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Month: March 2025

  • The global market for medical digital imaging systems is forecast to rise to USD 67.38B

    The global market for medical digital imaging systems is forecast to rise to USD 67.38B

    The global medical digital imaging system market size was estimated at USD 36.51 billion in 2024 and is predicted to increase from USD 38.82 billion in 2025 to approximately USD 67.38 billion by 2034, expanding at a CAGR of 6.32% from 2025 to 2034. The increasing prevalence of chronic diseases globally, rising healthcare spending, rapid technological innovation in 3D and 4D imaging, and a surge in the aging population are among several factors expected to drive the growth of the medical digital imaging system market throughout the projection period.

    Role of artificial intelligence (AI) in medical digital imaging system market
    In recent years, with the rapid evolution of digitalization in healthcare, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a driving force in the medical digital imaging system market. Combining cutting-edge AI techniques in medical digital imaging profoundly impacts medical diagnosis and patient care, and it continues to shape the future of the healthcare industry. AI algorithms effectively analyze imaging data from CT scans, X-rays, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRIs) and assist in detecting abnormalities and chronic diseases, including cancer, at an early stage. Harnessing the power of AI in medical digital imaging provides substantial benefits to the healthcare industry. AI can improve diagnostic accuracy by rapidly and precisely analyzing massive amounts of imaging data, detecting abnormalities that can be overlooked by the human eye. Therefore, the integration of AI has great potential to reshape the future of medical digital imaging, enabling healthcare professionals to reduce and address complexities in diagnostics, streamline workflows, and improve patient outcomes.

    US medical digital imaging system market size and growth 2025 to 2034
    The US medical digital imaging system market size was exhibited at USD 10.10 billion in 2024 and is projected to be worth around USD 19.02 billion by 2034, growing at a CAGR of 6.53% from 2025 to 2034.

    North America held the largest share of the medical digital imaging system market in 2024. This is mainly due to the presence of sophisticated healthcare facilities, the rising incidence of chronic disorders, and the growing geriatric population. There is a high demand for advanced medical imaging due to the heightened awareness among people about the early detection of diseases. The availability of advanced medical digital imaging systems, rapid technological innovation in medical imaging, and the rise in private and public investments to enhance healthcare infrastructure further bolstered the market in the region.

    Asia Pacific is expected to witness the fastest growth during the forecast period. This is mainly due to the rising prevalence of chronic diseases, rising healthcare expenditure, increasing aging population, and rising awareness of early diagnosis of diseases for better treatment outcomes. The rising investments in research and development activities and the increasing demand for early detection technology further support market growth. Moreover, rising government initiatives to improve healthcare and diagnostic facilities are anticipated to fuel the regional market growth during the forecast period.

    Europe is anticipated to witness notable growth in the upcoming period. The region boasts advanced medical imaging facilities, along with skilled professionals. There is a high demand for personalized treatment plans, in which medical imaging plays a crucial role. The rising adoption of cloud-based solutions, AI, and mobile technologies to revolutionize medical imaging contributes to regional market growth. Moreover, the rising focus on early disease detection and improving healthcare infrastructure is expected to propel the growth of the medical digital imaging system market in Europe.

    Market overview
    Medical digital imaging systems have significantly revolutionized the landscape of the healthcare industry. Medical digital imaging systems are modern medical imaging technologies and devices that are capable of generating visual illustrations of internal body parts for medical intervention and clinical diagnosis. Various types of medical digital imaging are used in the healthcare sector, including ultrasound, radiography, X-rays, CT scans, MRI, and nuclear medicine, which provide invaluable insights to doctors that enhance the chances of successful treatment of patients. The medical digital imaging system market is witnessing rapid growth due to the rising demand for minimally invasive procedures and advancements in imaging technologies.

