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Category: Telecom

Retail News Asia is committed to providing both local and global retailers with the latest Telecom & Telco news throughout the Asian market. This on a daily base.

  • Singtel launches industry’s first all-in-one platform for enterprise 5G edge computing and cloud services

    Singtel launches industry’s first all-in-one platform for enterprise 5G edge computing and cloud services

    Singtel expands its offering for the enterprise market with the launch of Paragon, a revolutionary platform that aggregates networks, edge computing, public cloud and applications ecosystems to accelerate enterprises’ digital transformation.

    Offering an all-in-one solution for digital transformation, Paragon seamlessly aggregates and manages low-latency networks and edge cloud resources, allowing enterprises to tap on Singtel’s 5G network to securely deploy applications across the edge at Singtel MEC and a public cloud of choice. Through a single interface, enterprises can activate network slices on demand, deploy mission-critical applications on Singtel MEC and access a robust ecosystem of partner applications.

    This significantly reduces the complexity and time needed to adopt 5G MEC and low-latency applications and services, giving enterprises the agility, flexibility and scalability needed to transform operations and adapt to new business models in a digital economy.

    “Many enterprises are undergoing rapid digitalization while exploring and developing tailored 5G solutions for deployment in their industries. We understand the challenges and complexities that they face in managing the various networks, edge cloud applications and services with the required cyber security, resiliency and demanding service assurances required, cost-effectively. Paragon was conceived, developed and delivered to help enterprises meet these needs through a single platform,” said Bill Chang, chief executive officer, group enterprise, Singtel.

    One-stop digital transformation platform and strong 5G MEC ecosystem

    Developed in-house, Paragon empowers enterprises to adopt Singtel’s 5G network to deploy their edge computing applications and services independently, securely and within minutes. These capabilities are bundled on the platform to provide enterprises a unified experience, delivering always-on connectivity and low latency with high bandwidth throughout to support industry 5G use cases including advanced logistics and manufacturing, smart transportation, and real-time fleet management and monitoring.

    Network 5G slices can be created almost instantly, autonomously and as many times as needed. A network slice can be utilised only when needed for an intended duration to ensure cost optimization. Since enterprises pay only for what they use, Paragon reduces the operational and costs overhead otherwise incurred by businesses.

    For enterprises, the benefits are a shorter innovation curve and time-to-market, as well as better performance and faster decision-making at the edge, critical for use cases including autonomous systems like robotics, drones and vehicles, immersive, video-rich experiences and powerful real-time edge AI use cases. Already, Paragon is being deployed for testbeds in the public sector. For instance, 5G trial uses cases are underway at Singapore’s Sentosa to bring about built environment and tourism transformations.

    Through the Paragon Marketplace, which operates like an app store, Singtel’s ecosystem of partners can integrate their offerings through robust industry-standard application programming interface (API) to rapidly build and deploy their solutions on the platform. As such, existing cloud-based 4G applications can migrate to 5G with ease. On the other end, end customers can easily source and adopt applications that solve their business challenges.

    Plans are in the pipeline to scale Paragon regionally and globally with other telcos. Partners on board Paragon can extend their solutions to multiple markets. Through the Singtel Partner Programme, Singtel aims to co-create and test more innovative solutions, driving wider 5G adoption across markets to bring forward a 5G future.

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  • Skype now supports emergency calls in the US

    Skype now supports emergency calls in the US

    Skype has received a new update. Currently, the most recent version of Skype is 8.80, and along with some bug fixes and stability improvements, Microsoft has introduced a few new features and modifications to Skype.

    Along with a bunch of smaller improvements to the platform, Microsoft has added the ability to call 911 in the US using Skype. Not only that, but Skype can now also share your location with emergency operators. The share location option is disabled by default, but you may activate it in the app’s privacy settings if you like.

    Let’s hope Skype doesn’t end up like Microsoft Teams. Last year, a bug in the Teams app rendered users unable to call emergency services due to the software interfering with the OS’s ability to choose a telephony client, blocking the call altogether.

    A Pixel user had reported that when they tried to call 911, their phone froze, and the call was unsuccessful; only because the user had access to a landline did they manage to get help. Good thing Microsoft and Google issued a fix for the problem caused by Microsoft in Android 10 and later.

    Along with the ability to make emergency calls, Skype now also offers various reactions during calls if you are on Windows, Mac, Linux, or Web. Also, with the latest update, you can zoom in on a shared screen during a meeting on computers and mobile devices. So, now you can better express yourself in a video call, and you will no longer need to squint your eyes in order to see what is presented during a meeting. Microsoft has also increased the time limit on voice messages from 2 minutes to 5 minutes.

