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QSE:ORD 16 April 2025 - 5 August 2025

Myanmar’s Internet Dilemma: From Blackouts to Starlink Dreams

Myanmar’s Internet Dilemma: From Blackouts to Starlink Dreams

Myanmar’s internet landscape stands at a volatile crossroads. Once celebrated for a rapid digital leap in the 2010s, the country now oscillates between forced blackouts and furtive hopes of satellite-powered connectivity. Following a 2021 military coup, Myanmar’s connectivity has been marred by infrastructure damage, government-imposed shutdowns, skyrocketing costs, and draconian censorship. Yet even as the junta tightens its grip on cyberspace, new projects like expanded fiber networks and illicit Starlink satellite links hint at possible lifelines. This report provides a comprehensive overview of internet access in Myanmar – from the state of its infrastructure and service types to provider dynamics, pricing, urban–rural divides, government controls, shutdown impacts, regional comparisons, and recent developments. Myanmar’s core telecom infrastructure saw dramatic expansion after market liberalization in 2013. Today, about 44% of the population are internet users, though this penetration remains well below the Asian average of 62% pulse.internetsociety.org pulse.internetsociety.org. Mobile networks are the backbone of connectivity: 4G mobile broadband coverage reaches roughly 90% of the population, while 5G coverage is virtually nonexistent pulse.internetsociety.org. The country is linked internationally via three undersea cables and four overland fiber gateways, providing “very good” upstream diversity for global access freedomhouse.org. In theory, Myanmar’s network should be resilient.
5 August 2025
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Internet Access in Palestine: West Bank and Gaza

Internet Access in Palestine: West Bank and Gaza

Palestine – encompassing the West Bank and Gaza Strip – has made strides in expanding internet access, but it lags behind global and regional standards due to unique political and infrastructural challenges en.wikipedia.org. Decades of Israeli occupation and the terms of the Oslo Accords have constrained the development of telecommunications, limiting spectrum access and hindering the introduction of modern technologies en.wikipedia.org. Despite these hurdles, Palestinians increasingly rely on the internet for daily life, and efforts are underway to improve connectivity across the West Bank and Gaza. Palestine’s communications infrastructure is a mix of fixed-line networks, mobile networks, and emerging fiber-optic systems. Fixed-line telephony and broadband have steadily grown: by the end of 2022 there were about 457,700 landlines in service pcbs.gov.ps. This reflects a 27% increase since 2010, aided by infrastructure investments by the dominant operator Paltel. Traditional ADSL broadband over copper lines has expanded to roughly 358,000 subscribers by 2022 pcbs.gov.ps. Notably, 2022 marked a turning point as fiber-optic broadband began rolling out widely – over 51,700 fiber subscribers were connected by end of 2022 pcbs.gov.ps. The launch of fiber-to-the-home services enabled higher speeds and even led to a slight decline in old copper-line subscriptions as users migrated to
12 July 2025
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Internet Access in Qatar: A Comprehensive Report

Internet Access in Qatar: A Comprehensive Report

Qatar enjoys a highly advanced internet ecosystem with multiple access technologies available. Fiber-optic broadband is the dominant fixed access method, providing high-speed connectivity to homes and businesses nationwide. In fact, fiber is “by far the most prevalent fixed technology in Qatar,” having largely replaced legacy copper/DSL lines. The vast majority of fixed subscriptions now use fiber links capable of 100 Mbps or higher speeds. Traditional DSL is virtually obsolete as the country has rapidly transitioned to fiber-optic networks offering gigabit-class speeds. Alongside wired broadband, mobile broadband is ubiquitous. Qatar’s two telecom operators have deployed extensive 4G LTE networks and were early leaders in 5G. Ooredoo Qatar was “the first operator in the world to launch a live 5G network in May 2018”, and both Ooredoo and Vodafone now offer nationwide 5G coverage. This 5G rollout – with peak speeds in the gigabit range – complements existing 3G/4G services and enables high-bandwidth wireless internet access on smartphones, home routers, and IoT devices. Mobile broadband is widely used by virtually the entire population, ensuring internet access even on the move.
7 July 2025
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Connected Deserts: The Digital Landscape of Internet Access in Oman (Including Satellite Internet)

Connected Deserts: The Digital Landscape of Internet Access in Oman (Including Satellite Internet)

Oman has made remarkable strides in expanding internet connectivity across the country. As of early 2024, an estimated 97.8% of Oman’s population were internet users, reflecting one of the highest penetration rates globally Datareportal. Nearly every adult in Oman has access to the internet, primarily through widespread mobile broadband and increasingly via high-speed fixed connections. Mobile phone usage is ubiquitous – active mobile subscriptions reached 7.5 million by the end of 2024 Zawya Zawya. This indicates many residents carry multiple SIM cards or devices. Broadband infrastructure has rapidly modernized. Over 90% of Omani households had a broadband internet service by end-2024, up from 85% a year prior Zawya. Urban centers like Muscat enjoy extensive fiber-optic and 5G coverage, while even rural villages are increasingly getting connected via wireless or satellite solutions. Public Wi-Fi hotspots are common in urban areas, complementing personal mobile data use. The average quality of connectivity has improved significantly – median mobile data speeds are now 71.3 Mbps, and fixed broadband speeds about 68.4 Mbps, as of January 2024 Datareportal. These speeds are well above global averages and have risen over 30% year-on-year, reflecting network upgrades and 5G rollout Datareportal.
4 July 2025
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The Digital Desert Awakens: Inside Tunisia’s Expanding Internet Frontier

