The U.K.-based International Cable Protection Committee (ICPC) said last week it continues to investigate cuts to two submarine cables in the Baltic Sea and urged against media speculation about the causes. The BCS East-West cable experienced a fault Nov. 17, while the C-Lion cable reported a fault a day later. “These incidents have sparked significant speculation in news and social media, in many cases with conclusory statements about deliberate damage,” the group said in a statement: “At this stage in the investigations, however, no conclusive evidence has been disclosed to support such claims. The ICPC emphasizes that it's vital for the repair to proceed in a timely fashion and for investigations regarding the cause of damage be completed in a timely and objective manner so that governments and industry might learn from the incident and enhance cable protection going forward.” Chinese ship Yi Peng 3 sailed over the cables at about the time they were severed and is suspected of being responsible, according to various media reports. At the time of the reports, the ship was anchored in the Kattegat strait between Sweden and Denmark. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said Thursday he formally asked Chinese authorities about the two cables, which run between Finland and Germany and Sweden and Lithuania, The Guardian reported. The ICPC didn't comment Friday.

The European Parliament Wednesday approved a slate of European commissioners, whose five-year terms are expected to begin Dec. 1. Among the new officials are Henna Virkkunen, former Finnish member of the European Parliament, as executive vice president-tech sovereignty, security and democracy; Stephane Sejourne, former French minister of foreign affairs, as vice president-prosperity and industrial strategy; Teresa Ribera Rodriguez, former Spanish ecological transition minister, as executive vice president for a clean, just and competitive transition; and Michael McGrath of Ireland's Republican Party as commissioner for democracy, justice and the rule of law. The new team will work across different areas "because the challenges of our times are all intertwined," said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The EC's first major initiative will be a "competitiveness compass" under which Europe will close the innovation gap with the U.S. and China, create a joint plan for decarbonization and competitiveness; and boost security, von der Leyen announced. "Without urgent, powerful and ambitious reforms from policymakers, Europe will fall even further behind its global peers," said the GSM Association. Much of 2024 has been spent debating the new Digital Networks Act, and GSMA urged the EC to make it a priority. Among other things, the measure calls for reducing regulations and updating spectrum licensing procedures.

Google subsidiary Starfish Infrastructure hopes to start commercial operations in Q3 2026 for the U.S. landing points for its proposed Bulikula submarine cable system, it said in an application posted Monday. It told the FCC the private, non-common carrier subsea cable system would connect Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and Hawaii to Fiji and French Polynesia. Bulikula is the Fijian word for a rare shell found in the Pacific Ocean, it said. Starfish intends to install and test the Bulikula system in U.S. waters in Q2 2026.

Ontario will use SpaceX's Starlink satellite broadband to provide internet access to 15,000 unserved and underserved homes and businesses, including rural and remote communities, starting in June, the province said last week as it announced its Ontario Satellite Internet program. Starlink service is part of the province's broader program to close the digital divide. It said through those efforts more than 100,000 homes and businesses have been connected to date, with 450,000 more to be connected by end of 2025.

As part of Australian telecommunications company Vocus Group's purchase of Australian telecom TPG Telecom's submarine cable business, the two are seeking FCC approval for control of the submarine cable landing license they jointly hold for the PPC-1 submarine cable system. In an application posted Friday, the two said they hope to close on the deal in Q3 2025. PPC-1 started service in 2009 and connects Sydney, Australia, and Piti, Guam.

Motorola Solutions said it bought 3tc Software, a provider of control room software solutions for fire and rescue services and police in the U.K. The company’s computer-aided dispatch software is designed to maximize “call-taker speed and efficiency in high-stress environments,” said a Monday news release: “The single-screen software gathers and synthesizes critical data that enables call takers to display the real-time location of the caller and the closest emergency responders to more quickly dispatch help to those in need.”

BCE Inc.'s Bell Canada will acquire Ziply Fiber in a transaction valued at $7 billion, the companies announced Monday. It includes $5 billion in cash and the assumption of outstanding net debt of $2 billion. Bell estimated that about $4.2 billion in net proceeds from selling its ownership stake in Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment will go toward funding the acquisition. The companies also expect to reach more than 12 million locations with fiber by the end of 2028. "This acquisition enhances our growth strategy with the scale and experience of one of North America’s leading fiber operators," said Ziply Fiber CEO Harold Zeitz.

The proportion of the world's population using mobile internet on its own devices is growing but at a slowing pace, GSMA said Wednesday. Between 2015 and 2021, more than 200 million users were added annually, but 2023, like 2022, saw 160 million begin using mobile internet, it said. In all, 4.6 billion people -- 57% of the world's population -- are using mobile internet on their own device -- but another 350 million are in remote areas without mobile internet coverage and 3.1 billion can access coverage but don't, GSMA said. The least-connected region is sub-Saharan Africa, with 27% of the population using mobile internet service. Device affordability and digital literacy are major barriers to broader adoption.

China-based Hikvision USA provided the FCC with additional information about its proposed plan for compliance with agency rules (see 2308070047). Questions were posed during an August meeting with staff from the FCC Public Safety Bureau, Office of Engineering and Office of General Counsel, said a filing this week in docket 21-232. “Hikvision does not market, sell, or distribute component parts to the U.S. market,” the company said: “Nor does it intentionally make available Hikvision-manufactured component parts for inclusion in products marketed, sold, or distributed in the United States.” Hikvision said Hangzhou Hikvision Technology “or one of its subsidiaries or affiliates, such as Ezviz or HikRobot, contracts directly” with original equipment manufacturers. It’s Hikvision’s understanding “that the OEM entity will apply for and obtain the applicable equipment authorization from the Commission,” the filing said.

U.S. companies and trade groups applauded a recent Bureau of Industry and Security rule that expanded the agency’s export control exemption for certain standards-setting activities. They said the rule change will help remove licensing barriers that American officials face at international bodies while working on emerging technology standards. While the Technology Trade Regulation Alliance welcomed the rule changes, it said BIS should continue expanding the exemption to cover a wider set of technologies discussed in standards bodies involving the electronics, telecommunications and aviation industries. For example, the TTRA said BIS should harmonize its standards-setting-related controls with how it treats other information shared publicly, such as fundamental research. The rule “appears inconsistent with the BIS approach to other First Amendment protected commercial speech,” the alliance said. UL Standards & Engagement, a nonprofit standards development organization, and the Wi-Fi Alliance said the rule update will help their members more easily participate in standards bodies. The Wi-Fi Alliance specifically said the rule confirms that the type of standards-related activity its members are involved in “is not restricted by the Export Administration Regulations.” BIS issued rules in 2020 and 2022 that authorize releasing certain controlled technology for specific standards-setting activities, including when companies on the Entity List, such as Huawei, are participating in those bodies.