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JSE:MTN 7 February 2025 - 9 September 2025

Global Internet Access Shockwaves: Cable Cuts, Censorship & Broadband Booms (Sept 6–7, 2025)

Global Internet Access Shockwaves: Cable Cuts, Censorship & Broadband Booms (Sept 6–7, 2025)

Multiple undersea internet cables were cut in the Red Sea on Sept. 6, disrupting traffic from the Middle East to South Asia. Microsoft warned Azure users of higher latency as data rerouted, while Pakistan saw a nationwide slowdown. Internet speeds dropped for UAE customers on du and Etisalat. India also reported degraded service.
7 September 2025
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Global Internet Access Shake-Up: Outages, Crackdowns, and a Race to Connect the Unconnected

Global Internet Access Shake-Up: Outages, Crackdowns, and a Race to Connect the Unconnected

SpaceX launched 24 Starlink satellites into polar orbit on Aug. 29, expanding broadband to Alaska and Scandinavia. A major Verizon outage on Aug. 30 left millions in the U.S. without mobile service for hours. Pakistan extended a mobile internet blackout in Balochistan, affecting 15 million people. Russia enacted new internet controls on Sept. 1, introducing fines for online content violations.
3 September 2025
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How Guinea Is Quietly Getting Online: The Untold Story of Internet Access and Satellite Expansion

How Guinea Is Quietly Getting Online: The Untold Story of Internet Access and Satellite Expansion

As of early 2023, Guinea had 13.46 million active cellular connections, covering about 96% of the population. Orange Guinée held 75% of the mobile market in 2024, while MTN Guinea exited in December, with Telecel set to acquire its 2.8 million users. Fewer than 900 fixed broadband subscribers were recorded in 2022. Starlink was not officially available as of mid-2025, with the regulator warning against unauthorized use.
24 August 2025
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Iran’s Internet Access Exposed: From Aging ADSL to an Underground Starlink Revolution

Iran’s Internet Access Exposed: From Aging ADSL to an Underground Starlink Revolution

Iran’s National Fiber Optic Plan targets 20 million premises by end-2025, but rollout lags. As of early 2024, internet penetration reached 81.7% with 73.1 million users and 146.5 million mobile connections. Median download speeds were 15 Mbps on fixed broadband and 37 Mbps on mobile. Authorities block major platforms and frequently restrict access; VPN use reached 64% in 2023.
24 June 2025
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South Africa’s Internet Access Revolution: The Shocking Truth About Connectivity in 2025

South Africa’s Internet Access Revolution: The Shocking Truth About Connectivity in 2025

Telkom/Openserve’s ADSL subscribers fell below 36,000 by end-2024, down from over 1 million in 2015, as fiber-to-the-home subscriptions rose to 2.47 million. Over 69% of South Africans access the internet via mobile, while only 13% of households have fixed-line internet. Vodacom’s 5G covers 52% of the population, MTN 45%. Starlink’s entry remains blocked by licensing rules as of mid-2025.
19 June 2025
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Côte d’Ivoire’s Internet Revolution: Fiber Optics, 5G Dreams, and Satellite Solutions

Côte d’Ivoire’s Internet Revolution: Fiber Optics, 5G Dreams, and Satellite Solutions

Côte d’Ivoire had 11.2 million internet users in early 2024, about 38.4% of the population, with urban usage at 50% and rural at 22%. Over 5,200 km of fiber has been laid, aiming for 7,000 km by September 2025. MTN launched 5G sites in late 2023, with commercial rollout set for January 2024. Starlink remains unapproved, while Orange leads mobile and fixed broadband market share.
8 June 2025
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Internet Access in Cameroon: The Race to Connect a Nation

Internet Access in Cameroon: The Race to Connect a Nation

About 12.4 million Cameroonians, or 41.9% of the population, used the internet in early 2025, with access concentrated in cities. Cameroon’s fiber backbone spans over 12,000 km and connects to five undersea cables, with plans to add 4,000 km. Mobile connections reached 25.4 million in 2024, but fixed broadband remains below 2%. Starlink is not licensed; imports were banned in 2024.
4 June 2025
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Internet Access in Nigeria: A Comprehensive Overview

Internet Access in Nigeria: A Comprehensive Overview

Nigeria’s internet relies on undersea cables landing in Lagos, with MTN, Airtel, Globacom, and 9mobile controlling most subscriptions. Mobile broadband dominates, as fixed-line access remains rare. The Nigerian Communications Commission regulates the sector, setting price floors and overseeing licensing. The government introduced data protection rules in 2019 and sometimes imposes censorship.
3 March 2025
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Internet Access in Sudan

Internet Access in Sudan

Sudan’s internet backbone runs through Port Sudan, connecting via EASSy and FLAG/FALCON submarine cables, with terrestrial fiber to Egypt and Ethiopia. Zain Sudan leads the mobile market with about 50% share, followed by MTN Sudan at 25%. Internet freedom is rated “Not Free,” and the country has faced repeated nationwide shutdowns, including a 37-day blackout in 2019 and outages during the 2023-2024 conflict.
25 February 2025
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Internet Access in Yemen: Overview and Key Aspects

