India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Ministry of Communications said on Thursday they have signed an MoU with the government of Madhya Pradesh to establish India’s first Telecom Manufacturing Zone (TMZ) to boost the country’s domestic telecoms manufacturing ecosystem.

In a post on social media site X, the DoT said the central government is providing 100% funding for Phase 1 of the project, and has allocated INR493 million (US$5.1 million) to develop core infrastructure.

Meanwhile, the Madhya Pradesh government will supply around 170 acres of land in Gwalior at no cost.

A statement from the Communications Ministry said it expects the TMZ initiative to serve as a catalyst for the growth of telecoms equipment manufacturers, technology companies, MSMEs, start-ups, and other stakeholders across the telecoms value chain.

“The initiative seeks to create a world-class manufacturing ecosystem for telecom equipment and allied technologies by attracting investments, fostering innovation, encouraging indigenous design and manufacturing, and accelerating the development of next-generation telecom products and solutions,” the ministry statement said.

“It will also generate substantial employment opportunities, enhance regional industrial development, strengthen supply chain resilience, and position India as a global hub for telecom manufacturing and innovation,” the statement added.

During the MoU ceremony, Minister of Communications Jyotiraditya Madhavrao Scindia said that the TMZ project serves Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” (Self-Reliance India) policy that aims to strengthen the country’s self-sufficiency in technological development and transform it into a technology exporter.

He also said the TMZ would generate INR35 billion of investment and 14,000 job opportunities. “That is the impact of Atmanirbhar Bharat.”

Some last mile fiber, cooling, and traffic growth: … [visit site to read more]

Ghana’s National Communications Authority (NCA) has taken another step towards the rollout of 5G services by holding a pre-application briefing for prospective bidders interested in acquiring spectrum licences in the 700 MHz, 2.3 GHz and 3 GHz mid-band frequencies.

The meeting, held at the NCA Tower, formed part of the regulator’s Request for Applications (RFA) process and gave prospective applicants an opportunity to seek clarification on the licensing framework before submitting bids.

According to the NCA, discussions covered the selection and award process, eligibility criteria, available spectrum, rollout obligations and significant market power (SMP) considerations.

Speaking at the event, NCA Director General Rev. Ing. Edmund Yirenkyi Fianko said the regulator was making the spectrum available as early as possible to accelerate the deployment of 5G services across Ghana.

He added that the authority was committed to improving connectivity and digital services for consumers, noting growing demand for faster internet speeds and more reliable communications.

Fianko also stressed that successful applicants would be required to meet rollout obligations and deployment timelines set out in the licence conditions to ensure the timely nationwide introduction of 5G services.

The briefing was attended by representatives from mobile network operators (MNOs), internet service providers (ISPs), mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) and broadband wireless access (BWA) providers.

The NCA said the briefing forms part of its efforts to ensure a transparent, fair and competitive licensing process while supporting broadband expansion and Ghana’s wider digital transformation agenda.

Three items of data center development interest: … [visit site to read more]

Angola’s largest telecoms operator, Unitel, has suffered a cyberattack that disrupted voice, mobile data and internet services nationwide just one day before the company is due to begin trading on the country’s stock exchange.

In a statement, the operator said it detected the attack at 02:20 local time on Tuesday, adding that the incident affected its technology infrastructure and caused widespread service disruptions across the country.

Unitel, which serves more than 21 million customers in Angola, said restoration efforts were ongoing but did not indicate when services would be fully restored.

The company also declined to provide details about the nature of the cyberattack or who may have been responsible.

The disruption comes ahead of Unitel’s planned stock market debut on the Angola Debt and Securities Exchange (BODIVA) on Wednesday, following the successful sale of a 15% stake in the operator through an initial public offering (IPO).

The IPO was oversubscribed by more than 20%, reflecting strong investor demand as Angola continues efforts to attract private investment and reduce state ownership of key businesses.

According to Reuters, the timing of the cyberattack is particularly significant given the operator’s imminent market listing, although there is currently no indication that the incident will affect the planned debut.

Two bits of M&A news, some security, and some actual quantum news: … [visit site to read more]

In case anyone was wondering what Amazon Leo’s plans were after the deal with Globalstar earlier this year, a recent filing with the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) may offer some clues.

The application with the FCC is to launch and operate the Amazon Leo Direct-to-Device (D2D) System, a constellation of up to 5,105 low Earth orbit satellites designed to deliver D2D connectivity to customers globally, with deployment beginning in 2028.

The filing follows the merger agreement with Globalstar in April, which will see Amazon acquire Globalstar’s existing satellite operations, infrastructure and assets and enable Amazon to add D2D services to its growing low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite network.

The D2D system will operate alongside Leo’s first and second-generation satellite broadband systems – as well as Globalstar’s HIBLEO and C-3 satellite constellations – extending Leo satellite connectivity directly to compatible mobile devices.

The core Amazon Leo system will provide high-speed, low-latency broadband to a wide range of consumer, enterprise and government customers, with customers connecting to the network using one of several compact, high-performance antennas: Leo Nano, Leo Pro and Leo Ultra.

