• Massive outages and shutdowns: A Verizon wireless blackout on Aug 30 cut off mobile service across the U.S. for ~9 hours (phones showed “SOS only”) ts2.tech. On Sept 4, Google services (Search, YouTube, Gmail) went down across Turkey and parts of Europe for about an hour cybernews.com, prompting Turkey’s cyber watchdog to demand an explanation from Google cybernews.com. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s entire Balochistan province remains under a weeks-long mobile internet blackout amid military operations, and Iraq imposed daily nationwide internet shutdowns during morning school exams ts2.tech ts2.tech.
• Authoritarian censorship surge: Russia enacted sweeping new internet laws on Sept 1 that fine citizens up to 5,000 roubles for searching banned “extremist” content – even via VPN ts2.tech ts2.tech. VPN ads are now outlawed, all new smartphones must pre-install a state-run messenger, and officials threatened to ban WhatsApp as an “extremist” app (Meta, WhatsApp’s owner, is deemed extremist in Russia) ts2.tech. “The main task…is to create fear…to increase self-censorship” among users, a digital rights advocate warned of the crackdown ts2.tech reuters.com.
• Infrastructure expansions: New internet infrastructure is coming online worldwide. SpaceX launched 24 Starlink satellites on Aug 29 – its fourth batch in a month – to boost broadband coverage in high-latitude regions like Alaska and Scandinavia ts2.tech. Amazon’s rival Project Kuiper is close behind, with another launch planned for Sept 25 and beta satellite internet service slated by late 2025 ts2.tech. In Africa, Kenya’s Safaricom (with Meta) just unveiled “Daraja,” a 4,100 km undersea fiber cable linking Kenya to Oman to increase East African bandwidth ts2.tech. Further north, Djibouti Telecom announced a 3,300 km extension of its DARE1 submarine cable down to Tanzania, Mozambique, Madagascar and South Africa (targeting a 2028 go-live) ts2.tech. The U.S. is also fortifying undersea networks: the FCC voted to ban Chinese components in new U.S.-linked subsea cables and streamline permits for trusted operators amid security warnings ts2.tech. “We have seen submarine cable infrastructure threatened in recent years by foreign adversaries, like China,” FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr said, stressing the need to guard 400+ cables that carry 99% of global data reuters.com.
• 5G rollouts on the horizon: After years of delay, Pakistan set December 2025 for its first 5G spectrum auction, approving 606 MHz of mid-band spectrum (e.g. 2.6 GHz, 3.5 GHz) for bidding ts2.tech. The Prime Minister ordered the auction completed by year-end so Pakistan can launch 5G service soon after, despite some bands tied up in litigation ts2.tech. In Turkey, officials announced an inaugural 5G tender will be held on Oct 16, 2025, with plans for operators to roll out 5G by April 1, 2026 reuters.com. Turkey’s auction will offer 11 frequency blocks in the 700 MHz and 3.5 GHz bands, with a minimum total value of about $2.1 billion reuters.com – finally putting Turkey on the 5G map (until now it has only had enhanced 4G “4.5G” networks).
• Corporate moves in telecom: In India, Reliance Jio (the top mobile carrier) and Meta announced a ₹855 crore (~$100 million) joint venture to develop AI-powered digital services on Jio’s network ts2.tech. The 70/30 partnership will leverage Meta’s Llama AI models to build enterprise tools (from chatbots to workflow automation) at scale on Jio’s infrastructure ts2.tech. “Through this joint venture, we’re putting Meta’s Llama models into real-world use,” noted Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg about the effort ts2.tech. In Africa, the government of Ghana moved to merge its state-owned operator AT Ghana (formerly AirtelTigo) with Telecel Ghana to stem heavy losses and create a stronger #2 carrier to challenge market-leader MTN myjoyonline.com myjoyonline.com. Officials pledged no layoffs and expect the combined entity to serve about 26% of Ghana’s mobile subscribers (still far behind MTN’s ~74% share) myjoyonline.com myjoyonline.com.
• Affordable access initiatives: Telecom operators are launching innovative programs to broaden affordable access. MTN South Africa announced it will sell 4G smartphones for just R99 (~$5) to 1.2 million low-income customers still on 2G/3G, as it prepares to shut down those legacy networks by 2027 ts2.tech. The ultra-budget Android handsets (retail ~$40) will roll out in phases through 2026 to ensure no user is left offline. “As the country transitions to 4G and 5G, it is vital we take proactive steps to connect as many South Africans as possible,” affirmed MTN South Africa CEO Charles Molapisi, vowing that “no one is left behind in the digital era.” reuters.com
• Bridging the digital divide: A flurry of projects around the world aim to connect underserved communities. In the Philippines, Smart Communications introduced new 5G Home WiFi kits (launched Sept 4) – plug-and-play wireless broadband routers sold with prepaid unlimited data plans – to reach students, remote workers and entrepreneurs in areas without fiber coverage ts2.tech. In New York City, officials announced a “Liberty Link” pilot to wire up 35 public housing developments in the Bronx and Harlem with free high-speed Wi-Fi for roughly 2,200 low-income households by the end of 2025 ts2.tech. The program, launching with city and federal support, will also provide digital literacy training to help close urban connectivity gaps ts2.tech. Meanwhile, the Internet Society Foundation just funded nine community-based networks across Africa, Asia and Latin America – from indigenous women building mesh Wi-Fi networks in the Amazon rainforest to solar-powered Wi-Fi hubs in rural Senegal – to empower locals with internet access where commercial telecoms haven’t reached ts2.tech. These grassroots projects underscore a global resolve to expand connectivity at the community level.
• One-third of humanity still offline: New data from the U.N.’s International Telecommunication Union (ITU) highlights the scale of the remaining digital divide. Approximately 2.6 billion people – about 32% of the world’s population – still lack internet access ts2.tech. Achieving universal “meaningful connectivity” by 2030 may require an estimated $2.6–2.8 trillion investment, according to an ITU report released Sept 1 itu.int. So far, governments, tech companies and NGOs have pledged only about $51 billion toward connectivity projects (just half of the ITU’s $100 billion interim target by 2026) ts2.tech. The ITU emphasizes that internet access is an urgent development priority – “digital connectivity means creating opportunities for education, jobs, and access to essential services,” noted ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin, framing connectivity as “an investment in human potential, not just a cost” ts2.tech ts2.tech. In other words, closing the internet gap isn’t just charity or infrastructure – it’s critical to economic and social inclusion worldwide.

