AGP Executive Report

Subsea Cable Security: The UK is set to toughen submarine cable protection with new security duties for cable owners, a modern criminal framework replacing 140-year-old rules, and emergency powers for government direction. Regulatory Consumer Switches (Canada): Canada’s CRTC consumer protections ban activation, plan-change, and cancellation fees for phone and internet starting Friday, aiming to cut switching costs. DDoS Defense (Nokia): Nokia launched Deepfield Genome Shield, pitching proactive, always-on DDoS automation for telecoms and cloud builders as residential proxy botnets evolve. FCC Robocalls vs Privacy: A new FCC KYC push to curb robocalls is drawing concern it could effectively outlaw burner phones and force more identity data collection. Nigeria QoS Compensation Audit: Nigeria’s NCC is independently validating compensation claims for over 75 million subscribers tied to network quality shortfalls. Satellite Connectivity: India froze Starlink commercial approvals over security concerns, while the Philippines approved a MULA Earth-observation satellite constellation for communications, disaster response, and national security. Mobile Market Competition (Panama): Panama opened a tender for a third mobile operator to end a Tigo/C&W duopoly and target lower prices and next-gen rollout.

Philippines Space Program: President Marcos approved new satellite plans under the MULA Earth observation effort, with the fully built spacecraft in UK testing and a possible April 2027 launch to support agriculture, maritime monitoring, disaster response and national security. Disaster Impact on Connectivity: A 7.8 quake in southern Philippines left at least 41 dead and hundreds injured, with major damage reported to schools and widespread disruption that will stress local communications and emergency coordination. Green Data Centres: Scotland industry groups launched a charter for “green data centres,” setting principles on renewables, efficiency, water use, district heat readiness and community benefits. Quantum Security: SK Telecom joined the EU Horizon Europe quantum cryptography project, aiming to commercialize QKD using photonic chips plus AI to cut size and deployment costs. Network Modernization: Nokia and Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison will modernize Indonesia’s nationwide 5G with low- and mid-band RAN upgrades aimed at AI-ready services. Cybersecurity Push: Nigeria’s NDPC reported 2,000 cyberattacks in one week, underscoring rising phishing and ransomware risks as the digital economy expands. Regulatory/Infrastructure Moves (Nigeria): NCC appointed Princess Oforitsenere Emiko interim chair of the Digital Bridge Institute to reshape telecom training for the digital economy. Cross-Border Payments: Nepal launched P2P remittances to India by linking NPI and UPI, enabling faster money transfers via participating banks. Subsea Cable Resilience: Algeria and Tunisia plan a new submarine cable to Italy to boost regional capacity and resilience.

Digital Inclusion Push: Angola’s telecom secretary reaffirmed plans to expand digital access, citing the “Ilumina Angola” mobile coverage push and infrastructure sharing at Huawei Day 2026. 5G-Advanced Partnerships: Bahrain’s telecom ministry met Huawei to advance next-gen networks, with 5G-Advanced highlighted under the Sixth National Telecommunications Plan. M&A in France: Orange, Bouygues Telecom and iliad signed an MoU with Altice France to acquire SFR, aiming to strengthen France’s digital infrastructure and investment capacity. Spectrum Court Win (India): Bombay High Court set aside retrospective one-time spectrum charges against Airtel and Vodafone Idea, ordering bank guarantees returned. Cybersecurity Law Update (Bangladesh): Bangladesh’s home minister said the Cyber Security Act will be amended to curb misinformation and AI-generated deceptive content, with platform takedown timelines. AI Security Vendor Spotlight: IDC profiled FIOR as a differentiated agentic AI enforcement player, emphasizing identity-based trust enforcement and rapid revocation. Disaster Impact (Philippines): A 7.8 quake killed at least 35 in southern Philippines, triggering tsunami warnings that were later lifted; telecom outages were reported in affected areas. Data Centre Backlash (US): Seattle joined growing US cities limiting data centres as residents raise concerns over water, energy, noise, and costs tied to AI buildouts.

