Australia bans DeepSeek over security concerns

Telecoms Chasmber

Australia reportedly prohibited the use of DeepSeek AI across all government systems, following a risk assessment which found the company’s technology posed a risk to national security.

Home affairs minister Tony Burke announced the ban, stating all DeepSeek products, applications and services would be immediately removed from government networks, Bloomberg reported.

“AI holds immense potential, but we will not hesitate to act when security threats are identified,” Burke said. He added that the decision was based on the risk assessment rather than the company’s Chinese origins, stating that Australia’s approach remained “country-agnostic.”

Australia has however taken a hardline on Chinese companies in the past. In 2018, it excluded Chinese vendors Huawei and ZTE from the country’s 5G infrastructure, flagging national security issues.

While the DeepSeek ban is restricted to government devices, Burke advised Australian citizens to remain cautious about their digital presence and data privacy.

DeepSeek made waves in the industry last month after gaining recognition for a mobile app powered by its advanced reasoning AI chatbot, taking top spot for downloads on Apple’s US App Store.

Since then, DeepSeek’s AI model has attracted global scrutiny over data security, with the US government launching a probe into the technology to investigate concerns over security and data sovereignty.

Australia follows Italy and Taiwan in imposing a block on the service while Ireland’s Data Protection Commission requested further details on its operations. Numerous private companies have also pre-emptively restricted access to the AI platform, according to Bloomberg.

Source: Mobile World Live

Apple launches invitation app, tweaks AppleCare+

Apple

Apple rolled out a new app that allows iPhone users to create custom event invitations and reportedly made changes to its AppleCare+ protection programme.

With the Apple Invites app, users can create and share invitations, RSVP, contribute to Shared Albums and engage with Apple Music playlists by tapping into its Apple Intelligence AI software.

The app is free to download from the Apple App Store, but users need an iCloud+ subscription priced from $0.99 per month.

Brent Chiu-Watson, Apple’s senior director of worldwide product marketing for apps and iCloud, explained the app “brings together capabilities our users already know and love across iPhone, iCloud, and Apple Music, making it easy to plan special events”.

AppleCare+ changes
MacRumors reported Apple increased the cost of its AppleCare+ device protection programme in the US. The $0.50 price increase is across all models of iPhones.

Bloomberg reported US iPhone customers are no longer able to pay for two-to-three-year AppleCare+ plans at retail stores or by using the AppleCare menu on their devices,

The news agency noted Apple is now prioritising the more expensive Theft & Loss plans which require monthly or annual payment options.

The change in plans start next week, according to a tweet from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman

Last month, the company’s services business, which includes subscriptions, warranties and licensing deals, posted Q1 2025 revenue of $26.3 billion, up 14 per cent year-on-year.

Source: Mobile World Live

Nigeria Approves AI Trust & Universal Connectivity Project

Nigeria_Approves_AI_Trust__Universal_Connectivity_Project

In a significant move toward enhancing digital access and driving technological innovation, the Nigerian government has approved two transformative initiatives aimed at bridging the digital divide, expanding rural mobile connectivity, and positioning the country as a leader in artificial intelligence.

The Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy announced that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has granted approval for the Nigeria Universal Communication Access Project, a strategic initiative under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) funding model. Designed to complement Project Bridge, Nigeria’s ambitious 90,000km Fibre Fund, this project will extend mobile network coverage to over 21 million people across 4,834 remote communities currently lacking basic telecommunications infrastructure. By deploying additional base stations in underserved regions, the initiative aims to enhance connectivity and improve the quality of life for millions of Nigerians.

Nigeria’s vision to become a global AI powerhouse has received a major boost with the FEC’s approval of the National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Trust. As the first initiative of its kind globally, the AI Trust will mobilize resources, oversee AI development, and ensure strategic investments in AI-driven innovation. This move highlights the government’s commitment to leveraging AI as a catalyst for economic growth, job creation, and increased foreign direct investment, ensuring Nigeria remains at the forefront of the digital revolution.

These approvals mark a significant step in Nigeria’s digital transformation journey, reinforcing its role as a leader in connectivity and emerging technologies.

Source: www.telecomreviewafrica.com

BlackRock prepares to launch bitcoin exchange-traded product in Europe, source says

download-3

BlackRock (BLK.N),  is gearing up to launch a bitcoin exchange-traded product in Europe within weeks, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters, amid growing demand for exposure to cryptocurrencies from both money managers and consumers.

