AGP Executive Report

Regulation & Consumer Rights: Pakistan’s telecom regulator (PTA) has ordered operators to adopt a uniform SIM restoration policy, aiming to cut inconsistent processes that delay access to digital identity. Network Investment: Philippines’ Globe Telecom lifted first-half capital spending 39% to ₱26.3bn, with 5G expansion and data infrastructure taking most of the spend. 5G Rollout Dispute: BT has appealed Wiltshire Council’s refusal of a proposed 5G street hub on Devizes Road, arguing it supports universal telephony and will be funded by advertising. Union Pressure: Trinidad and Tobago’s CWU is calling for the removal of TSTT chair Kern Dass amid a governance dispute over a proposed $49m call-centre contract. Data & AI Security: South Korea’s police agency says it has finished an AI investigative data analysis system to speed up work using telecom records and other datasets. Privacy & Smart Glasses: Australia’s government is rolling out proposed privacy-law changes, including an identity protection service and a right to erasure, while stopping short of an import ban. Disaster Comms: Nepal-Tibet floods are disrupting telecoms in affected areas as countries report missing people and begin restoring connectivity.

Cybersecurity: VulnCheck says Chinese carrier routers from Zbtlink sold via Amazon include active surveillance backdoors that can redirect traffic, steal logins, or let attackers take control remotely. Disaster Comms: Nepal Telecom resumed mobile service across more Nepal–China border BTS sites after Rasuwa floods, while the Nepal Telecommunications Authority provided 20 satellite phones to NDRRMA for free use in rescue zones. Regulation & Standards: India notified the Legal Metrology (IST) Rules, 2026, making Indian Standard Time the single official reference for legal, admin, commercial and other purposes, with 180 days to comply—aimed at fixing timestamp mismatches across telecom, banking, rail and networks. Market Rules: Oman’s TRA issued a number portability framework to automate transfers and standardize timelines, improving competition. Operator Moves: Vodafone Qatar created Infinity Signal Services to manage tower and passive infrastructure. Fraud & Safety: Namibia police warned SIM scams use vulnerable people’s identities to register lines for fraud, and Nepal Telecom urged users not to share graphic flood content online.

Satellite & Connectivity Expansion: The UAE’s TDRA granted Starlink a 10-year broadband satellite licence, aiming to add a space layer for consumers, businesses and government, including maritime and aviation links. Messaging Monetization: Meta will start charging businesses for WhatsApp Business Platform service messages from Oct. 1, a change that could hit large customer-service and transactional users in markets like Nigeria. AI Infrastructure Investment: SAIGONTEL and partners plan a $3.5B AI data centre complex in Vietnam’s Tay Ninh, targeting Tier IV standards and major international connectivity. Disaster Comms Restoration: China’s Tibet region is racing to restore telecom infrastructure after mudslides in Gyirong, including rebuilding base stations to keep emergency links up. Regulatory/Policy Timekeeping: India’s “One Nation, One Time” will mandate IST across legal, commercial, digital and administrative operations from March 2027, reducing reliance on foreign time sources like GPS. Public Safety Tech: A “Smart Bus” app in Bahrain is being rolled out to prevent students being left behind, with trip-end controls tied to drop-off confirmation. Cyber & Crime Analytics: South Korea’s police are deploying an AI system to analyze bank and telecom records faster and spot links in fraud and voice-phishing cases. Ukraine Satellite Pressure: Ukraine asked the ITU to exclude Russia’s “Rassvet” satellite system from its territory, citing military use. Telecom Outage: Vodafone Ireland suffered nationwide broadband disruptions, with thousands of outage reports logged. Telecom & Digital Services in Emergencies: Nepal’s flood disaster story continues to highlight how mudslides severed communication links and how authorities are working to restore them.

