The decline of once-dominant telecommunications giant Nokia had grim repercussions for the Finnish city of Tampere, in which it employed 4000 people at its peak. However, with an educated, highly skilled workforce, and its innovative streak still fully intact, Tampere is filling the 'Nokia gap' with a number of exciting projects.

Over the past two decades, Malaysia has established itself as one of the world's leading low-cost electrical component manufacturers. However, thanks to academic institutions such as Kuala Lumpur's Mimos ICT centre of innovation, the country is looking to rise up the value chain in this sector.

The availability and connectivity of mobile phones in Africa has resulted in a hike in telecommunications investment in the continent in recent years, coupled with an explosion in innovation. But, asks Barbara Njau, is this boom sustainable? 

While civil unrest in the Middle East and north Africa is making many businesses operating in the area decidedly twitchy, the CEO of Zain Group tells Barbara Njau that the telecommunications company's view that the region holds great long-term potential remains unshaken.

How do you ensure a country’s economic gains reach the poorest in the population? Robert Collymore, chief of telecoms firm Safaricom, believes he has the answer. 

Pakistan is looking to improve its current account with the issue of the country’s first Eurobond in years, a spectrum auction for telecoms licences and the privatisation of public sector entities.