Stories from Abroad

Elon Musk’s Starlink is set to cement its dominance of the satellite internet market with a surge in revenues in 2025, but the world’s richest man’s ties to President Donald Trump are shifting from an asset to a hindrance in Starlink's global rollout. The billionaire’s SpaceX group is engaged in talks to rapidly bring the service to countries with 1 billion potential new users, including holding negotiations with Turkey, Morocco and Bangladesh, while making progress towards regulatory approval in other vast markets such as India.

The UK is on the road to having a truly competitive broadband market within six years as other providers dilute the influence of its largest player, the country’s telecommunications regulator has indicated.

A US general is warning that China and Russia are gaining ground in their efforts to develop anti-satellite weaponry, which includes using "dogfighting" tactics to stalk and attack US satellites.  “We're also now starting to see our near peers focusing on practicing dogfighting in space," says General Michael Guetlein, the vice chief for the US Space Force.

The Trump administration’s move to shut down the Open Technology Fund (OTF), an internet freedom project that helped millions of people in China access the open web, has stirred concern from lawmakers, including Republicans, who argue the nonprofit is a crucial tool to counter the rise of Beijing. OTF, launched in 2012, was intended to allow people who live under repressive regimes to circumvent restrictions and access the internet.

As Starlink continues its rapid expansion around the globe, governments across the Pacific are responding with a mix of enthusiasm and caution to Elon Musk’s satellite internet provider. While many welcome the service for its ability to bring reliable, high-speed connections to some of the most remote places on Earth, the arrival of the global tech giant is also raising concerns over regulatory oversight, infrastructure investment risks and data security.

The European Commission adopted two decisions under the Digital Markets Act (DMA) specifying the measures that Apple has to take to comply with certain aspects of its interoperability obligation. Interoperability enables a deeper and more seamless integration of third-party products with Apple's ecosystem. Interoperability is therefore key to opening up new possibilities for third parties to develop innovative products and services on Apple's gatekeeper platforms.

The European Commission sent two sets of preliminary findings to Alphabet for failing to comply with the Digital Markets Act, regarding two services for which it has been designated as a gatekeeper. Firstly, the Commission has informed Alphabet of its preliminary view that certain features and functionalities of Google Search treat Alphabet's own services more favorably compared to rival ones, thus not ensuring the transparent, fair and non-discriminatory treatment of third-party services as required by the DMA.

Digital blackouts reached a record high in 2024 in Africa as more governments sought to keep millions of citizens off the internet than in any other period over the last decade. A report released by the internet rights group Access Now and #KeepItOn, a coalition of hundreds of civil society organisations worldwide, found there were 21 shutdowns in 15 African countries, surpassing the existing record of 19 shutdowns in 2020 and 2021. Authorities in Comoros, Guinea-Bissau, and Mauritius joined repeat offenders such as Burundi, Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea, and Kenya.

With the pausing of billions of dollars in U.S. military aid and of intelligence sharing with Ukraine, there are fears in the country that billionaire Elon Musk’s vital Starlink internet service could also be cut. Thousands of Starlink terminals are working on Ukraine’s battlefields.

In November 2024, Nguyen Thi Que’s mobile phone suddenly stopped working as telecom companies in Vietnam permanently shut down the 2G network. “I thought of buying a new phone, but I don’t have money,” said the 73-year-old, who sells iced tea at a bus stop in Hanoi. Vietnam’s plan was simple: Offer free 4G feature phones to help low-income 2G consumers adapt to the change.