Network Reliability Crackdown: Namibia’s telecom regulator CRAN ordered Telecom Namibia to fix nationwide mobile and SMS outages within four months, citing equipment failures, power issues, fibre breaks and copper theft. Consumer Data Transparency Clash: Nigeria’s MTN faced renewed backlash after its CEO said “truly unlimited” mobile data doesn’t exist, as the company defended its billing and launched public scrutiny of data depletion claims. Disaster Disruptions: A 7.8 quake off Mindanao triggered tsunami warnings and knocked out power and telecoms in parts of Sarangani, with aftershocks and damage assessments ongoing. Regulatory & Competition Moves: Norway’s competition authority approved Telenor’s NOK 6bn acquisition of GlobalConnect’s residential fibre business, with remedies to open overlapping areas to competition. AI + Optical Infrastructure Push: NTT plans an “IOWN AI Fund” over ¥70bn with SK and Chunghwa Telecom to back AI and next-gen optical network expansion. Digital Inclusion: Nigeria’s NCC praised the National Girls in ICT programme, bringing 185 contestants to its museum to boost girls’ digital skills. Broadband Pricing Watch: Research highlighted stable mobile internet prices in Papua New Guinea amid new undersea cable deliveries. Critical Power Hardware: Samlex Europe showcased a hot-swap, redundant DC power system for mission-critical telecom use at CCW 2026.

Satellite Internet Watch: Zimbabwe’s ICT minister says the government hopes to finalise Starlink’s regulated entry by end-July, with the service expected to complement mobile operators rather than directly replace them. Regulatory Crackdown: Portugal’s competition authority fined three telecom operators and a consulting firm EUR 13.3m over an anti-competitive pay-TV and TV-recording advertising agreement. Consumer Data Clash: In Nigeria, MTN CEO Karl Toriola’s “no unlimited data” claim sparked a public rebuttal from activist Omoyele Sowore, who hinted at a nationwide protest. Network Expansion: Philippines’ Globe is expanding Visayas fiber access via community broadband centers to boost support and help residents sign up. Market Signals: PLDT shares fell after the Philippines DICT said a Japanese telecom firm is exploring entry, raising competition fears. Infrastructure Disruption: Venezuela’s CANTV restored fixed phone and internet to 38,902 subscribers after incidents tied to theft, vandalism, weather and damage. Space & Comms: The Philippines backed new satellite plans, including an Earth observation MULA constellation and a sovereign geostationary telecom satellite program. Deal Watch: France’s Bouygues, Free and Orange agreed a 20.4bn-euro joint bid for SFR, pending regulators.

Network Resilience Under Strain: Telecel Ghana says its network suffers 3–9 deliberate fiber cuts daily, with vandalism shifting from copper theft to disruption-only attacks that force costly repairs and threaten everyday connectivity. Consumer Data Transparency: MTN Nigeria launched “Data on Trial,” inviting the public to audit billing and network operations amid complaints of rapid data depletion, and plans a self-service data usage portal in the MTN app. Security & Fraud Alerts: WhatsApp is developing a device-based “Scam Alert” feature to warn users about suspicious messages without breaking end-to-end encryption. M&A Watch: Bouygues Telecom, Orange and Iliad agreed to buy SFR from Altice France for €20.35bn, potentially cutting France’s major operators from four to three. Infrastructure Crime: South Africa’s police arrested eight suspects over stolen cellphone tower batteries worth about R500,000. Digital Government Push: Vietnam’s new decree from July 1 adds heavy penalties for social media misuse and unauthorized sharing of press works, including fines up to VND 30m. Space-Connectivity Plans: The Philippines’ space council backed a MULA Earth observation priority and a sovereign geostationary telecom satellite program to close remote connectivity gaps.

