Nokia last week suspended operations at a telecoms gear manufacturing plant in southern India, the company said on Tuesday, after some employees tested positive for COVID-19. Nokia did not disclose how many workers at the plant in Sriperumbudur in the southern state of Tamil Nadu tested positive, but a source familiar with the matter said they were at least 42. The factory had begun operations in a restricted manner over the past few weeks, Nokia said in a statement, after India eased the world's biggest lockdown to kick-start its economy which has been pummelled by the shutdown.

(Bloomberg Opinion) -- Do you remember 5G? Before the coronavirus consumed all of our attention, the fifth-generation mobile networks were supposed to be the panacea for lagging economies, telecoms firms, keeping pace with China, autonomous cars, smart factories and plenty more besides.Overhyped? Maybe. But 5G will still be an economic boon. And perhaps inevitably, Covid-19 has collided with the rollout of the new technology, which ultimately depends on four ingredients: popular acceptance and adoption; the ability to install the equipment; access to capital; and the availability of spectrum — the radio frequencies used to transmit the signal that will allow vast gobs of data to be transmitted at lightning speeds.For now, telecoms companies insist the pandemic will only delay the rollout by several months. That may be optimistic. Problems with any one of the four factors above could throw things off course, and the current environment has elevated that likelihood. Given their role in dividing up the spectrum and auctioning it, governments have a particular responsibility to ensure they don’t hold up the process any more than is necessary.Much has been made of the conspiracy theories falsely suggesting 5G contributed to, or even caused, the virus’s spread. They prompted the gloriously terse response from the U.K.’s telecommunications regulator Ofcom: “This is wrong. There is no scientific basis or credible evidence for these claims.”The falsehoods may still permeate public opinion. Research suggests that even if people don’t believe conspiracy theories per se, they can nonetheless influence their views. So an underlying fear, however unwarranted, could persist that 5G is somehow detrimental to one’s health. That could perpetuate popular opposition to the necessary proliferation of new antennas.The virus has already disrupted the global supply chain, making it harder to source gear from China in particular. Telecoms equipment maker Nokia Oyj said that such interruptions shaved 200 million euros ($218 million) from revenue in the first quarter, and they continue to be a risk. Lockdowns are also making it harder to install that equipment. Orange SA Chief Financial Officer Ramon Fernandez said last week that fiber deployment — whose wires connect not just homes but the antennas — will be delayed by the virus.Telecoms operators are changing how they spend their money, too. The surge in people working from home has put huge pressure on their existing setup. That means operators are having to reallocate capital in the short term toward making sure their fixed networks are reliable, rather than working to upgrade and install everything that’s needed for the next generation of mobile services.Even with all that, Nokia CEO Rajeev Suri told me that he expects the delay will probably only be a “couple of months,” echoing comments from his peer at rival Ericsson AB, Borje Ekholm. Perhaps the biggest risk to a fast rollout is the availability of spectrum, which is where governments come in. They dedicate a particular tranche of frequencies to 5G and then auction it off. A slew of those sales have been put on the back burner by the pandemic. While Germany and Italy have all but finished theirs, other countries, including France, the U.K. and Spain, are unlikely to auction frequencies until later this year.With national budgets stretched by efforts to counter the impact of the virus, there will be a temptation to milk those auctions for all they’re worth. That could create a pinch on companies’ finances that makes rolling out the new networks even harder. Italy managed to squeeze 6.2 billion euros out of its telecoms firms back in 2018; Germany wrung 6.6 billion euros from Deutsche Telekom AG, Vodafone Group Plc, Telefonica Deutschland AG and 1&1 Drillisch AG. Economists generally classify networks as “productive” government investments, because they contribute positively to long-term economic output. It would be better for states to foster their new 5G networks by not overcharging for them. Otherwise they risk ceding more ground to China in the race for adoption. In return for more generous auction terms, it would be fair for governments to request an accelerated rollout.The virus is already reaping havoc on vast tracts of the economy. Best not to let it damage any more growth.This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.Alex Webb is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering Europe's technology, media and communications industries. He previously covered Apple and other technology companies for Bloomberg News in San Francisco.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinionSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.

