Masayoshi Son’s SoftBank Group Corp is entering into a partnership and equity swap arrangement with German group Deutsche Telekom (DT), as it seeks to minimize its exposure risk on the European continent. Under the plan, SoftBank will receive 225 million new shares in DT in exchange for roughly 45 million shares held in T-Mobile US. Further, the German group will look to buy an additional 20 million or so shares in the US wireless operator from SoftBank by re-investing USD2.4 billion of expected disposal proceeds from the sale of T-Mobile Netherlands. As a result of these transactions – the equity share swap and the re-investment of proceeds – Son’s group will hold a 4.5% stake in DT, making it the second largest private shareholder in the German giant.

General Motors (GM) Canada and TELUS are working together to connect next-generation vehicles to TELUS’ 5G network. This is the first time that GM has selected a domestic communications company to provide connected-vehicle services for Canadian customers.

Verizon is testing how a Quantum Safe Virtual Private Network (VPN) can enhance protection of data today in order to thwart hackers in the future. As quantum computers become more advanced, they will have the potential to break today’s public key encryption ciphers. Theoretically, hackers could capture data riding on networks today and store it until quantum computers have the power to break the encryption. It’s a little like stealing a bank safe today and holding on to it until someone discovers how to pick the lock. Verizon, and others, believe the key to safeguarding information will be a Quantum Safe VPN. This technology uses session key exchange security mechanisms or cryptographic ciphers that can provide a higher level of protection. Essentially, it’s a solution that enhances encryption methodologies today in order to make them even more difficult to hack tomorrow.

TELUS International announced the opening of its third site in the US with a new digital CX delivery center in North Charleston. The company plans to create approximately 1,200 jobs by 2022 in this new center, adding to its more than 2,400 team members currently supporting digital CX and digital transformation programs from Las Vegas, Nevada and Folsom, California.