    Market dynamics
    Drivers
    Rising need for precise and accurate diagnosis
    The growing need for precise and accurate diagnosis of chronic conditions is driving the growth of the medical digital imaging system market. With the increasing incidence of chronic diseases worldwide, there is a heightened need for precise and accurate diagnosis. Imaging techniques like MRI, CT scans, and X-rays provide faster and more accurate diagnoses as well as improve patient treatment outcomes. Medical digital imaging finds applications in various healthcare departments such as Oncology, Cardiology, Neurology, Gynecology, and others. Medical imaging technology has significantly revolutionized the way doctors diagnose and treat patients. Medical digital imaging systems bring new capabilities and advancements to improve patient care.

    Restraint
    High cost
    The high cost associated with medical digital imaging systems is anticipated to hamper the growth of the medical digital imaging system market. The high cost of medical digital imaging systems may result in slow adoption, especially in low-income countries. High costs create barriers for small healthcare organizations due to budget constraints. In addition, the rising concerns regarding the potential health risks associated with continuous exposure to ionizing radiation from imaging tests, including CT scans, limit the growth of the market.

    Opportunities
    Technological advancements
    Advancements in medical technologies create lucrative growth opportunities in the medical digital imaging system market. A medical digital imaging system plays a crucial role in the accurate and rapid diagnosis of a wide range of chronic diseases. The rapid advancements in medical imaging technology result in more accurate diagnoses and improved treatment outcomes. Some of the significant advancements in medical imaging systems include Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Computed Tomography (CT) Scanning, Ultrasound Technology, and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scanning. Precedence Research

  • WhatsApp is upheld by an EU court counsel vs the EU privacy regulator

    WhatsApp is upheld by an EU court counsel vs the EU privacy regulator

    Meta Platforms’ WhatsApp on Thursday got the backing of an adviser to Europe’s top court in its fight against the EU privacy watchdog, which had ordered the Irish data protection authority to jack up a fine four years ago for privacy breaches.

    The Irish enforcer fined WhatsApp 225 million euros ($242.2 million) in 2021 following complaints about its use of personal data in Ireland. The higher penalty came after the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) intervened in the case.

    A lower tribunal rejected WhatsApp’s challenge against the EDPB in 2022, saying it has no legal standing to sue the authority as it was not directly affected by the EDPB’s decision, but that it could go to a national court on the Irish fine.

    WhatsApp subsequently appealed to the Luxembourg-based Court of Justice of the European Union, Europe’s highest.

    CJEU Advocate General Tamara Capeta on Thursday faulted the lower tribunal on its analysis.

    “WhatsApp’s challenge of the EDPB decision is admissible and the case should be referred back to the General Court for a decision on the merit,” Capeta said in a non-binding opinion.

    The CJEU, which follows its advisers’ recommendations in four out of five cases, is expected to rule in the coming months. Reuters

  • Additional underwater cables were suggested by experts for India’s web traffic

    Additional underwater cables were suggested by experts for India’s web traffic

    More undersea cables are needed to carry the bulk of international internet and telecom traffic to and from India, experts said.

    “India’s share of subsea cable landing stations presently constitutes 1%” of the world’s total, said Aruna Sundararajan, a former Union Secretary of Electronics and Information Technology who is presently chairperson of the Broadband India Forum (BIF), an industry body for big tech firms and internet service providers operating in India.

    “India should rightfully have ten times the number of existing cable landing stations and four- to fivefold capacity of sub-sea cables as we go forward,” Sundararajan added, speaking at a BIF event on sub-sea cable deployments.

    More undersea cables are needed to carry the bulk of international internet and telecom traffic to and from India, experts said on Wednesday (March 26, 2025).

    “India’s share of subsea cable landing stations presently constitutes 1%” of the world’s total, said Aruna Sundararajan, a former Union Secretary of Electronics and Information Technology who is presently chairperson of the Broadband India Forum (BIF), an industry body for big tech firms and internet service providers operating in India.

    “India should rightfully have ten times the number of existing cable landing stations and four- to fivefold capacity of sub-sea cables as we go forward,” Ms. Sundararajan added, speaking at a BIF event on sub-sea cable deployments.

    Cable protection zones
    Sonia Jorge, founder and executive director of the Global Digital Inclusion Partnership, said that India would do well to protect the cables it already has. India needs to implement “cable protection zones,” Ms. Jorge said, to protect portions of cables near the coast from fishing activities.

