Pete Bell

Pete Bell is a Research Analyst for TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database and also contributes to the daily CommsUpdate newsletter. He has a particular interest in wireless broadband and was responsible for TeleGeography’s 4G Research Service until it was integrated into GlobalComms.

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Recent Posts

Turkcell Unsuccessful With Iran Lawsuit

South Africa’s MTN Group has announced the end of a decade-long legal battle centered on its Iranian subsidiary, MTN Irancell.

A Passage to India: 5G Finally Arrives

The second most populous nation in the world, India, also boasts the world’s second-largest mobile market, with almost 1.15 billion subscriptions at the end of June 2022, according to TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database.

The country’s mobile customers are getting access to 5G services for the first time this month following the widely anticipated launch.

Africa’s Mobile Sector: Still Room for Growth

Africa’s mobile communications market continues to grow at a steady pace. And take up shows no signs of slowing. 

Subscription numbers were up 5% in 2021, following growth of 7% the year before and 6% in 2019.

According to figures from our GlobalComms Database, at the end of 2021 the continent was home to 1.22 billion mobile subscriptions, up from 1.16 billion 12 months earlier.

China’s New Arrival: Say Hello to Broadnet

China has a new player in the 5G mobile market.

We’re talking about China Broadnet—but it’s been around for some time, under different guises.

Africell off to a Strong Start in Angola

The pan-African telecom group Africell has broken Angola’s long-standing mobile market duopoly with its launch on April 7.

If initial reports are correct, Africell has hit the ground running, attracting around two million subscriptions in its first month of operation.

Ukrainian Telcos: Communicating Through the Conflict

We recently took a look at Ukrainian operators and their relative positions in the country’s telecom market.

As the Russian invasion continues, we turn our attention to the efforts of Ukrainian telcos, who are attempting to keep communications online under the most difficult circumstances.

Ukraine’s Telecom Market, Explained

Due to the ongoing conflict, Ukrainian operators are suffering cyberattacks and physical network damage.

Below, we take a look at who those operators are and their relative positions in the country’s telecom market.

Sanctions Start to Hit Russia’s Tech Sector

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24 has spurred a raft of sanctions from Western governments.

These measures are aimed at limiting Russia’s international economic activity and foreign trade.

Iliad Takes the Fight to Italy's Broadband Market

French-owned telecom group Iliad has begun the next phase of its expansion in Italy, moving into the country’s fixed broadband sector with a potentially game-changing service launch.

Greece Lightning: Greek Plans for Broadband Expansion

In December, Greece's OTE Group announced a major broadband investment plan. The group revealed that its domestic telco unit Cosmote would be pumping €3 billion ($3.4 billion) into the expansion of its infrastructure between 2022 and 2027.

The investment was backed by OTE Group’s controlling shareholder Deutsche Telekom.