Briefing Desk
Latest Briefings
Concise reporting on the developments shaping internet governance and infrastructure. Browse each area for recent news, context and watchpoints.
Massive data leak exposes 16 billion user credentials globally
16 billion passwords from Apple, Google, and Facebook leaked online. Users urged to turn on multi-factor authentication.
Top tech news today: 20 June, 2025
Stay tuned with Tech News Roundup for updates on major fintech deals and global tech policy shifts impacting the digital world.
Telstra and Nokia partner to open network APIs for developers
Telstra partners with Nokia to open network APIs, helping developers create enterprise applications and drive network productisation.
RIPE NCC defends neutrality in Kosovo IP address dispute
RIPE NCC's response to ARKEP is a source-backed registry-neutrality event about Kosovo .XK handling in the RIPE Database.
Mobile industry emissions down 8% but progress still too slow
GSMA says mobile industry emissions fell 8% in 2022, but faster cuts are needed to hit global net zero target.
ASO council moves RIR governance rewrite toward a second draft
The Address Supporting Organization Address Council has become the visible institutional entity in the ICP-2 rewrite because the process is no longer only about admitting new Regional Internet Registries. The public debate now treats the revision as a test of failure standards, number-resource portability and how much central power can be added without hollowing out bottom-up governance.
Xela Energy rebrands to support private-wire renewables
What happened: Clean Energy Capital rebrands to Xela Energy Clean Energy Capital has rebranded as Xela Energy, signalling a shift from a renewables developer to an Enterprise Independent Power Provider (EIPP) in the UK. Founded in 2019, the firm now focuses on designing, building, and managing priva…
Zataq: Enabling digital growth and consumer solutions
Zataq: Business and digital consulting services Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Singapore, Zataq Pte. Ltd. delivers a range of digital consulting services designed to help businesses improve their online performance. From detailed website analysis to user behaviour tracking and competitor resea…
Vodafone and Airbus team up for secure European communications
Vodafone and Airbus launch hybrid mobile-satellite platform for secure critical communications in European public and business sectors.
Philippine National Police: Reform efforts to rebuild public trust
Philippine National Police: Mission, history and structure The Philippine National Police is the main law enforcement group in the country. It works to keep people safe, stop crimes, and respond to emergencies. It was formed in 1991 to take over from the Philippine Constabulary. The goal was to buil…
Telefónica sells Ecuador unit to Millicom for $380M
What happened: Telefónica to sell Ecuadorian unit to Millicom for $380M Telefónica has agreed to sell its Ecuadorian unit, Otecel S.A. (operating under the Movistar brand), to Millicom International for $380 million. The deal forms part of Telefónica’s broader strategy to reduce its presence in Lati…
Mavenir merges debt relief with a sharper Open RAN strategy
What happened: Mavenir gets finances in order but rethinks Open RAN strategy Mavenir has restructured its finances, cutting approximately $1.3 billion in debt through a debt-for-equity swap with lenders and securing $300 million in fresh funding. At the same time, the company has revised its Open RA…
AFRINIC elections 2025: ICANN is ‘inappropriate’, ‘unreasonable’ and ‘irresponsible’
ICANN’s request to reconstitute the Nominating Committee in the run up to the AFRINIC elections has been denied by the Supreme Court of Mauritius. In documented minutes seen by BTW Media, the court stated: “Notwithstanding the fact that the applicant has no locus standi to enter such an application …
8 men hoping to lead AFRINIC into the future
The Number Resource Society (NRS), an organisation at the centre of the drive to improve Africa’s internet ecosystem after years of corruption and mismanagement, has put its voice behind eight candidates in the upcoming AFRINIC elections. The elections will take place on June 23, with e-voting openi…
Nokia and Google Cloud unveil AI fabric to drive telco automation
What happened: Autonomous Network Fabric launched Nokia has partnered with Google Cloud to roll out an AI-powered Autonomous Network Fabric designed for telecom network automation. The platform brings together Google’s Vertex AI, BigQuery, and a data mesh architecture with Nokia’s telecom-specific m…
Infobip Launches RCS Messaging with All Four US Carriers
What happened: RCS rollout with full US carrier support Infobip, a global cloud communications platform, announced that it has successfully launched RCS Business Messaging services across all four major US mobile operators: AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and US Cellular. This makes Infobip the first commu…
Mexico hits Telcel with $94M fine over SIM-card monopoly scandal
What happened: Telcel used retail exclusivity to block SIM-card rival Mexico’s telecom regulator, the Federal Telecommunications Institute (IFT), has imposed a fine of approximately $94 million (MXN 1.78 billion)on Telcel, the country’s largest mobile operator and a subsidiary of América Móvil. The …
RIPE NCC and Tajikistan agree on Internet upgrade
RIPE NCC and Tajikistan agree to work on Internet resilience, training, and local digital development support.