The product will likely be domiciled in Switzerland, the source added. The Wall Street giant has incorporated a Zurich-based company focused on digital assets – iShares Digital Assets AG – in recent months, according to a regulatory filing seen by Reuters.

BlackRock declined to comment.

BlackRock was one of the first institutional investors to offer exchange-traded products to track the spot price of bitcoin after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission first approved them in January 2024.

The SEC’s move was a watershed moment for the asset class, boosting hopes in the crypto industry that cryptocurrencies would become more widely integrated in mainstream finance.

BlackRock’s main bitcoin-linked product IBIT has grown rapidly, amassing net assets of $57.5 billion as of Feb. 4, according to BlackRock’s website. However, not all global investors can access the existing U.S.-domiciled products.

Bloomberg was first to report on BlackRock’s plans in Europe.

While the U.S. crypto industry has celebrated Trump’s election and his pledge to support the sector, crypto businesses in Europe are facing new, tougher regulation.

The European Union’s landmark crypto regulatory framework, known as the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) was introduced in early 2023 and is in the process of being rolled out.

Reporting by Iain Withers. Additional reporting by Elizabeth Howcroft in Paris. Editing by Mark Potter

Lawmakers push to ban DeepSeek from US government devices, WSJ reports

deepseek-banned

U.S lawmakers plan to introduce a bill on Thursday that would ban DeepSeek’s chatbot application from government-owned devices, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.

Other countries raise concern over DeepSeek

South Korean ministries and police said Thursday they were blocking DeepSeek‘s access to their computers, after the Chinese AI startup did not respond to a data watchdog request about how it manages user information.

DeepSeek launched its R1 chatbot last month, claiming it matches the capacity of artificial intelligence pacesetters in the United States for a fraction of the investment, upending the global industry.

South Korea, along with countries such as France and Italy, have asked questions about DeepSeek’s data practices, submitting a written request for information about how the company handles user information.

But after DeepSeek failed to respond to an enquiry from South Korea’s data watchdog, a slew of ministries confirmed Thursday they were taking steps to limit access to prevent potential leaks of sensitive information through generative AI services.

“Blocking measures for DeepSeek have been implemented specifically for military work-related PCs with Internet,” a defence ministry official told AFP.

The ministry, which oversees active-duty soldiers deployed against the nuclear-armed North, has also “reiterated the security precautions regarding the use of generative AI for each unit and soldier, taking into account security and technical concerns”, it added.

South Korea’s police told AFP they had also blocked access to DeepSeek, while the trade ministry said that access had been temporarily restricted on all its PCs.

The trade, finance, unification and foreign ministries also all said they had blocked the app or had taken unspecified measures.

Bans ‘not excessive’

Last week, Italy launched an investigation into DeepSeek’s R1 model and blocked it from processing Italian users’ data.

Australia has also banned DeepSeek from all government devices on the advice of security agencies.

Kim Jong-hwa, a professor at Cheju Halla University’s artificial intelligence department, told AFP that amid growing rivalry between the United States and China he suspected “political factors” could be influencing the reaction to DeepSeek — but said bans were still justified.

“From a technical standpoint, AI models like ChatGPT also face numerous security-related issues that have not yet been fully addressed,” he said.

“Given that China operates under a communist regime, I question whether they consider security issues as much as OpenAI does when developing innovative technologies,” he said.

“We cannot currently assess how much attention has been paid to security concerns by DeepSeek when developing its chatbot. Therefore, I believe that taking proactive measures is not too excessive.”

Beijing on Thursday hit back against the ban, insisting the Chinese government “will never require enterprises or individuals to illegally collect or store data”.

“China has always opposed the generalisation of national security and the politicisation of economic, trade and technological issues,” foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said.

Beijing would also “firmly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises,” Guo vowed.

‘Complex competition’

DeepSeek says it uses less-advanced H800 chips — permitted for sale to China until 2023 under US export controls — to power its large learning model.

South Korean chip giants Samsung Electronics and SK hynix are key suppliers of advanced chips used in AI servers.

The government announced on Wednesday an additional 34 trillion won ($23.5 billion) investment in semiconductors and high-tech industries, with the country’s acting president urging Korean tech companies to stay flexible.

“Recently, a Chinese company unveiled the Al model DeepSeek R1, which offers high performance at low cost, making a fresh impact in the market,” acting President Choi Sang-mok said Wednesday.

“The global Al competition may evolve from a simple infrastructure scale-up rivalry to a more complex competition that includes software capabilities and other factors.”