Major Outages and Internet Shutdowns

In early September 2025, multiple outages and deliberate shutdowns disrupted internet access for millions across different regions. In the United States, a major Verizon network failure on August 30 demonstrated the fragility of even advanced telecom systems ts2.tech. Starting around midday (Eastern time), Verizon mobile users from California to New York suddenly lost service, with their phones stuck in emergency “SOS only” mode instead of connecting to any network ts2.tech. By mid-afternoon, outage reports spiked above 23,000 as people complained they couldn’t make calls or use mobile data ts2.tech. Verizon attributed the blackout to a software issue in its 4G/5G core network and scrambled engineers to fix it ts2.tech. Service was largely restored by that evening after roughly 9 hours of downtime ts2.tech. It was Verizon’s third nationwide outage of 2025, prompting renewed debate over telecom reliability and calls for stronger oversight of network resiliency ts2.tech ts2.tech. The disruption had ripple effects – some users on other carriers experienced slowdowns in apps like Instagram and Twitter, illustrating how interdependent networks are and how a failure in one can jam internet traffic more broadly ts2.tech. For many Americans, the outage underscored how essential connectivity has become to daily life: during those hours, some couldn’t hail rideshares, process payments, or receive work and emergency messages ts2.tech. The incident has fueled discussions among U.S. officials and consumers about ensuring baseline reliability for critical communications infrastructure ts2.tech.

Across the Atlantic, a brief but significant outage hit Google’s services on September 4, affecting users in Turkey and parts of southern Europe. Around 10:00 a.m. local time in Turkey, numerous Google offerings – Search, Gmail, YouTube, and others – suddenly went offline cybernews.com. Outage monitors (e.g. Downdetector) showed disruption reports flooding in from Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia and even as far as Germany cybernews.com. A network map shared by a Turkish official indicated the Google blackout impacted wide swaths of Turkey, Southeast Europe, and even parts of Ukraine and Russia cybernews.com cybernews.com. Fortunately, Google’s services began coming back online within an hour; by 09:00 GMT, user reports of problems had largely subsided cybernews.com cybernews.com. Nevertheless, the incident drew immediate scrutiny in Turkey. The country’s cybersecurity agency (USOM) demanded a technical report from Google on what went wrong, as announced by Dr. Ömer Fatih Sayan, Turkey’s Deputy Minister of Infrastructure, on social media cybernews.com. Google has not publicly detailed the cause of the outage yet. While brief, this episode highlighted the concentration of internet services – when a major platform like Google falters even for minutes, it can disrupt communications, business operations, and personal life across multiple countries. It also raised questions about resilience and transparency: Turkish authorities want to know if the issue originated from Google’s systems, a broader internet routing problem, or possibly even a cyber incident. The Google outage, coming on the heels of the Verizon blackout, underscored how interconnected and critical global internet services are, and how downtime can swiftly become a national concern.

Meanwhile, in parts of Asia and the Middle East, government-imposed internet shutdowns have continued to sever access on political or security grounds. Pakistan is experiencing one of the world’s most extensive blackouts: a province-wide mobile internet shutdown in restive Balochistan (population ~15 million) that began August 6 and, instead of ending after a “temporary” security operation, was recently extended into September ts2.tech ts2.tech. Authorities initially cut off all 3G/4G data services in Balochistan for what was supposed to be a three-week military offensive against separatist insurgents (claiming militants were using the internet to coordinate) ts2.tech. However, as violence and sporadic attacks continued, officials kept the entire province offline well past the promised August 31 restoration date ts2.tech. As of early September, Balochistan’s 8.5 million mobile subscribers remain disconnected under broad “law and order” justifications ts2.tech. The prolonged outage has crippled daily life in the region – students can’t access online classes or submit assignments, freelancers and remote workers are unable to do their jobs, telemedicine services are halted, and local businesses cannot process digital payments, causing severe economic strain ts2.tech. The Human Rights Council of Balochistan has condemned the blanket cutoff as a “grave infringement of fundamental rights,” arguing the government is punishing entire communities by isolating them digitally ts2.tech ts2.tech. This shutdown, now in its second month, exemplifies a heavy-handed approach to security at the cost of connectivity and civil liberties.

In neighboring Iraq, authorities have likewise wielded the internet “kill switch,” albeit for a very different reason: to prevent cheating on nationwide exams. Since late August, the Iraqi government (as well as the semi-autonomous Kurdish regional government) has ordered daily internet blackouts for a few hours each morning during the high school matriculation exam period ts2.tech ts2.tech. Specifically, from 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM local time each day of exams, all internet access – mobile and fixed – is shut off across the country ts2.tech. These routine “exam season” shutdowns have unfortunately become an annual practice in Iraq, despite public outcry and the obvious collateral damage ts2.tech ts2.tech. The logic, officials say, is to foil leaks of test questions and stop tech-savvy students from sharing answers online in real time ts2.tech. But the policy effectively blankets all users, not just students, in connectivity darkness for two hours every exam day – disrupting not only education cheating rings (if any) but also businesses, government services, and ordinary people’s daily communications ts2.tech ts2.tech. Digital rights groups argue this is a blunt instrument that causes far more harm than the alleged cheating it aims to prevent ts2.tech ts2.tech. By some estimates, Iraq will have imposed over a dozen nationwide outages during this exam period alone ts2.tech, impacting millions of citizens repeatedly. The episode spotlights a contentious issue: governments in some countries continue to resort to internet shutdowns as a policy tool – whether to curb unrest, fight “terrorism,” or even enforce academic integrity – despite the heavy economic and social toll of cutting off connectivity.

Not all connectivity losses in early September were deliberate or centralized. Conflict and infrastructure failures also played a role in certain regions. For example, Syria and Gaza experienced periodic internet blackouts over the past week linked to electricity outages and ongoing violence ts2.tech. In Syria’s civil war, attacks on the power grid often knock out telecom networks as collateral damage, while in blockaded Gaza, instability and fuel shortages can interrupt both power and communications ts2.tech. These cases underline that in war-torn or resource-strapped areas, keeping the internet running is a constant challenge. Overall, however, outside of the specific incidents noted, most of Europe, East Asia, and other developed regions saw stable internet service in the first days of September ts2.tech. The contrast is telling: the pattern of disruptions was highly localized, highlighting a digital disparity in network resilience. Wealthier, more developed markets usually have redundant fiber routes, backup power, and diversified infrastructure to prevent single points of failure – meaning a cut cable or a data center glitch won’t sever service for everyone ts2.tech. In less developed or more centralized networks, a single technical failure (or a single government order) can still take an entire province or country offline in one blow ts2.tech. The events of this week emphasize how vital internet connectivity has become – and how high the stakes are when it falters. From the U.S. (where a carrier outage left people unable to do basic tasks) to Pakistan and Iraq (where leaders balance security concerns against the economic damage of shutdowns), the societal cost of going offline – even temporarily – is enormous ts2.tech.