    “In our internal estimate, at least 11 out of the 17 cables [landing in India] are at economic end-of-life today,” said Amajit Gupta, CEO of Lightstorm, an internet infrastructure firm. “Physical end-of-life could be 25 years and that really poses a challenge and shows the asymmetry of this infrastructure relative to the growth that we aspire to.”

    Unused coastline
    Gupta pointed out that even though two-thirds of India’s borders are coastal, “95% of cables land in a six-kilometre stretch in Versova in Mumbai,” some of the most expensive real estate in the country. More cables needed to be installed for redundancy, he said.

    “If there is an incident in the Red Sea” — where several cables pass through a narrow opening in the Bab al-Mandab Strait — “India can lose 25% of its bandwidth,” he added. “That’s not just theory, it happened two years ago,” when Houthi rebels attacked that infrastructure, he said.

    “We also need to think about threats in the Malacca Strait,” he warned, referring to another cable choke point connecting the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea. “All our internet either enters through the west or through the east, irrespective of how good the infrastructure locally is.” The Hindu

  • The draft space law is being closely examined. Singh Jitendra

    The draft space law is being closely examined. Singh Jitendra

    The government on Wednesday said the draft space law was undergoing thorough scrutiny as it was the maiden bill for the sector.

    “Being the maiden bill in the sector, the same is undergoing thorough scrutiny in the government and will be introduced after all due processes are complete,” Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Jitendra Singh said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.

    The “Space Activities Bill” was first discussed in 2017 to establish a legal framework to regulate and promote space activities in India — specifically focussed towards private players in the sector.

    Singh — who oversees the Department of Space, which falls under the PMO — said the Department of Economic Affairs and the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade had concurred with the approval of the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACe) board for selection of Ms SIDBI Venture Capital Limited as investment manager for a Rs 1,000 crore venture capital fund for the space sector.

    The fund was proposed by IN-SPACe to address the critical lack of risk capital in the high-tech space sector, which is essential to sustain growth and enable Indian companies to compete internationally.

    The fund, announced in the Union Budget in July last year, is designed to address the unique needs of private companies operating in the high-risk, high-reward field of space technology. PTI

  • SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service will be allowed in Vietnam

    SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service will be allowed in Vietnam

    Vietnam’s government said on Wednesday it will allow SpaceX to launch its Starlink satellite internet service on a trial basis in the country.

    There is no limit on foreign ownership of the service, the government said in a statement, adding that the trial period will last until the end of 2030.

    Allowing the U.S. firm to launch its internet service is seen by some analysts as one of the measures the Southeast Asian industrial hub has taken to avoid being hit with U.S. tariffs.

    It is not yet clear if SpaceX has applied for a licence to launch its service in Vietnam.

    Starlink operates in more than 120 markets worldwide.

    The statement said the company is allowed to provide fixed and mobile service plans throughout Vietnam, including services on flights.

    The government’s decision limits the number of subscribers at 600,000 for the trial period, according to the statement. Reuters

  • A senator seeks a probe into China’s involvement in US spectrum auction

    A senator seeks a probe into China’s involvement in US spectrum auction

    Senate Commerce Committee chair Ted Cruz on Tuesday asked U.S Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard to investigate if China is covertly working to prevent Congress from extending authority to auction wireless spectrum.

    In 2023, the Federal Communications Commission lost the broad authority from Congress for wireless spectrum sales and lawmakers are considering legislation that would approve new auctions to free up spectrum for growing wireless use.

    “China is actively working to capture global leadership in this area and ensure the next generation of global telecommunications technologies live and work on a technological backbone of their making,” Cruz said in a letter seen by Reuters.

    Cruz said on Tuesday that he is working to get spectrum auction authority attached to broad tax legislation Congress is expected to take up in the coming months.

    China has announced it would open more spectrum bands for future 5G and 6G wireless use while the United States is debating next steps, Cruz noted.

    “Freeing up spectrum for commercial use in the United States is not just important for our economic growth; it is critically important for our global leadership,” Cruz wrote.

    He said a new spectrum auction could raise $100 billion or more.