The Digital Desert Awakens: Inside Tunisia’s Expanding Internet Frontier

Tunisia’s internet infrastructure has grown significantly in recent years, transforming the country from a digital desert into a connected society. Fixed broadband, mobile networks, and an expanding fiber-optic backbone form the pillars of Tunisia’s connectivity. As of early 2024, about 9.96 million Tunisians are internet users – roughly 79.6% of the population freedomhouse.org. Fixed broadband subscriptions reached approximately 1.7 million lines by late 2023 freedomhouse.org, while mobile connectivity is nearly universal. There were 16.73 million active mobile connections in January 2024 – 133.7% of the population datareportal.com. Importantly, 99.9% of the population is covered by mobile network signals, with 4G alone reaching about 94.9% of inhabitants freedomhouse.org. This broad coverage means even remote villages now fall within range of at least a basic mobile internet signal. Fixed broadband in Tunisia historically relied on ADSL, but the country is steadily upgrading to fiber-optic connectivity. Tunisie Telecom’s fiber network spans ~50,000 km across the country meatechwatch.com, forming a high-capacity backbone that links cities and towns. Fiber-to-the-home deployment is still in progress – concentrated in urban centers – yet recent initiatives are extending fiber into less-served regions. For example, in late 2024 the national operator launched a program to connect 2,900 homes in
24 June 2025
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Internet Access in Algeria

Internet Access in Algeria

Algeria has seen steady growth in internet usage and infrastructure over the past decade. As of early 2024, the country had about 33.5 million internet users – roughly 72.9% of its population trade.gov. By January 2025, internet penetration reached ~76.9% developingtelecoms.com, indicating that roughly one-quarter of Algerians remain offline. Internet adoption is driven largely by mobile connectivity, given the high mobile phone usage. There were over 50 million mobile subscriptions in 2024 trade.gov. Fixed broadband access, while improving, remains less prevalent than mobile internet, with about 5.5 million fixed subscriptions in 2023 ambalgzagreb.com ambalgzagreb.com. The government has prioritized expanding digital infrastructure, improving speeds, and extending coverage – especially to underserved rural areas – as part of its national connectivity initiatives. The following report details the state of Algeria’s internet access across fixed, mobile, and satellite domains, pricing structures, urban–rural disparities, regulatory environment, key players, and how Algeria compares with peers in North Africa and globally. Fixed broadband in Algeria is dominated by the state-owned Algérie Télécom, which operates the consumer brand “Idoom” for internet services. Historically, Algeria’s fixed network was based on ADSL over copper telephone lines; in recent years the country has invested heavily in fiber-optic infrastructure and VDSL
30 May 2025
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Maldives’ Internet Revolution: From Remote Atolls to a 5G-Powered Paradise

Maldives’ Internet Revolution: From Remote Atolls to a 5G-Powered Paradise

The Maldives is a geographically dispersed nation of around 1,200 islands spread across the Indian Ocean. Providing telecom and internet access to this archipelago has been a significant challenge historically. The country’s telecom journey began with a state monopoly: Dhiraagu was established in 1988 as the Maldives’ first and sole telecom operator​ Mfr. By the year 2000, basic telephone service reached all inhabited islands, and dial-up internet was available nationwide​ Itu. In the early 2000s, the government liberalized the sector to introduce competition and improve services. A second ISP license was issued in 2003 to Focus Infocom, breaking Dhiraagu’s internet monopoly​ Itu. In 2005, a second mobile operator entered the scene – Wataniya – ending Dhiraagu’s 17-year monopoly on mobile services​ Wikipedia. These steps set the stage for rapid expansion of telecom infrastructure across the islands. Today the Maldives enjoys a modern telecom infrastructure that belies its small size and challenging geography. High-capacity submarine fiber optic cables link the atolls to international internet backbones, and domestic undersea cables plus microwave links connect even the most remote islands. Mobile phone penetration exceeds the population​ Mfr, and internet penetration stood at about 84% of the population in 2024​ Datareportal. However, the path
16 April 2025
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Stock Market Today

  • Conagra Brands (CAG) Dividend Yield Tops 10% as Shares Fall
    June 29, 2026, 5:56 PM EDT. Conagra Brands Inc (CAG) stock briefly offered a yield above 10% Monday after the shares fell to $13.88. The yield uses the quarterly dividend, annualized at $1.40. Dividends make up a big part of investor returns, and historical numbers show payouts add to gains even when shares move around. Conagra is a major S&P 500 name with a high yield, but that payout could change depending on the company's profits. Investors may want to review Conagra's dividend track record to judge if this level is likely to hold.
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