Regulation

The East African Communications Organisation (EACO) and the Smart Africa Secretariat have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen strategic collaboration in advancing the digital transformation and accelerating the realisation of a single digital market in Africa by 2030.

This week will see Tunisian plans to make mobile IDs mandatory for investment project declarations come into force.

Chad’s government has warned Maroc Telecom-owned operator Moov Africa Chad to improve network performance, amid growing frustration over what officials described as the deteriorating quality of mobile services across the country.

African operator Airtel Madagascar has announced the introduction of the new 035 mobile prefix, suggesting that this marks a significant milestone in the operator’s expansion strategy as it continues to grow its customer base and network coverage across the country.

Namibia’s communications regulator has dismissed an appeal by Starlink against the rejection of its licence applications, reaffirming that the satellite broadband provider failed to meet the country’s local ownership requirements.

Messaging platform Telegram has lost its bid to overturn a government order that temporarily blocked access to the app during national medical entrance examinations, after an Indian court ruled the measure was legal and proportionate, Reuters reported.

Satellite operators Starlink, Eutelsat OneWeb and SES reportedly face new obstacles in getting final clearance to launch internet services in India after the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) expressed concerns over signal spillage in border areas.

Somalia is reportedly moving ahead with its structural transition to the new generation of internet addresses (IPv6), a change necessary to build the capacity of the country's digital infrastructure and anticipate the future growth of online applications. 

The Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA) has said it has surpassed 241,000 active .ng domain names, less than a quarter of the one million active-domain target that NiRA set in 2019 for achievement by 2024.

There may be even better news for two Indian operators – and notably Vodafone Idea – on outstanding spectrum charges following an Indian High Court ruling on Monday.

Movistar has been fined COP1.36 billion (US$330,000) by Colombia’s telecommunications regulator after an investigation found weaknesses in its SIM card replacement procedures that allegedly enabled fraud against customers.

Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA) fined Orange Liberia LRD4 million (US$20,000) after finding the operator liable for the unauthorised issuance of a customer’s SIM card to a third party, resulting in a privacy and communications breach.

Last week’s launch of Bharti Airtel’s Priority Postpaid service has reignited debate in India’s telecoms sector over whether network slicing – a key feature of standalone (SA) 5G – is consistent with the country’s net neutrality policy.

Another plan to tax mobile money transactions is under attack – this time in Kenya, the market that, arguably, pioneered mobile payments.

Veon criticised the high rate of taxation on the telecoms sector in Bangladesh and Pakistan, warning it risks slowing digital and economic growth in both countries.

The East African Community (EAC), a regional intergovernmental organisation comprising eight partner states, says it has commenced a series of regional engagements aimed at advancing the development of a harmonised Regional Mobile Roaming Framework.

Among headlines relating to ongoing device registration efforts across Africa is recent news that Cameroon’s customs administration has ordered mobile network operators to block digital devices that have not been registered and cleared through the country’s new electronic customs system.

Safaricom’s US$2.1 billion deal to sell a 15% stake to South Africa-based Vodacom Group has reportedly been put on hold after the Kenyan High Court allowed petitions challenging the sale’s constitutionality to go ahead.

Kenyan operator Safaricom has secured what is described as a landmark 25-year operating licence from Kenya’s Communications Authority (CA). It’s certainly unusual; the CA has historically issued licences only lasting ten years.

The Kenyan government has given social media platform X, formerly Twitter, three months to establish a physical presence in the country.

India’s Department of Telecommunication (DoT) has cut operator Vodafone Idea's adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues by nearly 27%.

Kenyan opposition leader Kalonzo Musyoka has petitioned the High Court seeking to block the government’s proposed sale of its 15% stake in Safaricom to Vodacom, arguing that proper legal and constitutional procedures have not been followed.

Iran's Supreme National Security Council has reportedly approved a temporary scheme for businesses to access the global internet with fewer restrictions. The authorities had imposed a blackout since the start of the war against the US and Israel.

The Starlink satellite communications service is expected to be permitted to operate in Papua New Guinea (PNG), more than two years after a ban was imposed on it by the country’s Ombudsman Commission.

Togo, Benin and Senegal have launched free roaming services. The launch, announced late last week, marks the implementation of two bilateral agreements — one between Togo and Senegal, the other between Senegal and Benin — signed on the sidelines of the ARTAO 23rd annual general assembly.

Mozambique’s Communications Regulatory Authority (INCM) has kicked off a national roaming service pilot in a bid to equalise mobile coverage for users.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and regulator the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at tackling SIM-related fraud and strengthening consumer protection across Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.

India's government has decided not to go ahead with a proposal to require smartphone makers to pre-install the country's biometric identification app Aadhaar on phones.

Mozambique’s Communications Regulatory Authority (INCM) has kicked off plans to allocate 5G spectrum after receiving proposals from the country’s three main telcos – Tmcel, Vodacom Mozambique and Movitel.

LEO satellite broadband operator Starlink is reportedly facing more regulatory hurdles in India related to foreign direct investment (FDI) and national security that could further delay its commercial launch in the country.

Russia has recently hardened its restrictions on the use of virtual private networks (VPNs), which are a popular way of getting round state censorship and accessing banned news sites, Western services, social media platforms and messengers.

Mauritanian telcos Moov Mauritel, Mattel, Chinguitel and Rimatel have reportedly bid MRU1.08 billion (around US$27.1 million) in total for 5G licences being auctioned by the Autorité de Régulation (ARE).