CAPEX

Philippines-based operator PLDT reported a sharp drop in profit for the first half of 2018, but its recovery continued as it added mobile subscribers and posted revenue gains across all business units. The operator generated net income of PHP11.

Spark New Zealand outlined its 5G rollout schedule, announcing plans to open a 5G innovation lab in late 2018, boost wireless network investment as much as 40 per cent annually and launch services in 2020.

China Unicom, the country’s second largest mobile operator, plans to increase capex this year by 19 per cent to as much as CNY50 billion ($7. 9 billion) after cutting back on network investment sharply in 2017.

Thailand’s largest mobile operator, AIS, plans to cut network capex by 40 per cent in 2018 after spending THB40 billion ($1. 2 billion) annually over the last three years to expand its mobile infrastructure, Bangkok Post reported.

Telstra, the largest mobile operator in Australia with a 51 per cent market share, announced plans to cut back sharply on its network investments in fiscal 2020 and 2021, after boosting capex starting in mid-2016.

Philippines mobile operator Globe Telecom will boost capex for Q4 by $100 million as it accelerates the expansion of its 4G and 3G networks, BusinessWorld reported.

Singapore’s second and third largest mobile operators – StarHub and M1 – agreed to study widening their network sharing arrangements, with a focus on joint access to their radio networks and backhaul.