Internet Access in Yemen: Overview and Key Aspects

Yemen relies on the aging FALCON subsea cable for most internet traffic, with limited backup via Djibouti and satellite. As of January 2024, only 17.7% of the population had internet access, and 4G coverage reached 56.7%. Major outages hit in January 2020 and 2022, cutting off most of the country. Starlink launched officially in September 2024, boosting speeds in government-held areas.
24 February 2025
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Internet Access in Afghanistan: A Comprehensive Overview

Internet Access in Afghanistan: A Comprehensive Overview

Mobile subscriptions in Afghanistan reached nearly 100% by 2021, but Taliban rule since August 2021 stalled fiber rollout and connectivity projects. Internet penetration fell from 22.9% in 2022 to 18.4% in 2024. Taliban authorities blocked 23.4 million websites, banned TikTok and PUBG, and increased censorship. MTN plans to exit the market; fixed broadband speeds remain among the world’s slowest.
24 February 2025
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Internet Access in Syria

Internet Access in Syria

Syria opened public internet access around 2000, years after establishing its first connection in 1997. By 2010–2011, about 4.5 million Syrians were online, but the government kept strict control over infrastructure and content. As of 2021, internet penetration reached 46–47%, still well below the regional average.
7 February 2025
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Stock Market Today

  • ServiceNow Stock Drops 6.7% Amid Middle East Tensions and AI Competition
    April 9, 2026, 10:57 PM EDT. Shares of ServiceNow (NYSE:NOW) fell 6.7% following a ceasefire breach between the U.S. and Iran, which spiked market volatility. Concerns grew over the sustainability of the truce. Additionally, Anthropic's launch of Managed Agents, AI systems automating tasks traditionally done by humans, unsettled investors worried about disruption to the Software as a Service (SaaS) model. Short seller Michael Burry's remarks, suggesting Anthropic threatens competitors like Palantir, intensified the sell-off. ServiceNow's stock is volatile, down 38.3% year-to-date and trading 56.4% below its 52-week high. Despite the sharp fall, analysts view this as market overreaction rather than a fundamental shift, recalling a recent 6.2% gain amid geopolitical hopefuls. Investors face a pivotal moment assessing risks from geopolitical instability and AI competition in cloud software.

Latest article

MARA Holdings Stock Rises Even After Target Cut as Bitcoin Miner Leans Harder Into AI

MARA Holdings Stock Rises Even After Target Cut as Bitcoin Miner Leans Harder Into AI

9 April 2026
MARA Holdings shares rose 1.7% to $9.67 Thursday despite Cantor Fitzgerald cutting its price target to $10. The company recently sold 15,133 bitcoin for $1.1 billion and agreed to repurchase $1 billion in convertible notes at a discount. MARA is expanding into AI and cloud infrastructure, but fourth-quarter revenue fell 6% and it posted a $1.7 billion net loss.
CoreWeave secures fresh $21 billion Meta AI deal as debt push raises stakes

CoreWeave secures fresh $21 billion Meta AI deal as debt push raises stakes

9 April 2026
Meta Platforms signed a new $21 billion deal with CoreWeave for AI cloud computing capacity through 2032, according to a securities filing. CoreWeave shares rose 3.4% in after-hours trading. The agreement adds to a $14.2 billion commitment disclosed last September. CoreWeave also launched $3 billion in convertible notes and upsized a senior-notes deal to $1.75 billion.
Tesla Revives Cheaper EV Push With New Compact SUV as Sales Pressure Builds

Tesla Revives Cheaper EV Push With New Compact SUV as Sales Pressure Builds

9 April 2026
Tesla is developing a lower-cost compact SUV, with initial production planned for Shanghai, Reuters reported Thursday. The company built 408,386 vehicles and delivered 358,023 in the first quarter, leaving its widest gap in at least four years. Reuters said the new SUV likely will not reach production this year. Tesla did not respond to questions about the project.
NIO ES9 Price Starts at 528,000 Yuan as Flagship SUV Bet Faces China EV Slump

NIO ES9 Price Starts at 528,000 Yuan as Flagship SUV Bet Faces China EV Slump

9 April 2026
NIO opened pre-orders for its ES9 flagship SUV Thursday, pricing it at 528,000 yuan with battery or 420,000 yuan under its Battery-as-a-Service plan. March deliveries rose 136% year-on-year, but NIO’s U.S. shares fell 4.9% after the announcement. The ES9 enters a shrinking premium SUV market in China, competing with Li Auto and Aito. CEO William Li warned chip shortages could add up to 10,000 yuan per vehicle.
Plug Power Stock Climbs After 2026 Profit Push, Up to $200M Cost-Cut Plan

Plug Power Stock Climbs After 2026 Profit Push, Up to $200M Cost-Cut Plan

9 April 2026
Plug Power shares rose 2.5% to $2.715 Thursday after the company reaffirmed its target of positive EBITDAS by end-2026 and projected up to $200 million in savings from Project Quantum Leap. The update followed a major electrolyzer project win in Quebec and investor meetings in Toronto and Montreal. Plug reported 2025 revenue of $710 million and a fourth-quarter gross profit of $5.5 million.
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