Successful SIM Re-registration Hinges on Effective Stakeholder Engagements – Ing. Ashigbey

images-2

The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, Ing. Dr. Kenneth Ashigbey, has reiterated the importance of stakeholder engagement to ensure the success of the proposed SIM Re-registration exercise.

According to Ing. Dr. Ashigbey, it is critical that any new exercise follows the approach taken in the implementation of the much-celebrated Mobile Money Interoperability service, which saw all stakeholders (public and private) coming to the table to deliberate on the best way forward.

He made the remarks in an interview with the Chamber News Desk in Accra, Ghana.

“If you go back to the last one, the way the former Vice-President had envisaged it, where he started it with, a meeting of all stakeholders and a plan that we work together as stakeholders to resolve it. That is the way to go. That’s the way we did the Mobile Money Interoperability that has become so successful that people praise it. That was done through private-public partnership. The Regulators working together with the operators to ensure that this was going to be done”.

“So I’m of the conviction that the way the Minister-designate wants to go by the engagement is the way to go”, he added.

While debunking suggestions that the old SIM registration exercise was “useless”, Ing. Dr. Ashigbey suggested that the old exercise can be improved upon with the new approach that has been put forward by the Minister-designate for Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations, Samuel George.

The Minister-Designate revealed plans for a new SIM re-registration process to rectify flaws from the previous exercise.

Previous SIM Registration Exercise

In 2022, the government mandated all SIM cardholders to link their numbers to their Ghana Cards, aiming to enhance security and curb fraudulent activities. However, the process was fraught with long queues, operational inefficiencies, and SIM blockages for non-compliance.

During his vetting, Sam George criticized these challenges and pledged to introduce a more efficient system that would integrate directly with the National Identification Authority (NIA) database.

Dr. Ashigbey in an interview on Accra based Citi FM, emphasized the necessity of using the NIA database as the “single point of truth” to ensure a more reliable registration process. “We should have integrated the NIA database from the start to complete the cycle,” he asserted.

He highlighted that while the first phase of the registration cross-checked data with the NIA, the biometric verification phase fell short, as it failed to align fingerprint data with the NIA’s authoritative records. “We conduct liveliness and likeness tests, collect biometric data, but don’t compare it with the NIA database,” he explained.

As discussions around the new SIM re-registration continue, Dr. Ashigbey has stressed the importance of addressing these shortcomings to ensure a seamless, comprehensive process. The government’s new approach, focusing on deeper integration with the NIA system, is expected to correct the flaws and build a more secure, efficient framework for SIM card registration.

OADC Texaf – Kinshasa Achieves ISO and PCI DSS Certifications, Strengthening DRC’s Digital Future

Open Access Data Centres (OADC) Texaf – Kinshasa in another first for the DRC, proudly announces the attainment of three prestigious certifications: ISO 27001, ISO 22301 and PCI DSS. This remarkable pioneering achievement underscores OADC Texaf – Kinshasa’s steadfast commitment to delivering secure, resilient and world-class digital infrastructure services in the DRC that meet stringent global standards.

ISO 27001, the globally recognised standard for Information Security Management Systems (ISMS), validates that OADC Texaf – Kinshasa has implemented robust measures for its information security management, demonstrating its ability to reassure clients of its information security integrity. This certification also underpins the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) Certification.

PCI-DSS compliance establishes OADC Texaf – Kinshasa as a trusted partner for the financial services and payments industry. This globally recognised certification demonstrates adherence to stringent payments industry security protocols and controls, playing a key role in transforming the DRC’s financial and payments ecosystem. It also provides critical reassurance in meeting the growing demands for financial inclusion among the DRC population.

Finally, ISO 22301 certification; the Business Continuity Management System (BCMS) ensures uninterrupted service delivery and rapid recovery from unforeseen disruptions, providing clients with critical assurances of operational excellence and resilience – a cornerstone of trust and reliability for business demanding the utmost in operational integrity.

Achieving ISO 27001, ISO 22301 and PCI DSS certifications is a testament to our unwavering dedication to operational excellence and client-centric service delivery. These milestones position OADC as a leader in secure and resilient digital infrastructure, supporting the growth of the DRC’s digital economy and fostering trust among local and international businesses.

– Mr. Mohammed Bouhelal, Managing Director, OADC Texaf – Kinshasa

These certifications hold immense significance for OADC Texaf – Kinshasa’s diverse clientele, including Internet Service Providers (ISPs), telecommunications carriers, enterprise clients, banks and other financial services companies. By meeting and exceeding global standards, OADC Texaf – Kinshasa strengthens the foundation for secure and reliable digital services, enabling innovation and economic growth across the region.

