Today’s telecom news includes announcements Blackspots on Indian NHAI, DoT, TRAI, STC, among others.
NHAI Pushes for Seamless Mobile Connectivity on 424 Highway Blackspots
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has identified 424 mobile network blackspots covering around 1,750 km on national highways where connectivity is poor or absent and has formally urged the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to direct telecom operators to address these gaps. This initiative highlights a customer‑centric focus on safety and service quality, especially in remote areas where lack of coverage affects emergency response, highway operations, and digital public services. NHAI also proposed proactive SMS/Flash SMS alerts at geo‑mapped accident‑prone spots to warn travellers.
TRAI Slaps ₹150 Crore Penalty on Telecom Operators for Spam Failures
India’s telecom regulator TRAI has imposed a ₹150 crore penalty on telecom operators for failing to curb spam calls and messages, penalising them for wrong closure of customer complaints and inaction against spam-related connections under existing regulations. The penalties cover a three-year period starting from 2020 and have been challenged by the telecom companies. To strengthen enforcement and boost consumer protection, TRAI has tightened complaint processes, introduced a DND complaint app for easier reporting, and lowered the threshold for action against spammers. In the last year, it has disconnected over 21 lakh spam numbers and blacklisted more than 1 lakh entities.
Saudi Telecom Raises Global Attention with $5bn US Dollar Sukuk Plan
Saudi Telecom Company (STC), the largest telecom operator in Saudi Arabia, has engaged a consortium of international banks including Citi, HSBC, Standard Chartered, BNP Paribas and others to arrange and manage a US dollar‑denominated sukuk (Islamic bond) issuance under its new $5 billion international sukuk programme approved in 2025. The issuance, to be structured through an offshore special purpose vehicle, may be offered in multiple tranches to qualified investors worldwide, with investor meetings starting January 6, 2026.
SHAFANA FAZAL