Regulatory Crackdowns and Policy Changes

Several significant internet-related policy moves unfolded globally around September 5–6, but Russia’s new digital crackdown stands out for its breadth and severity. On September 1, a package of new Russian laws took effect that dramatically tighten state control over online activity – effectively expanding censorship and surveillance to new extremes ts2.tech. Chief among these measures is a law that makes it a punishable offense for Russian citizens to search for banned information on the internet ts2.tech. Under the pretext of targeting “extremist content,” the law imposes fines (up to 5,000 roubles, ~USD $64) simply for “knowingly searching” online for material that the state deems extremist ts2.tech. This is striking because it criminalizes not just publishing or sharing banned content, but even looking it up privately – a significant expansion of liability to ordinary internet users. The Ministry of Justice’s list of “extremist materials” in Russia is notoriously broad, running hundreds of pages and including everything from opposition political manifestos to LGBTQ+ resources and certain religious texts reuters.com reuters.com. Meta Platforms (Facebook’s parent and owner of WhatsApp) is labeled an “extremist organization” in Russia since 2022, as are groups associated with jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny and even the “international LGBT movement” reuters.com. In effect, under the new law, if a Russian user were to search for content about one of these banned organizations or topics – say, an article from an opposition news site or information on gay rights – they could be fined solely for that act of inquiry ts2.tech. The law explicitly extends to searches done through VPNs as well ts2.tech, closing a common loophole Russians used to access blocked sites. How authorities will technically detect or prove someone’s searches remains unclear (raising concerns about surveillance or entrapment), and even some pro-Kremlin figures have noted the wording is so vague it could be abused ts2.tech. For instance, could an innocuous search be misinterpreted as “seeking extremism”? Could people be framed by malicious actors (e.g. someone else using their device or sending them a link)? These ambiguities have many internet users in Russia on edge ts2.tech.

Digital rights advocates warn that the true intent behind Russia’s search-ban law is to instill fear and encourage self-censorship among the populace ts2.tech. “I think this is one of the main tasks… to create fear, to create such uncertainty so as to increase the level of self-censorship among the Russian internet audience,” said Sarkis Darbinyan, founder of the digital rights group Roskomsvoboda ts2.tech reuters.com. His comment underscores that beyond punishing individual “extremist” searches, the broader effect (and likely goal) is to make people think twice before clicking anything not officially sanctioned. By casting a wide, ill-defined net, the government may intimidate users away from a whole range of online activity. Opponents also point out the lack of judicial safeguards – for example, a bad actor could trick someone into clicking a prohibited link, then extort them by threatening to report the violation ts2.tech. Despite these criticisms, the Kremlin pushed the law through; it was approved by about 68% of the State Duma (parliament) in July, with an unusually high 15% voting “no” and further dissent in the upper house, reflecting rare concern even within establishment ranks reuters.com reuters.com. President Putin signed it into law on July 31, and it is now being enforced as of September. Russian officials defend the measure as targeting only a “narrow group” of people who seek extremist material and claim that truly inadvertent access (like stumbling on something) won’t be punished reuters.com reuters.com. But many Russians remain skeptical, given the government’s track record of expansive censorship.

The search fines are just one part of Moscow’s latest internet clampdown. Concurrently, new rules are being implemented to choke off VPN usage and foreign apps that might allow Russians to bypass censorship. Effective late August, Russia’s media regulator Roskomnadzor now bans any advertising or promotion of VPN services ts2.tech. This means companies can no longer legally market VPNs in Russia, and even bloggers or websites recommending how to use a VPN could be penalized. VPNs have been a crucial lifeline for millions of Russians to access independent news sites, Western social media platforms, and other blocked content since the invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent tightening of the information environment reuters.com reuters.com. By outlawing VPN ads – and pressuring app stores to remove popular VPN apps from availability ts2.tech – authorities aim to curtail this escape hatch to the open internet. There are reports that app stores like Apple’s and Google’s have already been purging VPN apps at Russia’s request ts2.tech. Additionally, the government has been developing its own heavily monitored, state-approved alternatives: President Putin earlier authorized a state-run messaging app (called “Rossgram” or MAX) to be integrated with government services, and now all new smartphones and devices sold in Russia must come pre-installed with this official messenger and other domestic apps ts2.tech. This “digital sovereignty” strategy is meant to wean Russians off foreign platforms entirely.

The Russian IT Parliamentary Committee’s deputy head Anton Gorelkin even warned in August that WhatsApp (widely used in Russia) should “prepare to leave” the Russian market reuters.com. Meta’s properties (Facebook, Instagram) were banned and labeled extremist in 2022, but WhatsApp had been allowed to remain accessible – likely because it’s so ubiquitous for personal communication. However, officials increasingly view even WhatsApp as a “security threat” due to its foreign ownership and encrypted traffic reuters.com business-humanrights.org. In recent weeks, Russia hinted it might block or throttle WhatsApp and encourage users onto the state-backed app instead ts2.tech. Indeed, by mid-August, Reuters journalists confirmed that voice calls on WhatsApp and Telegram had been effectively sabotaged in Russia – calls barely worked or were full of static – as authorities partially restricted those functions, citing the platforms’ non-compliance with law enforcement data requests reuters.com reuters.com. The official line was that this was to combat fraud and terrorism coordination, but it dovetails with pushing Russians towards domestic apps. Human Rights Watch noted last month that the Russian government is rapidly expanding its technical capacity to filter and throttle internet traffic, allowing much more granular blocking of websites and circumvention tools than before reuters.com. In short, the first week of September finds Russia entering a new phase of internet isolation: actively punishing forbidden online behavior, while closing loopholes (VPNs, foreign messengers) that citizens have used to stay connected to the global web. The censorship regime has never been tighter, raising grave concerns for freedom of expression and privacy in Russia going forward.

Outside of Russia, other policy developments related to internet access included moves to bolster infrastructure security and keep access open. In the United States, on August 30, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted new rules aimed at protecting undersea fiber-optic cables – the critical “internet arteries” that carry data between continents. The FCC voted to ban the use of Chinese-made components in new undersea cables that land in U.S. territory, citing espionage and sabotage risks ts2.tech. “We have seen submarine cable infrastructure threatened in recent years by foreign adversaries, like China,” warned FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, explaining the need to guard the 400+ global subsea cables that transmit about 99% of international internet traffic reuters.com. U.S. regulators will also streamline the permitting process for trusted cable operators to encourage faster deployment of new links ts2.tech. This decision follows a series of mysterious undersea cable cuts in recent years (for example, cables to Taiwan’s outlying islands were severed, allegedly by Chinese vessels, and several European-Asia cables were cut in the Baltic and Red Seas) reuters.com. By tightening supply chain rules, the FCC aims to prevent hostile actors from inserting backdoors or vulnerabilities in the physical network that underpins the global internet. The agency’s move was welcomed by many in the cybersecurity community as a proactive step to secure connectivity, though it could increase costs or complexity for cable consortia that must avoid certain vendors.