    “If we do not catch up and lead, it will be Huawei that creates the backbone of tomorrow’s global communication networks through which much of the world’s economic traffic — and indeed, much of our government’s traffic — will flow,” Cruz said.

    China-based Huawei, the world’s largest telecommunications equipment maker, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    The FCC will re-auction spectrum to provide nearly $3.1 billion for U.S. telecom companies to remove equipment made by Huawei and ZTE.

    Last week, FCC Chair Brendan Carr said the commission is investigating nine Chinese companies including Huawei, ZTE China Mobile and China Telecom to determine if they are seeking to evade U.S. restrictions.

    It is the latest in a series of actions against Chinese telecom and technology firms by Washington. The FCC previously barred the Chinese companies from providing telecommunications services in the United States, citing national security concerns. Reuters

  • WBSEPS & Vi sign an MOU to promote MSMEs digitally

    WBSEPS & Vi sign an MOU to promote MSMEs digitally

    Vodafone Idea (Vi) on Tuesday said it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the West Bengal State Export Promotion Society (WBSEPS) to accelerate digital transformation of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the state.

    The move comes as the West Bengal government aims to strengthen its MSME ecosystem, which employs over one crore people.

    The collaboration will leverage the digital assessment and advisory initiative of the telecom company and it has already evaluated over 1.9 lakh MSMEs nationwide since its launch in 2022, the statement said.

    Under the partnership, the telecom major will provide localised digital tools and training modules in Bengali, and host webinars to enhance tech adoption among West Bengal’s MSMEs.

    “MSMEs contribute 30 per cent to India’s GDP. This partnership will empower them with digital capabilities to scale operations and access global markets,” Vi Business EVP & Segment Head Rajeev Mehta said.

    The West Bengal government emphasised the initiative’s focus on rural artisans and women entrepreneurs.

    “This aligns with our mission to bridge the digital divide and foster inclusive growth,” MSME & Textiles Department Principal Secretary Rajesh Pandey said. PTI

  • Airtel & Meta are seeking for subsidies to expand their undersea cable

    Airtel & Meta are seeking for subsidies to expand their undersea cable

    Developers of undersea cable infrastructure, such as Bharti Airtel and Meta, on Tuesday called for incentives, easier regulations and a sustained policy push to quickly bring more subsea cables into India, and create indigenous cable repair vessels at home.

    Speaking at the first-ever conference on subsea cable systems in India, organised by the Broadband India Forum, industry officials said India has great potential to become a hub for submarine cables connecting it and other countries to Europe, West Asia, Africa, and Southeast Asia, given its strategic geographical position. Partnering with telecom operators, global submarine cable consortiums have outlined plans to land multiple cables in the country.

    However, the industry faces major hurdles in repairing damaged cables.

    “The biggest problem for cable landing systems is fishing trawlers which break the cables regularly. The approval needed to get a repair ship to India takes 6 months. It requires officials from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to be present on the ship when maintenance is going on,” Bharti Airtel’s Chief Regulatory Officer Rahul Vatts said.

    The industry also faces challenges on customs duty, having to report whether repairs of cables are ongoing within or outside India’s Economic Zone, which raises confusion, and escalates costs, he added.

    In order to further incentivise the sector, he suggested the government reduce the licence fees for cable landing systems and tax incentives on the import of cables. Airtel has 400,000 route kilometres of cable, 10 large data centres and investments in 34 large cable systems globally. It also has large CPaaS partnerships which carry the traffic globally.

    Submarine telecommunication cables are the backbone of global communication, carrying approximately 99 per cent of internet traffic and supporting critical services such as commerce, finance, government operations, digital health, and education. Physically linking continents, they also connect markets. As of 2024, more than 500 active cable systems are in operation, transmitting vast amounts of data with high efficiency. While India has become the largest data generating nation, and hosts more than 152 data centres, it is fed by only 18 undersea cables.

    Strategic concerns
    India also doesn’t have in-house repair and cable installation capabilities. “If 4 or 5 cables go down today, the entire internet traffic can go down. We were nearly at that point 2-3 years back since the cable repair ship was not being allowed to enter the country,” Vatts said.

