Beijing pushes major Chinese telcos to raise dividends

Beijing pushes China Telecom, China Mobile to raise dividends

Three major Chinese telcos are dramatically changing their financial strategies and shifting from reducing capital costs to offering higher dividend yields.

As reported by Nikkei Asia, this shift is linked to the increasing interest from the Chinese government in the performance of the stock market and its directive to accord more importance to shareholder returns within state-owned enterprises.

China Telecom followed this logic but took it a step further, as interim...

22 August 2024 | 5G

Bharti Enterprises to acquire majority stake in BT

Bharti Enterprises has announced plans to acquire a majority stake in BT, the UK’s largest broadband and mobile provider.

Bharti will purchase approximately 24.5% of BT Group from its current top shareholder, Altice. The acquisition will be executed through Bharti Global, the international investment arm of Bharti Enterprises.

Sunil Bharti Mittal, Founder and Chairman of Bharti Enterprises, commented on the historical significance of this move: "Bharti and BT have an...

12 August 2024 | 5G

SoftBank reports strong Q1 results amid 5G and AI expansions

SoftBank has announced its consolidated financial results for the first quarter of the fiscal year, showcasing robust performance and strategic initiatives aimed at long-term growth. The report highlights significant year-on-year improvements across key financial metrics.

For the three months ended June 30, 2024, SoftBank reported:

Revenue: ¥1,535,722 million, a 7.4% increase from the previous year. Operating income: ¥303,927 million, up 23.4%. Profit before income...

6 August 2024 | 5G

Ericsson scoops Red Dot Award for RAN automation UI

Ericsson has been recognised for its RAN automation UI, winning the prestigious Red Dot Award for Design Concept 2024 in the ‘Interaction, UI, and User Experience’ category. The award celebrates Ericsson’s work on the user experience for its rApps portfolio, a suite of RAN automation applications built on O-RAN Alliance standards.

Ericsson’s winning design centres around the UI of its AI-powered rApps, developed by the company’s Cognitive Network Solutions division....

5 August 2024 | 5G

Ofcom tightens rules to combat foreign scam calls

Ofcom, the UK's communications regulator, has introduced new measures to protect consumers from scam calls originating overseas. The strengthened industry guidance, announced today, requires phone companies to block calls from abroad that falsely display UK landline numbers.

This move aims to tackle a common tactic used by fraudsters who 'spoof' trusted phone numbers to deceive victims. By imitating numbers from reputable organisations or government departments, scammers increase...

30 July 2024 | 5G

The dawn of OpenRAN: Revolutionising mobile networks

Born from the need for greater flexibility and cost-efficiency in mobile networks, OpenRAN (Open Radio Access Networks) emerged in the mid-2010s as a radical reimagining of cellular infrastructure. The concept gained momentum in 2016 when the xRAN Forum was established, later merging with the C-RAN Alliance to form the O-RAN Alliance in 2018. This collaborative effort aimed to break the stranglehold of proprietary, integrated systems that had long dominated the...

25 July 2024 | 5G

Ofcom cracks down on unpredictable telecom price hikes

Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, will require telecoms providers to clearly state any price increases in pounds and pence upfront, giving customers more certainty about their monthly outgoings.

The new regulations are set to take effect from 17 January 2025 and come in response to the growing trend of major UK phone, broadband, and pay TV companies including inflation-linked price rises in their contracts. Ofcom found that this practice left customers without sufficient...

19 July 2024 | 5G

Berlin’s 5G shift: Germany to phase out Huawei and ZTE components

In the wake of mounting global concerns over national security, Germany has become the latest nation to join the ranks of countries restricting Chinese technology in critical infrastructure. Following in the footsteps of the US, Britain, Sweden, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, Europe's largest economy has announced plans to bar components from Chinese tech giants Huawei and ZTE in core parts of its 5G networks.

This decision marks a significant shift for...

19 July 2024 | 5G

Bridging the digital divide: How a coalition is tackling smartphone affordability

The digital divide, a chasm that has long separated billions from the opportunities of the internet age, may soon begin to narrow.

This week, the GSM Association (GSMA) announced the formation of the "Handset Affordability Coalition," a pioneering alliance of mobile operators, device manufacturers, international organisations, and financial institutions. This global initiative aims to revolutionise access to affordable smartphones worldwide for low- and middle-income populations,...

12 July 2024 | 5G

Germany prolongs banning Chinese 5G equipment

Germany has announced plans to ban critical components made by Chinese firms like Huawei and ZTE from its 5G networks, citing security concerns. The decision – revealed by Interior Minister Nancy Faeser on Thursday – will be implemented in two phases starting in 2026, with a longer timeline than initially expected.

Under the new agreement, critical components from Huawei and ZTE will be barred from 5G core networks by the end of 2026, a year later than previously envisaged....

11 July 2024 | 5G