Airtel Africa returned to profit in its latest financial year driven by a rise in subscriber base despite a continued hit from currency devaluation across its markets.

In a statement, the operator highlighted an 8.7% year-on-year increase in total customers to 166.1 million, supported by a 4.3 percentage point rise in smartphone penetration to 44.8%. The number of data customers rose 14.1% to 73.4 million, with data usage per customer increasing by 30.4% to 7GB. This helped boost data ARPU by 15.4% in constant currency.

Mobile money users also grew, with Airtel Money reporting a 17.3% increase in subscribers to 44.6 million and an 11.4% growth in ARPU on a constant currency basis.

Key operational highlights for the year included the deployment of 2,583 new mobile sites and the rollout of approximately 3,300km of fibre to expand network capacity across its footprint.

However, full-year revenue fell 0.5% to US$4.96 billion, dragged down by currency devaluation -although in constant currency, revenue increased by 21.1%. Growth was strongest in the final quarter, buoyed by Nigerian tariff hikes and signs of macroeconomic stabilisation.

EBITDA dropped 5.1% to US$2.3 billion, with the margin narrowing to 46.5% from 48.8% the previous year. Capital expenditure totalled US$670 million, below guidance, but the operator plans to raise this to between US$725 million and US$750 million in the coming year.

Net profit reached US$328 million, a sharp turnaround from a US$89 million loss in the previous year, when earnings were hit by significant foreign exchange and derivative losses, particularly in Nigeria.

Indian data centre firm RackBank says it has broken ground on a campus in the city of Nava Raipur in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh. Spanning 13.5 acres, the development will be Chhattisgarh’s first data centre campus.

RackBank says that the facility will be built in four phases. The first will offer 80MW of capacity and will be capable of running 100,000 GPUs. It will offer 160MW of capacity at full build-out. The facility will use liquid immersion cooling solutions provided by RackBank itself.

The facility will be located in a newly built, 2.7 hectare Special Economic Zone (SEZ) for AI-based services. SEZs provide incentives and exemptions to encourage investment.

The company has stated that the facility was built on an initial investment of about US$12 million, scalable to US$36 million within five years. Precise rollout and development timings have so far not been provided.

Rackbank provides data centre infrastructure, cloud computing, and AI services. It currently operates a colocation facility in Indore and a hyperscale facility in Chennai, while facilities in Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Noida are currently in development.

In fact it was as recently as late 2024 that RackBank announced the launch of India’s first state-of-the-art, purpose-built AI data centre near Indore, a city in west-central India. This facility is said to be capable of housing 60,000 GPUs, with 80MW power.

News

The private mobile network will allow for the widespread use of autonomous vehicles, drones, and real-time IoT monitoring

In partnership with Italian software company Lepida, Fastweb+Vodafone are set to transform the Port of Ravenna, in Italy, into a ‘smart port’, having won a contract to deploy a private 5G network.

The private network will cover the entirety of the port, which spans a roughly 15km long canal, providing ultra-fast, low latency connectivity. This will enable a variety of new use cases, including advanced video surveillance, autonomous vehicle, and drone usage for cargo monitoring.

In addition, the widespread integration of IoT sensors will provide numerous benefits, including the integration of renewable energy systems near the port (including solar and wind power), monitor fuel consumption of vehicles in real time, and collect environmental data such as salinity and pollution levels to support territorial protection policies.

Combined, the new connectivity infrastructure and various use cases will enhance logistics, safety, and sustainability across the site.

The Port of Ravenna is the country’s busiest port for the handling of solid bulk and general cargo and is currently undergoing a €10 million digital upgrade.

The deployment of this private mobile network is one of the first major enterprise projects being undertaken by the newly merged Fastweb+Vodafone.

The two companies were formally combined at the start of this year, following the acquisition of Vodafone Italia by Fastweb’s parent company Swisscom for €8 billion.

The merger has created one of the largest converged operators in Europe, with around 20 million mobile customers and 5.6 million fixed line connections.