Another U.S. development came via the courts: Public Knowledge, a digital rights advocacy group, filed a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court on Sept 5 urging the Justices to protect Americans from being disconnected by their ISPs over unproven copyright allegations publicknowledge.org publicknowledge.org. The case (Cox v. Sony) involves a billion-dollar judgment against Cox Communications for not cutting off internet service to customers accused of music piracy. Public Knowledge argues that if upheld, this precedent would force broadband providers to act as “copyright police” and potentially terminate users’ internet access without due process publicknowledge.org publicknowledge.org. They warn this could “result in many Americans losing their only internet connection” over mere accusations publicknowledge.org, undermining the goal of universal connectivity. The advocacy highlights how essential internet has become (for job applications, homework, healthcare, etc.), likening disconnection as a punishment to cutting off electricity – an extreme measure disproportionate to the offense publicknowledge.org publicknowledge.org. While this is a legal debate specific to the U.S., it ties into a broader principle echoed worldwide: internet access is increasingly viewed as a basic necessity or right, and policies should err on the side of keeping people connected rather than cutting them off.

In Europe and other regions, net neutrality and open internet discussions continue, but no major new laws were enacted during this 5–6 September window. However, many countries are in the process of investing government funds to expand broadband. For instance, in the U.S., states are starting to allocate billions in federal infrastructure money for rural broadband: Montana’s governor announced a $308 million plan to bring high-speed internet to “every citizen” of the state in the coming years route-fifty.com. Similarly, the EU is rolling out its “Connectivity Toolbox” recommendations among member states to reduce the cost of fiber and 5G deployments, and countries like Brazil and Indonesia are exploring universal service programs to subsidize internet for low-income users (though these were ongoing trends, not specific to early September).

Overall, the early September policy landscape shows a dual narrative: in authoritarian contexts, tighter control and censorship (e.g. Russia’s fines for searches) are constricting internet freedom, whereas in democratic contexts, the focus is on securing and expanding access (protecting infrastructure, preserving user rights, funding broadband rollout). These contrasting approaches illustrate the divergent ways governments view the internet – either as a space to be controlled and monitored, or as a public utility to be safeguarded and extended to all.

New Infrastructure: Satellites and Undersea Cables

Amid the turmoil of outages and crackdowns, the first week of September 2025 also brought major strides in internet infrastructure development – from space-based broadband to undersea fiber-optic links – promising to improve connectivity in underserved regions.

In the satellite sector, SpaceX capped a busy summer with yet another Starlink launch on August 29. A Falcon 9 rocket carried 24 new Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit, marking SpaceX’s fourth Starlink launch in roughly a month ts2.tech. This rapid expansion brings the Starlink constellation to well over 4,000 active satellites (out of 8,000+ launched overall), extending the network’s reach and capacity. The latest batch is aimed at improving coverage in high latitude areas – places like Alaska, northern Canada, Greenland, and Scandinavia where connectivity has traditionally been sparse ts2.tech. By populating polar orbits and boosting density, Starlink can offer more reliable high-speed internet to remote villages, ships at sea, and other hard-to-wire locations in those northern regions. SpaceX’s near-weekly launch cadence underscores how aggressively the company is pushing to build out its global broadband footprint.

And SpaceX isn’t alone – Amazon’s Project Kuiper, a forthcoming rival mega-constellation, is picking up momentum. Amazon launched its first 27 Kuiper satellites back in April 2025 as a test deployment, and it just announced that its next launch is scheduled for September 25, 2025 ts2.tech ts2.tech. More importantly, Amazon revealed plans to begin beta service by late 2025, indicating that at least a minimum viable network will be operational within months ts2.tech ts2.tech. Ultimately, Project Kuiper intends to deploy over 3,200 satellites in low-Earth orbit, aiming to beam down up to 1 Gbps internet speeds to users – similar to Starlink’s promise – with a focus on reaching underserved regions globally ts2.tech. If successful, this would add a second major player in satellite broadband, which could drive competition and lower prices for consumers. Amazon has deep pockets and has already invested heavily in ground infrastructure and user terminal development. The fact that Kuiper’s beta is imminent suggests 2025 could see the start of a new chapter in satellite internet, where multiple constellations are operational. For remote communities from the Arctic Circle to rural Asia, these low-latency satellite services offer a lifeline where laying fiber or even 4G towers is impractical. Observers note that satellite broadband, while not a silver bullet, will crucially complement terrestrial networks – filling coverage gaps and providing backup links (as seen in Ukraine, where Starlink kept communities online during war when other networks failed).

On the undersea cable front, new submarine fiber projects were announced that will boost capacity and resilience in key corridors. In East Africa, Kenya’s leading telecom operator Safaricom – in partnership with Meta (Facebook’s parent company) – introduced a subsea cable called “Daraja” (meaning “bridge” in Swahili) ts2.tech. This 4,100 km cable will stretch from the port city of Mombasa, Kenya across the Indian Ocean to Muscat, Oman ts2.tech. With an estimated cost of $23 million (relatively low for a subsea cable), Daraja is Safaricom’s first partly owned international cable. Until now, Safaricom and other East African operators have relied on third-party consortia cables like EASSy and TEAMS. By co-owning Daraja, Safaricom secures greater control over its bandwidth pipeline and can expand capacity on demand ts2.tech. “Until now Safaricom has relied on third-party undersea systems… by co-owning a cable, it secures greater independence and can expand capacity on demand,” the company noted of this strategic move ts2.tech ts2.tech. The new cable is expected to significantly increase East Africa’s international bandwidth and reduce wholesale internet costs, which in turn could lead to cheaper and faster internet for consumers and businesses in Kenya and neighboring countries. It effectively provides a new high-capacity route out of East Africa to the Middle East and beyond, adding resiliency in case other cables in the Red Sea or Mediterranean face issues. Meta’s involvement (as a co-investor or capacity buyer) also reflects how big content providers are helping fund infrastructure to improve user access to their services.

Farther north on the African continent, Djibouti Telecom announced an extension of its existing DARE1 submarine cable. DARE1 currently links East Africa (Djibouti, Kenya, Somalia) but the new project will extend DARE1 down the East African coast all the way to South Africa ts2.tech. This entails roughly 3,300 km of new cable with planned landings in Tanzania, Mozambique, Madagascar, and ending in South Africa ts2.tech ts2.tech. Construction is set to begin in 2026 with a go-live target of 2028 ts2.tech. Once completed, this extension will integrate the Horn of Africa’s network with the southern African network, creating a continuous coastal fiber route. The motivation is to increase route diversity and prevent single points of failure – a timely goal after incidents like the simultaneous cuts of multiple undersea cables in the Atlantic and the Sea of Marmara in late 2024, which caused widespread slowdowns. By having more cables in different geographic paths, Africa’s internet traffic can be rerouted more easily if one system goes down. Additionally, new landing points in smaller markets (e.g. Madagascar) could improve connectivity and lower latency for those countries by reducing reliance on satellite or on neighbors’ infrastructure. Overall, the DARE1 extension reflects Africa’s push to build out a robust fiber backbone to support its fast-growing internet use (the continent has among the world’s highest growth rates in data demand as more people come online).