Since reporting its earnings last week, Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) stock has not done much. But then again, there was already a nice rally ahead of the announcement. Note that the shares went from $6.17 in mid-March to $8.35.Source: Shutterstock For the first quarter, Ericsson's revenues increased by 2% to $4.93 billion. While there was considerable weakness in the digital services business, there was strength in other segments like for networks. Given that the contracts tend to be large, there are often timing issues. And yes, with the novel coronavirus pandemic, there has been some more delays with deals.But despite this, I think the long-term does look bright for Ericsson, especially with the megatrend of 5G rollouts. The fact is that the company is positioned nicely, in terms of its global infrastructure, IP (Intellectual Property) portfolio and end-to-end technologies.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips * 7 Issues Looming Over Disney Stock Ahead of Earnings So let's take a deeper look at why Ericsson stock is a good play right now: CoronavirusEricsson acted swiftly to make its workforce remote. This was no easy feat as the company has about 85,000 employees. But Ericsson has set up a Crisis Management Council and has also been able to put in processes to maintain the performance of its networks. Another benefit has been that the company has a diversified sourcing infrastructure and various production sites across the worldWhile the coronavirus will weigh on growth, it is likely to be temporary. Keep in mind that the company has reiterated its financial targets for 2020 to 2022. In fact, in the second half of this year, there is likely be an increase in momentum because of the merger between T-Mobile (NASDAQ:TMUS) and Sprint. This should lead to more spending on rollouts.Ericsson also continues to report strong margins. In the latest quarter, the gross margin rose from 43.2% to 44.4%. As a result, the company continues to generate strong cash flows.Note that there is $3.81 billion in the bank. In other words, there appears to be enough liquidity for dividends, buybacks of Ericsson stock, R&D investments and acquisitions. StrategyEven though Borje Ekholm has been CEO only for a couple years, he has wasted little time in putting in place a solid strategy. He has not only been disciplined with costs but also wise in nixing low-margin contracts.But Ekholm has been effective in focusing on the right technologies to capitalize on the 5G opportunities. For example, the Digital Services segment has benefited from software sales and cloud platforms, which have provided higher margins. And as for the Managed Services unit, there have been nice gains from AI and automation systems. 5G Opportunity for Ericsson StockThe 5G market is intensely competitive, with many large operators like Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM), Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO), Nokia (NYSE:NOK) and Huawei. Yet Ericsson has been able to fare pretty well, especially when it comes to winning business. For the first quarter, the company announced 86 commercial 5G contracts and completed 29 live networksWhat's more, the 5G opportunity is enormous for Ericsson stock. According ResearchAndMarkets.com, the spending is forecasted to go from $12.6 billion in 2020 to $44.9 billion by 2025, for a compound annual growth rate of nearly 29% (consider that this accounts for the estimated negative impact from the Covid-19 virus). Just some of the drivers for the growth include the adoption of IoT (Internet-of-Things) devices, the rise in automation and the continued growth in data traffic.In the Ericsson annual report, Ekholm writes: "But 5G is much more than enhanced mobility for consumers. This is an innovation platform so powerful that it will be the driving force behind the next big shift in society - the fourth industrial revolution. By 2025, we expect the number of cellular IoT connections to reach 5 billion. This shift will impact all sectors, potentially increasing the addressable opportunity for telecom operators by up to 30% by 2030."Tom Taulli (@ttaulli) is the author of various books on investing and technology, including Artificial Intelligence Basics, High-Profit IPO Strategies and All About Short Selling. He is also the founder of WebIPO, which was one of the first platforms for public offerings during the 1990s. As of this writing, he did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. More From InvestorPlace * America's 1 Stock Picker Reveals Next 1,000% Winner * 25 Stocks You Should Sell Immediately * 1 Under-the-Radar 5G Stock to Buy Now * The 1 Stock All Retirees Must Own The post 3 Reasons to Be Long-Term Bullish on Ericsson Stock appeared first on InvestorPlace.

Will the new coronavirus cause a recession in US in the next 6 months? On February 27th, we put the probability at 75% and we predicted that the market will decline by at least 20% in (Recession is Imminent: We Need A Travel Ban NOW). In these volatile markets we scrutinize hedge fund filings to […]

The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: Qualcomm, Arista Networks, Nokia, Altice USA and Knowles

Qualcomm expects 175 million to 225 million 5G handsets to be sold worldwide this year, even amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Wall Street expects Qualcomm’s revenue to hit $28 billion in 2022. Barron’s recently spoke with Qualcomm (ticker: QCOM) President Cristiano Amon, a 25-year veteran of the company, about the much-anticipated 5G rollout, global technology competition, and the coronavirus.