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MTN has announced that it will offer up to 1.2 million of its prepaid subscribers an option to buy a 4G smartphone for just ZAR99 ($5.42).

The move comes as South Africa prepares to shutter 2G and 3G services by the end of 2027 in a bid to free up spectrum for 4G and 5G services. This has been met with criticism from some corners, with Reuters reporting that critics claim it could worsen the digital divide among low-income demographics.

In a bid to ensure that users in such areas can afford smartphones that can be used with 4G and 5G networks, operators including MTN are encouraging the uptake of such devices. MTN South Africa CEO Charles Molapisi stated: “As the country transitions to technologies like 4G and 5G, it is vital that we take proactive steps to connect as many South Africans as possible”.

Three stages are planned for the initiative, which will commence this month and run until the end of 2026. The first stage will primarily target users in the Gauteng province, with around 5000 “carefully selected” customers being offered 4G devices based on an evaluation of several criteria, including spending, usage, and how long they have been with MTN.

The second stage will expand the initiative nationwide to over 130,000 customers, with the third stage increasing this to 1.1 million customers. The devices available must be used with an MTN SIM card as part of the agreement, and will feature pre-loaded applications focused on digital services.

MTN has partnered with Smartphone For All to facilitate distribution. The group’s founder and CEO Babatunde Osho said: “By making smartphones more accessible and affordable, we are unlocking opportunities for millions who have been left behind in the digital economy.”

Podcasts

Uncertainty in the world economy is causing many in global telecommunications to hold their breath, according to the editor of Total Telecom.

By: Brad Randall, Broadband Communities

Policy decisions regarding tariffs coming from the White House can have enormous effects on supply chains but, as Total Telecom Editor Harry Baldock explained recently on Beyond the Cable, the dust is still settling regarding the impacts of those decisions.

Baldock said it appears folks still don’t know how thought out the White House’s trade policies are, which is causing anxiety.

“When it comes to investment for big companies, stability is important,” Baldock said. “It’s important to know what the economy is potentially going to look like in a few years time.”

Baldock also touched on some other events under Total Telecom’s event portfolio in Europe and the United Kingdom, including Connected Britain and Connected Germany.

He also touched on another event: Connected North.

According to Baldock, Connected North was started once Total Telecom realized that Connected Britain wasn’t representing the whole country.

He said the United Kingdom has experienced a “north-south divide” when it comes to connectivity, and Connected North was launched to meet the need of Britain’s northern population.

“Its always been really popular,” he said, adding that Total Telecom coordinates with local governments to produce Connected North. “It’s a great event.”

To listen to the full interview with Baldock on Spotify, click here.

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Learn more about Broadband Communities Summit 2025 in Houston.

Indian telco Reliance Jio reportedly acknowledged it has been using unlicenced spectrum as well as 5G spectrum to connect some customers for its 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) services, which it says is helping lower deployment costs.

According to a report from ETTelecom on Friday, Anshuman Thakur – Reliance Jio Infocomm’s head of strategy – said during a post-earnings call for Reliance Industries that Jio has been using unlicenced band radio (UBR) equipment for some FWA deployments.

Unlicenced spectrum includes bands commonly used for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, such as 2.5 GHz and 5 GHz. 3GPP Release 16 includes specifications for 5G New Radio-Unlicensed (NR-U) that enables 5G networks to use unlicenced bands below 7 GHz. 3GPP Release 17 adds unlicenced millimetre-wave bands from 57 GHz to 71 GHz to the mix.

5G NR-U is meant to give 5G operators extra spectrum options for scenarios such as carrier aggregation and offloading, but it can also be used for standalone deployments.

Thakur said that using UBR enables Jio to serve multiple users with one FWA unit, which means the deployment cost per customer is “incrementally much less”, the report said.

Jio – which launched its JioFiberAir service in 2023 – said it had 5.6 million FWA customers at the end of FY 2025, which accounts for 85% of India’s FWA market. Thakur didn’t say how many homes are using UBR equipment.

Thakur also said Jio has set a target of connecting 100 million homes via JioAirFiber and its FTTH service, JioFiber, although he gave no timeline for hitting that target, the report said.