In the Middle East-South Asia region, other cable initiatives are underway (though not all announced this week). For example, plans for “2Africa Pearls” – an extension of the giant 2Africa cable to connect the Arabian Gulf, India and Pakistan – were moving forward, and a new Bay of Bengal gateway was in progress to connect Southeast Asia with India. But specific updates on these did not hit on Sept 5–6; they’re part of the broader 2025 cable boom where dozens of new systems are being built (2025–2027 are set to be record years for submarine cable investment globally, driven by cloud providers and regional connectivity needs).

It’s also worth noting how geopolitics and security concerns are influencing infrastructure. The U.S. FCC’s decision (mentioned above) to ban Chinese equipment in U.S.-linked undersea cables is one example ts2.tech. We’re seeing a fragmentation where Western-aligned countries are cautious about using Huawei/PRC tech in critical networks, while China is investing in its own routes (e.g. the PEACE cable) and partnering with allied nations. This could lead to a sort of bifurcation of the global cable network over time, or at least more stringent vetting of cable suppliers and landing licenses. The FCC’s move goes hand in hand with its efforts in recent years to block cable projects that would have directly connected the U.S. to mainland China or Hong Kong, over spying fears reuters.com reuters.com.

All told, the infrastructure updates around early September 2025 signal a global push not only to expand internet capacity, but also to bolster network resiliency and security. From launching hundreds of satellites to laying new oceanic fiber and implementing stricter safeguards, governments and companies are working to ensure the internet’s physical backbone keeps pace with demand and is less prone to disruption. These investments, whether orbital or undersea, take years to pay off – but they form the groundwork for the next generation of connectivity that will serve billions, including those not yet online.

5G Spectrum and Mobile Network Developments

The first week of September saw important progress in the rollout of 5G mobile networks in several countries, as long-delayed spectrum auctions were finally slated and timelines set for next-gen services.

In Pakistan, the government has given the green light for the country’s first-ever 5G spectrum auction, to be held by December 2025 ts2.tech. Pakistan has lagged behind many of its neighbors in deploying 5G – the process was repeatedly delayed over the past two years due to various economic and political hurdles. Now officials have identified 606 MHz of spectrum across multiple bands to be auctioned to mobile operators ts2.tech. This includes prime mid-band frequencies in the 2.6 GHz and 3.5 GHz bands, which are ideal for 5G because they offer a good balance of coverage and capacity ts2.tech. By comparison, Pakistan’s current 4G networks primarily use lower bands (like 1800 MHz), so these new allocations should enable much faster speeds and network densification. The Prime Minister has ordered that the 5G auction be concluded by the end of 2025, with a goal to launch commercial 5G services soon after ts2.tech. Regulators have been emphasizing the need to catch up, noting that neighboring countries (like China, India, Gulf states) have already rolled out 5G and are enjoying its economic benefits ts2.tech. There are some legal clouds – certain frequency bands are tied up in court disputes with existing licensees – but authorities appear determined to push through, warning that further delays will hurt Pakistan’s competitiveness and digital growth ts2.tech. If all goes to plan, Pakistani consumers and businesses could see initial 5G coverage in major cities by 2026, which would enable ultra-fast wireless broadband, new IoT applications, and improvements in telehealth, smart cities, etc. Pakistan’s telecom operators (like Jazz, Zong, Telenor PK, and Ufone) have been trialing 5G in limited scopes, but nationwide rights to spectrum are necessary for full rollout. The upcoming auction will be closely watched in the industry, as Pakistan is a 230+ million population market with huge untapped demand for data – yet also very price-sensitive, so making 5G affordable will be a challenge.

Turkey is another sizable market racing to launch 5G. On August 31, Turkey’s Minister of Transport and Infrastructure announced that Turkey will hold its 5G spectrum tender on October 16, 2025, with the aim for operators to start offering 5G services by April 1, 2026 reuters.com reuters.com. Turkey had been teasing 5G plans for a while (branded as bringing “true 5G” since they currently market an enhanced 4.5G), but finally confirmed concrete dates. The auction will allocate a total of 11 frequency blocks across the 700 MHz band and the 3.5 GHz band, two key ranges for 5G coverage and capacity reuters.com. The minimum combined value of these licenses is set at $2.125 billion (USD) reuters.com, indicating the Turkish government expects a significant investment from carriers. All three major mobile operators in Turkey – Turkcell, Turk Telekom, and Vodafone Turkey – are expected to participate and obtain slices of spectrum ts2.tech. For Turkey, launching 5G by 2026 is somewhat behind the global curve (many countries started 5G in 2019–2021), but it’s a notable step because Turkey is a large economy and was conspicuously absent from the 5G map. The delay was due to economic issues and prioritizing maximization of 4G networks. With 5G, Turkish users can anticipate dramatically higher mobile data speeds (theoretically 1 Gbps+), lower latency for applications like mobile gaming and AR/VR, and network capacity that can handle more simultaneous streaming and smart devices. The government also likely sees 5G as a boost for domestic tech development – enabling smart manufacturing, autonomous vehicle testing, telemedicine, etc., and possibly encouraging local production of 5G equipment or software. The October auction’s successful execution will be key; and the aggressive timeline to live networks by April 2026 suggests that the infrastructure (base stations, fiber backhaul) might already be in preparation. It helps that Turkey’s existing 4G (branded 4.5G) network is fairly modern, so upgrading to 5G (which in many cases is a software upgrade plus new radio units on existing towers) could be done relatively quickly in urban centers.

Elsewhere, India already has 5G live (launched in 2022 by Jio and Airtel), and China continues expanding the world’s largest 5G network (with tens of thousands of new base stations monthly). In Europe, by 2025 most countries had nationwide 5G, though some were still auctioning millimeter-wave bands. So Pakistan and Turkey coming online with 5G will mark two more major emerging markets joining the 5G era.

Beyond auctions, some countries are tackling 5G policy in other ways. For example, Brazil and Mexico are looking at innovative spectrum leasing or sharing models to accelerate rural 5G coverage. Indonesia just completed an auction of mid-band 5G spectrum in mid-2025, paving the way for its operators to expand beyond Jakarta. And in Africa, a number of 5G pilots are underway but widespread 5G is limited to a few countries (like South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria) so far due to device costs and still growing 4G usage.

In summary, early September’s developments in Pakistan and Turkey underscore that 5G rollout is finally reaching some of the last large markets that hadn’t yet embraced it. The allocation of spectrum – essentially the lifeblood of wireless networks – is a prerequisite for these countries to leap into the next generation of mobile technology. If successful, within the next year or two we’ll see hundreds of millions more people getting access to 5G’s faster speeds and new services, further shrinking the technology gap between regions.

