The state-owned monopoly that operates China’s vast network of mobile phone towers said Tuesday it plans to raise up to $8.7 billion in the biggest global stock offering in four years. China Tower Corp. said 60 percent of the money will be invested in its operations. It gave no indication of plans to expand outside…

A Google-affiliated company has chosen Kenya as the home of its first announced commercial deal for delivering internet access to hard-to-reach areas using high-altitude balloons. Loon, which is linked to Google through parent company Alphabet Inc., says it will work with Telkom Kenya to deliver 4G/LTE cellular access to Kenya in 2019. The balloons will…

U.S. authorities are allowing China’s ZTE Corp. to resume some business with American companies, temporarily easing part of a ban imposed over the tech giant’s exports to Iran and North Korea. The Commerce Department’s order this week follows a settlement under which ZTE agreed to pay a $1 billion fine, replace its executive team and…

The Norwegian Competition Authorities has fined Norway’s largest telecoms provider Telenor 788 million kroner ($96 million) for abusing its dominant position on the country’s mobile market. The watchdog’s director general, Lars Soergard, says Telenor made “a serious infringement of competition law” when creating “barriers for the development of a third mobile network in Norway.” The…

Last week, the FBI recommended rebooting home and small office routers that could have been infected with disruptive malware, allegedly by sophisticated state-backed Russian hackers. An estimated half million routers and network-attached storage devices have been infected. But even the FBI acknowledges this step will only “temporarily disrupt” the malware. Here are some questions and answers…

The U.N. telecommunications agency’s chief says several African countries are concerned about the possible fallout if Chinese telecom equipment maker ZTE Corp. collapses in a standoff with the United States. Houlin Zhao, secretary-general of the International Telecommunications Union, said such concerns were raised at the Transform Africa conference in Rwanda this month. Speaking Monday to…

A programming error led the FBI to vastly overstate the number of cell phones that investigators could not access because of encryption, officials said Wednesday. Director Chris Wray has repeatedly said in speeches that nearly 7,800 mobile devices seized during investigations couldn’t be opened due to digital encryption in fiscal year 2017. But officials said…

Louisiana will not be enacting a ban on hand-held cellphone use while driving. A House-backed proposal stalled in the Senate, and the regular session ended Friday without action on the bill, killing it. Rep. Mike Huval, a Breaux Bridge Republican, wanted state laws that already prohibit texting or posting to social media sites while driving to be…

Senate Democrats are urging President Donald Trump to reconsider his plans for helping Chinese telecommunications company ZTE get back into business. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and other leading Democrats sent a letter Tuesday to the administration saying Trump’s action casts “grave doubt” on his campaign promise to put America first. Their letter says,…

A Maryland county council has made it easier for wireless internet companies to install new equipment on utility poles in commercial and mixed-use areas. News outlets report the Montgomery County Council voted to allow the new equipment Tuesday. The changes come as wireless companies say they need more leeway to boost internet speeds via the…

In a surprising overture to China, President Donald Trump says he would help a Chinese telecommunications company get “back into business,” saying too many jobs in China are at stake after the U.S. government cut off access to its American suppliers. The U.S. Commerce Department last month blocked the ZTE Corp., a major supplier of…

Senate Democrats are making a final push to gather support needed for U.S. Sen. Edward Markey’s effort to undo the Federal Communications Commission’s repeal of Obama-era internet net neutrality rules. The Massachusetts Democrat and New York Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer are planning to officially file Markey’s discharge petition on Wednesday aimed at reinstating the…

Chinese technology company ZTE says it has applied to the U.S. Commerce Department asking it to suspend a seven-year ban on it doing business with U.S. technology exporters. The company said in a statement late Sunday that it had “formally submitted” a request to the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security for a “stay…

Drivers will be banned from holding their cellphones or other electronic devices, even while stopped, under a new law signed by Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal. News outlets reports drivers will also be prohibited from watching movies or shooting video. Drivers still can talk on the phone or text if they use hands-free technology. The bill…

O’Hare and Midway international airports will now be providing free unlimited Wi-Fi making long layovers a little more bearable. The Chicago Department of Aviation says the airports previously provided free Wi-Fi with a 30 minute limit. Passengers will now have access to unlimited Wi-Fi — plus streaming capabilities — with rolling ads every 45 minutes.…

Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner has signed a measure that local governments say would limit their ability to regulate big wireless facilities including AT&T and Verizon. The plan expands access to 5G networks by allowing companies to install small cell antennas on streetlights and utility poles. Local governments cannot regulate or charge for the installation or maintenance of…

The Nevada Supreme Court says public employee emails and cell phone communications are public records, even if they are stored on personal cellphone and computer devices. The state high court ruled unanimously Thursday that a group of Lyon County residents can obtain records reflecting decision-making by Lyon County commissioners about a Comstock Mining land-use request…

Travelers at the world’s busiest airport in Atlanta can once again use free Wi-Fi to go online after a cyberattack that hit the city last month. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport sent a tweet Monday saying that its free Wi-Fi is up and running. The message adds: “To all — thank you for your patience.” The…

U.S. authorities are investigating Apple’s slowing of older iPhones, according to published reports. The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg reported Tuesday that the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission are probing whether Apple violated securities laws. In December, Apple apologized for the slowdown after a blogger’s tests revealed the secretive practice. Apple has previously been rebuked…

The chairman of the U.S. Senate’s commerce committee wants Apple to lift the veil on its once-secret slowdown of older iPhones. Sen. John Thune, a South Dakota Republican, issued his request for more information in a letter sent Tuesday to Apple CEO Tim Cook. Among other things, Thune wants to know if Apple made any…

Vermont Gov. Phil Scott says he’s decided to opt-in to the federal FirstNet plan to deliver a wireless broadband network to the state’s public safety community. A state commission recently recommended that Vermont join the federal contract with AT&T to build a broadband network for use by public safety agencies across the country. Every U.S.…

The Japanese government is urging steelmaker Kobe Steel to clarify the extent of manipulation of data on steel, aluminum and other metals used in a wide range of products, reportedly including rockets, aircraft and cars. A government spokesman on Wednesday criticized the apparently widespread falsification of data as “inappropriate,” saying it could undermine product safety.…

Drones will help deliver toothbrushes, deodorant and smartphones to Swiss homes this fall as part of a pilot project, the first of its kind over a densely populated area. The drones will take items from a distribution center in the Zurich area and transport them 8 to 16 kilometers to awaiting delivery vans. The van…

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s culture secretary needs more time to consider Twenty-First Century Fox’s takeover bid for the Sky pay television and broadband network. Culture Secretary Karen Bradley said Thursday in an update before Parliament breaks for recess that she is not yet in a position to make a final decision on whether or not…

Microsoft is announcing a project to bring broadband internet access to rural parts of the United States. Microsoft President Brad Smith says in a blog post that he plans to unveil details about the initiative at a Tuesday event in Washington, D.C. The company, based in Redmond, Washington, is calling for a combination of private…