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Malaysia’s communications regulator said it granted Tencent’s WeChat and ByteDance’s TikTok licences to operate in the country under a new social media law, but that some other platforms had not applied.

The law, aimed at tackling rising cybercrime, requires social media platforms and messaging services with more than 8 million users in Malaysia to obtain a licence or face legal action. It came into effect on Jan. 1.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission said messaging platform Telegram was in the final stages of obtaining its licence, while Meta Platforms, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, had begun the licensing process.

The regulator said X had not submitted an application because the platform said its local user base did not reach the 8 million threshold. The regulator said it was reviewing the validity of X’s claim.

Alphabet’s Google, which operates video platform YouTube, had also not applied for a licence after raising concerns about the video sharing features of YouTube and its classification under the licensing law, the regulator said. It did not state the concerns or how they relate to the law but said YouTube must adhere.

“Platform providers found to be in violation of licensing requirements may be subject to investigation and regulatory actions,” the regulator said.

Malaysia reported a sharp increase in harmful social media content in early 2024 and urged social media firms, including Meta and short video platform TikTok, to step up monitoring of their platforms.

Malaysian authorities deem online gambling, scams, child pornography and grooming, cyberbullying and content related to race, religion and royalty as harmful.

The companies do not publish the number of users per country on their platforms.

According to independent data provider World Population Review, WeChat has 12 million users in Malaysia.

Advisory firm Kepios said YouTube had about 24.1 million users in Malaysia in early 2024, TikTok 28.68 million users aged 18 and above, Facebook 22.35 million users, and X had 5.71 million. Reuters

Nvidia emerged as the biggest global gainer in market capitalisation for 2024, driven by surging interest in artificial intelligence and the robust demand for its AI-centric chips across various industries.

The chipmaker’s market value increased by over $2 trillion last year, reaching $3.28 trillion at the close of 2024, making it the second-most valuable listed company in the world. Its market value was $1.2 trillion at the end of 2023.

Meanwhile, Apple continued to lead global companies in market value, nearing a historic $4 trillion valuation. This surge was fuelled by investor enthusiasm for the company’s anticipated AI enhancements, aimed at revitalising sluggish iPhone sales.

At the end of 2024, Microsoft ranked third with a market value of $3.1 trillion, followed by Alphabet Inc and Amazon, each valued at approximately $2.3 trillion.

These tech companies significantly boosted their respective global indexes in 2024, with the S&P 500 index surging 23.3 per cent and the Nasdaq climbing 28.6 per cent.

Despite the shares’ higher valuations, looming US-China tariff tensions, and potentially slower US interest rate cuts, analysts remain optimistic about the sustained strong performance by tech firms in 2025.

Daniel Ives of Wedbush predicts a 25 per cent gain in tech stocks in 2025, attributing potential growth to a less regulatory environment under Donald Trump, forthcoming strong AI initiatives, and a stable foundation for Big Tech and Tesla in 2025 and beyond.

“We believe tech stocks will be robust in 2025 on the shoulders of the AI Revolution and $2 trillion+ of incremental AI cap-ex over the next 3 years,” he said. Reuters

RailTel Corporation shares jumped 7 per cent in Thursday’s trade on BSE logging an intraday high at Rs 433.35 per share. The buying sparked after the company bagged a work order worth Rs 78.43 crore from Bharat Coking Coal.

Around 9:43 AM, Railtel share price was up 6.14 per cent at Rs 429.8 per share on BSE. In comparison, the BSE Sensex was up 0.37 per cent at 78,800.72. The market capitalisation of the company stood at Rs 13,819.61 crore. The 52-week high of the stock stood at Rs 618 per share and the 52-week low stood at Rs 301.35 per share.

“This is to inform that RailTel Corporation of India Ltd. has received the work order from Bharat Coking Coal Limited for Works amounting to Rs. 78,43,30,164 (Including Tax),” the filing read.

Under the work order, RailTel has to provide the client with integrated information technology (IT) based security infrastructure along with various types Of services. It has to be completed by August 28, 2025.