    On the other hand, 15 of India’s 18 undersea cables go through just a single 6 km wide area on the Juhu, Versova beach in Mumbai, pointing out strategic risks, Amajit Gupta, group CEO & managing director of network infrastructure major Lightstorm, said. A small fire in that area brought down 4 cables, he revealed.

    “About 20 per cent of global internet traffic is consumed or generated in India. To support that, India has only about 3 per cent of global subsea cables, and 2 per cent of global subsea traffic,” Gupta said, adding that at least 11 of India’s cables are at the end of their average 25-year life today.

    While data centres can be built within 2 years, a transoceanic cable system takes at least 5 years to build, Scott Cowling, director, Network Investments at Meta said, calling for an attractive policy environment for foreign companies.

    Meta last month announced India will be a key component of the ambitious 50,000 km Project Waterworth, which will touch the United States, India, Brazil, South Africa, and other key regions.

    “Meta is the largest investor in digital infrastructure globally. In order to serve 4 billion daily users, we have invested in one of the largest terrestrial and subsea cable networks across the planet,” Cowling said. Business Standard

  • Impacting US tech titans, India reduces its 6% digital ad tax.

    Impacting US tech titans, India reduces its 6% digital ad tax.

    India will scrap a tax of 6 per cent on digital advertisements online, the finance minister said on Tuesday, easing costs for U.S. tech giants such as Alphabet’s Google, Meta and Amazon as a way of soothing U.S. trade concerns.

    The move responds to concerns raised by Washington after President Donald Trump threatened reciprocal tariffs from April 2 on trading partners, including India, that fuelled alarm among exporters.

    Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled the change while introducing amendments to the 2025 Finance Bill in the lower house of parliament, which approved the tax measures in the budget.

    “(I) have proposed to remove (the) 6 per cent equalization levy for advertisements,” she told parliament.

    The decision on the levy takes effect from April 1, a government source said earlier, speaking on condition of anonymity.

    During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit last month to the United States, both nations agreed to work on the first phase of a trade deal by autumn 2025, targeting two-way trade of $500 billion by 2030.

    India’s 6 per cent equalisation levy, or digital tax, affects online advertising services provided by foreign companies, requiring them to withhold and remit the tax to the government.

    The United States Trade Representative (USTR) had criticised the levy targeting U.S. companies as “discriminatory and unreasonable”, arguing that domestic companies were exempt.

    A U.S. delegation led by Brendan Lynch, the assistant U.S. trade representative for South and Central Asia, is visiting India this week for talks with officials.

    Last year, New Delhi abolished a levy of 2 per cent on non-resident e-commerce firms for providing online services.

    Analysts said the new measure was likely to provide relief to U.S. tech companies.

    The decision signals an attempt to ease trade tension with the United States, said Amit Maheshwari, tax partner at AKM Global.

    “However, it remains to be seen whether this step, coupled with ongoing diplomatic efforts, will lead to any softening of the U.S. stance,” he added. Reuters

  • AT&T is in talks to buy Lumen’s consumer fiber unit

    AT&T is in talks to buy Lumen’s consumer fiber unit

    AT&T is in talks to acquire Lumen Technologies’ consumer fiber operations, in a deal that could value the unit at more than $5.5 billion, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, citing people with knowledge of the matter.

    Shares of Lumen were down more than 14% after the report.

    The terms, which are not yet finalized, could change or the talks might still collapse, according to the report.

    The potential move to offload the fiber business, which provides high-speed internet services to residential customers, comes as Lumen is doubling down on the AI boom to power its near-term growth, while grappling with a rapid decline of its legacy business.

    Lumen kicked off a process to sell its consumer fiber operations, Reuters reported in December.

    The fiber-optic cable provider has over 1,700 wire centers across its total network, with consumer fiber available in about 400 of them.

    U.S. telecom giant AT&T has been investing in its high-speed fiber internet offerings to help drive faster subscriber and revenue growth. Earlier this month, it had forecast first-quarter adjusted profit in line with analysts’ estimate. US News