(Bloomberg) -- Britain’s biggest landline network has brought on a new supplier to help cut its reliance on China’s Huawei Technologies Co. and ramp up construction of a nationwide fiber-optic system.BT Group Plc’s infrastructure unit Openreach signed a long-term contract to bring in U.S. firm Adtran Inc. alongside Huawei and Finland’s Nokia Oyj as a strategic partner. Adding an American component maker will help London-based BT limit the use of China’s Huawei technology in its fiber-optic network and meet national security rules. The parties didn’t disclose financial terms.In January, Britain capped the amount of data that can be carried over Huawei’s full-fiber and 5G equipment at 35%, and gave networks three years to comply. The move dealt to a blow to the Shenzhen-based vendor, but stopped short of U.S. demands for an outright ban.Huawei makes up 44% of the U.K.’s full-fiber market, according to the government. BT said overhauling systems to obey the rules may cost it 500 million pounds ($611 million), though mainly it pointed to the changes it needs to make to wireless towers.“It helps Openreach to be able to execute on their plan and still abide by those requirements,” Jay Wilson, Adtran’s chief revenue officer, said in an interview. The contract could make up a 10th of Adtran sales during the peak of its build, he added. The Huntsville, Alabama-based company also supplies some of BT’s small startup rivals, as well as big U.S. carriers like AT&T Inc. and European peers like Deutsche Telekom AG.Read more: Britain’s Plan to Get Working Again Doesn’t Seem to Be WorkingThe contract comes a week after BT accelerated its planned fiber rollout, pledging to connect 20 million premises by the mid- to late-2020s if conditions allow. It also scrapped dividend payments to help pay for the pledge, and rivals Telefonica SA and Liberty Global Plc announced the same morning that they were merging their U.K. units to create a stronger rival to the former state monopoly.Bloomberg first reported Openreach’s search for a new supplier in November. Peter Bell, the company’s network technologies director, said in a statement that the Adtran deal would help the U.K. “bounce back from the Covid-19 pandemic” with a better broadband network. The U.K. has lagged behind European neighbors in building out glass-based fiber connections, relying instead on lower-bandwidth, copper-transmitted wires.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.

Nokia’s (NOK) strong customer base and upcoming role in the global rollout of 5G networks should see it through COVID-19. So says Canaccord analyst Michael Walkley. The 5-star analyst backs the Finnish telecom equipment maker to deliver “longer-term higher margin growth.”Walkley reiterated a Buy rating on Nokia shares, along with a $5.50 price target. Expect upside of a handsome 55%, should the analyst’s thesis play out in the coming year. (To watch Walkley’s track record, click here)So, what’s behind Walkley’s confidence? First of all, solid Q1 results, despite COVID-19 related China supply disruption resulting in a miss on the topline. Revenue of €4.91 billion missed by €240 million and exhibited a year-over-year drop of 3%. But on the other hand, in a difficult macro environment, Nokia managed to squeeze out a tiny profit and met EPS estimates of €0.01, with the company “benefitting from strong gross margin performance in Mobile Access as well as Software.”Highlights included the progress of Nokia’s new chipset for 5G networks, ReefShark, which amounted to 17% of 5G shipments, an increase of 10% quarter-over-quarter, and on target for the 2020 goal of 35%.Nokia now boasts “70 5G wins including 21 live networks,” and both Enterprise and Software segments reported strong figures. Enterprise added 30 new logos and Software posted 13% year-over-year operating margin expansion “driven by cloud-native efficiencies.”Looking ahead, bucking the current trend to remove guidance, management mostly kept its 2020 guidance as is, with non-IFRS EPS (at the midpoint) bought down a touch from €0.24 to €0.23 and operating margin pared back from 9.5% to 9.0%.Nokia estimates the current quarter will probably be the worst hit, but with a strong balance sheet and its position as a leader in network infrastructure, Walkley implores investors to focus on the long term. Walkley maintains “Nokia will reach its targets through its diversified supplier base to position the company with a more competitive cost structure for 2021 and beyond.”The analyst concluded, “Despite near-term margin pressure and likely soft 1H/20 results exacerbated by COVID-19 impacting the timing to complete projects given an increasing number of countries under lockdowns, we expect Nokia to emerge as a long-term leader for 5G buildouts with steadily improving margins over the next several years. We believe the risk-reward on the shares is positive for longer-term investors.”What does the rest of the Street make of Nokia’s prospects? Based on 5 Buys and 3 Holds, the analyst community rates the stock a Moderate Buy. The average price target is $4.64 and suggests gains in the shape of 29% in the next 12 months. (See Nokia stock analysis on TipRanks)To find good ideas for stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks’ Best Stocks to Buy, a newly launched tool that unites all of TipRanks’ equity insights.  More recent articles from Smarter Analyst: * Citron Research Accuses Peloton Stock Of Peddling Its Way To Stupidity * Moderna’s Covid-19 Vaccine Candidate Gets FDA Fast Track Status * Hyatt Hotels Lays Off 1,300 Workers as Virus Pandemic Freezes Travel Demand * 2 Cruise Line Stocks to Bet on After the Coronavirus Crisis (And 1 to Avoid)

