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%.
A new $330 million data centre investment is poised to boost Greece’s digital economy. French company Data4 has announced plans to build a state-of-the-art AI hub in Paiania, near Athens. This development is expected to strengthen the country’s digital infrastructure.
Data4, which already manages data centres across six European nations, aims to collaborate with Greek banks to finance the project. CEO Olivier Micheli highlighted the significant contribution this data centre would bring to Greece’s economy and digital ecosystem. The hub may expand further, with potential investments of €200 million to add two more centres.
Greece is rapidly emerging as a key data hub in Southeast Europe. With a growing number of data centres, including upcoming investments from global players like Microsoft and Google, the country is positioned to become a digital gateway between Europe, Asia, and Africa. Recent telecoms infrastructure, including high-speed cables, further boosts this role.
Market research shows the data centre sector in Greece is expected to grow by 9% annually through 2028. The country’s digital transformation is being propelled by government support and the increasing adoption of AI and cloud services. Greece could soon become the second-largest data hub in the Mediterranean.
T-Mobile US is leveraging its recent successful emergency alert test to strengthen its position as a leader in satellite communications. By demonstrating its satellite-to-smartphone technology through a simulated evacuation notice, T-Mobile has showcased its capability to reach remote areas beyond traditional cell tower coverage.
That strategic move highlights the company’s commitment to enhancing connectivity and emergency response capabilities and underscores its role as a pioneer in low-earth orbit (LEO) communications. Although the test involved Starlink, T-Mobile has used the occasion to emphasise its innovations and technological advancements, aiming to draw attention to its lead in the evolving field of satellite communications.
Building on this technological edge, T-Mobile US is also addressing gaps in emergency communication, particularly in areas with limited mobile coverage. Consequently, the ability to deliver critical alerts where traditional networks are unavailable represents a significant advancement that could improve responses during emergencies, such as natural disasters.
The emphasis on enhancing emergency alert systems reflects T-Mobile’s dedication to public safety and reinforces its commitment to effective crisis management. Therefore, the company’s efforts to bring its satellite-to-smartphone services to market demonstrate its ongoing focus on improving connectivity and ensuring timely emergency responses.
China Telecom Global has recently inaugurated two significant centres in Hong Kong: the Artificial Intelligence Innovation Center and the Security Business Innovation Center. That development marks a crucial step in China Telecom’s strategy to enhance its high-quality development, cloud capabilities, and digital transformation initiatives.
By establishing these centres, the company aims to leverage China’s high-level opening-up policy to strengthen its international presence and drive global business growth through advanced technology and innovation. Furthermore, these centres are designed to optimise the business structure, integrate internal and external resources, and accelerate the global deployment of China Telecom’s capabilities in AI and security, thereby reinforcing its position as a leading global telecom player.
Additionally, China Telecom Global is placing a strong emphasis on research and collaboration. The focus is advancing cutting-edge technology and fostering partnerships between industry, academia, and research institutions. As a result, these centres are poised to become central hubs for developing AI and security talent, which will support Hong Kong’s evolution into an international centre of innovation and technology.
Microsoft’s productivity software suite experienced an outage affecting more than 16,000 users on Thursday, as reported by Downdetector. The disruption impacted access to Microsoft 365 services, with reports peaking at around 23,000 before signs of recovery emerged.
The company acknowledged the issue, stating it was investigating problems affecting multiple services. Microsoft‘s Azure cloud platform added that connectivity issues might have been related to AT&T networks, though AT&T had not yet responded to queries.
This outage followed a similar incident two months ago when a faulty update from CrowdStrike disrupted operations on 8.5 million Windows devices. While the number of affected users began decreasing, some reported on social media that services had returned to normal.
Downdetector showed more than 16,500 users struggling with Microsoft 365 access, and around 4,000 AT&T users reported issues. The exact cause and timeline for a full recovery had yet to be clarified by Microsoft.
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) are taking significant steps to enhance the security and quality of telecom services. To combat spam and cyber fraud, TRAI has implemented measures to disconnect and blacklist entities involved in bulk spam operations, resulting in the removal of over 3.5 lakh spam numbers and the blacklisting of 50 entities.
