Taiwan Mobile, Far EasTone reveal LTE rollout plans
Taiwanese mobile operators Far EasTone and Taiwan Mobile have laid out details of their LTE rollout plans. Far EasTone plan to launch 700-MHz LTE services in the third quarter, and hopes to have 500,000 4G subscribers by the end of the year, DigiTimessaid. The operator plans to launch a line of own-branded 4G smartphones at no-contract prices ranging from $165 to $330. Taiwan Mobile also aims to launch 700-MHz 4G services later this year, and plans to have up to 10,000 4G base stations covering 90% of Taiwan's urban population by the end of 2015.
Pacnet expands IP VPN to Greater Mekong
Pacnet has extended its MPLS-based Global IP VPN services into Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar in the Greater Mekong Subregion. Pacnet vice president of product strategy Sanjay Nayak said the expansion is aimed at serving enterprises looking to extend into the subregion, and needing communications infrastructure and services to support their operations there. Pacnet's Global IP VPN services are now available in Australia, China, France, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, the UK, the US, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.
Ooredoo launches ICT incubation program in Myanmar
The UAE's Ooredoo has launched an ICT incubation program in Myanmar, where it holds a nationwide telecom license. The program builds on Ooredoo's successful incubation programs in Algeria, Indonesia and Tunisia. The program has been developed in collaboration with Singapore-based online startup platform Silicon Straits and Australia-based accelerator Pollenizer. Under the IdeaBox program, selected Myanmar ICT startups will be provided with seed funding, office space, resources and mentoring worth up to $100,000.
Obama considering options for NSA surveillance revamp
The Obama administration is currently considering four options for revamping the NSA's phone surveillance program, including stopping the agency from collecting phone records altogether or requiring the nation's operators to keep the records until needed for court-sanctioned surveillance. Another option being considered is keeping the records with another government agency, the Wall Street Journalreports. US operators have opposed the proposal to have them be stewards of the phone records, for fears it will expose them to liability and open the doors for outside demand for the records from plaintiffs and defendants in domestic legal cases.
Online activists target Fifa World Cup
A Brazilian group of online activists claiming to be affiliated with Anonymous is threatening to target the official websites of the 2014 Fifa World Cup, in an attempt to disrupt the tournament. The group is also targeting official sponsors of the Cup, in a bid to draw global attention to the inequalities present in Brazil. An activist linked to the group toldBBC News that the attacks will likely involve DDoS attacks, which will be a further strain on Brazil's overtaxed telecom networks.