Swisscom has moved a step closer to finalising its €8 billion acquisition of Vodafone Italia after receiving approval from Italy’s communications regulator, AGCOM. The deal, announced in March, aims to merge Vodafone Italia with Swisscom’s Fastweb subsidiary, potentially granting Swisscom a 30% share of Italy’s fixed broadband market. However, the transaction still faces scrutiny from Italy‘s antitrust authority, AGCM, which is conducting a detailed review to assess its impact on competition.
AGCM has expressed concerns that the merger could reduce competition in Italy’s already concentrated broadband market, potentially disadvantaging residential customers. In response, Swisscom has proposed several concessions, including access to Fastweb’s fiber network for competitors and protections for existing wholesale contracts.
Competitors were invited to provide feedback on these concessions by early November, and the AGCM is expected to conclude its review by mid-December. If approved, Swisscom aims to complete the acquisition by early 2025.
Kuwait KEMS-Zajil Telecom and Emirates MBCOM Technologies have partnered to strengthen digital infrastructure and cybersecurity across the Middle East, aiming to help businesses remain secure and agile in a connected, fast-evolving world. This partnership formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 16 October 2024, focuses on providing enterprise solutions in critical areas like network optimisation, cloud services, and cybersecurity.
By merging their expertise, the companies intend to deliver advanced solutions that optimise network performance and bolster defences against cyber threats, essential capabilities for supporting business growth and resilience. Moreover, both companies see this partnership as a strategic move to drive digital transformation in the region, effectively meeting the rising demand for secure, efficient, and scalable digital services.
Furthermore, KEMS-Zajil Telecom emphasised that collaborating with MBCOM Technologies allows them to expand their digital services portfolio with cutting-edge solutions that enhance growth and security. Similarly, MBCOM Technologies highlighted how this partnership positions both companies to bring innovative technology to regional businesses. Ultimately, with its dual focus on advanced infrastructure and robust security, this collaboration reflects a shared vision to empower Middle Eastern enterprises through comprehensive digital solutions that drive long-term growth and resilience.
Khazna, BEEAH, and the Sharjah Communication Technology Authority (SCTA) are partnering to enhance Sharjah’s digital infrastructure by developing advanced data centres. Building on a joint venture formed in 2022 between BEEAH and Khazna, SCTA is joining the effort to create Sharjah’s largest data centre, featuring a 9MW capacity, with the first phase focusing on Kalba.
That project aims to provide the necessary infrastructure to support digital transformation in Sharjah, driving innovation and enabling emerging technologies like AI and blockchain. As a result, the collaboration will advance telecommunications solutions and significantly contribute to the emirate’s broader digital growth.
In addition to fostering technological advancements, the partnership also emphasises sustainability. The project will explore eco-friendly energy solutions, such as waste-to-energy power generation, and incorporate greywater recycling systems to minimise water usage.
Moreover, energy-efficient technologies will be integrated to reduce the environmental footprint. Consequently, it will foster economic growth and technological leadership in the UAE.
The Indian Ministry of Mines and the International Energy Agency (IEA) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to enhance India’s critical mineral sector. Through this collaboration, India will gain access to reliable data, analysis, and policy recommendations, improving decision-making and resource management.
Furthermore, the MoU aims to align India’s policies, regulations, and investment strategies with global best practices, accelerating the country’s transition to sustainable and resilient energy systems. In addition, the partnership will focus on capacity development and knowledge exchange through joint research projects, workshops, and training programs, which will enhance India’s technical and institutional capabilities in critical mineral management.
By learning from the experiences of other IEA member states, India seeks to foster innovation in technology development, extraction techniques, and recycling methods, ultimately boosting its competitiveness in the global market. Approved by the Union Cabinet in October 2024, this collaboration marks a significant milestone in securing India’s critical mineral resources.
As a result, the MoU underscores India’s commitment to adopting advanced global practices while addressing its domestic energy needs. Consequently, it sets the stage for long-term strategic growth in the critical minerals sector, promoting sustainability, innovation, and energy security across the nation.
Visa has announced a partnership with fintech Affirm to introduce a new feature allowing United States customers to use a single card for both debit transactions and buy now, pay later (BNPL) purchases. The feature aims to meet growing consumer demand for payment flexibility. Visa will also launch the service in the United Arab Emirates in collaboration with Liv Bank and plans to expand to Europe in the coming months.
Mark Nelsen, Visa‘s global head of consumer products, highlighted that customers increasingly prioritise convenience in payments, especially as e-commerce continues to thrive. A Visa study revealed that 51% of card users desire access to multiple accounts and funding options through a single credential, streamlining their payment experiences. The ‘Flexible Credential’ feature is already available in markets such as Hong Kong, Japan, and Singapore, with further expansion planned over the next year.
Visa and Affirm’s collaboration signals a growing trend of traditional financial institutions working with fintech firms to drive innovation. While fintech companies have often been seen as challengers to established banks, such partnerships can benefit both sides by unlocking new revenue opportunities. Affirm CEO Max Levchin emphasised the company’s commitment to providing a seamless product that integrates debit and credit without hidden fees.
