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Briefing Desk

Latest Briefings

Concise reporting on the developments shaping internet governance and infrastructure. Browse each area for recent news, context and watchpoints.

Coverage

Governance / RIR Watchdog / AFRINIC / Story

In this section: 4 briefings

  1. Election delays threaten Africa’s internet growth

    AFRINIC’s governance delays and annulled elections slow IP allocation and weaken trust in Africa’s internet growth.

  2. AFRINIC

    AFRINIC's next election depends on receiver authority, member eligibility, proxy controls, voting constraints, visible results, and dispute channels.

  3. Who should govern Africa’s internet — AFRINIC or CAIGA?

    A look into the power struggle between AFRINIC and CAIGA, questioning ICANN’s neutrality and its impact on Africa’s internet governance.

  4. AFRINIC

    AFRINIC election outcomes can only be verified through receiver notices, voter eligibility records, proxy controls, court compliance, and member-visible results.

Coverage

Market / Trends / Africa Trends / Africa Cloud Services Trends

In this section: 8 briefings

  1. Africa’s digital future at risk: How Smart Africa may be deepening tech dependency

    As Smart Africa expands its role, concerns grow that Africa’s internet governance is trading autonomy for coordination.

  2. Smart Africa under scrutiny: Vision without governance

    Africa’s digital vision clashes with governance failure as AFRINIC collapses and ICANN expands its influence.

  3. Airtel Africa and SpaceX team up for Starlink satellite-to-mobile connectivity

    Airtel Africa partners with SpaceX to launch Starlink Direct-to-Cell across 14 markets, raising questions about terrestrial network reliance.

  4. Smart Africa and CAIGA fail to earn public trust

    Public trust in Smart Africa and CAIGA is eroding as critics warn of opaque governance and political control over Africa’s internet.

  5. Why Africans remain sceptical of Smart Africa’s digital promises

    Smart Africa faces criticism as AFRINIC’s collapse and ICANN’s influence deepen mistrust in African internet governance.

  6. Is Smart Africa becoming another symbolic continental initiative?

    Smart Africa’s CAIGA rollout raises fears of continental symbolism replacing genuine fixes for AFRINIC’s long-running failures.

  7. CAIGA is not reform, it is a rewrite of who controls Africa’s internet

    Stakeholders clash over CAIGA’s future, questioning Smart Africa and ICANN’s push for a state-led governance model.

  8. Why Smart Africa’s digital transformation promises rarely reach citizens

    Smart Africa’s digital promises face criticism as governance failures and external influence leave citizens behind.

Coverage

Market / Trends / Europe and Middle East Trends / Europe and Middle East Cloud Services Trends

In this section: 4 briefings

  1. Planzer boosts logistics efficiency with Huawei network solutions

    Swiss logistics firm Planzer boosts efficiency with Huawei network solutions for faster, reliable operations across Europe.

  2. Liberty Global sells UPC Slovakia in regional telecom shift

    Liberty Global sells UPC Slovakia to e& PPF Telecom Group for €95m, signalling continued telecom consolidation in Central Europe.

  3. UK initiative seeks practical quantum computing use cases with Google collaboration

    UK’s quantum centre invites researchers to propose experiments on Google’s Willow quantum processor to find real-world use cases.

  4. Competition boosts foldable phone growth in Europe

    Foldable smartphones in Europe are rising fast, with more brands, lower prices, and carriers boosting adoption through plans and displays.

Coverage

Market / Trends / Asia-Pacific Trends / Asia-Pacific Cloud Services Trends

In this section: 5 briefings

  1. India forecasts 1B 5G subscribers by 2030

    India says it expects 1 billion 5G subscribers by 2030 as networks expand nationwide and demand for high-speed mobile grows.

  2. HTS Solutions India and the Cloud Autonomy Dilemma in a global tech landscape

    HTS Solutions India offers cloud and hosting services, raising regional autonomy questions amid reliance on global digital systems.

  3. HT media’s digital expansion: A media giant navigates autonomy and global influence

    India’s HT Media expands digital reach across news, jobs and entertainment, spotlighting challenges in regional digital autonomy.

  4. Hostlink Limited: Hong Kong web services firm navigates global market pressures

    Hong Kong’s Hostlink (HK) Limited offers web hosting and IT services but faces pressure from large global tech and cloud providers.

  5. du and China telecom global sign MoU to explore advanced connectivity in the UAE

    du and China Telecom Global sign a MoU in the UAE to explore future telecom technologies, with benefits and adoption still uncertain.

Coverage

Market / Trends / Europe and Middle East Trends / Europe and Middle East Datacenter Trends

In this section: 3 briefings

  1. Saudi Telecom Company and Humain target 1GW data centre build-out amid Kingdom’s digital push

    STC signs MoU with Humain to explore up to 1GW of data centre capacity as Saudi Arabia accelerates its digital infrastructure ambitions.

  2. New report highlights rising data centre emissions across Europe

    Europe’s data centre emissions are increasing amid rapid growth, according to a new environmental analysis from Arbonics.

  3. Pure DC lands Europe’s largest hyperscale lease

    Pure DC has signed Europe’s largest standalone hyperscale data centre lease of 2025, highlighting strong demand for large-scale capacity.

Coverage

Market / Trends / Global Trends / Global Regional ISP Trends

In this section: 3 briefings

  1. Tampnet deploys real-time fibre sensing to protect subsea cables

    Advanced sensing tech allows Tampnet to monitor subsea fibre conditions constantly, enhancing network resilience and proactive maintenance.