(Bloomberg) -- Facebook Inc. and some of the world’s largest telecom carriers including China Mobile Ltd. are joining forces to build a giant sub-sea cable to help bring more reliable and faster internet across Africa.The cost of the project will be just under $1 billion, according to three people familiar with the project, who asking not to be identified as the budget hasn’t been made public. The 37,000-kilometer (23,000 miles) long cable -- dubbed 2Africa -- will connect Europe to the Middle East and 16 African countries, according to a statement on Thursday.The undersea cable sector is experiencing a resurgence. During the 1990s dot-com boom, phone companies spent more than $20 billion laying fiber-optic lines under the oceans. Now tech giants, led by Facebook and Alphabet Inc.’s Google, are behind about 80% of the recent investment in transatlantic cable, driven by demand for fast-data transfers used for streaming movies to social messaging.Facebook has long tried to lead the race to improve connectivity in Africa in a bid to take advantage of a young population, greater connectivity and the increasing availability and affordability of smartphones. The U.S. social-media giant attempted to launch a satellite in 2016 to beam signal around the continent, but the SpaceX rocket carrying the technology blew up on the launchpad.Google announced its own sub-sea cable connecting Europe to Africa last year, using a route down the west coast.2Africa is expected to come into operation by 2024 and will deliver more than the combined capacity of all sub-sea cables serving Africa, according to the statement. The announcement comes after internet users across more than a dozen sub-Saharan African nations experienced slow service in January after two undersea cables were damaged.Facebook has partnered on the new cable with two of Africa’s biggest wireless carriers, Johannesburg-based MTN Group Ltd. and Telecom Egypt Co. The U.K.’s Vodafone Group Plc and Paris-based Orange SA, which both have a significant presence on the continent, are also involved. Nokia Oyj’s Alcatel Submarine Networks has been appointed to build the cable.The 2Africa cable will be one of the longest in the world, trailing Sea-Me-We 3, which is 39,000 kilometers long and connects 33 countries, according to Submarine Cable Networks.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.

Today we are going to look at Nokia Corporation (HEL:NOKIA) to see whether it might be an attractive investment...

Nokia last week suspended operations at a telecoms gear manufacturing plant in southern India, the company said on Tuesday, after some employees tested positive for COVID-19. Nokia did not disclose how many workers at the plant in Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu tested positive, but a source familiar with the matter said they were at least 42. The factory had begun operations in a restricted manner over the past few weeks, Nokia said in a statement, after India eased the world's biggest lockdown to kick-start its economy which has been pummelled by the shutdown.

