Malaysian operator Tune Talk has taken a major step in its evolution from mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) to fully fledged mobile network operator (MNO), partnering with Mavenir to run its own end-to-end network.

In a statement, Mavenir said the collaboration enables Tune Talk to operate its network independently using Mavenir’s cloud-native OSS and BSS platforms. The shift gives the operator greater control over network operations, improved reliability and the flexibility to roll out new digital services more quickly.

The upgraded architecture has already supported the launch of several new services, including digital ID integration, Mastercard ID Theft Protection, insurance products and in-app streaming offerings such as drama and gaming subscriptions.

The next phase of the partnership will see Tune Talk deploy advanced orchestration capabilities and next-generation, AI-powered BSS software to further enhance automation and service personalisation.

Tune Talk CEO Gurtaj Singh Padda said the move marks a strategic turning point for the company.

“Becoming a fully cloud-native MNO marks the start of a new chapter for Tune Talk and reinforces our ambition to build a smarter, more agile mobile network for Malaysia and beyond,” he said. “These foundations enable us to move faster, personalise services at scale and unlock new value through AI-driven innovation for our growing customer base.”

Mavenir President and CEO Pardeep Kohli added that the partnership reflects Tune Talk’s commitment to continuous innovation.

“Our fully cloud-native approach is essential to enabling the speed, flexibility and efficiency they rely on to keep delivering for their customers,” he said.

Since its launch in 2009, Tune Talk has operated as an MVNO, utilising a strategic wholesale agreement with CelcomDigi to deliver nationwide 4G and 5G connectivity.

The move positions Tune Talk among a growing number of operators embracing cloud-native infrastructure as they seek greater autonomy, cost efficiencies and faster service innovation in increasingly competitive mobile markets.

News

The operator says reintegrating the tower assets will strengthen its African operations and improve financial metrics

African telco giant MTN Group is set to take full control of IHS Towers, one of Africa’s largest independent tower companies, in a deal valued at $6.2 billion.

The deal will see MTN acquire the 75% stake in IHS that it doesn’t already own for $2.2 billion in cash.

“This proposed transaction is a pivotal step in further strengthening MTN Group’s strategic and financial position for a future where digital infrastructure will become ever more essential to Africa’s growth and development. This transaction gives us a unique opportunity to buy back our towers and strengthen our ability to be partners for progress to the nation states in which we operate,” said MTN CEO Ralph Mupita.

The deal is subject to the typical regulatory approvals, with watchdogs likely to look closely at the impact on competition, given IHS also rents their infrastructure to MTN’s rivals across Africa.

For MTN, the move represents something of a strategic U-turn. The operator group has pursued an asset-light approach for the past decade, selling many of its towers – largely to IHS – in multiple markets.

In recent years, however, MTN’s relationship with the tower company has grown more complicated. The operator has repeatedly complained about IHS’s corporate governance, particularly that IHS had capped its voting rights at 20%, despite MTN owning a stake of around 26% in the business.

At the same time, IHS saw major losses from the devaluation of the Nigerian naira in 2023, leading MTN to attempt to seek adjusted lease terms to reduce foreign‑currency exposure.

Given this increasingly difficult operating relationship, MTN’s stake acquisition represents an opportunity to simplify and de-risk the company’s balance sheet by removing long‑term lease liabilities.

Market watchers will be watching whether MTN’s reintegration of roughly 29,000 African sites delivers the financial and strategic gains management forecasts, and whether rivals respond with selective buybacks, new sharing deals, or continued reliance on independent towercos.

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Google has announced an investment of US$500 million in the construction of submarine cables and an international digital exchange port for the Dominican Republic. This will apparently be the company’s eighth digital exchange port in the world and the first in Latin America.

This is also said to be the first international submarine cable ring to the continental United States from the Dominican Republic.

The company will develop an open and neutral infrastructure with the capacity to host four new international submarine cables. A first phase will involve the installation of two new submarine cables between the Dominican Republic and the United States, which will be added to the existing one between the two countries. Construction will begin in March.