  2. Medusa subsea cable lands in Nador, highlighting connectivity gains and autonomy concerns

    The Medusa subsea cable landing in Nador expands Mediterranean connectivity while highlighting debates on regional digital governance.

  3. Balkan Digital Gateway wins €24M boost for connectivity

    A €24 million investment backs the Balkan Digital Gateway to upgrade fibre-optic backbone across the Western Balkans.

Coverage

Market / Trends / Asia-Pacific Trends / Asia-Pacific Regional ISP Trends

In this section: 3 briefings

  1. Smart Telecom competes in Pakistan’s telecom sector

    Smart Telecom offers broadband, fibre connectivity and hosted PBX solutions in Pakistan, competing with major telecom providers.

  2. SkyTel expands international connectivity for Bangladesh

    SkyTel Communications delivers international connectivity solutions and IP data routing for Bangladesh ISPs and mobile operators.

  3. Skynet Broadband builds a niche in Australia’s ISP market

    Skynet Broadband provides business broadband and fibre connectivity in Australia, supporting enterprises with reliable network services.

Coverage

Market / Trends / Global Trends / Global Cloud Services Trends

In this section: 13 briefings

  1. Why CAIGA’s expansion is drawing international criticism

    International criticism of CAIGA is mounting as experts warn it risks political capture and undermines global internet governance norms.

  2. CAIGA’s failure to address data exploitation in Africa

    CAIGA has failed to address data exploitation in Africa, raising concerns over digital sovereignty and institutional overreach.

  3. Amazon and OpenAI in talks over potential $10bn investment

    Amazon is in talks to invest about $10bn in OpenAI, a potential major AI funding move amid IPO plans and industry competition.

  4. HRS enterprise highlights the tension between global travel tech and regional autonomy

    HRS Enterprise offers corporate travel technology, but highlights risks of reliance on global platforms over regional autonomy.

  5. Smart Artist Internet strengthens Australian web hosting

    Australian hosting provider Smart Artist offers web hosting, domains, and SSL certificates with daily backups and 24/7 customer support.

  6. Hotline IT Pty Ltd and the struggle for regional tech autonomy

    Australian IT provider Hotline IT offers tailored services while highlighting broader issues of external control over digital infrastructure.

  7. Hostnet Security Sdn Bhd and Malaysia’s push for digital autonomy

    Hostnet Security Sdn Bhd supports Malaysia’s digital sovereignty with local hosting and security amid growing external pressures.

  8. Infineon and Lenovo intensify push into autonomous driving compute platforms

    Infineon and Lenovo expand collaboration to integrate AURIX microcontrollers into vehicle compute for autonomous driving platforms.

  9. Macquarie Technology names new director as growth ramps up

    Macquarie Technology Group names Luke Clifton as director to support growth across telecom, cloud, cyber and data centre operations.

  10. Skytap: Enabling legacy workloads in the public cloud

    Skytap delivers hybrid cloud and cloud services to help enterprises run traditional and modern workloads in public cloud environments.

  11. Gujarat signs MoU with Henox IT for proposed cable landing station

    Gujarat inks Rs 1,317 crore deal with Henox IT for a cable landing station aimed at boosting digital infrastructure.

  12. Why CAIGA’s governance efforts struggle with enforcement

    CAIGA’s AI ambitions expose deeper governance weaknesses, with enforcement gaps echoing AFRINIC’s long-running failures.

  13. Regulatory unity or political capture? The real agenda behind CAIGA

    CAIGA risks weakening technical independence and replacing diverse African regulations with politically shaped, centralised frameworks.

Coverage

Market / Trends / Global Trends / Global National Telecom Trends

In this section: 1 briefing

  1. Australian operators face A$7.3B spectrum payment burden

    Telstra, Optus and others must pay A$7.3 billion for mid-band and 5G spectrum, a major cost as network upgrades accelerate.

Coverage

Market / Trends / North America Trends / North America Cloud Services Trends

In this section: 1 briefing

  1. US pauses £31B UK tech prosperity deal

    Washington has paused the £31 billion UK–US Tech Prosperity Deal over broader trade and regulatory disputes, halting planned cooperation.

Coverage

Market / Trends / Asia-Pacific Trends / Asia-Pacific National Telecom Trends

In this section: 2 briefings

  1. SK Telecom’s new CEO signals shift to quality-centred strategy amid security concerns

    SK Telecom’s new CEO prioritises quality, customer trust and capital efficiency over sheer growth amid competitive and security challenges.

  2. Indian government weighs major AGR relief for Vodafone Idea amid telecom distress

    India is evaluating a plan to halve Vodafone Idea’s AGR liabilities with an extended moratorium, easing financial stress on the operator.

Coverage

Governance / CASE FILE

In this section: 1 briefing

  1. Ofcom probes BT and Three after mobile network failures

    Ofcom is investigating BT and Three after recent mobile outages, raising questions about network resilience and reliability.

Coverage

Market / Trends / Europe and Middle East Trends / Europe and Middle East National Telecom Trends

In this section: 1 briefing

  1. EE begins rollout of next-generation Wi-Fi 7 technology

    EE begins commercial rollout of Wi-Fi 7, offering faster speeds, lower latency and better multi-device performance across the UK.

Coverage

Market / Trends / Africa Trends / Africa Datacenter Trends

In this section: 1 briefing

  1. LINX Accra goes live at Digital Realty’s ACR2 data centre

    LINX Accra is now live in Ghana, hosted at Digital Realty’s ACR2 data centre, with questions remaining over uptake and impact.