On December 16, the company had bagged an order from Central Warehousing Corporation amounting to Rs 37.99 crore for SITC of CCTV.

Railtel Corporation of India Ltd. is a public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Railways, established in 2000, with the goal of modernizing and utilizing the Indian Railways’ telecom network. It operates one of India’s largest optical fiber cable networks, covering over 60,000 route kilometers along railway tracks, and providing broadband, telecommunication, and data services.

The company offers services such as high-speed internet, leased lines, MPLS VPN, and data center hosting. It also provides Wi-Fi at railway stations as part of India’s “Digital India” initiative, extending connectivity to rural and underserved areas. As a government-owned entity, Railtel supports various public sector projects, ensuring secure communication and contributing to the digital transformation of India. The company was listed on the stock exchange in 2021 as part of the government’s privatization efforts.

In the past one year, RailTel shares have gained 14.4 per cent against Sensex’s rise of 9.2 per cent. Business Standard

Every evening, Ergus Katiaj uploads a video on TikTok reminding customers that his shop in Tirana delivers potato chips, cigarettes and alcohol through the night. His phone buzzes with orders that add about 1,000 euros to his monthly profit.

But Katiaj will soon have to find a new way to attract business. Albania’s government has imposed a year-long ban on the social media app that it says is aimed at reducing youth violence but which rights groups and business owners say threatens commerce and free speech ahead of May elections.

“It will have a huge impact on my business because most of the sales are through delivery thanks to TikTok’s free marketing,” Katiaj said as he made deliveries across the outskirts of the capital.

Prime Minister Edi Rama announced the ban on December 21 after a 14-year-old boy was stabbed to death in November by a fellow pupil, a crime that local media reports said occurred after the boys clashed online. TikTok is expected to be taken down in the coming weeks.

The move follows bans or partial bans in at least 20 countries due to worries about improper videos or security concerns linked to the app’s owner, China-based ByteDance, and its proximity to the Chinese government.

In Albania, Rama said the decision came after discussions with parents and teachers, but opponents worry that it is part of the prime minister’s crackdown on political dissent after a year of popular unrest.

“This creates a dangerous precedent that at any moment governments can close different platforms,” said Orkidea Xhaferaj, from the Tirana-based think tank SCiDEV.

TikTok said it was seeking “urgent clarity” from the Albanian government because it says “multiple reports have in fact confirmed videos leading up to this incident were being posted on another platform, not TikTok.”

Albania saw regular violent protests last year against the jailing of political opponents. Demonstrators threw petrol bombs at government buildings and police responded with tear gas and water canons.

The leaders of the two biggest opposition parties, Sali Berisha of the Democratic Party and Ilir Meta of the Freedom Party, are charged with corruption offences. They deny the charges, which they say are politically motivated.

Arlind Qori, the leader of the political party Bashke (Together) formed in 2022, said the TikTok ban curtails a powerful opposition communication tool.

“He wants to close our mouth,” Qori said from his office where party supporters took refuge from the cold and discussed their campaign plans.

Rama insists the move is meant to protect young people. In an alleyway in central Tirana, a photo of the slain schoolboy hangs on an electric pole surrounded by withered flowers and messages from friends.

He was stabbed there and walked towards his school bleeding before an ambulance came.

“Inside China’s TikTok, you don’t see hooliganism, perversity, violence, bullying, crime,” Rama said when announcing his decision last month. Reuters

Apple agreed to pay $95 million in cash to settle a proposed class action lawsuit claiming that its voice-activated Siri assistant violated users’ privacy.

A preliminary settlement was filed on Tuesday night in the Oakland, California federal court, and requires approval by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White.

Mobile device owners complained that Apple routinely recorded their private conversations after they activated Siri unintentionally, and disclosed these conversations to third parties such as advertisers.

Voice assistants typically react when people use “hot words” such as “Hey, Siri.”

Two plaintiffs said their mentions of Air Jordan sneakers and Olive Garden restaurants triggered ads for those products. Another said he got ads for a brand name surgical treatment after discussing it, he thought privately, with his doctor.

