Manny Pham

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) provided Airtel Africa with a US$150 million loan to help expand and modernise its mobile networks, targeting improved connectivity in underserved communities across the continent.

Airtel Africa is reportedly stepping up preparations for the long-awaited initial public offering of its mobile money business, with plans to list the unit in London as soon as the second half of the year.

China’s smartphone market fell 4.3% year-on-year to 66 million shipments in the second quarter of 2026, marking a fifth consecutive quarter of decline as rising memory and component costs pushed up device prices, according to IDC.

Viasat has demonstrated what it claims is the first satellite voice call fully integrated into a BMW Group vehicle, highlighting how non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) could extend connected car services beyond the reach of terrestrial mobile coverage.

South Africa's communications regulator ICASA has fined B2B telecoms provider Session Telecoms ZAR6 million (US$340,000) after finding the company misused telecoms numbering resources, violating national regulations.

America Movil has agreed to acquire Peruvian fixed broadband provider Wow from Liberty Latin America and its partners, strengthening the operator's position in Peru's growing fibre broadband market.

Airtel Africa has reported double-digit revenue growth for the quarter ended 30 June 2026, as rising smartphone adoption, surging data usage and continued expansion of its Airtel Money platform helped boost both customer numbers and profitability.

Philippines-based operator Globe has entered into a strategic partnership with Japan's KDDI Corporation to explore new opportunities in mobile services and retail, as the companies look to enhance customer experience and expand digital offerings.

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.

Bangladesh's telecommunications regulator has fined the country's four mobile operators a combined BDT86.8 million (US$710,000) after identifying thousands of SIM cards allegedly being used for illegal international call termination via Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).