News  

TikTok has been fined €530 million by the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) following an investigation into the company’s handling of European user data 

The inquiry found TikTok unlawfully transferred personal data from European Economic Area (EEA) users to China and failed to meet transparency obligations under the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). 

Based in Dublin, TikTok falls under the Irish DPC’s oversight in the EU. Regulators found that it failed to ensure that data accessed by staff in China met EU-level privacy protections. The DPC also found TikTok failed to properly assess the risks posed by Chinese laws, which differ significantly from EU privacy standards.  

“The GDPR requires that the high level of protection provided within the European Union continues where personal data is transferred to other countries,” said DPC Deputy Commissioner Graham Doyle in a press release. 

“TikTok’s personal data transfers to China infringed the GDPR because TikTok failed to verify, guarantee and demonstrate that the personal data of EEA users, remotely accessed by staff in China, was afforded a level of protection essentially equivalent to that guaranteed within the EU,” he continued. 

TikTok has been given six months to bring its data processing up to standard. If it fails to do so, the company could face a suspension of all data transfers to China. 

The company admitted last month that a limited amount of EEA user data had been stored on servers in China, contradicting earlier claims made during the inquiry. The company says the data has since been deleted, but the DPC is considering whether further enforcement action is warranted. 

The ruling adds to growing international pressure on TikTok, which is facing potential bans or forced divestments in the US and restrictions on government devices in multiple countries due to concerns related to its Chinese ownership. 

The DPC will publish the full decision and related documents in the coming weeks. 

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Also in the news:
Diversifying the UK’s data centre landscape: a path to economic growth
UK government’s data centre strategy drives discussion at Connected North
Data centres in the news this week 

News 

Intelsat has partnered with AXESS Networks, a Hispasat subsidiary, to expand satellite service capabilities across the Americas 

The collaboration combines the satellite infrastructure and assets of both Intelsat and Hispasat to ensure reliable coverage throughout the Americas region. The two companies aim to offer quality, multi-satellite connectivity to enterprise and telecom customers. 

According to the companies, the agreement will improve the customer experience by delivering robust, scalable services for a wide range of communication needs. The partnership forms part of a broader renewal agreement with AXESS.  

The partnership comes amid a surge in demand for reliable and scalable connectivity solutions, particularly in hard-to-reach rural areas and increasingly digitalised urban environments. 

“Our collaboration with Intelsat underscores our commitment to delivering world-class satellite solutions. We are proud to work together to enhance the customer experience and provide top-tier connectivity to our clients,” said General Manager AXESS EMEA¸ Guido Neumann in a press release. 

“Our quality of service speaks for itself in this expanded partnership with AXESS. This agreement reaffirms our commitment to delivering seamless, reliable solutions just as we do today and into the future,” echoed Rhys Morgan, RVP EMEA Sales at Intelsat. 

Hispasat acquired AXESS Networks back in 2022 for an undisclosed sum. The deal, Hispasat said, allows its “2020-25 Strategic Plan to be accelerated, aiming to transform the company into a satellite solutions and services provider.” 

Keep up to date with the latest international telecoms news by subscribing to our newsletter 

Also in the news:
Diversifying the UK’s data centre landscape: a path to economic growth
UK government’s data centre strategy drives discussion at Connected North
Data centres in the news this week 

1^st MAY 2025 – One of the UK’s foremost business connectivity providers, Neos Networks, has today announced research from 100 Senior Decision Makers at UK-based alternative network providers (Altnets). It reveals that almost all (96%) are considering M&A and partnerships with other service providers as they look for opportunities to survive and expand in the UK’s competitive broadband market.

A competitive landscape

The research, conducted by Censuswide this year, highlights some of the hurdles that many Altnets face. When asked about acquiring customers, 55% said their target customers are ‘locked into preexisting contacts’, a clear indicator of the growing competitive pressure from legacy providers. This was followed by a lack of awareness (47%), with many Altnets facing competition with up to four other providers in regions where they have networks.