Investing in Nokia (NYSE:NOK) is anything but exciting for investors seeking a 5G supplier. The communications equipment supplier is in a long-term bearish phase due to years of overpromising and under-delivering. In the last month, sentiment shifted to favor Nokia stock.Source: RistoH / Shutterstock.com The improved quarterly earnings and news of 5G deployments are lifting Nokia's prospects. Investors have more reasons to hold Nokia and to view it as a strong 5G play. 5G Deals Lift Nokia StockNokia announced the deployment of the first 5G low band in a test environment. Together with Vodafone (NASDAQ:VOD) Hutchison Australia, the firms will roll out their 3.5 GHz 5G. When promoted to a live environment, the VHA network will get better indoor coverage. Customers will also get high-speed 5G connectivity.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips * 7 Excellent Penny Stocks Ready to Roar If the launch succeeds, Nokia will get positive coverage of its AirScale product. And Nokia Global Services will experience improved bookings for the installation and servicing of the product. Strong First QuarterNokia reported 70 commercial deals and 21 live networks for 5G. For full-year 2020, it forecast non-IFRS earnings of 0.23 EUR a share. The operating margin will improve to 9%. In the near-term, Covid-19 will harm the current second quarter.In the second half of the year, Nokia expects strong seasonality will offset the near-term slowdown. Operationally, the company shifted much of its staff to work from home. This resulted in the company reporting improved productivity. Research and development staff not only met its roadmap schedule but as CEO Rajeev Suri noted, "some key software release are proceeding ahead of schedule."Nokia said that executing in mobile access, or 5G, generating cash, and securing long-term value are its three objectives for 2020. To deliver on profitability in mobile, Nokia will continue to cut costs. So far, its gross margin improvements and 9% target suggest it will exceed this goal. Its ReefShark ("5G PBR") accounted for 17% of its 5G product shipments in the first quarter. Continued R&D efforts on the product should lead to sustained shipment growth through the end of 2022.Nokia posted a 5G win rate of over 100% outside of China. Including China, the win rate is in the mid-90% range. This is an exceptionally strong performance result. Given the competition it faces from Chinese firms, Nokia is poised to grow its market share in 5G. 4G to 5G TransitionNokia ended 2019 with around 27% of the 4G+5G mobile radio market share (excluding China). As it wins more contracts, markets will have to bid Nokia stock at higher valuations. Currently, investors are only willing to pay around 11 times forward earnings.Conversely, Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO) trades at 14 times forward earnings. Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) also trades at the same valuation. Nokia's sentiment score (based on Stockrover's analytics) rose to 96/100 after the stock bottomed at below $2.30 and built an uptrend from there. The growth score is a modest 79 and will increase as 5G orders grow.Source: Data courtesy of Stock RoverInvestors who forecast revenue growing by at least 1.5% annually, with peak revenue growth of 2.7% in fiscal year 2022 will value Nokia at over $6 a share. In this five-year discounted cash flow model, assume the following revenue growth:(EUR in millions) Input Projections Fiscal Years Ending 19-Dec 20-Dec 21-Dec 22-Dec 23-Dec 24-Dec Revenue 23,315 22,815 23,620 24,252 24,568 24,943 % Growth 3.30% -2.10% 3.50% 2.70% 1.30% 1.50% EBITDA 2,492 2,643 3,120 2,668 2,948 2,993 % of Revenue 10.70% 11.60% 13.20% 11.00% 12.00% 12.00%In the above model, I assume revenue falling slightly due to the lockdown disrupting the business in the first half of this year. Orders pick up above 2019 levels the following year as customer business recovers and network upgrades accelerate.In the short term, Nokia has too few stories to share to lift the stock. Conversely, in the long term, the company has tremendous upside potential and will reward investors betting on its growth in 5G. As markets look beyond its Q2 results, the stock may re-visit its $5 range later this year.Chris Lau, contributing author for InvestorPlace.com and numerous other financial sites. Chris has over 20 years of investing experience in the stock market and runs the Do-It-Yourself Value Investing Marketplace on Seeking Alpha. He shares his stock picks so readers get original insight that helps improve investment returns. Disclosure: the author owns shares of Nokia. I discuss Nokia's 5G growth prospects in my private community on the DIY Value investing marketplace. More From InvestorPlace * Top Stock Picker Reveals His Next 1,000% Winner * America's Richest ZIP Code Holds Shocking Secret * 1 Under-the-Radar 5G Stock to Buy Now * The 1 Stock All Retirees Must Own The post Why Nokia Is a Strong 5G Play appeared first on InvestorPlace.

On CNBC's "Mad Money Lightning Round," Jim Cramer said some industries just went away. He is not a buyer of Meredith Corporation (NYSE: MDP).Cramer wants growth, so instead of Nokia Oyj (NYSE: NOK), he would buy Cirrus Logic, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRUS) and Skyworks Solutions Inc (NASDAQ: SWKS).He prefers Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) over SunPower Corporation (NASDAQ: SPWR).Trade Desk Inc (NASDAQ: TTD) is better than The Rubicon Project Inc (NYSE: RUBI), but Cramer doesn't want to recommend Trade Desk because it is about to report.Instead of Baidu Inc (NASDAQ: BIDU), Cramer would rather own Alibaba Group Holding Ltd - ADR (NYSE: BABA). He wants the best.American Express Company (NYSE: AXP) is Cramer's least favorite stock in the space. His first pick is Mastercard Inc (NYSE: MA). Paypal Holdings Inc (NASDAQ: PYPL) is his second choice and Visa Inc (NYSE: V) is third.Cramer would rather buy Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMD) than Intel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC).See more from Benzinga * Fast Money Picks For April 27 * Mike Khouw Sees Unusual Options Activity In Intel * Alibaba, Tesla Among Cramer's Stay-At-Home Stock Ideas(C) 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