Connectivity Gap in Ghana: Residents in Nwawasua (Sunyani) say they must climb trees or mountains to get usable mobile and internet service, hurting calls and education, with the issue tied to SDG goals on ICT access. UAE Satellite Broadband: TDRA grants Starlink a 10-year General Space Services Licence for public satellite broadband, including services for homes, businesses, government, plus maritime and aviation connectivity. Ukrainian ITU Pushback: Ukraine asks the ITU to block Russia’s Rassvet satellite system over Ukrainian territory across all frequency bands, saying it supports the war. Nepal Floods and Comms Strain: After Nepal’s Aug 26 flash floods, the death toll reaches 626 and thousands remain missing; Malaysia reports 55 Malaysians still uncontactable, while UNICEF warns 17,000 children need urgent aid and notes damaged roads, schools, and telecommunications links. Data Security Alert (Canada): Eastlink warns of a potential breach affecting customer accounts, with possible exposure of names, contact details, account numbers and PINs. Mobile Data Rules (Indonesia): Indonesia orders operators to protect unused mobile data after a court ruling, banning forfeiture and requiring customer-friendly options. Telecom Infrastructure Resilience (US): St. Petersburg approves a $2.72M, 20-year fiber deal to connect water facilities for SCADA monitoring and better protection against disruption. Market Watch (Drones): A report projects tethered drones growth to about $293.32M by 2035, driven by demand for persistent aerial monitoring.

Pakistan Telecom Bill Retreat: Pakistan withdrew a controversial telecom infrastructure bill that would have let operators acquire private/public land for towers and fiber without owner consent, saying a new draft is coming. Disaster Comms & Resilience: Nepal flood response is hit by heavy rain, suspending Trishuli helicopter rescues, while Nepal Telecom restores mobile services in Rasuwa/Nuwakot and authorities push mass coordination as missing numbers climb. WhatsApp Business Messaging Fees: Meta plans to charge businesses for WhatsApp service messages from October, with Nigerian regulators and operators also moving to align billing. Regulatory & Network Moves: Kyrgyzstan’s state-backed plan would route international internet traffic through ElCat as a temporary monopoly; Japan prepares a new “060” mobile prefix to expand numbering capacity. Market Watch (Telecom IPO): India’s Sebi cleared Jio Platforms’ IPO, targeting about $3.8bn to repay Jio debt, setting up a potential record listing. Local Public Safety Tech: Alabama launches a statewide geofenced notification system to send targeted disaster alerts to cell and landline users. Operator Strategy Updates: MTN South Africa says voice revenue is bottoming out as data and digital services take over. Consumer/Trust Issues: A Nigerian lawyer demands an audit after 708GB of MTN data allegedly vanished, while regulators and advocates push harder scam controls.

Satellite Connectivity in the UAE: TDRA has granted Starlink a 10-year General Space Services License, formally adding a satellite layer to the UAE’s fibre and 5G stack and targeting services for consumers, businesses and government, including maritime and aviation. Capital Markets: India’s Sebi cleared Jio Platforms’ IPO, potentially raising about $3.8bn and valuing the company around $137bn—set to be India’s biggest listing. Regulatory Reset in Pakistan: Pakistan withdrew the Pakistan Telecommunication Reorganisation Amendment Bill 2026 from the Senate and will reintroduce a revised version to avoid procedural delays. Network Security & Fraud: Nepal asked Meta and TikTok to act fast against graphic AI-generated flood content and fraudulent donation QR codes; in Germany, a telecom flaw was reported for leaking handset identifiers during call setup, prompting emergency alerts and remediation. Infrastructure & Crime: Calgary police arrested suspects in copper wire thefts hitting telecom cables. Mobile Network Change: Ukraine’s lifecell will shut down 3G in 17 regions from Sept 3, moving areas to 4G/LTE. Local Network Build: Maxis will fibreise 151 telecom towers in Melaka under a RM30m deal.

