AI & Cloud Asia Pacific Big Tech Greater China Huawei Microsoft Network Tech RAN Vendors June 21, 2021 Microsoft eyes China cloud growth Microsoft began mulling a major expansion of its cloud business in China, with plans to add four new data centres by early 2022, Bloomberg reported. By Martha DeGrasse
AI & Cloud Big Tech North America Operators Verizon June 21, 2021 Verizon deepens AWS integration Verizon launched a portal to enable software developers to more easily integrate Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud-based applications with the operator’s 5G network, part of a growing collaboration between the pair. By Martha DeGrasse
Operators Telenor June 21, 2021 Axiata, Telenor ink deal to combine Malaysia units Axiata Group and Telenor Group agreed to merge their Malaysian operations Celcom and Digi after concluding a due-diligence exercise, with the proposed tie-up valued at an estimated MYR50 billion ($12. By Joseph Waring
Europe Regulation June 18, 2021 UK operators feel heat after £400M price hikes UK mobile operators could face regulatory scrutiny after a consultancy investigating corporate wrongdoing reportedly urged action over hikes in mobile contracts which have put consumers on the hook to pay an extra £400 million per year. By Kavit Majithia
June 18, 2021 India mobile payment giant eyes $1.6B stake sale Paytm parent One97 Communications reportedly outlined its intention to issue $1. 6 billion-worth of new shares to be sold as part of a wider IPO, with existing investors set to vote on the matter at an EGM scheduled for mid-July. By Chris Donkin
Nokia Operators RAN Vendors Telenor June 18, 2021 Nokia picks up Danish 5G RAN deal Nokia agreed to become the sole 5G RAN supplier for a Telia and Telenor joint network in Denmark, as the Finnish vendor expanded a partnership with the duo to cover the next-generation mobile technology. By Kavit Majithia
Devices June 18, 2021 Global 5G smartphone shipments to hit 624M Strategy Analytics predicted shipments of 5G smartphones would hit 624 million this year, up from 269 million in 2020 on the back of strong demand in Western Europe, China and the US. By Michael Carroll