Telecommunications Industry Ireland (TII) advocates a reduction in VAT on internet access services delivered via fibre and 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) from 23% to 13.5%. This proposed cut is designed to support the National Connectivity Strategy’s goals, targeted for achievement by 2028.
Furthermore, TII views this VAT reduction as essential for bridging the digital divide, particularly in rural areas, by making high-speed internet more affordable and ensuring equitable access. Continuous upgrades to telecom infrastructure are also vital for meeting the demands of remote working, online education, and other digital services.
As data traffic surges due to digital transformation and AI adoption, ongoing investment in infrastructure becomes crucial for maintaining Ireland’s competitive edge and realising broader economic and social benefits. On the other hand, Telecommunications Industry Ireland (TII) highlights the significant economic impact of the telecommunications sector.
The sector employs 24,000 people with an annual payroll of €1.6 billion, and it has invested approximately €3.5 billion in network infrastructure over the past five years. Additionally, it contributes €2.7 billion annually to local suppliers. This substantial economic footprint underscores the sector’s critical role in Ireland’s economy and emphasises the necessity for supportive fiscal policies to sustain its growth and investment.
PCCW Global and GalaxySpace partner to expand low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellite services into international markets, initially focusing on Hong Kong and countries along the Belt and Road. By leveraging GalaxySpace’s advanced LEO satellite technology, PCCW Global enhances its satellite offerings while GalaxySpace broadens its market reach through PCCW Global’s extensive international network.
The partnership aims to extend high-speed connectivity services to underserved regions’ consumers, enterprises, and government entities. Additionally, mobile network providers can expand coverage in remote areas using direct-to-cell technology, which enables mobile phones and smart devices to connect directly to LEO satellites for voice, SMS, and broadband services without traditional infrastructure.
With PCCW Global’s network spanning over 3,000 cities worldwide, this collaboration strengthens global connectivity across key regions. PCCW Global and GalaxySpace partner to capitalise on the benefits of LEO satellites, which reduce latency by 90% compared to traditional geostationary/geosynchronous orbit (GEO/GSO) satellites.
Why does this matter?
This low-latency technology enables new applications across sectors like maritime, aviation, IoT, and drone services. LEO satellites’ increased speed and efficiency provide opportunities for innovative connectivity solutions, improving access to fast, reliable communications for industries that rely on real-time data and seamless communication.
SEACOM and the ICT SMME Chamber have formalised their collaboration with a newly signed memorandum of understanding (MoU), aiming to significantly bolster support for small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs) within the telecommunications sector. That strategic partnership is set to empower SMMEs by providing them access to SEACOM’s channel partner program, which offers a comprehensive suite of support services.
These include the installation, maintenance, and support of digital infrastructure, as well as facilitating marketing initiatives, inter-business coordination, and personnel training. Through these efforts, SMMEs will gain the opportunity to leverage advanced digital services, with SEACOM providing resources such as Cloud, Connectivity, On-premise Network, and Cybersecurity solutions. This approach is designed to accelerate the digital strategies of SMMEs and enhance their operational efficiency.
SEACOM and the ICT SMME Chamber recognise the vital role of SMMEs in driving economic growth and job creation in South Africa. The MoU underscores their commitment to advancing an inclusive digital economy. The signing ceremony in Bryanston, Johannesburg, highlighted the importance of the initiative and its potential impact on South Africa’s digital landscape. By combining their resources, SEACOM and the ICT SMME Chamber aim to support SMMEs, enhance operational efficiency, and contribute to a more dynamic and equitable economy.
The Indian government has introduced draft guidelines mandating over 50% local value addition for 36 telecom products in government procurement. That initiative aims to bolster domestic manufacturing and stimulate innovation within the sector. The guidelines seek to develop a robust local ecosystem and encourage the growth of indigenous technology solutions by prioritising products such as routers, optical fibre, and satellite phones.
However, the Indian government’s decision to exclude 5G equipment from the list of products requiring local sourcing has raised concerns among industry stakeholders. While the new rules are broadly welcomed, the omission of 5G gear is seen as a potential impediment to India’s ambitions in global telecom markets. The exclusion could affect the development and export potential of Indian 5G solutions, creating uncertainty about how the industry will meet domestic and international demands.
The Indian government has recently tightened policy measures by excluding imported items from local content calculations. This adjustment, along with excluding royalties, technical charges, and repackaged goods, aims to ensure that only genuinely locally produced items are considered in procurement processes. These changes are part of a broader effort to strengthen the ‘Make in India‘ initiative and enhance the competitiveness of domestic manufacturers, supporting startups and established companies in developing and producing telecom equipment domestically.
PLDT and CICC have launched a major initiative called PROTECTA Pilipinas to enhance the security and resilience of the Philippines’ telecommunications infrastructure. This public-private partnership brings together key players in the telecom sector, including PLDT, Smart Communications, and the CICC, along with other stakeholders like the Philippine Chamber of Telecommunication Operators, CitizenWatch Philippines, Infrawatch PH, and others.
The primary goal of this alliance is to implement comprehensive protection measures that address cybersecurity and physical infrastructure security. The initiative focuses on enhancing network resilience through redundancy and disaster recovery plans while bolstering cybersecurity protocols to protect against digital threats. On the physical side, PROTECTA Pilipinas aims to tackle issues such as equipment theft and vandalism and will establish monitoring systems to assess the health and performance of telecom facilities regularly.
