Ugandan ICT ministry seeks to boost local government digital communication with the public
UGANDA 08:47

Ugandan ICT ministry seeks to boost local government digital communication with the public

Uganda's ICT ministry has handed laptops to 176 district communication officers to enhance government information dissemination and strengthen strategic communication at the local administrative level. Aminah Zawedd, permanent secretary in the ICT ministry, said that for many years, communication officers have operated under significant constraints, relying largely on traditional communication methods such as press statements and newspaper articles, despite the rapid shift to digital platforms. She said tha

Spanish govt invests EUR 7 mln in AI fashion startup Lookiero
SPAIN 8 JAN

Spanish govt invests EUR 7 mln in AI fashion startup Lookiero

Spain's Ministry of Digital Transformation has invested EUR 7.2 million in Lookiero, a Bilbao-based startup that specialises in the application of Artificial Intelligence technology in the fashion industry. The funds come from the state-backed Spanish Society for Technological Transformation (SETT) launched in 2024 to manage all of the country's investments in technological matters.

Peru launches regional broadband scheme in Ancash
PERU 8 JAN

Peru launches regional broadband scheme in Ancash

The government of Peru's central Ancash region has announced the launch of a public connectivity scheme to connect 817 public institutions in 481 localities to fibre. The USD 122 million project awarded to YOFC Peru included installing over 1,900 km of fibre-optic cables to ensure educational institutions, health facilities, police stations and other municipal buildings could access connectivity services, benefiting families, students, teachers and public servants alike.

Uganda denies rumoured plans to block internet during election
UKRAINE 7 JAN

Uganda denies rumoured plans to block internet during election

Uganda has denied plans to shut down internet access during 15 January general elections, dismissing reports of a possible blackout as unfounded, the BBC reported. Concerns were raised by the main opposition candidate, Robert Kyagulanyi who has repeated claims that the government intended to block the internet to disrupt mobilisation and the sharing of election results. On 2 January, satellite internet provider Starlink restricted its services in Uganda following an order from the communications regulator,

Argentina sets up National Cybersecurity Centre
ARGENTINA 7 JAN

Argentina sets up National Cybersecurity Centre

The Argentinian government has announced a sweeping overhaul of its national intelligence system with the creation of the National Cybersecurity Centre (CNC), established by decree on 01 January 2026. The new body will serve as the national authority on cybersecurity policy under the Secretariat of Innovation, Science and Technology, which reports to the Cabinet Chief's Office.

Starlink to help connect remote schools in Armenia
ARMENIA 6 JAN

Starlink to help connect remote schools in Armenia

Armenia will receive over 100 terminals from Starlink to improve internet access in schools in remote communities, reports Arka.am citing the minister of high-tech industry Mkhitar Hayrapetyan. Starlink satellite internet services are available in Armenia since March 2025. 

Chad talks with Huawei on advancing 2030 digital plan
CHAD 6 JAN

Chad talks with Huawei on advancing 2030 digital plan

Chad's digital economy minister held talks with Huawei to discuss accelerating the rollout of the country's national digital strategy, Tchad Connexion 2030, Ecofin reported. The discussions focused on several strategic projects, including the expansion of telecommunications infrastructure, wider access to connectivity services, and faster digitization of public services. 

Portugal commits EUR 6.4 million to microelectronics projects
PORTUGAL 6 JAN

Portugal commits EUR 6.4 million to microelectronics projects

Portuga's National Innovation Agency (ANI) committed EUR 6.4 million to two strategic microelectronics projects. Led by the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL) and the Telecommunications Institute (IT), this funding supports Portugal's involvement in European Chips Joint Undertaking Partnership (CHIPS JU) projects, a key component of the European Chips Act. This initiative is a crucial step in implementing Portugal's National Semiconductor Strategy, aiming to bolster the country's technolo

Bipt rules out universal service provider as social internet tariff gains traction
BELGIUM 6 JAN

Bipt rules out universal service provider as social internet tariff gains traction

Basic internet services remain widely available and affordable in Belgium, making the designation of a universal service provider unnecessary, according to an annual assessment by the regulator Bipt. Its research shows 99.4 percent of households can access fixed internet services with speeds of at least 10 Mbps. The few un-served spots are in rural areas, mainly in Wallonia, and these areas are served by mobile and satellite networks.