Digital Government Push: Kuwait’s CAIT submitted a KD9.99m contract to the State Audit Bureau to help eliminate paper transactions within three years, alongside a direct 3-year deal with a global telecom provider for AFA Cloud Google services. Public Scrutiny on Billing: MTN Nigeria opened its data billing and network operations to public review, saying “Data on Trial” will clarify whether data depletion claims stem from systems, misconceptions, or education gaps. Consumer Protection & Identity: Pakistan’s PTA warned citizens against transferring SIMs or using someone else’s SIM, stressing traceability to the registered owner and urging people to check SIMs tied to their CNIC. Cybersecurity Law: Canada’s Senate passed Bill C-8, creating a mandatory cybersecurity framework for critical sectors including telecom, with new powers that also drew privacy concerns. Infrastructure Security: Finland’s NBI wrapped a probe into Gulf of Finland subsea cable damage, with suspects referred for possible charges. Network Reliability Shock: Jamaica reported an island-wide blackout, with power restoration underway and the cause under investigation. Tower Theft Crackdown: Zimbabwean courts heard cases over copper cable and TelOne telecom infrastructure theft as authorities intensify anti-cable theft efforts. Sustainability in Telecom: Zain highlighted centralized ESG data automation and climate-data verification in its 2025 sustainability report.

Power & Telecom Resilience: Jamaica faces an island-wide blackout after a system failure, with JPS restoring electricity in phases while officials demand a full cause report within 24 hours. Privacy & Enforcement: The FCC fined T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon about $196m over unlawful sales of real-time user location data, reigniting calls for stronger customer vetting and third-party controls. Net Neutrality Clash: Airtel defended its priority postpaid plans, saying its 5G slicing approach is content-neutral and compliant, while regulators had raised net neutrality concerns. Data Centers & Investment: Pakistan’s QGDC (Gul Ahmed) plans a $230m Tier III data centre with Huawei partnership, targeting operations in 2027; Maharashtra also eyes a massive data-centre expansion worth Rs 16.7 lakh crore. Cyber/Surveillance Debate: Kenya’s privacy row heats up as mobile and telecom data use by state agencies comes under scrutiny, with constitutional rights at the center. Telecom in Courts: Spain’s Mossos seek telecom records to identify witnesses in the investigation of Mango founder Isak Andic’s fatal fall.

Undersea Security: Finland says its criminal probe into December 2025 Gulf of Finland cable damage is complete, with four suspects referred to prosecutors, after Elisa and Arelion cables were hit. Network Resilience & Outages: The Gambia faced an internet outage tied to power loss at the ACE submarine cable station in Sukuta, while Mumbai commuters reported Western Railway PRS/UTS disruption causing ticketing chaos. Regulation & Enforcement: The US Supreme Court backed the FCC’s power to fine telecom firms over customer data privacy, including Verizon and AT&T. Market Access: China expanded a pilot that lifts the 50% foreign ownership cap for telecom value-added services in approved regions, aiming to attract investment. Connectivity Buildout: ViaTunisia’s Marseille–Bizerte subsea segment reached ready-for-service status, boosting a resilient Europe–North Africa route. Funding & Finance: Uniti priced $1.14B in secured fiber network revenue term notes, and China’s telecom pilots plus Starlink subscriber forecasts keep capital markets focused on connectivity growth.

Cybersecurity & Testing: Swiss Papers AG launched “Obsidio,” using a distributed network of 232,000 smartphones to run realistic DDoS resilience tests for banks and critical infrastructure, with regulatory-ready documentation. Regulation & Courts: India’s Delhi High Court granted Zee an interim injunction to block pirate streaming sites and associated domains/apps tied to the 2026 IPL and 2026 FIFA World Cup. Telco Policy & Consumer Costs: Canada ordered its regulator to back off a proposed “streaming tax” that would have raised U.S. streamer contributions to Canadian content, instead pledging C$600m for the audiovisual sector. Network & Infrastructure: Digicel reported vandalism at a Bougainville telecom hub knocked out service across multiple villages. Mobility Tech: VEON’s Kyivstar unit said Uklon will acquire micromobility operator E-wings to expand its urban mobility ecosystem. Global Telecom Governance: ITU said its long-delayed Geneva HQ rebuild is finally moving forward, though funding and logistics remain tight. Awards & Broadband: The UK Fibre Awards 2026 highlighted full-fibre winners including Quickline (rural) and Cambridge Fibre Networks (urban/take-up). Privacy Feature: WhatsApp is developing view-once text messages for Android, aiming to curb forwarding and saving.

