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Keep up-to-date with all the latest news, articles, event and product updates posted on Developing Telecoms.
Subscribe to our FREE weekly email newsletters for the latest telecom info in developing and emerging markets globally.
This Industry Viewpoint was authored by Daria Batrakova, Director Business Line Telecom Solutions at FNT Software
In today’s dynamic telecommunications landscape, operators face increasing demands for better connectivity, faster service delivery, and higher network reliability. Managing telecom infrastructure effectively is critical to meeting these requirements while also ensuring scalability for future growth. Let’s explore … [visit site to read more]
ST Telemedia said on Thursday that it will sell the majority of its stake in Malaysian telco U Mobile to local firm Mawar Setiam, which is majority-owned by U Mobile chairman Vincent Tan, in a deal that could see the country’s royal family hold a combined controlling stake in the telco.
ST Telemedia currently owns 48.3% of U Mobile via its wholly-owned subsidiary Straits Mobile Investments. No details were given on the value of the transaction or how many shares were sold, but ST Telemedia said in a statement that the deal with Mawar Setiam will reduce its stake to 20%.
ST Telemedia also said U Mobile would cease to be a subsidiary of the company once the deal is completed, which the company expects to happen by the third quarter of 2025, pending all necessary regulatory approvals.
According to news site Soya Cincau, citing data from the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM), Mawar Setiam was incorporated in April 2024 by Vincent Tan, who owns 70% of the company. The other 30% is held by Johor princess Tunku Tun Aminah Sultan Ibrahim, who also chairs numerous subsidiaries of Tan’s Berjaya Corporation.
SSM data also shows that Ibrahim ibni Iskandar, the fifth Sultan of Johor and the current King of Malaysia, owns 22.31% of U Mobile. According to a report Friday from news site Malaysiakini, assuming ST Telemedia sold 28.26% of its shares to Mawar Setiam, that would give the royal family a cumulative 30.8% stake in the telco, technically making it the largest shareholder.
U Mobile had previously said it would arrange for ST Telemedia to reduce its stake to 20% after winning the rights to become Malaysia’s second 5G operator last month. U Mobile had also said the stake would be sold to a Malaysian company in an apparent bid to allay concerns over the fact that it was the only mobile operator in the running for the second 5G licence that’s majority-owned by a foreign company.
Four strategic partnerships and collaborations from four corners of the globe to keep up with: … [visit site to read more]
Ethio Telecom, Djibouti Telecom, and Sudatel Telecom Group have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to create a multi-terabit, redundant terrestrial fibre optic link interconnecting Ethiopia, Djibouti and Sudan.
The plan – billed as the Horizon Fiber Initiative – will leverage the combined infrastructure of Ethio Telecom, Djibouti Telecom and Sudatel to create “an efficient and fluid data transmission network”, according to a Facebook post from Ethio Telecom on Tuesday.
The Horizon Fiber Initiative has been in the works since June 2024, when representatives from all three telcos formed a technical team to carry out a detailed feasibility study and problem analysis.
With that phase now completed, the three telcos said they will finalize contracts by next month, while the interconnected fibre network is scheduled to be ready for commercial services by April 2025.
The resulting interconnected fibre network “will allow companies and individuals to benefit from better communication capabilities, reduced latency and increased access to broadband services, » Ethio Telecom said.
Ethio Telecom, Djibouti Telecom and Sudatel are also pitching the Horizon Fiber Initiative as a terrestrial alternative to reliance on subsea cables after a year of frequent disruptions due to subsea cable cuts, particularly along the Red Sea route. The telcos said the new terrestrial route would be cheaper and easier to deploy and maintain compared to subsea cables, and provide extra resilience while reducing dependence on subsea links.
The initiative is also aimed at attracting hyperscalers, content providers, and wholesalers by providing low latency, more reliable connectivity and expanded access to international markets.
Ethio Telecom CEO Frehiwot Tamru said in a statement that the Horizon Fiber Initiative is “aligned with Africa’s Digital Transformation Strategy 2030.”
A set of interesting infrastructure items from around the world: … [visit site to read more]
Kenyan telco Safaricom has reportedly revamped its “5G for Businesses” offering with new packages aimed specifically at small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that promise to support their digital transformation plans with faster and more reliable connectivity.
According to various media reports, the upgraded service offers speeds five times higher than previous offerings, which Safaricom says will provide not only better connectivity, bus also a better customer experience, and an improvement in overall business operations.
Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa said on Friday that the new 5G for Business offering will give SMEs more affordable access to enterprise-grade internet performance.
“This will empower them to enhance productivity, improve customer interactions, and scale operations efficiently in today’s increasingly connected marketplace,” Ndegwa said in a statement.
To sweeten the deal in terms of cost, Safaricom is also offering a 25% discount for all 5G plans for SMEs that sign up between now and the end of this month.
According to a June 2024 report from Safaricom and Financial Sector Deepening Kenya (FSD Kenya), there are around 7.4 million micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Kenya, although only 21% are licenced. Most of the unlicenced MSMEs are micro-sized businesses operating at the household level.
MSMEs also account for around 98% of all business, create 30% of jobs annually and contribute 40% to the country’s GDP, the Safaricom/FSD Kenya report said.
In October, Safaricom established a partnership with Cloudflare to reduce the costs of integrated cybersecurity services for MSMEs.
Safaricom launched 5G services in Kenya in October 2022. In August 2024, the telco revealed its 5G network was available in all 47 counties in the country, although it only covered 14% of the population.
A few interesting items to catch up with: … [visit site to read more]
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