The Leo D2D System will complement that core broadband service, delivering high-speed connectivity directly to compatible mobile devices. The D2D service will also enable capabilities like uninterrupted communications for disaster response, global fleet management, remote operations across worksites and supply chains, IoT connectivity for remote sensors, and emergency messaging when ground-based networks are unavailable.

Amazon Leo says it has already announced an agreement with Apple to power satellite services for supported iPhone and Apple Watch models.

Amazon Leo will distribute its D2D satellites across five orbital shells, each optimised to reach different parts of the planet. The satellites will communicate with mobile devices using dedicated radio frequencies (L-band and S-band spectrum links). Connections between the satellites and Amazon’s ground stations will use separate high-capacity radio links (Ka-band and V-band spectrum) that carry aggregated traffic between the satellite network and the internet, much like a backhaul connection for a cell tower.

Amazon Leo says that unlike conventional satellites that simply relay signals to the ground, its D2D satellites will process the signals in orbit before relaying them to improve performance. Also, Leo’s D2D satellites will be equipped with optical inter-satellite links – laser connections between the satellites in orbit – to support intelligent traffic routing across the constellation.

The satellites will use digital beamforming and beam-hopping to direct concentrated signals precisely where and when they are needed. This maximises coverage while minimising wasted power and interference. Combined with advanced signal-processing techniques, this approach, the company says, will deliver higher spectrum efficiency than legacy systems.

Amazon Leo has already announced partnerships with a number of telecom operators including South Africa’s Herotel. The Leo D2D System will complement existing mobile networks, filling coverage gaps where terrestrial deployment is impractical, cost-prohibitive, or vulnerable to disruption.

Amazon Leo says it is currently deploying its first-generation broadband satellite system and already has more than 390 satellites in orbit.

News

Prysmian’s deal with Molex is expected to create hundreds of jobs in the United States as the company expands optical fibre output.

Edited by Brad Randall, Broadband Communities

Cable manufacturer Prysmian has secured a 10-year deal worth up to 5.5 billion euros ($6.4 billion) with electronics firm Molex to supply high-density optical fibre for artificial intelligence data centers.

The agreement, announced July 20, includes an upfront payment of 550 million euros. Additionally, it will move Prysmian into the internal data center wiring market to feed surging demand from cloud and AI infrastructure providers, the company says.

To fulfill the deal, the Italian company plans to invest 1.25 billion euros by 2031 to expand its manufacturing footprint, more than doubling its optical fibre output in the United States. The expansion is expected to create 1,000 global jobs, including 600 in the U.S.

Prysmian CEO Massimo Battaini called the agreement a “transformative moment” for the company’s digital unit as tech firms racing to build out AI clusters drive structural upgrades to fibre networks.

Some AI tools also assisted in the crafting of this report.

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Vodacom Group has reported higher first-quarter revenue and service revenue, supported by strong performances in Egypt, its international operations and financial services, as the operator completed its acquisition of a controlling stake in Safaricom.

For the quarter ended 30 June 2026, group revenue increased 5.9% year-on-year to ZAR42.4 billion, while service revenue rose 6.3% to ZAR34.3 billion. On a normalised basis, which excludes foreign exchange effects, service revenue grew 12.6%.

Financial services continued to be a key growth driver, with revenue from the segment rising 17.8% to ZAR4.5 billion. Including Safaricom, Vodacom’s mobile money platforms processed transactions worth US$547.9 billion over the past 12 months.

The operator said the acquisition of an additional 20% stake in Safaricom, increasing its shareholding from 35% to 55%, became effective on 30 June and marks a significant step in its Vision 2030 strategy.

As a result of the transaction, Vodacom has raised its medium-term EBITDA and operating free cash flow growth targets from double-digit to early-teens growth. The company also increased its Vision 2030 revenue ambition from more than ZAR200 billion to more than ZAR300 billion.

Group CEO Shameel Joosub said the acquisition strengthens Vodacom’s geographic diversification and increases its exposure to higher-growth digital and financial services businesses across Africa.

« Normalised group service revenue growth of 12.6% remains on track to deliver our medium-term ambition of double-digit growth, » he said.

Egypt remained Vodacom’s fastest-growing market, with service revenue increasing 32.8% in local currency, supported by spectrum and network investments. Financial services revenue in Egypt grew 73%.

South Africa recorded service revenue growth of 2%, with the company noting that its prepaid segment returned to growth following efforts to simplify tariffs and improve customer value propositions.

Vodacom’s international business also maintained strong momentum, with normalised service revenue increasing 14%, driven by Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Lesotho.

Revenue from businesses beyond traditional mobile connectivity, including financial services and fixed broadband, totalled R7.8 billion during the quarter, representing 22.8% of group service revenue. Financial services remained the largest contributor, underlining the company’s increasing focus on digital and fintech services as it looks to diversify its revenue streams.

Vodacom also highlighted continued investment in fixed broadband through Maziv, including an additional R0.8 billion investment to support the completion of the Herotel transaction, which it said would help accelerate fibre deployment in South Africa.

Following the completion of the Safaricom transaction, the board also updated its dividend policy to a payout of at least 65% of headline earnings, saying the move reflects greater confidence in the group’s future growth and cash generation.