(Bloomberg Opinion) -- It’s easy to ban a product that’s difficult to get your hands on anyway.That’s why Britain’s possible move to impose a stricter ban on Huawei Technologies Co. seems opportunistic, even if it does now make sense. It’s taking advantage of harsher U.S. sanctions on the Chinese telecoms-equipment giant to consider extending the U.K.’s halfway measures unveiled with great fanfare in January. A final decision will come after the government’s National Cyber Security Centre reviews implications for the security of the country’s phone networks.Earlier this month, the U.S. imposed more stringent guidelines on Huawei, restricting any firm that uses American equipment from selling to the Chinese technology company without its approval. That means Huawei won’t be able to get chips from companies such as Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. because they’re likely made using machines from firms such as California-based Applied Materials Inc. So Huawei may effectively find itself cut off from access to the high-tech silicon it needs for its networking gear. This provides a convenient excuse for Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government to revisit its more nuanced approach with regards to Huawei, which provoked U.S. ire in the midst of efforts to strike a new Anglo-American trade pact and a rebellion from a group of Conservative lawmakers.Initially, in a break with the U.S., the U.K. had decided to retain some access to Huawei’s products for its carriers’ rollout of fiber-optic and fifth-generation mobile networks. It proposed capping the Chinese company’s share to 35% of non-sensitive parts of a mobile network in order to keep operators from being reliant on a Nordic duopoly of Ericsson AB and Nokia Oyj. Now ministers are drawing up proposals to reduce that share to zero.The irony is that, given the recent U.S. measures, Huawei may find it very difficult to keep competing for orders. The company probably won’t be able to buy many of the chip sets it needs to make things such as wireless base stations. The quality of those products will suffer as it’s forced to seek out new suppliers, likely in China itself, where semiconductor technology is still playing catch-up. That could make carriers rethink who supplies their 5G equipment even before any national ban kicks in, according to Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Anthea Lai.Even though a ban on new Huawei gear might now be easier, the question of how to handle the existing networks is not. Huawei’s equipment currently accounts for two-thirds of BT Group Plc’s mobile network, and one-third of Vodafone Group Plc’s U.K. mobile network, according to UBS Group AG analyst Polo Tang. BT has already said that swapping the kit out would cost it 500 million pounds ($615 million) over the next five years. Reducing it to zero could double that expense, Tang said.The U.K.’s previous 35% limit applied to an operator’s overall network, but forcing operators to replace any already installed Huawei gear would strain capital requirements and jeopardize ambitious goals for new network build-out — Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he wants the whole country to have access to gigabit internet speeds by 2025. It seems that the government is taking that into account. The Times of London reported that the new proposals would only prohibit the purchase and installation of new equipment from 2023.Which serves to underline how opportunistic the new review looks. The main argument for letting carriers continue to use Huawei was to ensure that network investment continued apace. Now that the U.S. crackdown looks likely to reduce the quality and availability of Huawei products, it’s a chance for the government to assuage both rebellious lawmakers and critics across the Atlantic. And with global antipathy toward China rising over its handling of the Covid-19 outbreak and crackdown in Hong Kong, there’s now little point in further testing the straining U.S. alliance.This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.Alex Webb is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering Europe's technology, media and communications industries. He previously covered Apple and other technology companies for Bloomberg News in San Francisco.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com/opinionSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.

The novel coronavirus pandemic is giving dividend-focused investors sleepless nights. Companies are now concerned with preserving their balance sheets to ride out the economic impact of the COVID-19 disease, and that has resulted in dividend cuts and suspensions. Despite the uncertainty, Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO), and NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) are three stocks that dividend investors should consider for their portfolios.

The stock sell-off we have experienced in recent weeks has probably led some to look for bargains on the stock market. As most investors know, a low nominal stock price does not necessarily mean a stock has become a bargain. A lower stock price can change the value proposition of many stock investments.

The latest incident marks another setback for Nokia (NOK) as it aims to buoy its sagging shares through renewed 5G focus.

Nokia (NOK) achieves record-breaking 5G speeds in its Over-the-Air network, backed by 800 MHz of millimeter-Wave spectrum and Dual Connectivity technology.

Nokia plans to issue new euro-denominated fixed-rate notes, the Finnish telecom equipment maker said on Wednesday, and a lead manager told Reuters it was set to raise 1 billion euros from demand of 5.7 billion euros. Nokia also issued an offer to buy back for cash its 1% notes due March 15, 2021 for up to 500 million euros. The purpose of the tender offer is to manage Nokia's overall indebtedness, it said a statement.

The auto giant’s shares have lost about two-fifths of their value so far this year. GM director and former Lucent Technologies CEO Russo bought GM shares on the open market for the first time in years.