Swedish military teams up with Telia and Ericsson on defense tech
What happened: Sweden secures telecom partnership for defense upgrades The Swedish Armed Forces start a new deal with telecom company Telia and equipment maker Ericsson. The aim is to improve military communication. The plan, shared on 17 June, includes secure mobile networks. It also covers stronge…
Vi and AST SpaceMobile launch satellite phone service in India
What happened: Satellite-to-phone trial leads to partnership Vodafone Idea (Vi) has signed a deal with US-based satellite communications firm AST SpaceMobile to introduce satellite-to-mobile connectivity in India. The partnership will allow mobile users to make calls and access data services without…
Aduna teams up with Tech Mahindra and Wipro
What happened: Aduna has strategic partnerships with Tech Mahindra and Wipro Aduna—formed by major global operators and Ericsson as the platform based on the CAMARA open-source project—has brought two premier GSIs, Tech Mahindra and Wipro, into its partner ecosystem. As trusted consultants for both …
Altman says Meta offered $100M bonuses to poach OpenAI staff
What happened: Altman accuses Meta of poaching amid $100M bonus offers and $15B Scale AI deal OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has accused Meta of attempting to lure his top talent with signing bonuses of up to $100 million, as detailed on his brother’s “Uncapped” podcast. According to Altman, despite Meta’s a…
Aduna boosts its ecosystem with new alliances in tech
What happened: Aduna partners with Wipro, Tech Mahindra, and Syniverse Aduna has announced the expansion of its ecosystem by forming strategic partnerships with three major players in the tech industry: Wipro, Tech Mahindra, and Syniverse. This collaboration aims to enhance Aduna’s capabilities in n…
Streaming Surpasses Broadcast and Cable in US for First Time
What happened: streaming leads US TV use In May 2025, streaming platforms for the first time surpassed both broadcast and cable television in the United States, capturing 44.8% of total TV viewership. Nielsen’s latest The Gauge report revealed that YouTube led with 12.5%, followed by Netflix with 7.…
OpenAI and AMD alliance strengthens AI infrastructure
OpenAI teams with AMD on MI400 chips and Helios servers to scale advanced AI infrastructure for future workloads.
Trump Mobile launches $499 phone and wireless service
Trump family launches mobile service and $499 phone, raising questions over production claims and business ethics.
EDGNEX unveils $2.3B AI data centre campus in Jakarta
EDGNEX is investing $2.3 billion to build a large AI-focused data centre in Jakarta, set to provide 144MW capacity by 2026.
UAE‑IX launches region’s first 400GE internet ports
What happened: Middle East’s largest IX gets 400GE upgrade DE-CIX, the world-leading Internet Exchange (IX) operator, in partnership with Datamena(du’s carrier-neutral data centre and connectivity arm), has launched 400 Gigabit Ethernet (400 GE) ports at UAE-IX in Dubai—the first IX in the Middle Ea…
China Mobile risks US fines over FCC national security probe
What happened: China Mobile under scrutiny from US FCC over lack of cooperation The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) warns that China Mobile may face fines for not cooperating with an investigation into its compliance with US national security rules. A letter sent on Monday says the compan…
Genius founder supports stablecoin bill in US Congress
What happened: Genius founder backs bipartisan stablecoin bill to push US crypto regulation Trevor Traina, founder of the crypto firm Genius, supports a new stablecoin bill from US Representatives Maxine Waters and Patrick McHenry. The bill creates a federal system for how stablecoins should be issu…
Trump ties nuclear power to AI boom, SMR stocks explode
What happened Stocks in SMR (small modular reactor) firms such as Oklo and BWX Technologies surged after Donald Trump publicly backed nuclear energy as key to powering AI infrastructure. Trump’s remarks align with proposed budget measures aiming to fast-track SMR licensing and cut regulatory hurdles…
Viasat confirms it is a victim of Chinese cyberespionage
What happened: Viasat faces cyberespionage threat from Salt Typhoon In an era where digital security is paramount, Viasat‘s revelation that it has fallen victim to Chinese cyberespionage should send shockwaves through the tech community. The Salt Typhoon group, known for its sophisticated tactics, h…
SoftBank sells T-Mobile stake for $4.9B to boost AI ambitions
What happened: SoftBank shifts focus to AI with T-Mobile sale SoftBank Group Corp has announced the sale of its T-Mobile shares for approximately $4.9 billion, as part of a strategic shift towards artificial intelligence (AI) and semiconductor infrastructure. The transaction, which involves around 2…
Nokia reshuffles Network Infrastructure leadership
Nokia announces David Heard and Victoria Hanrahan for senior roles in network infrastructure. Federico Guillén retires in 2025.