Telecom Industry Alliances and Market Moves

The connectivity landscape is not just about government auctions and cables – it’s also being shaped by strategic moves in the telecom industry itself. In the first week of September 2025, we saw notable partnerships and market consolidations aimed at leveraging new technologies and strengthening competitive positions.

One headline-grabbing alliance is out of India, where the country’s largest mobile operator Reliance Jio announced a deep collaboration with Meta, the Silicon Valley giant (Facebook’s parent company). Specifically, Jio Platforms and Meta are forming a joint venture worth $100 million (approximately ₹855 crore) to develop AI-powered digital services on Jio’s mobile network ts2.tech ts2.tech. Jio is already known for its huge 4G network (over 450 million subscribers) and aggressive moves into 5G and fiber, while Meta brings expertise in artificial intelligence, thanks especially to its LLaMA AI language models. Through this JV, the companies plan to build and roll out enterprise-grade AI solutions across India – think AI chatbots for customer service, workflow automation tools for businesses, advanced data analytics services, etc., delivered over Jio’s cloud and connectivity infrastructure ts2.tech. By combining Jio’s massive scale and local reach with Meta’s cutting-edge AI research, the partnership aims to democratize AI capabilities for Indian businesses, from large corporations to small startups ts2.tech. “Through this joint venture, we’re putting Meta’s Llama models into real-world use,” Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said, indicating the venture will translate Meta’s lab innovations into practical applications on the ground ts2.tech. Reliance Chairman Mukesh Ambani likewise highlighted that these “Llama-powered” services will be offered to “every Indian organization – from ambitious startups to blue-chip corporates,” emphasizing broad availability ts2.tech. This JV builds on an existing relationship: Meta (and Google) had previously invested billions into Jio Platforms in 2020, seeing it as a key partner to shape India’s internet ecosystem. Now, with this AI-focused venture, Jio and Meta are setting a template for telecom-tech convergence – where a telecom operator doesn’t just provide data pipes, but also value-added digital services in partnership with a global tech firm. If successful, it could be a model replicated in other countries or with other technologies (for example, telecoms teaming up with cloud providers for edge computing, or with content providers for AR/VR services). It’s also a shot across the bow to competitors: by securing Meta’s AI expertise, Jio is looking to maintain a technological edge over rivals Airtel and Vi in India.

In Africa, there was major news on the competitive front in Ghana. The Ghanaian government on Sept 4–5 announced plans to merge two telecom operators – AirtelTigo (now rebranded AT Ghana) and Telecel Ghana – in an effort to create a stronger challenger to the dominant player MTN myjoyonline.com. Ghana’s mobile market is heavily skewed: MTN holds about 74% share (nearly 30 million subscribers), while Telecel and AT have the remainder split (Telecel ~18%, AT ~8%) myjoyonline.com myjoyonline.com. AT Ghana (formerly AirtelTigo) has been struggling financially, with losses over $10 million in just the first 8 months of 2025 and large debts, leading the government (which took ownership of AirtelTigo in 2021) to seek a sustainable solution myjoyonline.com myjoyonline.com. The plan, as outlined by the Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, is to merge AT into Telecel, essentially fusing the #2 and #3 operators into a single entity that would have roughly 26% market share and around 10.4 million subscribers myjoyonline.com myjoyonline.com. This new combined operator, while still much smaller than MTN, will be a more viable competitor than two separate weak ones. The government assured that no jobs will be lost in the merger – all AT Ghana’s ~300 employees will be absorbed by Telecel – and that customers will be smoothly migrated onto a unified network myjoyonline.com myjoyonline.com. In fact, a technical integration was already underway with national roaming agreements moving AT users onto Telecel’s infrastructure (reports said 3.2 million AT customers were already using Telecel’s network under a test arrangement with 98% success) myjoyonline.com. The rationale for the merger is to stop the financial bleeding (AT had been kept afloat by government subsidies) and to ensure Ghana has at least two robust telecom players, rather than one near-monopoly. The combined Telecel-AT will still face an uphill battle to dent MTN’s lead; MTN’s economies of scale and network coverage are superior. However, consumers could benefit if the enlarged #2 introduces more competitive data prices or innovative offers to gain market share. The government is also hoping the merged firm can attract new investment (they project $600 million needed over 4 years for upgrades myjoyonline.com) possibly from international partners or via a partial privatization. This Ghana merger reflects a wider trend in African telecom markets: consolidation is happening in places like Uganda, Senegal, etc., where smaller operators are merging or exiting, as sustaining multiple networks proves difficult in mid-sized economies. Regulators are trying to strike a balance between healthy competition and avoiding having too many unprofitable players. In Ghana’s case, the Telecel–AT merger aims to create a strong #2 that can keep MTN in check, which hopefully leads to better service and pricing for Ghanaians.

Another noteworthy corporate initiative is MTN South Africa’s affordable smartphone scheme, which blurs the line between corporate strategy and social inclusion (we detail it here as it’s a company-led move). MTN, one of Africa’s largest telecom groups, announced it will provide 1.2 million ultra-low-cost smartphones to its customers for just R99 (~$5) each to accelerate the migration from 2G/3G to 4G ts2.tech. This plan – first unveiled in May 2025 and rolling out now – is essentially a cross-subsidy: the Android handsets retail for around $40 normally, but MTN will eat most of that cost to ensure even poor customers can afford to upgrade ts2.tech. The program is being executed in phases (initial 5,000 users selected for a trial, then 130,000 users, and eventually over 1.1 million more by 2026) ts2.tech. The backdrop is that South Africa, like many countries, is planning to shut down 2G and 3G networks by 2027 to free up spectrum for faster services ts2.tech. However, millions of people, especially in rural and low-income communities, still rely on those old networks and don’t own 4G-capable phones. Without intervention, the network shutdown would leave them disconnected – a clear digital divide issue. MTN’s solution is proactive: essentially give away basic 4G smartphones at a token price so that these users can jump to modern networks. “As the country transitions to technologies like 4G and 5G, it is vital that we take proactive steps to connect as many South Africans as possible,” said Charles Molapisi, MTN South Africa’s CEO reuters.com. He emphasized MTN’s commitment to “ensure that no one is left behind in the digital era.” reuters.com. This quote encapsulates how the company is framing it not just as a business move, but as a mission to promote digital inclusion. Of course, MTN also benefits in the long run – keeping those customers on its network, moving them to data plans, and not losing revenue when 2G/3G is turned off. But consumer advocates and NGOs have praised the initiative, noting that owning a smartphone is now effectively a prerequisite for participating in the modern internet economy, and so steps that make devices affordable can have big impacts on people’s lives ts2.tech. MTN’s program could potentially inspire similar efforts by other carriers in developing markets where device cost is the biggest barrier to internet use. It’s a reminder that closing the digital gap isn’t just about laying fiber or launching satellites – sometimes it’s about the last-mile device in the user’s hand.