Emergency Communications Upgrade: The Philippines’ DILG activated four new Unified 911 command centers across Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Western Visayas and Eastern Visayas, adding dialect-sensitive operators and lifting 2025 efficiency to 97.23% from 48.33% in 2024. Telecom Security & Fraud Response: Moldova’s parliament set up an inquiry into telephone, financial and online scams, including how fast institutions block suspicious funds and how telecoms protect personal data. Regulatory Win for FCC: The U.S. Supreme Court backed the FCC’s ability to penalize carriers over customer location data safeguards, upholding $100M in fines against AT&T and Verizon while allowing a payment timing concession. Market & Infrastructure Signals: Pakistan’s PTA proposed treating corporate SMS as a separate market and flagged possible significant market power for mobile operators. Connectivity & Digital Identity: Papua New Guinea’s Sevis PNG Digital ID aims to help trace fake social media accounts and anonymous cyberattacks. Cross-Border Payments: Bank of America plans next-quarter cross-border real-time payments via Swift or CashPro, targeting high-volume, low-value international transfers.

Smart Meter Rollout (Cyprus): Cyprus’ electricity authority says it will keep installing smart meters across Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca and Famagusta through June, with brief supply interruptions during swaps, under a Cyta-linked contract targeting 400,000 installations. Mission-Critical Comms (Europe): Global-PTT will demo next-gen PoC business-critical communications at CCW 2026 in London, while Caltta reports successful ETSI MCX Plugtests interoperability results in France. Public Safety 9-1-1 (US): Milwaukee’s emergency communications department is deploying Motorola Solutions’ VESTA 911 platform for improved call handling, translation and multimedia coordination. Crime Response (US): Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office unveils a Motorola-powered real-time crime center and a “drone as first responder” program, including drones that can break glass and negotiate remotely. Data Center Policy (US): Imperial County, California, moves to strip “by-right” zoning for data centers in unincorporated areas, tightening environmental review before projects proceed. Regulation & Content (Canada): Canada orders a CRTC review of the “Netflix tax” streaming rules and pairs it with a C$600m annual injection for audio/AV sectors. Telecom Investment (Nigeria): Foreign capital into Nigeria’s telecom sector fell to $7.24m in Q1 2026, a four-year low, despite last year’s tariff hike. Gulf Security (Aviation/Comms): Kuwait says Iranian drones damaged its main airport terminal, killing one and wounding dozens, as ceasefire talks remain fragile.

Regulatory Pressure on Streaming: Canada’s Heritage Minister has ordered the CRTC to review its decision to triple streaming giants’ Canadian content contributions, as the U.S. flags the Online Streaming Act as a trade irritant and broadcasters warn costs could hit consumers. Network Security & Sovereignty: The Netherlands blocked Kyndryl’s proposed acquisition of cloud provider Solvinity under telecom investment screening, citing public-interest risks tied to sensitive digital identity services. AI Infrastructure Demand: Dell’Oro reports Ethernet switch sales for AI back-end networks more than doubled in Q1 2026, with 800Gbps dominating and 1600Gbps sampling ramping later this year. Fraud Defenses: Google is rolling out real-time scam-call protection in its Phone app, aiming to spot AI voice impersonation and spoofed calls. Geopolitical Risk to Telecom: Kuwait’s main airport was briefly shut after Iranian drones damaged a passenger terminal, while Iran also accused the U.S. of striking a telecom mast on Qeshm Island—raising stakes for regional connectivity. Operator/Market Moves: Korek Telecom’s CEO called Iraq’s suspension of its contract “unlawful,” vowing legal action. Smart Port Trial: Bangladesh’s regulator granted Chittagong Port Authority 20MHz in the 3.5GHz band for a three-month private 5G smart-port trial.

