US authorities, including the Commerce Department and the FBI, are investigating Baicells Technologies, a telecom hardware company with ties to China, over potential security risks. Founded by former Huawei executives, Baicells has supplied telecom equipment to 700 networks across the US since opening its North American branch in 2015. The investigations focus on national security concerns, particularly around the company’s Chinese origins and its equipment’s potential vulnerability to espionage. The FBI’s interest in Baicells goes back to 2019, and recent reports suggest that the Pentagon has added the company to a list of entities connected to China’s military.
While Baicells has denied any wrongdoing and pledged full cooperation with US authorities, the company faces mounting scrutiny amid fears that Chinese-made telecom equipment could be used for surveillance or cyber attacks. In particular, base stations and routers provided by Baicells have been flagged for vulnerabilities that could allow hackers to compromise sensitive networks. The FBI has already contacted local US entities, such as the city of Las Vegas, to raise security concerns regarding Baicells’ technology.
Despite Baicells’ claims that it no longer has ties to its Chinese parent company, its history and ownership structure continue to raise doubts. Many of its top executives and a significant portion of its staff have links to Huawei, further fueling suspicions about the company’s operations. In recent years, Baicells has attempted to distance itself from its Chinese roots, stating that its infrastructure is increasingly built in Taiwan, though much of its equipment still originates from China. The ongoing investigations highlight the broader concerns in Washington about the risks posed by Chinese-linked technology in critical infrastructure.
Indian space startup Pixxel has successfully launched three of its six hyperspectral imaging satellites aboard a SpaceX rocket from California. The satellites lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base at 1915 GMT, marking a significant step forward for India‘s growing private space sector. The remaining three satellites are set for deployment later this year, with Pixxel aiming to expand its constellation to 24 satellites in the coming years.
Hyperspectral imaging captures highly detailed data across hundreds of light bands, offering valuable insights for industries such as agriculture, mining, environmental monitoring, and defence. The technology is expected to help improve crop yields, track natural resources, and enhance monitoring of oil spills and geographic boundaries with greater precision than existing methods. Pixxel has already secured contracts with major clients, including Rio Tinto, British Petroleum, and India’s Ministry of Agriculture, with some already paying for data from its demonstration satellites.
India currently holds just a 2% share of the global commercial space market, far behind the United States, which dominates satellite launches through private companies like SpaceX. The global satellite imagery market is projected to grow to $19 billion by 2029, with hyperspectral imaging potentially capturing up to $1 billion of that. Pixxel is aiming to capitalise on this growth by rapidly expanding its satellite network and enhancing data capabilities for industries worldwide.
Indian space startup Pixxel is set to launch three of its six hyperspectral imaging satellites aboard a SpaceX rocket from California. The launch, scheduled from Vandenberg Space Force Base, marks a milestone for India‘s private space sector. The satellites will enter a sun-synchronous orbit at 550 km, with three more to follow later this year. Pixxel aims to expand its constellation to 24 satellites, targeting a share of the growing satellite imaging market, expected to reach $19 billion by 2029.
Hyperspectral imaging captures highly detailed data across hundreds of light bands, allowing better monitoring of agriculture, mining, environmental changes, and defence applications. Pixxel has already secured contracts with companies like Rio Tinto and British Petroleum, as well as India’s Ministry of Agriculture. The startup expects to begin full commercial imaging operations by mid-March, with government and defence agencies closely watching its progress before committing to long-term contracts.
India holds just 2% of the global commercial space market, far behind the United States and China. The government hopes private companies like Pixxel will help grow the sector from $8 billion to $44 billion by 2030. The Firefly constellation, with a 5-meter resolution and 40-km swathe width, is expected to outperform competitors such as Finland‘s Kuva Space and the US-based Orbital Sidekick. Experts believe a successful deployment would mark a significant breakthrough for India’s space industry.
Italy is exploring a potential agreement with Elon Musk’s Starlink to provide secure satellite communications for government and defence officials. The proposed five-year deal, worth €1.5 billion, would enable encrypted communications in high-risk areas. An Italian representative for Musk’s aerospace businesses stated that the country would retain full control over its data while using the technology.
Opposition parties have criticised the project, questioning whether a company owned by the US billionaire should handle sensitive Italian communications. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who has faced scrutiny over her ties with Musk, dismissed concerns, insisting that discussions about the deal began before her government took office in 2022.
Starlink, a subsidiary of SpaceX, operates 6,700 satellites in low-Earth orbit and is a dominant player in global satellite communications. While the Italian government evaluates the deal, officials maintain that national interests and data security would remain protected.
AT&T has introduced a new initiative offering bill credits to customers affected by network outages, aiming to rebuild trust after a series of major service disruptions in 2024. The scheme, called AT&T Guarantee, will provide automatic credits to fibre customers experiencing outages of 20 minutes or more and wireless users facing at least an hour of disruption. The move follows a nationwide service failure last February, which lasted over 12 hours and blocked millions of calls, including thousands of emergency calls to 911.
The telecom industry has faced growing scrutiny over the reliability of its networks, with rivals such as T-Mobile and Verizon also experiencing significant outages. AT&T executives acknowledged that customer dissatisfaction had led to market share losses in recent years. In response, the company has invested over $140 billion in network improvements and nearly $1 billion in customer care and operations. The new guarantee is part of a broader effort to ensure dependable connectivity and restore consumer confidence.