Additionally, the DoT’s Sanchar Saathi platform allows citizens of India to report suspicious activity, leading to the disconnection of over one crore fraudulent connections and the blocking of 2.27 lakh handsets involved in cybercrime. Concurrently, TRAI has updated its Quality of Service (QoS) regulations to enforce stricter benchmarks for network performance metrics such as call drop rates, packet drop rates, and latency. Effective 1 October 2024, these regulations will introduce monthly monitoring from April 2025, enhancing oversight and accountability to improve network quality.
DoT and TRAI are also implementing proactive measures to tackle the issue of unregistered telemarketers. For that, TRAI is considering immediate service suspensions for telemarketers not registered, based on a predefined threshold of complaints, and is working on proactive detection of suspected spammers.
These initiatives are part of a broader strategy to create a more secure and user-friendly telecom environment. Through these collaborative efforts, the DoT and TRAI ensure ongoing enhancements in telecom services, infrastructure, and quality assurance, aiming to provide users with a more reliable and customer-centric experience.
Stakeholders are urging a concerted effort to close Africa’s digital infrastructure gap, which is seen as a critical factor for the continent’s economic growth and prosperity. Specifically, the disparity between Africa’s large population and its small contribution to global GDP underscores the need for enhanced digital connectivity.
Stakeholders believe that Africa can unlock its economic potential and improve its overall quality of life by addressing infrastructure deficiencies, such as the significant fibre network gaps. Therefore, they advocate for increased investment in broadband services and expanded fibre networks to drive sustainable development and technological advancement.
Industry leaders call on governments and private sector entities to collaborate more effectively in creating supportive regulatory frameworks for digital infrastructure. In particular, such regulations are essential for fostering investment and ensuring that digital growth is rapid and sustainable. Governments, regulatory bodies, and businesses can develop policies that promote fair competition and infrastructure expansion by working together. Consequently, this collaborative approach is crucial for overcoming existing barriers and enabling Africa to leverage digital technology for enhanced innovation and economic opportunities.
Eastern Africa Regional Digital Integration Project (EARDIP) is poised to transform the digital landscape across Eastern Africa by enhancing connectivity and accessibility. The initiative aims to bridge the digital divide by expanding high-speed internet and modern communication systems to rural and underserved areas.
By lowering the cost of internet access, particularly in landlocked countries where prices are higher, EARDIP will make digital services more affordable and accessible. This expansion is crucial for ensuring more people can participate in the digital economy and improving access to essential services such as e-commerce, online education, and telemedicine.
Eastern Africa Regional Digital Integration Project (EARDIP) also focuses on creating a unified digital framework to strengthen regional integration and enhance cybersecurity. The project will establish a comprehensive digital network and harmonise ICT regulations to facilitate smoother cross-border communication and trade. Additionally, it will implement a regional cybersecurity framework to protect digital infrastructure and users from threats.
By developing interoperable payment systems and supporting legal frameworks for remote transactions, EARDIP aims to make cross-border trade more efficient and cost-effective. These efforts will promote a more cohesive regional market, drive economic growth, and position Eastern Africa as a competitive player in the global digital economy.
The Somali government is committed to enhancing its digital infrastructure by strengthening the regulatory framework for submarine cable landings. That initiative is part of a broader strategy to align Somalia’s telecommunications policies with international standards and support the country’s economic development objectives.
To advance this goal, the National Communications Authority (NCA), in collaboration with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), has organised a consultation workshop from 10 September to 11. The workshop focuses on critical issues such as licensing, environmental considerations, and infrastructure sharing, aiming to create a more robust and efficient regulatory environment for submarine cables.
As Somalia is already connected by five international submarine cables—2Africa, Djibouti Africa Regional Express 1 (DARE 1), Eastern Africa Submarine System (EASSy), Gulf2Africa (G2A), and PEACE—and is set to join the Africa-1 cable network by late 2024, the government’s regulatory improvements are poised to bolster the country’s digital connectivity significantly. The enhanced framework aims to streamline the process of introducing additional submarine cables, which is expected to lower internet costs and broaden access.
The World Bank’s research indicates that each doubling of international capacity typically results in a 7% reduction in fixed broadband prices and a 13% decrease in mobile internet costs. These changes will make internet services more affordable and accessible, fostering greater economic growth and social development across Somalia.