Local Governance & Towers: Savannah City Council approved a 45-day public notice rule for neighborhood associations before installing new wireless facilities, with applicants required to attend a meeting if requested. Regulatory Watch: India’s TRAI is reviewing Airtel’s Priority 5G network-slicing plan for possible net neutrality issues, asking for technical and quality-of-service details while monitoring continuously. Public Wi‑Fi Policy: India’s Broadband India Forum backed TRAI’s move to treat public Wi‑Fi as a complementary broadband layer, urging integration with PM‑WANI and BharatNet plus a nationwide awareness push. Telecom Sector Incentives: Pakistan’s MoITT proposed extending telecom tax relief, including withholding-tax exemptions and lower import duties on telecom gear, citing $5B investment and 200M subscribers. Network & Security Industry: NTT and Mitsubishi Materials will launch NTT Circurust to recycle and resell IT and telecom equipment, linking material recovery with supply-chain tracking. AI for Telecom Users: Cyprus’ Cyta-backed AI‑XRAY project will train youth and teachers on explainable, responsible AI via modules and an interactive learning platform. Geopolitics & Comms: Iran blamed Kuwait and Bahrain for US-linked attacks that included an Iranian telecommunications tower, warning of further retaliation.

Regulatory Leadership: Telecom Namibia CEO Stanley Shanapinda is set to become Executive Secretary of CRASA, with his TN tenure ending 1 July 2026, as the regional body pushes SADC regulator harmonisation. Spectrum & Coverage: Bangladesh’s BTRC approved an auction for additional lower-band spectrum to boost rural coverage and indoor connectivity. Network & Infrastructure Deals: Telefónica agreed to buy back rural microwave backhaul operator LineoX from Asterion, restoring control of a strategic Spain rural radio-link network. Enterprise Digital Transformation: Cameroon’s CAMTEL and GeCAM will sign a deal to help SMEs with secure connectivity, fixed/mobile interconnect, data security and storage at Zamengoué Data Center. Mobile Policy Pressure: In Pakistan, federal and provincial authorities revised summer market hours, keeping IT and telecom services exempt—while separate reporting highlights mandatory phone line registration facing public distrust and slowing new SIM activations. Security & Crime: Police in Malaysia are hunting suspects after a viral incident of telecommunications cable theft at Jalan Batu Uban. Public Participation: A US notice invites comments on a proposed 77.7m telecom tower at 749 Tarpon Lane in Virginia. Finance Watch: Telkom’s profit jump lifted its dividend payout ratio, drawing investor support. AI & Connectivity Markets: Marvell shares surged after Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang called it the “next trillion-dollar company,” spotlighting AI data-center connectivity demand.

IPv4 Supply Shift: LARUS expanded its first-party IPv4 leasing platform, aiming to give enterprises, cloud and telecom operators direct capacity access through a unified continuity structure. Mobile Growth & Oversight: Pakistan’s PTA says 5G is live in 22 cities and targets faster 4G performance, while lawmakers also pressed for action on poor mobile and internet services and raised concerns over PTCL privatization transparency. Digital ID & Fraud Controls: Timor-Leste launched verify.gov.tl with Cambodian support to verify transport documents online, while Zanzibar lawmakers demanded stronger security and less foreign hosting for government data. Cloud Sovereignty: A Canadian report warns Amazon, Microsoft and Google dominate Canada’s public cloud, pushing the government to address AI compute reliance. AI Data Center Pushback: Brawley, California is considering a moratorium on large hyperscale data centers as power and zoning pressures mount. Connectivity for Health: MTN South Sudan will repair a broken CT scanner at Juba Teaching Hospital and add solar backup plus a mobile health info service. Regional Telecom Cooperation: BIMSTEC joined ITU-D as a sector member to deepen work on connectivity, AI and capacity building. Cyber Risk: South Africa saw the highest suspected digital fraud rate in Africa in 2025, with generative AI expected to boost fraud scale and sophistication. Satellite Expansion: Argentina’s regulator cleared Starlink for additional frequency bands to expand fixed satellite services.