Himalayan Disaster Response: Nepal–China flash floods linked to a glacial collapse have killed at least 469 people and left 1,400+ missing, with hundreds of foreign pilgrims and tourists unaccounted for; Nepal’s telecom operator is rushing repairs, including airlifting generators and restoring service in multiple districts. Telecom Policy Shake-Up: Pakistan is withdrawing a controversial telecom right-of-way bill after Senate deadlock, while the PTA orders prepaid mobile recharges to keep balances valid for at least 180 days and automatically restore expired balances on next top-up. Connectivity Upgrades: Sarawak (Malaysia) is pushing a “digitisation of connectivity” plan for Limbang and Lawas to close rural gaps, and Flow/other operators report service restoration after fibre vandalism and breaks. Network & Infrastructure Deals: Midwest Fiber Networks and Midwest Fiberpath plan a 1,200-mile Midwest fibre corridor; MTN Nigeria highlights local procurement and seeks local investors for an IHS stake. Industry & Tech Moves: Huawei is named a Gartner leader for enterprise storage; FCC seeks input on spectrum access for space launch operations and issues action against illegal vishing calls. Digital Inclusion & Skills: Nigeria’s IshK programme graduates 500 youths in trades including solar installation, and a drone training initiative in the US is building telecom and public-safety career paths.

Disaster Response & Connectivity: Nepal’s Himalayan flash floods and mudslides are still wrecking telecom links along the Nepal–Tibet border, with communications failures and damaged infrastructure complicating rescue; China deployed satellites and drones and even carried mobile base stations to support emergency communications. Operator Relief Efforts: Ncell restored 14 mobile towers after flood damage to 27 sites and repaired about 70–80 km of fiber links, while Dish Home offered free internet for 15 days to flood-hit areas. Network Resilience & Infrastructure Builds: Melaka (Malaysia) is investing RM30m to link 151 telecom towers with 200 km of fiber, and Katsina (Nigeria) began rolling out fiber to consumers. Security & Cyber: The US DOJ/FBI seized domains tied to China-linked hacking platforms targeting NASA, the Federal Reserve, DOJ and the US Senate, aiming to disrupt critical-infrastructure attacks. Regulation & Governance: Finland’s appeals court revived a case over Eagle S cable breaks, ruling the damage and effects in Finland fall under its jurisdiction. Corporate Telecom Moves: MTN appointed Ikenna Ikeme to Group Regulatory Affairs, and Nokia transferred shares to participants in its incentive plans.

Network Resilience & Disaster Response: Nepal Telecom and Ncell are offering free voice, SMS and data to flood-hit communities in Bhotekoshi, with repair teams assessing damaged towers to restore connectivity. Disability Inclusion: Nigeria’s NCC is running a hackathon aimed at reducing communication barriers for persons with disabilities, pushing “technology without barriers” solutions. Network Sharing Deals: Vodafone Idea and BSNL are reportedly discussing deeper network sharing across circles, including roaming and fibre/tower sharing, to improve coverage and subscriber experience. Mobile Infrastructure Moves: One NZ and 2degrees have proposed combining their radio access networks into a jointly owned wholesale entity (RANCo), pending Commerce Commission and Overseas Investment Office approvals. Cybersecurity & Critical Infrastructure: The US says it disrupted a China-linked hacking operation using seized domains and platforms tied to attacks on the DOJ, NASA, the Federal Reserve and the Senate. Satellite Navigation Disruption: Poland reports widespread GPS/GNSS interference tied to electronic warfare, impacting phones, drones, ships and aircraft. Service Restoration After Vandalism: Flow says fibre damage from vandalism has disrupted services in Stony Hill/Red Hills and is working to restore broadband, landline and cable. Regulated Online Gaming: Philippines’ PAGCOR plans an app to steer players to licensed platforms and curb illegal online gambling. Children’s Social Media Limits: Meta agreed to pay up to $18B and restrict teen Facebook/Instagram use under US state settlements.