PLDT and CICC focus on timely reporting and legal protections as part of PROTECTA Pilipinas. The alliance will develop mechanisms for reporting suspicious activities and advocate for legal measures to protect telecom infrastructure from vandalism and theft. Additionally, they will collaborate with government bodies to align on policies and regulations, creating a robust framework to secure critical telecom assets and promote best practices across the Philippines.
EXA Infrastructure has agreed to acquire Global Communications Net AD (GCN), a leading Bulgarian telecommunications firm with an extensive fibre optic network spanning over 2,500 kilometres. This acquisition will significantly bolster EXA’s footprint in South-Eastern Europe and enhance its regional strategic assets.
Facilitated by DB Capital Ltd, KND Partnership Ltd, and Sofia Connect EAD, the deal is anticipated to be finalised in the fourth quarter of 2024, subject to standard conditions. Integrating GCN’s offerings—including dark fibre, wavelength, and colocation services—will expand EXA’s network to 155,000 kilometres across 37 countries, providing crucial access to key interconnection points in Türkiye, Greece, Romania, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Georgia.
In addition to these benefits, EXA Infrastructure will gain from GCN’s extensive network infrastructure, which includes over 2,500 kilometres of owned duct and cable connecting Sofia with Bulgaria’s borders and Black Sea coast cities. This network is essential for current and future subsea cables, establishing a vital east-west corridor. Moreover, EXA will acquire 100 kilometres of the metro network within Sofia, enhancing connectivity between major data centres and business hubs.
United Airlines has revealed a collaboration with Starlink, the satellite-based internet provider owned by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, to offer high-speed in-flight internet services to its passengers. This partnership is part of Starlink’s efforts to expand its services from rural households to commercial aviation. United plans to install Starlink’s internet connectivity on its fleet of over 1,000 aircraft in the next few years.
Testing for the service is set to begin in early 2025, with passenger flights expected to offer Starlink’s internet later that same year. This move mirrors similar agreements Starlink has made with other airlines, including Hawaiian Airlines and regional carrier JSX, as it seeks to establish a more substantial presence in the airline industry.
In a major win for passengers, United revealed that it will offer Starlink’s internet services free of charge on its flights, providing a significant value-added service as the airline continues to modernise its customer experience.
SITA has introduced its new cybersecurity solution, SITA Managed NAC (Network Access Control), designed to enhance airport and airline digital infrastructure security. That innovative solution addresses the increasing threats to digital networks in complex environments like airports, providing essential protection for critical communication systems.
SITA Managed NAC offers advanced security features for Local Area Network (LAN) and Wireless LAN communications. Specifically, it incorporates additional layers of identification checks and network segmentation, which ensure compliance with industry standards while safeguarding passenger systems and operational efficiency.
Furthermore, the solution provides granular control over network access, including detailed logging capabilities and the ability to quarantine non-compliant devices. As a result, it supports airports and airlines in meeting stringent cybersecurity recommendations from authorities such as the US Transportation Security Agency (TSA) and the Airports Council International (ACI).
Moreover, SITA Managed NAC integrates seamlessly with the existing SITA Campus Network product, leveraging Cisco’s Identity Services Engine (ISE) platform to enforce identity-based access controls and policies. Adopting a Zero Trust security model, the solution continuously authenticates and authorises access requests, significantly reducing the risk of unauthorised access and potential breaches.
The chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Jessica Rosenworcel, has called for increased competition to SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service. Starlink currently operates nearly two-thirds of all active satellites and is responsible for a significant portion of space-based internet traffic.
Rosenworcel highlighted that monopolies do not benefit the economy, emphasising the need to bring in more companies to develop satellite constellations and drive innovation in space. She stressed that competition in communications markets typically leads to lower prices and more innovation, and the space sector should not be an exception.
The FCC has been working to support new entrants in the space economy, offering guidance on licensing processes and promoting outreach efforts. Rosenworcel aims to encourage more players to enter the market and challenge Starlink’s dominant position.
In 2022, the FCC withdrew $885.5 million in rural broadband subsidies from Starlink, citing the service’s inability to meet basic program requirements. SpaceX had originally agreed to deliver high-speed internet to over 600,000 rural homes and businesses across 35 US states.
Global telecom leaders have united to launch a groundbreaking venture to transform network Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) globally. The new initiative brings together major telecom operators—including América Móvil, AT&T, Bharti Airtel, Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Reliance Jio, Singtel, Telefónica, Telstra, T-Mobile, Verizon, and Vodafone—alongside Ericsson.
The following venture will consolidate and offer network APIs, providing developers seamless access to advanced network capabilities. This integration will simplify leveraging these capabilities across various telecom networks, fostering innovation and the development of new applications and services.
Additionally, global telecom leaders are creating a broad ecosystem to support this initiative, which will involve hyperscalers, Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS) providers, System Integrators (SIs), and Independent Software Vendors (ISVs). Built on the GSMA’s CAMARA APIs project, the platform will be open and inclusive, encouraging further participation from other telecom operators such as Three Sweden. That collaborative effort aims to drive industry-wide participation and innovation by offering a unified platform for network API access, thereby expanding the initiative’s reach and impact.
Global telecom leaders expect the new venture to significantly boost monetisation and industry growth. The initiative aims to generate new revenue streams and improve monetisation strategies by integrating network APIs globally. The transaction is set to close in early 2025, with Ericsson holding 50% equity and telecom providers the remaining 50%.