Tough economic conditions are also affecting growth strategies with Altnets, with almost half (48%) of those surveyed saying that it has been difficult to access funding over the past year. High interest rates are exacerbating this challenge with 48% of Altnets citing them as the primary reason behind their struggle for funding. Regulatory constraints and strict lending criteria were also cited as significant barriers as Altnets looked to secure financing.

Altnets also face other regulatory challenges, including the knock-on impact of BT’s closure of its copper network as it transitions to full fibre. As part of this modernisation, most Altnets are now under pressure to remove equipment from BT’s exchanges, which are due to start closing in January 2027. They say it will cost them, on average, £1.4mn, according to our research.

The path forward

As Altnets look for a path forward, almost all (98%) said they expect to move beyond just offering traditional residential broadband to broaden their services and appeal. This was also cited as the number one long-term ambition for Altnets in the survey.

• 46% say they plan to launch smart home technology
• 43% say they will offer enterprise connectivity
• 42% say they will launch security solutions and packages
• 35% say will start offering multi-service solutions – i.e. TV and entertainment

55% of the Altnets we surveyed say that improving customer satisfaction is their primary goal for the next few years, beating out other, more revenue-critical operations such as increasing customer subscriptions and driving operational efficiencies.

When asked what technologies they were using to help them differentiate themselves from their competitors, the majority of respondents said they were deploying Software-Defined Networking and Network Function Virtualisation (53%). 5G Fixed Wireless Access (39%), and AI/ML enabled BSS/BSS automation also ranked highly.  

Lee Myall, CEO at Neos Networks said: “Altnets have played a pivotal role in reshaping the UK’s connectivity landscape, driving the expansion of full-fibre networks and challenging established incumbents. However, the industry now stands at a crucial crossroads. Heightened competition, financial pressures, and shifting regulatory frameworks mean that Altnets must evolve rapidly to secure their long-term future.

“Our research highlights that Altnets are exploring a variety of strategies – from mergers and acquisitions to strategic partnerships and service diversification – to strengthen their market position and pave the way for sustainable growth.”

ENDS

Methodology

Neos Networks commissioned Censuswide to survey 100 Senior Decision Makers at UK-based Altnets. The survey was commissioned in January 2025.

About Neos Networks

Neos Networks has the UK’s largest business-dedicated network. With over 600 points of presence and 90 data centres nationwide, Neos provides high-capacity critical connectivity for businesses, from telecoms and energy to banking and emergency services.

Agile and customer-focused with almost limitless scale, Neos enables emerging technologies like AI, 5G and IoT, making connectivity work for Britain. 

For more information please visit: https://neosnetworks.com

News 

This week, four men have been convicted in connection with a corruption and bribery scandal involving multimillion-pound telecoms contracts awarded to Scottish health boards 

The High Court in Glasgow found Adam Sharoudi and Gavin Brown, directors of Scottish telco Oricom, guilty of securing over £6 million in NHS contracts through fraud.  

The company, founded in Ayrshire in 2008, provided telecoms and video conferencing equipment to various Scottish NHS trusts between 2010 and 2017.   

An investigation by NHS Scotland Counter Fraud Services revealed that commercially sensitive procurement information was leaked to Oricom by NHS insiders Alan Hush, a former telecoms manager, and Gavin Cox, head of IT infrastructure at NHS Lanarkshire. In exchange, Hush and Cox received cash and gifts worth totalling nearly  £90,000. 

The court heard that one contract awarded to Oricom without proper tendering was worth over £3.1 million.  

Prosecutors argued that Oricom was given an unfair commercial advantage, undermining procurement integrity and costing taxpayers millions. 

Lord Arthurson, presiding over the case, called the actions “a coldly calculated and criminal betrayal of the welfare state,” adding that the four men should expect significant prison sentences.  

All four men remain in custody before sentencing next month. 

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Also in the news:
Diversifying the UK’s data centre landscape: a path to economic growth
UK government’s data centre strategy drives discussion at Connected North
Data centres in the news this week