Brazil connects 68% of public schools with internet
BRAZIL 6 JAN

Brazil connects 68% of public schools with internet

The Connected Schools programme run by Brazil's Ministries of Communications and Education connected 68.4 percent of its target public educational institutions in 2025. This achievement brings Brazil closer to its goal of providing universal internet access in schools by 2026, with 94,221 out of 138,000 public schools now online. Throughout 2025, 22,800 schools gained internet access. The states Parana (83.6%), Piaui (81.4%) and Goias (81.3%) lead in school connectivity.

Kenyan ICT Authority promises to accelerate fibre and hotspot deployments in 2026
KENYA 6 JAN

Kenyan ICT Authority promises to accelerate fibre and hotspot deployments in 2026

The ICT Authority said in a New Year message on LinkedIn that it is committed to accelerating the expansion of Kenya's fibre network to 100,000 km and reach 25,000 public Wi-Fi hotspots in 2026, enabling citizens to access digital services at their convenience. By working with the ICT sector, the authority said it will equip members of the public with digital literacy skills, provide links for digital opportunities, ensure responsible data management and support measures that minimise the ICT footprint and

Oman Broadband fibre network reaches 926,884 homes in November with 326,406 active subscribers
OMAN 6 JAN

Oman Broadband fibre network reaches 926,884 homes in November with 326,406 active subscribers

Oman Broadband Company plans to cover 1 million residential units over the next three years, Oman News Agency reported. CEO Sultan Ahmed al Wahibi said that by the end of November 2025, its fibre-optic network had reached 926,884 units nationwide, comprising 415,792 in Muscat Governorate and 511,092 in other governorates. Wahibi said the total number of active subscribers reached 326,406, surpassing the 320,000 mark for the first time since the company's establishment.

FRANCE 6 JAN

Arcep welcomes new powers to enforce data sharing regulation

French telecom regulator Arcep has expressed support for draft legislation that extends its remit and powers to new areas. As the competent authority for implementing the EU's Data Act, Arcep will be responsible for enforcing data sharing regulation, which will become part of the regulator's broader investigative activities, supported by dedicated sanctioning and dispute-settlement powers. These changes are included in draft legislation known as DDADUE (dispositions d'adaptation au droit de l'Union europeen

UNITED KINGDOM 6 JAN

UK govt announces GBP 210 mln Cyber Action Plan with support from software companies

The UK government has announced the GBP 210 million Cyber Action Plan to make online public services more secure and resilient. Its Cyber Unit will coordinate risk management and incident response among departments. Firms with strong track records of cyber security will foster best practice through a new Software Security Ambassador Scheme. It named Cisco, Palo Alto Networks, Sage, Santander and NCC Group as being among these companies.

ZIMBABWE 6 JAN

Zimbabwe introduces 15% digital services tax on global platforms

Zimbabwe has started levying a new 15 percent digital services withholding tax under the 2026 National Budget. It targets non-resident digital service providers without a physical presence in the country. The tax applies to international platforms such as Netflix, Starlink, InDrive and Bolt, among others. The aim is to ensure a more equitable tax system and capture revenue from the expanding digital economy.

PERU 5 JAN

Peruvian operators connect 194,000 inhabitants in rural areas to 4G

Peru's ministry of transport and communications MTC said a total of 194,000 inhabitants in 924 rural localities were connected to 4G-LTE in 2025 thanks to the country's "coverage fee" mechanism. The strategy allows operators to allocate up to 60 percent of the spectrum payment to roll out infrastructure in digital divide areas.

