run critical digital infrastructure.

Bolivian state-owned operator Entel has begun shutting down its 3G network in the administrative capital of La Paz, reallocating spectrum in the 850 MHz band to strengthen 4G services.

Mobile industry organisation the GSMA says it has secured a US$1.2 million subaward from the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to strengthen mobile-enabled early warning systems across nine Pacific Island countries.

Gabon’s High Communication Authority (HAC) has lifted a ban on social media imposed eight months ago. The policy change was announced on Saturday in a televised statement.

Ukrainian operator Kyivstar has expanded its 5G pilot network to Kyiv, making the capital the fourth location where it is testing the technology following launches in Lviv, Borodyanka and Kharkiv.

State-owned operator Uztelecom has upgraded 1,566 base stations and launched 380 new ones across Uzbekistan as it expands mobile coverage and develops its 5G network.