Amazon Web Services (AWS) is offering $110 million in free computing power to researchers to promote its custom AI chips. The programme provides credits for the use of AWS’s Trainium chips, which are designed to compete with Nvidia’s widely-used hardware, as well as Advanced Micro Devices and Alphabet’s cloud technology. Researchers from Carnegie Mellon University and the University of California, Berkeley, are already participating, with AWS planning to make 40,000 Trainium chips available.
AWS, the world’s leading cloud provider by sales, is facing intensified competition from Microsoft, especially as the demand for cutting-edge AI hardware grows. The company is taking a novel approach to lure AI developers by offering detailed documentation for Trainium’s instruction set architecture. This will allow researchers to program the chip directly, unlike Nvidia‘s chips, which usually require the use of proprietary Cuda software.
Gadi Hutt, head of business development for AI chips at AWS, said this strategy is aimed at customers with large-scale operations. Even minor programming adjustments could yield significant performance and cost advantages when using tens of thousands of chips. Hutt emphasised that companies investing hundreds of millions in computing infrastructure would welcome opportunities to improve efficiency and reduce expenses.
The US Commerce Department has pledged up to $18.2 million in funding to California-based Akash Systems to build a 40,000-square-foot cleanroom facility dedicated to advanced semiconductor manufacturing in West Oakland, California. This funding, part of the $52.7 billion semiconductor subsidy program, will be combined with Akash’s own investments and venture capital to create a $121 million production site for Diamond Cooling substrates and systems designed to enhance thermal management in AI-driven data centres.
Akash CEO Felix Ejeckam highlighted this investment as a significant step in meeting the challenges of high-performance computing. Last year, the company also established a landmark labor neutrality agreement for West Oakland semiconductor production workers in partnership with the IUE-CWA union, covering both construction and production roles.
The announcement comes as the Commerce Department works to finalise semiconductor grants under the 2022 Chips and Science Act, aimed at bolstering US-based chip production to reduce reliance on Asia. Thus far, around 20 companies have been awarded 36 billion in preliminary agreements, including a finalised $123 million deal with Polar Semiconductor to modernise its facility in Minnesota. Additional awards for major chipmakers, including Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. and GlobalFoundries, are expected before the administration transition in January.
Elon Musk’s Starlink has received government approval to provide satellite internet in Chad, aiming to bridge the country’s significant connectivity gap. With only 12% of the population online as of 2022, the move is expected to bring internet access to remote regions lacking fiber-optic coverage. Communications Minister Boukar Michel confirmed the agreement, noting that better connectivity could spur public service digitalisation and tech start-up growth.
The satellite internet provider, a division of SpaceX, operates in several African nations, including Nigeria and Madagascar, though it has encountered regulatory hurdles elsewhere. In Chad, Starlink’s deployment is seen as a solution to the nation’s limited infrastructure. Elon Musk celebrated the expansion with an announcement on social media, declaring, ‘Starlink now available in Chad!’.
Despite its growing presence, Starlink has faced resistance from state-run telecom monopolies in some regions. In Cameroon, its equipment was seised earlier this year due to licensing issues. Meanwhile, local telecom operators in countries like Kenya are urging regulators to require partnerships between satellite services and national mobile providers.
China Mobile and ZTE have launched an AI-driven Green Telco Cloud solution designed to optimise energy consumption in telecom networks while maintaining business continuity and a high-quality user experience. The solution monitors and analyses key parameters such as server load and network traffic in real-time, dynamically adjusting computing resources like CPU frequency and sleep modes by utilising advanced deep neural networks.
The energy-saving approach has been successfully validated on both X86 and ARM cloud platforms, with notable results in China Mobile’s Hunan and Anhui branches, demonstrating up to a 25% reduction in energy consumption. As a result, the solution lowers operational costs through improved resource utilisation and reduced equipment maintenance and contributes to global sustainability efforts by reducing carbon emissions. Therefore, that technology represents a significant step toward transforming the telecom industry into a more energy-efficient, green sector as 4G and 5G networks expand.
Furthermore, China Mobile and ZTE are committed to further optimising and expanding their AI-driven Green Telco Cloud solution to promote long-term sustainability in the telecom sector. Through their collaboration, both companies emphasise the importance of technological innovation in achieving environmental goals while simultaneously enhancing telecom operators’ corporate image and competitiveness. Additionally, they plan to drive the widespread adoption of energy-saving technologies, ensuring that the telecom industry contributes to a greener, low-carbon future.
Japan’s government will not impose any tax increases to finance its ambitious 10 trillion yen ($65 billion) plan aimed at bolstering the country’s semiconductor and AI sectors, Industry Minister Yoji Muto announced on Tuesday. The statement followed Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s unveiling of the substantial aid package to strengthen Japan‘s technology industry.
Prime Minister Ishiba clarified that deficit-covering bonds would not be issued to fund the initiative. The government’s approach to supporting high-tech projects is intended to enhance Japan’s global competitiveness without burdening taxpayers or adding to the national debt.
The funding strategy underscores Japan’s commitment to advancing domestic technology sectors while maintaining fiscal responsibility. The measures reflect a broader effort to secure the nation’s position in critical technology fields, vital for economic growth and national security.
