DoT tells telcos to keep 5G away from airports – report; DeHaat raises $60 mln from Temasek, others

One Thing Today in Tech

India’s Department of Telecommunications has told the country’s top telcos to stop setting up 5G networks close to airports, over concerns that they could interfere with airplane instruments, Press Trust of India reports. India’s EV scooter sales continue to grow as established players raise their game. And in agri tech, DeHaat, one of the biggest startups in the sector, has raised series E funding from Temasek, Sofina and existing investors.

Notes

Apple has rolled out an incremental update to its iPhone software, fixing some security issues and improving crash detection in iPhone 14 and 14 Pro models. The update also improves compatibility with network providers, according to Apple.

Germany's federal and state data protection authorities have raised concerns about the compatibility of Microsoft 365 with data protection laws in Germany and the wider European Union, The Register reports.

According to the German watchdog's report, which was written after two years of negotiations with Microsoft, the body says that the product “remains in breach” of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Hundreds of CNN employees were notified of layoffs yesterday as part of CEO Chris Licht’s efforts to cut costs, CNBC reports.

CNN had about 4,400 employees. The layoffs affected hundreds of staffers but amounted to a “single-digit percentage” of staff, according to CNBC, which cited a person familiar with the matter. That would mean no more than about 400 staffers were let go.

The layoffs are part of a broader effort at Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company of CNN, to cut costs heading into 2023, according to CNBC.

India’s Department of Telecommunications has told the country’s top telcos to stop setting up 5G networks close to airports, over concerns that they could interfere with airplane instruments, according to Times of India which cites a Press Trust of India report.

The telecom department has said that there should be no 5G wireless 2,100 metres (2.1 km) from both ends of the runway and 910 metres from the centre line of the runway of Indian Airports. Specifically, 5G gears that operate in the frequency range of 3300-3670 MHz have been barred from near the airports, according to the report.

While startups led India’s EV foray, to begin with, established two-wheeler makers are raising their game. TVS Motors, with 7,735 registrations of electric scooters in November, and Bajaj Auto with more than 2,800 scooters, now account for 15 percent of registrations for the month, Business Standard reports, citing data from Vahan, the website of the ministry of road transport and highways.

Hero MotoCorp is expected to ramp up its efforts, with its Vida range of electric scooters, according to Business Standard.

DeHaat, one of India’s biggest agritech startups, has raised $60 million in series E funding, from investors including Temasek and Sofina, and existing investors RTP Global, Prosus and Lightrock, according to private markets intelligence provider Tracxn.

This brings the company’s total funding to $265 million, according to Tracxn. This investment privately valued DeHaat at between $700 million and $800 million, TechCrunch reported yesterday, citing a person aware of the terms. In November 2021, the company was valued at $520 million, according to Tracxn.

Theme music courtesy Free Music & Sounds:

https://soundcloud.com/freemusicandsounds