This achievement also bolsters the DRC’s position as an emerging hub for digital infrastructure in Africa, attracting foreign investment and fostering confidence in the country’s digital transformation journey. As the demand for secure, resilient and compliant data centre services grows, OADC Texaf – Kinshasa remains at the forefront, setting benchmarks for excellence and shaping the future of the digital economy in the DRC and central Africa.

Source: extensia.tech

Liberia, The Gambia and Sierra Leone sign roaming deal

Roaming

The latest African roaming agreement comes from the west of the continent, where the governments of Liberia, The Gambia and Sierra Leone have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at reducing telecommunications costs through improved roaming services.

The agreement, which covers voice, SMS and data services, is set to begin its phased implementation on 2 May 2025, allowing travellers from Liberia to Sierra Leone to receive calls free of charge and make calls, send SMSs, and use mobile data at local rates without the need for a new SIM card.

From 1 July, citizens of Liberia and The Gambia will also be able to enjoy similar benefits without incurring additional international roaming charges. Some 16 million people in total live in the three countries.

According to Liberia’s Oracle News Daily, the initiative, driven by the Liberia Telecommunication Authority (LTA) in collaboration with the National Communications Authority of Sierra Leone and the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority of The Gambia, seeks to promote economic growth and ease communication for citizens traveling within the three countries.

There is still some way to go until all West Africans can roam anywhere without facing increased charges. However, the LTA Chairman Abdullah Kamara has been quoted as saying after the signing: “With these MoUs, we are making decisive progress towards implementing the ECOWAS regulation on roaming within the region, an initiative aimed at eliminating high roaming charges.”

Change is most certainly coming. Among a growing number of agreements in Africa, Ghana last year implemented free roaming with Benin and Togo and 2023 saw a Senegal-Mauritania deal.

Source: extensia.tech

Vodacom hopes for a resolution that ends DRC conflict

Vodacom Group is optimistic that the violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) will be resolved.

Shameel Joosub, CEO of Vodacom Group, expressed optimism about the situation today when he gave an update on the company’s performance for the quarter ended December 31, 2024.

“While we remain hopeful that the conflict in DRC will reach a resolution, our immediate focus is to safeguard our people, extend relief through our foundation’s initiatives, and ensure that our customers stay connected,” said Joosub.

Vodacom is the leading mobile telecoms company in the DRC, with a customer market share of more than 34%, providing a wide range of communication services including mobile voice, messaging, internet, mobile money, and converged services to more than 21 million individuals and corporate customers.

In the current reporting period, Joosub said DRC delivered high single-digit US dollar growth.

Regarding other key metrics of Vodacom’s international division, Joosub said: “Tanzania continued to deliver excellent local currency results, while normalised M-PESA and data revenue growth was strong at 10.2% and 15.4% respectively. “

He went on to say: “Our International business customer base reached 58.4 million, up 8.6%, supported by strong commercial execution and a further R1.4 billion network investment in the quarter.

“Data traffic grew by 31.1% while smartphone users were up 1.5 million in the quarter to reach 19.0 million, as we look to accelerate smartphone penetration with innovative financing options, including a new daily repayment model.”

Source: extensia.tech

Namibia strengthens its arsenal against cybercrime

Namibia

Namibia’s Minister of Information and Communication Technology Emma Theofelus said the country has made significant progress in cybersecurity. She made the statement at the ministry’s annual staff meeting earlier this week.

“The ministry has signed another agreement with LifeLine/ChildLine Namibia to promote safer online behaviours and inculcate a culture of cyber hygiene among different age groups. Similarly, the National Child Sexual Abuse Reporting Portal will be popularised. This portal allows anyone to anonymously report digital abusive content against children, in a bid to combat cybercrime against them,” she said.

The statements come as the country has faced waves of cyberattacks. The data of 600,000 Telecom Namibia customers was recently compromised due to a cybersecurity breach. According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Namibia has a score of 36.93 out of 100 and is classified in the Tier 4 category in 2024.

According to the ITU, the country “demonstrates a fundamental commitment to cybersecurity through government actions that include assessing, establishing or implementing certain generally accepted cybersecurity measures in at least one pillar, or several indicators and/or sub-indicators.”

To address these situations, the government has made investments including one of 131.5 million Namibian dollars (approximately 7 million USD) to, among other things, set up a National Cybersecurity Incident Response Team (Nam-CSIRT).

Source: extensia.tech