The class period runs from Sept. 17, 2014 to Dec. 31, 2024. It began when Siri incorporated the “Hey, Siri” feature that allegedly led to the unauthorized recordings.

Class members, estimated in the tens of millions, may receive up to $20 per Siri-enabled device, such as iPhones and Apple Watches.

Apple denied wrongdoing in agreeing to settle.

The Cupertino, California-based company and its lawyers did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Thursday.

Lawyers for the plaintiffs did not immediately respond to similar requests. They may seek up to $28.5 million in fees, plus $1.1 million for expenses, from the settlement fund.

The $95 million is about nine hours of profit for Apple, whose net income was $93.74 billion in its latest fiscal year.

A similar lawsuit on behalf of users of Google’s Voice Assistant is pending in the San Jose, California federal court, in the same district as the Oakland court. The plaintiffs are represented by the same law firms as in the Apple case.

The case is Lopez et al v. Apple Inc., U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, No. 19-04577. Reuters

Government websites, including that of the Department of Economic Affairs, Commerce Ministry, and Department of Telecom, were restored after a brief disruption caused by a power outage at a data centre of National Informatics Centre Services Inc (NICSI).

Sources aware of the disruption said the websites went down because of a power outage at the NICSI data centre at Shastri Park and the issue is being resolved.

“The power outage at Shastri Park data centre of NICSI led to disruption in the functioning of some government websites. The sites are being restored and will be up and running shortly,” a source said.

National Informatics Centre Services Inc currently hosts and manages most of the government websites.

Later in the day, websites were found functional during a random check.

An email query sent to the Ministry of Electronics and IT elicited no immediate reply. PTI

In what could be a major upgrade for how users communicate, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is preparing to deploy an American communications satellite that would enable direct link from space for voice calls via smartphones.

This will reportedly be the first time a US company will launch a large communications satellite from India on a rocket. India has only launched small satellites made by American companies thus far.

According to a report, India’s Science Minister Jitendra Singh has said that, “in February or March we will be launching a US satellite for mobile communication, this satellite will enable voice communication on mobile phones. It will be an interesting mission.”

Satellite communication technology has the potential to reduce the dependency on mobile towers for calling, etc. In places like islands, deserts, and isolated locations that are hard for cell towers to reach, satellites can offer wider and much better coverage.

It can also enable users to stay connected while roaming globally, and even boost emergency services in times of natural disasters or calamities when regular cellphone services are disrupted.

While the American company that will produce the satellite has not been formally confirmed, those with knowledge of the matter expect that it will be launched by ISRO from Sriharikota for the Texas-based AST SpaceMobile. According to the report, AST SpaceMobile has contracted to launch the Bluebird satellite using either ISRO’s Launch Vehicle Mark-3 or Bahuballi rocket.

ISRO’s rocket will launch the satellite into low Earth orbit, and it will weigh close to 6,000 kg. The antennas on each Bluebird satellite will reportedly measure 64 square metres, or roughly half the area of a football field.

According to American media, AST SpaceMobile CEO Abel Avellan had announced last year that the company would launch one Block 2 of the Bluebird satellite using the Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle.

Avellan had earlier also said that the company “invented a technology that connects satellites directly to ordinary cell phones and provides broadband internet through the largest ever commercial phase array in low Earth orbit.” The mission is to bring “affordable 5G broadband service from space to billions of people worldwide, direct to everyday smartphones,” he had said.

As per the US company, its services can be used to make voice calls from any smartphone. The majority of other contemporary satellite-based Internet and phone providers need users to purchase specialised satellite phones or have specialised terminals.

The new satellite-based mobile connectivity will directly rival current carriers such as Oneweb and Starlink, which employ large satellite networks to deliver broadband Internet. NDTV Profit

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)‘s mandate of separate voice and SMS plans may negatively impact private telcos as they have been investing heavily in data-related services.

TRAI has asked telecom operators to come up with plans for basic services like voice and SMS specifically for the elderly, feature phone users and rural folk. It stated that such special tariff vouchers would be cost effective and help with market segmentation.