In other industry news, we are seeing partnerships around network sharing and infrastructure. For instance, in Europe, Vodafone and CK Hutchison (3) announced plans in June to merge their UK operations to speed up 5G rollout (this is pending regulatory approval and was being discussed in Sep 2025). In the Middle East, e& (formerly Etisalat) is collaborating with Huawei on 5.5G trials. And global tech companies continue to invest in telecom projects – Google is funding undersea cables and data centers in Africa and Asia, and Microsoft is partnering with satellite operators to integrate cloud services with space-based internet. While these weren’t specific to Sept 5–6, they form part of the broader context: telcos and tech giants are increasingly teaming up to deliver connectivity and new services, blending their expertise. The Jio–Meta deal is a prime example of this synergy.

Finally, worth noting are any ISP pricing changes or broadband market shifts around this time. There wasn’t a single blockbuster ISP pricing story on Sept 5–6, but trends indicate that many ISPs are experimenting with new pricing models. In some regions, fixed wireless access (home internet via 4G/5G) is undercutting traditional broadband prices. In the UK, new Ofcom rules (effective Jan 2025) now allow customers to leave contracts if mid-term price hikes exceed a certain formula uswitch.com. This may cause ISPs to adjust how they price long-term plans. In the U.S., September is when many college town ISPs run promotions; average internet prices have been holding around $75/month but with higher speeds offered than before inmyarea.com. Some providers like Google Fiber have started multi-gigabit plans at very low cost per megabit to entice heavy users. And on the flip side, telecom mergers – like the potential Charter–Cox merger reported in May 2025 anthonyveachlaw.com – could affect competition and pricing down the line. Though not directly in early September, these developments in industry structure can shape consumer experience in the long term.

In summary, the corporate developments in early September highlight a trend of consolidation and collaboration in the telecom world. Companies are joining forces (whether through JV, merger, or partnership) to enhance their technological capabilities (as with Jio and Meta on AI), or to stay viable in tough markets (as with Ghana’s Telecel/AT merger), or to bring more customers onto modern networks (as with MTN’s smartphone giveaway). The goal is ultimately the same: to grow and sustain connectivity in an era where traditional telecom revenues are under pressure and new digital services present both an opportunity and a threat. By innovating in business models and tech alliances, these firms aim to remain relevant and ensure that they can profitably serve the next billion internet users.

Broadband Access Initiatives and Digital Inclusion

During this period, we also saw a variety of grassroots and government-led initiatives focused on expanding internet access to underserved populations. These efforts – ranging from local community networks to national programs – complement big infrastructure projects by addressing the last-mile connectivity and affordability challenges that keep people offline.

In the Philippines, for example, a telecom provider is introducing a novel solution to connect homes in areas lacking fiber. Smart Communications, one of the Philippines’ major mobile operators, launched its Smart 5G Home WiFi service on September 4 ts2.tech. This is essentially a plug-and-play wireless broadband kit: customers get a 5G-powered Wi-Fi router that they can simply plug in at home, with no need for a wired line or professional installation. It’s sold with prepaid “unlimited data” plans (no contracts), targeting students, remote workers, and small businesses in provinces where laying fiber optic cables has been slow or impractical ts2.tech. By leveraging the existing 5G mobile network, Smart can deliver home internet speeds comparable to entry-level fixed broadband, without the high upfront cost of fiber deployment. This approach is particularly valuable in the Philippine archipelago, where many communities are on islands or remote areas where wired infrastructure is difficult. Early reports indicate strong interest in the 5G Home WiFi kits, as they fill a gap for consumers who until now had to rely on patchy 4G hotspots or expensive satellite for home connectivity. It’s a model being mirrored elsewhere too – in countries like South Africa, Brazil, and even parts of the U.S., providers are marketing fixed-wireless 5G as a quick way to extend broadband coverage to rural or underserved suburban areas. The Philippine case highlights how wireless tech can serve as “last-mile” broadband in lieu of cables, accelerating progress toward universal internet access.

In the United States, while federal programs like the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) fund are channeling billions into infrastructure, there are also city-level projects tackling the urban digital divide. A standout example is New York City’s “Liberty Link” initiative, which aims to bring free high-speed Wi-Fi to public housing communities. Announced by NYC Mayor Eric Adams in late August, and garnering attention in early September, Liberty Link is launching as a pilot to wire up 35 public housing developments in the Bronx and Upper Manhattan (Harlem) with free broadband by the end of 2025 ts2.tech. This will cover approximately 2,200 low-income households – these are families living in NYC Housing Authority (NYCHA) buildings who often have struggled to afford reliable internet ts2.tech. The city is installing modern Wi-Fi infrastructure in those buildings and partnering with internet service providers to deliver connectivity at no cost to the residents. In addition, the program includes digital literacy training and technical support to help residents make full use of the new service ts2.tech. The goal, as stated by officials, is to “unlock digital equity” – recognizing that in today’s world, lack of internet access can lock people out of job opportunities, education (like online classes or homework), telehealth, and other critical services ts2.tech. By targeting public housing, the city is focusing on communities where broadband adoption rates are far below the city average (often due to cost barriers). NYC’s approach is funded in part by federal recovery funds and local investments; if the pilot is successful, it could be scaled to more of the 300+ NYCHA developments citywide, where nearly half a million New Yorkers reside. This is part of a broader trend in many cities (like Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia) that are exploring municipal broadband or free Wi-Fi zones to ensure connectivity reaches marginalized groups. The early 2025 timing is significant because it aligns with the rollout of the federal Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) which provides subsidies for low-income Americans’ internet bills – NYC is essentially providing the service directly so residents won’t even need to pay or navigate subsidy sign-ups. The Liberty Link name harkens to freedom, suggesting that internet access is being treated as an essential utility or right that city government should help guarantee.

On the global civil society front, the Internet Society Foundation (an initiative of the Internet Society, ISOC) announced it is funding nine new community-led connectivity projects across different continents ts2.tech. These grants, part of ISOC’s “Connecting the Unconnected” program, support innovative bottom-up solutions to bring internet access to remote or marginalized communities. Among the highlighted projects: a group of indigenous women in the Amazon rainforest (in Brazil and Peru) will build and maintain local mesh Wi-Fi networks to connect their villages ts2.tech. Mesh networks allow devices to connect to each other and share a limited backhaul, great for areas with no ISP – it effectively creates a community intranet and gateway to the wider internet via one satellite or long-distance link. Another project in Senegal will deploy solar-powered Wi-Fi hubs in rural areas that lack electricity, ensuring connectivity is not reliant on the grid ts2.tech. There’s also mention of a community broadband initiative in Uganda, likely extending wireless links to villages with local ownership and training. These grassroots networks often involve locals in planning and operating the infrastructure, building digital skills and local buy-in. While each project may connect “only” a few hundred or thousand people, collectively they demonstrate how tailored, small-scale approaches can fill gaps that big telecom or government programs miss. The ISOC Foundation’s funding (often in the range of $200k per project) can serve as seed money to prove a concept that might later attract larger donors or government support. These nine new grants join dozens of others previously funded in the past years, creating a growing body of knowledge on what works in different contexts – from mountains to rainforests to islands. A key takeaway is that connecting the hardest-to-reach populations often requires creativity and community empowerment, not just dropping in standard commercial infrastructure.