Top tech news today: 18 June, 2025
Stay tuned with the latest updates on global telecom shifts, cybersecurity alerts, AI deals, and digital infrastructure developments.
Trump’s push for EchoStar sparks FCC spectrum dispute
Trump’s support for EchoStar in its FCC dispute raises concerns over political influence in US spectrum regulation.
GovTech: Powering Singapore’s digital government revolution
GovTech drives Singapore’s digital government with tools like SingPass, tackling system integration and cybersecurity challenges.
AT&T tests AI-generated Open RAN application on Ericsson platform
AT&T trials Aira’s AI-generated Open RAN app on Ericsson’s platform to study automated control in telecom networks.
Vertiv appoints Mike Giresi as global CIO to lead AI strategy
What happened: Vertiv names Mike Giresi as global CIO to drive AI strategy Vertiv has appointed Mike Giresi as its new global Chief Information Officer (CIO). In this role, Giresi will oversee the company’s information technology and lead its artificial intelligence (AI) strategy. His responsibiliti…
Alibaba’s Qwen3 powers Apple MLX, shaking up global AI race
What happened:From GitHub to iPhone: Qwen3 scales Apple’s stack Alibaba has launched its Qwen3 AI models, now fully optimised for Apple’s proprietary MLX machine learning framework. The models, ranging from compact variants to the open-weight Qwen3-72B, support native deployment across iOS and macOS…
El Salvador adds 240 Bitcoin amid IMF loan approval
What happened: El Salvador increases Bitcoin reserves after IMF support El Salvador has bought 240 Bitcoin. The announcement was made by President Nayib Bukele through a post on social media. The purchase took place shortly after the International Monetary Fund approved a $1.4 billion loan programme…
Gaza telecom blackout looms as fuel runs out
Telecom services in Gaza may shut down soon as fuel shortages hit operators, warns Palestinian telecom authority.
Justin Sun’s Tron to go public via Trump-linked reverse merger
What happened: Justin Sun’s Tron to go public through reverse merger in deal led by Trump-linked bank Crypto entrepreneur Justin Sun is taking Tron public in the U.S. through a reverse merger with SRM Entertainment, a small Nasdaq-listed toy company now set to rebrand as Tron Inc. SRM has agreed to …
SoftBank plans to raise $4.9B by selling T-Mobile shares
What happened: SoftBank targets $4.9 billion with T-Mobile share sale to enhance financial stability SoftBank is in the news because it plans to raise $4.9 billion by selling its shares in T-Mobile. The company wants to strengthen its financial position due to changes in the market. SoftBank will se…
Amazon invests in Aussie data centres
What happened: Amazon boosts cloud reach as BT reviews AI impact on staff Amazon Web Services (AWS) plans to invest $13 billion in new data centres across Australia by 2027. This supports the growing need for cloud computing and artificial intelligence services in the country. The new data centres w…
BT’s CEO Allison Kirkby warns AI may cut more jobs
What happened: BT CEO says AI may drive deeper cuts BT Group’s CEO, Allison Kirkby, said AI might lead to more job losses than earlier planned. BT had aimed to cut 40,000 to 55,000 jobs by 2030 to save costs. Kirkby noted that AI’s full effects were not included in these plans. The company already
Meta signs 20-year nuclear deal to fuel AI data centre growth
What happened: Meta secures nuclear power to fuel AI growth Meta has struck a 20-year agreement with Constellation Energy to supply 1,121 megawatts of nuclear power starting in 2027. The power will come from the Clinton Clean Energy Centre in Illinois, a plant once scheduled for closure in 2017. Met…
Cargill Asia Pacific: Driving Agri-Food Innovation
Cargill uses Singapore to drive food innovation, develop digital tools, and meet growing demand across Asia.
WeWork Singapore: Cuts back but keeps key sites for big clients
WeWork Singapore downsizes to 12 locations, focusing on flexible office demand from large, enterprise-level clients.
Trump steps in as FCC pressure mounts on EchoStar
Trump urges FCC and EchoStar to resolve spectrum licence dispute as regulatory pressure threatens company’s future.