The National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA) and the National Telecommunication Institute (NTI) of Egypt have renewed their commitment to ensuring public safety through rigorous monitoring of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) from cell towers. That agreement highlights the importance of adhering to internationally accepted safety standards, aiming to protect public health by ensuring that EMR levels from new and existing cell towers remain within permissible limits.
To achieve this, the NTRA and NTI are integrating the latest technologies into their measurement procedures, including digitising and automating processes for greater efficiency and accuracy. By utilising cloud computing for report accessibility, this initiative aligns with the broader Digital Egypt strategy, further enhancing transparency and accessibility in monitoring practices. Through these efforts, the NTRA and NTI are reinforcing their dedication to maintaining both safety and high technical standards in telecommunications.
The National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA) and the National Telecommunication Institute (NTI) collaborate to ensure compliance with safety standards, with NTI conducting EMR measurements and NTRA overseeing the process. Their joint efforts reinforce a commitment to maintaining both safety and high technical standards in telecommunications.
If the acquisition proceeds, it will require regulatory approvals, including from Chile’s National Economic Prosecutor’s Office, to ensure compliance with competition laws and sectoral regulations. This regulatory oversight is essential to address any potential legal and anti-competitive concerns, ensuring the transaction aligns with local and sector-specific requirements.
China recently launched a Long March-6 carrier rocket, marking the 534th mission in the Long March series. The rocket carried ten commercial satellites for Geespace, a subsidiary of Geely, and was launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center.
These satellites are part of Geely’s ‘Future Mobility Constellation’ network, expanding the total to 30 satellites. With this deployment, Geespace now provides 24/7 communication coverage to 90% of the world, becoming the first Chinese commercial company to offer global low Earth orbit satellite communication services. This significant achievement furthers China’s efforts in commercial space endeavours.
Initiated in 2019, the project has made substantial progress, with successful launches in 2022 and 2024, aiming to achieve global vehicle-to-everything connectivity by 2025. The Long March-6 rocket, designed for small payloads under 1,000 kilograms, is comparable to rockets like the European Vega and Russia’s Angara-1. However, the launch took place amid concerns raised by the US about debris from previous Chinese rockets in low-Earth orbit, underscoring ongoing challenges in space debris management.
Japan and Australia have recently strengthened their collaboration to enhance economic security for Pacific Island nations, responding to China’s growing influence in the region. The initiative was formalised during a ‘two-plus-two’ meeting of foreign and defence ministers, where both countries committed to establishing the Japan-Australia Pacific Digital Development Initiative.
That framework aims to support the development of telecommunications infrastructure, including installing submarine cables, which are crucial for secure communication. By investing in these projects, Japan and Australia aim to reduce the reliance of Pacific Island nations on Chinese technology, which poses potential security risks due to vulnerabilities in data extraction and disruption.
Additionally, Japan and Australia are upgrading their Economic Security Dialogue and enhancing military collaboration as part of their broader security initiative. The Economic Security Dialogue will explore practical cooperation against economic coercion from China, focusing on enhancing the financial resilience of Pacific Island nations. The two countries are also dispatching a liaison officer from Japan’s Self-Defense Forces to Australia’s Joint Operations Command to improve operational coordination and strengthen their collective defence posture.
Furthermore, both nations have reaffirmed their strong opposition to unilateral attempts to alter the status quo in the East and South China Seas, emphasising their commitment to regional stability and international law.
u-blox and Wireless Logic Ltd has announced a strategic partnership to enhance IoT devices’ capabilities by integrating Wireless Logic’s IoT network, Conexa, with u-blox’s advanced cellular modules. The collaboration is designed to provide seamless, robust, and scalable connectivity solutions, addressing the increasing demand for reliable IoT deployments across various sectors, including automotive, industrial, healthcare, and smart cities. By combining their expertise, both companies aim to empower businesses and developers to manage their IoT solutions effectively.
u-blox and Wireless Logic Ltd will enhance IoT connectivity by integrating Wireless Logic’s industry-leading network into select u-blox cellular modules. This integration will offer customers superior network reliability, extensive global coverage, and the flexibility to switch between multiple mobile networks using eSIM technology. This eliminates the need for physical SIM card changes, making deployments more efficient and adaptable to changing requirements.
u-blox and Wireless Logic Ltd are committed to providing unparalleled scalability and flexibility in their combined offerings. The partnership will enable businesses to deploy IoT solutions at scale more efficiently. At the same time, Wireless Logic’s intuitive platform will allow users to manage and monitor their connectivity, providing greater control and visibility over their IoT deployments.
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has taken a significant step towards enhancing internet accessibility by forming a committee dedicated to developing guidelines for satellite internet services. This move aims to facilitate the entry of major players like Elon Musk’s Starlink and other competitors into the Bangladeshi market. The committee will focus on crafting regulations for non-geostationary satellite orbit (NGSO) systems, known for their dynamic orbiting patterns and potential to improve connectivity, especially in remote and underserved regions.