Regulated Online Gaming: PAGCOR says it will launch an app before year-end to steer players to licensed platforms and curb illegal sites, adding a clear dispute-redress path. Data Center Backlash: A U.S. county board approved a 12-month moratorium on data center approvals after residents raised concerns about land, water, and unknown AI impacts. Fiber Rollouts: Race Communications plans to expand 100% fiber-to-the-home in Dinuba, targeting 4,000 homes and businesses, while Seef Properties will deploy an integrated fiber network across Bahrain’s Seef Mall district with BNET. Mission-Critical Push-to-Talk: Verizon Business is replacing legacy dispatch radio coverage gaps for EZ-Rider in Texas with push-to-talk over cellular, and Vodafone Qatar upgraded Push-to-Talk Plus with voice, video, messaging, location, and encryption over its mobile network. Cybersecurity & Telecom Risk: The U.S. DOJ says Chinese state-linked tools QScan and QTRouter were used to breach major federal targets, with telecom providers among alleged victims. Satellite Connectivity in War: Ukraine awarded Elon Musk the Order of Freedom as it seeks to expand Starlink use for battlefield communications.

Data Center Rules & Safety: Toombs County, Georgia, proposed adding data-center regulations to its crypto/data-mining ordinance, while Garfield Township in Michigan imposed a one-year moratorium to update zoning rules; in California, Coachella moved toward a permanent data-center ban with exemptions. Fire Risk Inspections: South Korea’s National Fire Agency will inspect 163 public and private data centers nationwide from Sept. 1 to Oct. 30, focusing on batteries and UPS systems after disruption fears. Mobile Money & Regulation: In Eswatini, lawmakers questioned why mobile money customers can’t receive interest on trust-account funds, pointing to Central Bank controls. Cybersecurity & Telecom Governance: CISA issued a 72-hour patch mandate for an Oracle Database Server flaw (CVE-2025-21588), and a telecom board-focused piece argues networks should assume they’re already compromised. Enterprise & Satellite Connectivity: Omantel and GalaxySpace explored LEO satellite connectivity in Oman; Redington partnered with SentinelOne to expand cybersecurity distribution across India. 5G Core Market: Dell’Oro reported EMEA 5G mobile core network revenue grew over 30% in 2Q 2026. Nigeria Tower Deal: MTN neared completion of its $6.2bn IHS Towers acquisition after FCCPC conditional approval, including a required Nigerian sell-down.

Digital Equity Grants: NTIA opened a 60-day comment period to restart the Digital Equity Act competitive grant program, seeking feedback on new application forms. Broadband & Spectrum: Michigan Broadband will buy NMU’s Educational Access Network assets, including 2.5 GHz spectrum and Nokia radio gear, to upgrade from 4G LTE to 5G and expand fiber-and-microwave reach. Quantum Networking: EU-funded AL FreSQO is developing quantum “memories” for long-distance networks, aiming to support free-space optical links and reduce reliance on bulky cryogenic systems. Cybersecurity & Sanctions: U.S. Treasury sanctioned five Iranian nationals over alleged hacks targeting U.S. critical infrastructure and digital assets. Satellite Connectivity: Inmarsat Maritime and SK telink will deploy NexusWave hybrid satellite/LTE connectivity for South Korean merchant ships. Emergency Comms: Apple expanded Emergency SOS via satellite with live video in Brazil. Mobile Identity Rules: India dropped plans for a single cross-industry biometric database, shifting to e-KYC/D-KYC for SIM issuance and updates. Network Resilience: Lithuania’s storm left hundreds of base stations offline, with operators restoring service.

Tech Sovereignty Watch: Europe is mapping its digital weak spots—cloud dominated by US giants, chip-making dependence, and the strategic role of submarine cables carrying 99% of intercontinental traffic—while EU leaders signal a fresh wave of AI, cybersecurity, and telecom rules aimed at reducing long-range dependencies. Regulatory Push: India’s new SIM rules make biometric verification mandatory for new connections and certain changes, targeting fraud and cybercrime. Digital Economy & Infrastructure: The Philippines is urged to accelerate fiber, data centers, and backup international links to support “Pax Silica” high-value industries, while Qatar touts a top-tier ITU ICT Development Index score (98.4) tied to near-universal 5G and full fiber coverage. Security & Trust: Cambodia’s telecom regulator warns users about fake “protection” services on social media that claim platform connections. Corporate Moves: Nokia is exiting mainland China by closing R&D and sites, reshaping telecom supply-chain ties as AI/6G partnerships evolve. Partnerships: Google and Pakistan sign an MoU spanning AI, digital skills, payments, and government transformation; Google Cloud and Verizon expand enterprise AI cooperation.