Revenue impact
Sumeysh Srivastava, Associate Director-Public Policy at The Quantum Hub said the new plans will impact company revenues as well as business models.

“Right now most of the packs come with free calling because it’s bundled along with the data. So, the revenue they get is mostly from the data usage, which is why they’re able to offer calls and SMSs for free. Now, if they’re only having to offer a calling pack, then they will start charging for calls as well,” he said.

Srivastava argued, that with such alternatives, users won’t have an incentive to really upgrade to 4G or 5G. This may spell trouble for telcos, who have invested a lot in the 5G infrastructure.

Spanner in the works
“The idea was that they will be able to pay back a lot of the money they have put in for the infrastructure in the future. But now, with this move, it sort of puts a spanner in the works because now it is possible for people to use a smartphone but not experience data,” he said.

Independent telecom expert Parag Kar in his assessment of the mandate said that telcos will likely just remove data bundles from existing voice plans in response to the TRAI directive. However, if compelled to introduce low-cost plans, the move could “erode the financial gains achieved through recent tariff hikes” leading to a significant business challenge, according to Kar.

In earlier letters to TRAI, telcos Vodafone Idea (Vi) and Bharti Airtel Ltd (Airtel) had said that tariffs in India are already cheaper than those across the globe, leaving little room for revisions.

“There is not much price elasticity available in the lower end of the tariff packs. The packs are available at as low as ₹ 6-7 per day for Voice+SMS,” said Vi.

Meanwhile, Airtel said that a selective intervention on one particular aspect of tariff will force service providers to adjust or rebalance other important aspects of tariff.

On the other hand, Mahesh Uppal, Director of Com First (India), said the new plans will only have a marginal impact on revenue.

Suggesting a format
“It’ll have a very marginal impact on companies. The companies will have a fallback position because they have freedom to price services as they wish. The only thing that TRAI seems to be doing is suggesting a format. It’s basically just a matter of billing. What happens in the operator’s billing system should not affect the rollout of the service,” he said.

When asked about customer benefits, Uppal said separate plans will help increase transparency for users in selecting the appropriate plan. However, he added, “I don’t think that by any stretch of imagination, this will necessarily increase affordability because the companies may decide to offer this service at a high price. What the TRAI is doing, is telling them how to charge, not how much to charge.” The Hindu BusinessLine

Bharti Airtel Ltd. will acquire a 26% stake in AMP Energy Green Three Pvt. for nearly Rs 38 crore, according to an exchange filing. It has entered into an agreement for acquisition of 3,78,90,005 equity shares, or a 26% stake, in the special purpose vehicle.

The Bharti group company, while clarifying that the acquisition doesn’t fall within the purview of “related-party transactions”, added that it will acquire the equity shares of Rs 10 apiece, for an aggregate of Rs 37.9 crore.

However, the company said that the completion of acquisition “is subject to the receipt of all consents, permissions required to be obtained by AMP Energy Green Three from regulatory authority for open access for captive consumption of electricity”.

AMP Energy Green Three is an SPV created by Amp Energy Green Pvt. for developing, constructing, operating and maintaining a 50-MW hybrid wind-solar power plant in a village in Rajasthan’s Barmer district.

According to the telecom giant, the move will enable it to comply with regulatory requirement for captive power plants under the provisions of Electricity Act, 2003 and Indian Electricity Rules, 2005 and procurement of cost-effective renewable energy.

The filing added that the project will be connected to Power Grid Corp.’s 220-KV grid substation at Fatehgarh and supply green power to industries across India through interstate network.

AMP Energy Green Three’s captive solar power plants will become operational only by the second quarter of FY 2025-26, it doesn’t have any revenue to report, the filing said.

For the second quarter of the current financial year, the telco’s consolidated net profit had fallen 12% sequentially. It had reported a profit of Rs 4,153 crore during the July–September period as compared to Rs 4,159 crore in the previous quarter.

Shares of Bharti Airtel Ltd. closed 0.86% higher at Rs 1,609.75 apiece on the BSE, compared to a 1.83% advance in the benchmark Sensex. NDTV Profit