The decision to form this committee reflects the BTRC’s commitment to leveraging advanced technologies to bridge digital divides across Bangladesh. In December 2023, the government had already signalled its intention to grant a license to Starlink, emphasising the goal of democratising internet access and ensuring that connectivity reaches even the country’s most isolated areas. That initiative is seen as a proactive approach to address the urgent need for alternative internet solutions, especially in light of recent disruptions in existing connectivity infrastructure.
Despite its potential, satellite internet faces challenges in Bangladesh due to high costs. Starlink’s hardware can reach $599, with monthly fees of around $120, compared to local ISPs offering broadband for about $5. This price gap may hinder widespread adoption.
China Mobile International (CMI) has officially activated the Pakistan & East Africa Connecting Europe (PEACE) submarine cable, a groundbreaking project that spans 15,000 kilometres, linking Singapore to France and extending its reach to Malaysia and various European countries. This cable is designed to deliver fast, open, and flexible connectivity between Asia and Europe, addressing the growing demand for reliable international data transmission.
China Mobile’s commitment to collaboration is evident in constructing the PEACE cable, which involved 11 partners. This open cable solution aims to provide neutral and flexible interconnection services to carriers, over-the-top (OTT) service providers, and enterprises worldwide. By leveraging the New Egypt Crossing, CMI utilises a network of fully diversified terrestrial cables across Egypt, moving away from traditional routes. This innovative approach enhances bandwidth services, ensuring high quality, low latency, and robust security for data transmission between continents.
China Mobile has enhanced its network by integrating the PEACE cable with existing submarine cables like AAE-1 and SMW5, creating three key routes between Asia and Europe. This integration meets growing bandwidth demands and allows for customisable solutions through CMI’s fibre optic ring systems in the region. The activation of the PEACE cable marks a significant milestone for China Mobile, providing over 150 terabits per second of bandwidth and connecting 78 countries.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has approved a regional mobile network and spectrum-sharing agreement between Optus Mobile and TPG Telecom Limited. Under the agreement, Optus will utilise specific TPG spectrum to provide mobile services in defined regional areas of Australia. At the same time, TPG will decommission most of its sites in the coverage area and transfer some to Optus.
The agreement involves three interrelated contracts: a Multi-Operator Core Network (MOCN) Services Agreement, a Spectrum Authorisation Agreement, and a Site Transfer Agreement. The MOCN Services Agreement is for an initial term of 11 years, with an option for TPG to extend it by five years. The agreements will allow TPG to improve its coverage in regional areas, likely enhancing its competitive position and providing more choices for regional consumers.
The ACCC found that the proposed agreements are unlikely to lessen competition in the mobile services market substantially. The Commission noted that TPG currently has significantly less infrastructure and coverage in regional areas compared to Telstra and, to a lesser extent, Optus. The agreements are also anticipated to support Optus’ regional 5G rollout, particularly through access to TPG’s spectrum, thereby benefiting consumers in those areas.
The Australian Government has taken decisive action to enhance the Triple Zero emergency call service in response to the November 2023 Optus outage, which left many Australians unable to access this critical service. Minister for Communications of Australia, the Hon. Michelle Rowland MP, announced a comprehensive set of reforms to improve industry accountability and ensure public access to emergency services. These changes are being implemented through a Ministerial direction to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), which will amend enforceable rules for mobile carriers.
The government has directed the ACMA to require mobile carriers to take all reasonable steps to ensure that emergency calls can be made on any available network during outages. This directive addresses the technical issues that prevented many Optus customers from reaching Triple Zero during the outage. Additionally, the government is mandating that providers improve the visibility of future outages for frontline emergency service organisations, thereby enhancing communication and preparedness during emergencies.
Also, the government is committed to implementing all 18 recommendations from the Post Incident Review of the Optus outage, the first comprehensive assessment of the Triple Zero ecosystem in over a decade. These recommendations include establishing a Triple Zero Custodian framework, requiring telecommunications carriers to provide detailed work plans after major outages, and creating a comprehensive testing regime for telecommunications networks and devices.
The Indian government maintains strict restrictions on Chinese telecom equipment manufacturers like ZTE and Huawei, citing security concerns. Despite ZTE’s recent proposal to partner with Celkon Resolute to manufacture routers in Andhra Pradesh, the government’s stance remains unchanged. This is due to the National Security Directive, which prohibits using equipment from ‘non-trusted sources’ in India’s telecom networks, effectively barring these companies from participating in the 5G rollout and limiting their involvement in existing networks.
The ‘trusted sources’ policy enforced by the National Cyber Security Coordinator (NCSC) is central to the issue. ZTE and Huawei still need to meet the stringent compliance requirements, which include detailed disclosures about their operations and products. As a result, they remain excluded from India’s telecom projects. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has also asked operators to assess and report the use of non-trusted equipment in their networks, further limiting these companies’ prospects.
Although ZTE can manufacture consumer Wi-Fi equipment in India, these products can only be used in telecom networks with NCSC approval. The ZTE-Celkon partnership has stalled due to a lack of progress and clarity from the government. Despite some recent relaxations for Chinese companies in other sectors, the telecom equipment industry remains tightly regulated, with little chance of relief for ZTE and Huawei amid ongoing geopolitical tensions and cybersecurity concerns.