Despite previous challenges, AT&T has maintained strong performance in customer satisfaction rankings, topping J.D. Power’s survey for business wireless service among large enterprises for three consecutive years until 2023. The company believes the new initiative will strengthen its position in the market by demonstrating a commitment to service reliability and customer compensation when expectations are not met.
Elon Musk is working to expand his aerospace firm SpaceX and its satellite broadband service Starlink in Italy. Talks are underway for potential supply agreements, with Musk offering Italy secure and advanced connectivity. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has built a close relationship with Musk, aligning with her ties to incoming US President Donald Trump.
Starlink, operating 6,700 satellites, dominates the low-Earth orbit market and provides broadband to over four million customers worldwide, including around 55,000 in Italy. The Italian government is considering using Starlink’s technology for secure communications among diplomats and defence personnel, a project valued at €1.5 billion over five years.
Emirati billionaire Hussain Sajwani plans to invest $20 billion in the growing US data centre sector over the coming years. The announcement was made alongside US President-elect Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, where Sajwani, chairman of Dubai-based developer DAMAC, expressed the potential for even larger investments depending on market conditions.
Sajwani’s company owns the only Trump-branded golf course in the Middle East, located in Dubai. The two have a long-standing relationship, with Sajwani celebrating New Year with Trump in Florida. Trump’s focus on economic growth aligns with this announcement, though previous investment promises, such as the Foxconn factory in Wisconsin, fell short of expectations.
A surge in AI technology, particularly since the introduction of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in 2022, has driven significant investment in data infrastructure. Microsoft recently revealed plans to spend $80 billion this fiscal year on expanding its AI capacity. SoftBank’s CEO Masayoshi Son also committed $100 billion in US investments, further highlighting the sector’s momentum.
US restrictions on advanced AI chip exports to China have intensified under the Biden administration. Trump’s recent appointments of China hard-liners in key economic and diplomatic roles signal a continued focus on limiting China’s access to cutting-edge technologies.
Apple remains unable to sell its iPhone 16 in Indonesia despite agreeing to build a production facility in the country, according to Indonesia’s industry minister, Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita. The ban stems from regulations requiring smartphones sold domestically to include at least 35% locally-made components—a threshold Apple has not met.
While Apple plans to invest $1 billion in a facility on Batam island to produce its Airtag tracking devices, the industry ministry clarified that this does not qualify as contributing to iPhone production. Kartasasmita emphasised that only phone components would satisfy the local content rules necessary for certification to sell iPhones in Indonesia.
Apple, which lacks manufacturing facilities in the country, has maintained its presence through application developer academies since 2018. Despite two days of discussions between Kartasasmita and Apple’s vice president of global government affairs, Nick Ammann, the company’s proposals for ‘innovative investment’ failed to meet Indonesia’s regulatory standards for smartphone sales.
The planned Batam facility, expected to launch operations next year, underscores Apple’s interest in expanding its footprint in Indonesia, a nation of 280 million people. However, the iPhone 16’s path to market in the region remains uncertain.
Amazon Web Services (AWS) has announced a $11 billion investment to build new data centres in Georgia, aiming to support the growing demand for cloud computing and AI technologies. The facilities, located in Butts and Douglas counties, are expected to create at least 550 high-skilled jobs and position Georgia as a leader in digital innovation.
The move highlights a broader trend among tech giants investing heavily in AI-driven advancements. Last week, Microsoft revealed an $80 billion plan for fiscal 2025 to expand data centres for AI training and cloud applications. These facilities are critical for supporting resource-intensive AI technologies like machine learning and generative models, which require vast computational power and specialised infrastructure.
The surge in AI infrastructure has also raised concerns about energy consumption. A report from the Electric Power Research Institute suggests data centres could account for up to 9% of US electricity usage by 2030. To address this, Amazon has secured energy supply agreements with utilities like Talen Energy in Pennsylvania and Entergy in Mississippi, ensuring reliable power for its expanding operations.
Amazon’s commitment underscores the growing importance of AI and cloud services, as companies race to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving technological landscape.
Recent reports reveal that Chinese hackers have compromised a broader range of US telecommunications companies than previously known. In addition to earlier breaches involving AT&T and Verizon, the cyberattacks have now been found to affect Charter Communications, Consolidated Communications, Windstream, Lumen Technologies, and T-Mobile. The hacking group, identified as Salt Typhoon and linked to Chinese intelligence, exploited vulnerabilities in network devices from security vendors such as Fortinet and Cisco Systems.
The Wall Street Journal reports that US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan informed telecommunications and technology executives in a confidential meeting in late 2023 that these hackers had developed the capability to disrupt critical US infrastructure, including ports and power grids. While companies like AT&T and Verizon have stated that their networks are now secure and that they are collaborating with law enforcement, concerns persist about the extent and impact of these breaches.
China has denied involvement in these cyber activities, accusing the United States of disseminating disinformation. Nonetheless, the revelations have intensified discussions about national security and the resilience of US critical infrastructure against sophisticated cyber threats. The situation underscores the ongoing challenges in safeguarding sensitive communications and infrastructure from state-sponsored cyber espionage.
