With the new Monet submarine cable to the US and the new SAC submarine cable to Africa, the connectivity in Brazil is growing by leaps and bounds. In conjunction with this growth the cloud/data center business is getting stronger. Global provider Equinix has opened a $69m International Business Exchange (IBX) data center in São Paulo, Brazil, the company's largest to date.

US telecommunications colossus AT&T has been issued with a $224m lawsuit after an investor in cryptocurrency accused the US operator of engaging in fraudulent and gross negligence in relation to the theft of digital currency.

US telecommunications incumbent AT&T has responded to speculation regarding the possible sale of its smart data centers. A representative of the operator has confirmed it is currently assessing that option as a possibility in a bid to raise capital to invest in both its wireless and video business units.

US telecommunications incumbent AT&T has announced that it is collaborating with the City of San Jose in a public-private partnership which aims to foster the creation of a smart city.

US telecommunications operator Verizon has announced that it plans to rollout 5G fixed wireless services in five major cities across the country in 2018. The development would represent the first application of 5G wireless in the United States.

US telecommunications colossus AT&T is reportedly mulling over a move to launch wireless services in Brazil.

US telecommunications behemoth Verizon has pledged its commitment to helping the environment in an effort to address climate change by investing $1bn in green-friendly projects.

US President Donald Trump has expressed the need to invest in Artificial Intelligence and dedicate more pertinent resources and research in the framework of the American AI initiative under which, the administration will call upon government agencies to prioritize AI investments in R&D, increase access to federal data and models and train employees on AI-related skills.

A US ride-services firm has bolstered its attempts to compete for market share with its fierce and larger rival Uber Technologies Inc. by raising $600m in fresh funding. Lyft which was launched in 2012 - has continued to invest in its growth in order to expand its services. This year, the company has extended its services to 100 new cities.

The Department of Transportation in the US state of Minnesota has announced that it has officially commenced trials of its new driverless bus shuttles. The US state becomes the latest in a whole host of North American cities to trial new autonomous technology which if tested successfully will be subsequently integrated into its public transportation sector.

A comprehensive study released by CTIA, a US-based industry association of wireless carriers - has claimed that China remains ahead of South Korea in the race to develop and subsequently deploy 5G networks.

US e-commerce behemoth Amazon has become the latest technology leader to join the self-driving race following its decision to invest $700m in an electric vehicle startup company.

IBM has formally announced the launch of its Innovation and Industry Client Center in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Inaugurated under the patronage of the Abu Dhabi Government, the center aims to fast track the digital transformation of both public and private organizations through advanced technologies in artificial intelligence (AI), cloud, blockchain, security, analytics, Internet of Things and quantum computing.

Sestek, a provider of speech-enabled smart technologies announced today that it has become an Avaya DevConnect Technology Partner. Through direct R&D engagement, deep product integration, and strong support relationships, the Avaya DevConnect ecosystem delivers a wider range of technology options for Avaya users to drive their business forward and provide value to their customers, from ready-made solutions validated for interoperability to custom-tailored applications.

Recognizing Dubai as the epicenter for innovation in region, Avaya Holdings Corp has announced that it will be building on its long-standing relationship with the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) by opening a Customer Experience Center (CEC) at One Central, a new international Grade-A mixed-use development in the heart of the city.

US technology leader Apple has announced that it is cutting back on its dedicated self-driving team. However, it declared that it was remaining in the race to deploy autonomous vehicles.

A Taiwanese venture-backed start-up has agreed to partner with a leading Japanese investment company in an attempt to deploy its electric 'smart-scooters' in the technologically-driven country. Gogoro, which was founded in 2011, formally announced its agreement with global trading and business investment colossus Sumitomo Corporation.

Vodafone Germany said it plans to invest €2 billion in its fixed infrastructure as it moves to deliver gigabit fiber broadband to 13.7 million customers. The company said it aims to finish the investment by 2021 and will focus on three segments in cooperation with partner companies in Germany.

UK telecommunications colossus Vodafone is launching a consumer IoT product which will allow its customers to connect millions of home and leisure electronic products to the company's dedicated global IoT network, which is subsequently the largest in the world.

German car manufacturing colossus Volkswagen has announced that it will invest €20 billion in the development of electric vehicles in an effort to compete with US electric incumbent Tesla. The revelation ends months of speculation in relation to Volkswagen and its strategy towards ‘mass electrification'.