Another aspect of inclusion is addressing affordability of internet service, not just infrastructure. In that vein, many countries are implementing or exploring subsidies, price controls, or free access points. For example, Mexico has a program of free public Wi-Fi in thousands of parks and plazas. The EU via its WiFi4EU initiative helped fund free Wi-Fi hotspots in towns across Europe (that wrapped up in 2024, but many hotspots remain operational). And as mentioned, the U.S. ACP offers $30 per month to low-income households for internet bills (and $75 on tribal lands). As of September 2025, however, ACP’s funding was projected to run out by 2026 unless Congress renewed it, which was a subject of advocacy. Some telecom companies have introduced very low-cost plans for low-income users – for instance, in early 2025, AT&T launched a $30/month 100 Mbps plan free for ACP participants, essentially zero cost after subsidy.

September 2025 also saw continued efforts in digital skills and literacy training, recognizing that access is not just about the physical connection. In many inclusion programs (like NYC’s Liberty Link or the ISOC projects), there’s a component to teach people how to use the internet safely and effectively. Separately, on Sept 1 the ITU and UNICEF marked the anniversary of the Giga initiative to connect every school to the internet – progress updates showed thousands of schools newly connected in 2024–25, with efforts in countries like Kenya, Rwanda, and Honduras making notable strides.

All these efforts feed into the larger goal highlighted by the ITU: bringing that remaining one-third of humanity online. The new ITU report released Sept 1 (the “Connecting Humanity Action Blueprint”) put hard numbers on the investment needed and made recommendations itu.int itu.int. It stressed multi-stakeholder collaboration – governments, industry, and NGOs working together – exactly like what we see in these inclusion initiatives. The ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin’s framing is worth reiterating: connecting people is “an investment in human potential” ts2.tech. Every new user who comes online can access educational resources, economic opportunities, telemedicine, and social connectivity that can improve their quality of life. Conversely, those still offline are increasingly left behind as services digitize (from job applications to banking). That’s why many countries are not only measuring internet penetration but also focusing on meaningful connectivity – regular use on an appropriate device with sufficient speed.

In conclusion, early September’s news showcased that along with big top-down infrastructure projects, there’s vibrant activity at the ground level to drive digital inclusion. Whether through wireless home broadband in the Philippines, free Wi-Fi for public housing in NYC, or community networks in remote areas, these initiatives attack the problem of internet access from multiple angles: availability, affordability, and relevance. They recognize that closing the digital divide isn’t just about cables and satellites, but also about local context, affordability of devices and data plans, and empowering users with skills. It will take all these efforts in concert – plus the massive investments outlined by the ITU – to ensure that the benefits of the internet truly reach everyone, everywhere in the coming years.

Sources

• TS2 Space – Global Internet Access Roundups (Sept 3–5, 2025): Aggregated news on outages, censorship, infrastructure, and digital divide initiatives ts2.tech ts2.tech ts2.tech. These reports by Marcin Frąckiewicz compile developments like Verizon’s outage, Russia’s new laws, Starlink launches, 5G auctions in Pakistan/Turkey, Jio-Meta’s venture, MTN’s $5 phone plan, and the ITU report ts2.tech ts2.tech. They provide a concise overview and expert context on the week’s events.
• Cybernews – Google Outage in Turkey (Sept 4, 2025): Article describing the Google services disruption that impacted Turkey and parts of Europe cybernews.com cybernews.com. Cites Turkish officials and outage monitors, confirming the ~1-hour downtime and the government inquiry into its cause.
• Reuters – Russia “Extremist” Search Law (July 22, 2025): News report on Russia’s law punishing online searches for banned content reuters.com reuters.com. Details fines up to 5,000 roubles and includes the quote from Sarkis Darbinyan about the law’s intent to create fear and self-censorship reuters.com. Provides background on Russia’s censorship context (e.g. WhatsApp’s threatened ban).
• Reuters – FCC Undersea Cable Rules (July 16, 2025): Article by David Shepardson on U.S. plans to bar Chinese tech in undersea internet cables reuters.com. Includes Brendan Carr’s quote about submarine cables being threatened by foreign adversaries (China) and the need to guard them reuters.com. Gives insight into U.S. security concerns over the global network infrastructure.
• Reuters – Turkey 5G Auction Announcement (Aug 31, 2025): Brief from Ankara that Turkey will hold its 5G tender on Oct 16, 2025, with 5G service slated by April 2026 reuters.com. Confirms 11 frequency blocks in 700 MHz and 3.5 GHz bands, minimum total bid value ~$2.1 billion reuters.com. Shows Turkey catching up on 5G deployment.
• MyJoyOnline (Joy News Ghana) – AT & Telecel Merger (Sept 5, 2025): Analysis piece on Ghana’s decision to merge AT Ghana (AirtelTigo) with Telecel myjoyonline.com myjoyonline.com. Explains the government’s rationale (AT’s losses, need for a strong competitor to MTN) and notes the combined market share (~26%) post-merger myjoyonline.com. Provides local context on the telecom market and assurances of no job cuts myjoyonline.com.
• Reuters – MTN $5 Smartphone Initiative (May 5, 2025): Report by Nqobile Dludla on MTN South Africa offering 1.2 million 4G smartphones at 99 rand each to low-income customers reuters.com reuters.com. Details the phased rollout and includes CEO Charles Molapisi’s quote about ensuring no one is left behind in the digital era reuters.com. Highlights industry response to 2G/3G sunset and digital divide concerns.
• Internet Society Foundation – Community Networks Grants (Sept 2025): Announcement of grants to nine projects for expanding connectivity in underserved areas ts2.tech. Examples include indigenous community networks in the Amazon and rural Africa ts2.tech. Illustrates grassroots efforts funded by ISOC to complement larger infrastructure investments.
• ITU – “Connecting Humanity” Report Press Release (Sept 1, 2025): ITU media release outlining the $2.6–2.8 trillion estimated cost to achieve universal connectivity by 2030 itu.int. Notes ~2.6 billion people still offline and frames the issue as critical for development itu.int. Includes a quote from ITU Sec-Gen Doreen Bogdan-Martin emphasizing connectivity as an investment in opportunities and human potential itu.int.