Dominican President Luis Abinader signed a decree late last week, declaring the construction of digital exchange ports and the installation, deployment, and operation of submarine cable systems a matter of high national priority. 

Local press reports say the decree seeks to strengthen digital infrastructure, expand international connectivity, and position the Dominican Republic as a regional hub for artificial intelligence.

Indeed, the thinking is that a digital exchange port will place the Dominican Republic at the centre of information exchange between North America, Central America and South America.

The new infrastructure will make it possible to multiply by ten the number of fibre optic pairs that currently connect the two territories, in addition to offering diversified connectivity and reduced latency to the South Carolina and Virginia Google Cloud regions in the US.

According to the BNamericas news service, the country has five other submarine cables in operation that connect it with Caribbean territories and, from there, with the continent, although some are approaching the end of their useful life.

According to the government, internet traffic in the Dominican Republic has increased 500% in the last five years; more than 35% comes from the United States.

Artificial intelligence is undoubtedly a strong government focus. Last year the Dominican Republic signed an agreement with AI and accelerated computing company Nvidia, to establish a Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence (CEIA).

Also last year, the regulator Indotel and the Centro de Inteligencia Pública (CIP) signed a cooperation agreement to create an AI academy in the country, to accelerate training in AI.

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Nigerian operators have settled a long-running unstructured supplementary service data (USSD) payment dispute with commercial banks. It seems that, five years after the dispute began, all outstanding payments have now been made.

The Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), the official industry body for all providers of telecommunications and subsidiary services in Nigeria, said late last week that banks had cleared all outstanding balances related to USSD services. ALTON chairman Gbenga Adebayo said the repayment covered nearly ₦300 billion (about US$200 million).

USSD is a messaging protocol used by GSM cellular networks to enable instant, two-way communication between mobile phones and applications. It works without internet or data, making it ideal for mobile banking, balance checks and network services.

This issue apparently originated as a result of unpaid corporate invoicing for mobile banking sessions, leading to operators threatening several banks with disconnection.

And not just operators. Indeed, we reported in January 2025 that regulator the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) had issued an ultimatum for nine banks to pay up on their USSD codes or be disconnected before the end of that month.

News service ITWeb Africa reports that to prevent a repeat of this situation, an end-user billing framework has been adopted. Under this model, customers are charged directly from airtime balances rather than banks settling bulk invoices.

It explains that fees are set at ₦6.98 (about US$0.005) per 120-second session and only apply after users approve the charge and complete a successful transaction.

Despite the growing take-up of smartphones across the country USSD is still essential for reaching millions of Nigerians without smartphones or reliable internet, particularly in rural and low-income communities.

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The Kuwait Authority for Partnership Projects (KAPP) has reportedly secured conditional approval from the State Audit Bureau (SAB) to award a KWD19.9 million (US$64.8 million) contract for a project to modernise Kuwait’s fixed-line telecoms infrastructure.

According to the Arab Times, KAPP submitted the tender on January 14 to SAB, which approved it this past Tuesday.

The project – which is being implemented by KAPP and the Ministry of Communications – aims to deploy a fibre optic network that will reach least 90% of homes by 2028, with data speeds initially as high as 10 Gbps, the report said.

The project covers design, financing, construction, operation, maintenance and transformation of the ministry’s fixed-line networks, including active and passive infrastructure, as well as the copper fixed-line network, the report added.

The winning company – which has not been publicly disclosed – will operate the ministry’s existing network and expand it to cover all areas.

The report said that the fixed-line project will also provide the foundation for launching smart city services, as well as help the government achieve its ‘New Kuwait 2035’ vision by strengthening its digital infrastructure.

Moreover, it could help boost income for the ministry, which gets most of its income from fixed-line service fees, which have been declining as users switch to 4G and 5G mobile services from Zain, Ooredoo, STC and Virgin Mobile. By the end of 2024, Kuwait was already ranked third globally in Ookla’s Speed Test Global Index, with average mobile data speeds of 258.51 Mbps.