ALGERIA 5 JAN

Algerian ICT minister praises sector progress in 2025

The Algerian ICT sector recorded remarkable progress in 2025, buoyed by infrastructure strengthening, service quality improvements and continued advancement toward higher technological standards, Ecofin reported citing ICT minister Sid Ali Zerrouki. The minister termed 2025 as both challenging and achievement-driven, highlighting the resilience and commitment of the sector's workforce. He said that sustained efforts by staff in the sector were guided by a shared conviction that serving citizens remains the

ZIMBABWE 5 JAN

Zimbabwean government plans to launch ZimSat-3

The Zimbabwean government has announced plans to deploy a third national satellite to strengthen the country's capacity to use space-based technology for environmental management and national development, The Herald reported. Under the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), it has prioritised the development and deployment of ZimSat-3, building on the foundations laid by the successful launches of ZimSat-1 and ZimSat-2. It enhance Zimbabwe's satellite-based data capabilities in critical sectors including a

COLOMBIA 5 JAN

Colombian govt approves sale of Movistar stake

The Colombian government has approved the sale of its 32.5 percent stake in Coltel (operating under the brand name Movistar Colombia) just over a month after Millicom's local Tigo subsidiary was cleared to acquire the operator. The Ministry of Finance will put up 1.108 billion shares for sale at an initial price of COP 772.38 per share, potentially raising a total of more than COP 850 billion for the state.

COLOMBIA 5 JAN

Colombia tops 10 mln fixed lines following rural broadband boost

Colombia passed 10 million fixed broadband lines at the end of 2025, up 1.7 million since 2022, according to new data from the National Administrative Department of Statistics (Dane). Nearly two-thirds (65.6%) of households now have internet connections, up 6.1 percentage points from 2022, including 49 million mobile connections, said the country's ICT ministry Mintic.

BRAZIL 5 JAN

Brazil reports 12% increase in foreign investment in telecom sector

Foreign direct investment (FDI) in Brazil's telecommunications sector saw a 12.1 percent increase from January to November 2025, reaching USD 6.29 trillion. This is up from USD 5.61 trillion during the same period in 2024, with November alone bringing in USD 541 million, according to the Central Bank. Minister of Communications Frederico de Siqueira Filho attributes this growth to Brazil's modernisation and expanding connectivity, highlighting the country's growing appeal to international investors.

SERBIA 5 JAN

Serbia awards contracts for rural broadband projects

Serbia's Ministry of Information and Telecommunications has signed agreements with four operators (Telekom Srbija, Orion, Cetin, A1) for the collaborative construction of broadband infrastructure in Serbia's rural areas. The state will fund the connection of local networks to major internet providers (so-called middle mile), while the selected operators will finance the network bringing internet directly to end-users (so-called last mile).

SOUTH SUDAN 2 JAN

South Sudan plans network expansion in remote Aweil West districts

South Sudan's ICT minister Ateny Wek Ateny has promised to deploy engineers to assess and install telecommunication network towers in some of the most remote payams of Aweil West County in Northern Bahr El Ghazal State, Sudan Post reported. A payam is an administrative division with at least 25,000 residents. Residents had complained that the absence of mobile network services has left communities unable to report insecurity, especially along the border with Sudan's Darfur region.

EGYPT 2 JAN

Orange Egypt signs pact with ICT ministry to expand telemedicine services

Orange Egypt and the ICT ministry have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to expand telemedicine services across villages, remote areas and underserved communities. The agreement falls under the DT4SDE project, implemented by the ministry in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). It aims to promote equitable and sustainable access to advanced digital healthcare services by expanding and developing telemedicine solutions. 

Just In

11:51

ACES and BSNL supply connectivity for Noida International Airport with NOC-SOC from Tech Mahindra

11:19

Digi Spain to air Australian Open in 4K at no extra cost

11:16

T-Mobile Poland adds Eurosport 3 to TV lineup

11:15

Belgium drops plans for 26 GHz auction after little market interest

Commentary

2 JAN 13:21

Open Dutch Fiber's new management team takes up turnaround challenge

15 DEC 2025 13:56

Video market set for slower growth ahead

8 DEC 2025 11:38

Netflix buys Warner Bros to deepen content catalogue

31 OKT 2025 11:11

KPN's mixed performance in Q3 raises questions for strategy day

Background

5 JAN 00:52

The week in telecom: Finnish security check, M&A completions and telco job cuts

23 DEC 2025 10:32

Netherlands TV-video market grows 2.6% in Q3 to EUR 759 mln

22 DEC 2025 00:25

The week in telecoms: YouTube, Instagram take on TV market and WBD rejects Paramount

15 DEC 2025 01:04

The week in telecom: Wi-Fi bolt-ons take off to boost broadband growth, video market works on consolidation