Quantum Computing & Research: Infleqtion supplied a quantum processing unit for Japan’s first operational neutral-atom full-stack quantum computer “Shunkai,” supporting a JST Quantum Moonshot push toward production-ready platforms. Mobile Regulation: Czechia’s CTU proposes keeping 800/1800/2600 MHz licences but adds renewal conditions tied to more “white spots,” rail corridor coverage, and crisis resilience. Network Safety & Content Controls: The Philippines’ DICT says it’s stepping up action against violent extremism online, coordinating with telcos and platforms on monitoring and network-level blocking. Telecom Reliability in Practice: Venezuela’s CANTV restored phone and internet service to 10,860 users in Táchira after maintenance across multiple municipalities. Competition & M&A: Nigeria’s FCCPC conditionally clears MTN’s $6.2bn IHS takeover, requiring a sell-down of up to 30% of the Nigerian IHS business over time. Connectivity & Infrastructure Planning: Bangladesh told authorities not to clear vessels for its first private subsea cable without a formal DICT recommendation, citing security and investment protection. Digital Identity & Fraud: Malaysia’s Bursa update aside, the week’s telecom theme is tighter identity and scam defenses, including arrests tied to Telegram love scams targeting China.

Nomad Games Connectivity: Kyrgyztelecom and ElKat will test telecom infrastructure and deliver temporary free internet at the VI World Nomad Games via dedicated channels, with checks on bandwidth and stability. Saudi Space + Telecom: Saudi Arabia’s space economy is projected to hit $31.6B by 2035, with satellite tech supporting climate monitoring, water, agriculture and disaster response as internet penetration reaches 99.6%. Australia Telco Earnings Focus: Telstra, TPG and Aussie Broadband are in the spotlight after results and interim updates highlighted mobile pricing discipline, subscriber growth, and the value of owning fibre routes as broadband margins remain pressured by wholesale charges. Fibre Demand + Data Centres: Superloop and peers are tied to rising wholesale fibre capacity demand, while Dell’Oro forecasts data center IT capex to top $3T by 2030, led by AI accelerators. Satellite Internet in Pakistan: Pakistan moves toward a licensing framework for commercial satellite broadband, with Starlink provisional registration and Kuiper planning by end-2026. Cyber + Content Controls: Philippines telcos expand network-level blocking to curb graphic violence and school-shooting content. Security + Disruption: Coordinated arson attacks in Thailand’s south reportedly targeted telecom towers, while Indonesia’s quake response included satellite internet kits to restore connectivity.

Emergency Calling in Australia: After Optus and Telstra outages, the Australian Telecommunications Alliance is rolling out new public guidance on how phones should reach Triple Zero (000) when networks fail, including “emergency camp-on” behavior. Regulatory Clash in Iraq: A Baghdad court ordered a halt to CMC regulatory actions against Korek Telecom, pausing steps that could disrupt SIMs and interconnection. Security and Connectivity in Afghanistan: Residents of Nuristan complain of cut-off communications and near-zero internet, warning that emergency access is breaking down. Insurgency Hits Telecom Infrastructure in Thailand: Dozens of coordinated arson attacks in the southern provinces damaged government offices, vehicles, and telecom towers, with curfews imposed in Narathiwat. SIM Rules Tighten in India: From Aug. 24, operators must stop issuing new SIMs once users hit the 9-connection limit (6 in J&K, Assam and the Northeast), with enforcement via subscriber checks. Digital Governance and Data Trust: The World Bank warns the Philippines’ fragmented data systems are holding back responsible AI, urging investment in data availability, quality, and governance. Asset Management Upgrade in India: Delhi Metro Rail Corporation becomes the first Indian metro operator to earn ISO 55001:2024 for Mumbai Metro Line-3 asset management. Satellite and Broadband Moves: TelOne seeks US$343.17m for FTTH, wireless broadband, and data-centre projects to expand Zimbabwe’s digital infrastructure.