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  • Mobile World to expand into Indonesia this year

    Mobile World to expand into Indonesia this year

    Mobile World is all set to enter Indonesia, its second overseas foray after setting up shop in Cambodia five years ago.

    “We are trying our best to open our first Indonesian store this year,” CEO Doan Van Hieu Em told shareholders last weekend.

    Vietnam’s biggest electronics retailer opened a BigPhone smartphone store in Cambodia’s Phnom Penh in 2017. Three years later it changed the name to Bluetronics and expanded to selling other electronics products too.

    By the end of last year it had 50 stores in the neighboring country and revenues of nearly VND500 billion ($21.9 million), or 0.4 percent of overall sales.

    The company had earlier been eyeing Laos and Myanmar, but it is unclear now if they are still in its plans.

    Mobile World targets growth in post-tax profits of 30 percent this year to VND6.35 trillion.

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  • French cloud firm InterCloud raises 100 million euros in a funding round

    French cloud firm InterCloud raises 100 million euros in a funding round

    France’s InterCloud said on Tuesday it had raised a further 100 million euros ($114.43 million) to support its international expansion in its latest fundraising round.

    InterCloud, which helps companies access multiple cloud resources through a single platform, said the investment would allow it to expand its international sales team, starting in Europe, with around 50 people to be added this year alone.

    Launched in 2010, InterCloud has teamed up with major cloud computing providers such as Microsoft, Amazon’s AWS and Alphabet Inc’s, Google Cloud.

    The company said it also planned to use the funds for research and development, partnerships and acquisitions.

    InterCloud’s existing investors Ventech and Open CNP took part in the latest capital increase led by investment firm Aleph Capital, the company said.

    It had already raised 38 million euros in previous funding rounds that included investments from Orange Digital Ventures – now Orange Ventures – and Bpifrance among others.

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  • Satellite innovations to raise digital inclusion in Asia Pacific

    Satellite innovations to raise digital inclusion in Asia Pacific

    In the digital era, data consumption is poised to grow sharply. Yet, transmitting massive amounts of data is costly especially in locations lacking reliable terrestrial communications infrastructure. Telecom Review Asia speaks with Harsh Verma, Vice President Asia, Global Sales, SES to understand how innovations in satellite connectivity can reliably meet the demands of tomorrow’s networks.

    What are the key technology innovations that are enabling SES to provide differentiated multi-orbit services at a cloud scale?

    Globally, the number of connected devices and demand for bandwidth-intensive applications will continue to soar. Emerging markets in Asia-Pacific and Latin America are likely to witness the strongest growth for satellite capacity demand. Yet, in a heterogeneous region like the Asia-Pacific, where reliable broadband connectivity is often limited to urban centres, much of the population is still unconnected. This adversely restricts digitalisation efforts, now a national ambition for many countries, to leverage technological innovation and reap the economic benefits of a digital economy.

    With digital inclusion high on the agenda for many countries,satellite technology is key to providing connectivity to underserved areas where terrestrial infrastructure is challenging to build and maintain. As a global satellite operator, SES is leveraging its multi-orbit fleet of satellites to provide cost-effective and reliable solutions to extend terrestrial networks.

    We understand different applications require different types of satellite-based solutions. Each of our customers has their own unique requirements which means we need to be able to provide a wide range of services. Our geostationary satellites provide global coverage, allowing us to serve customers anywhere on Earth, while our medium Earth orbit constellation caters for bandwidth-intensive applications with its low latency and high throughput services focused on a particular location or region of high demand.

    As more content is being migrated to the cloud, SES has changed its managed network services portfolio to deliver private, dedicated connectivity from SES’s GEO and MEO gateways to leading cloud service providers. With our SES Cloud Direct service, we enable enterprises and governments worldwide to reach any global end-point, connect to any cloud provider, and scale services as more cloud and edge services are adopted. With the launch of our next-generation MEO constellation, O3b mPOWER, dedicated, secure and reliable cloud services over satellite will be delivered with higher performance than ever. It will be SES’s most flexible and powerful satellite ecosystem to date, stretching the reach and capabilities of telcos and MNOs to narrow the digital gap and meet critical industry needs.

    Around the world, underserved communities are falling behind while global demand for connectivity soars. Communication is a fundamental social process, and recognised as a basic human right under Article 19 of the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The way we communicate is increasingly reliant on the internet, and O3b mPOWER will enable the communities that lack any meaningful connectivity solution to leapfrog into the cloud-enabled online world. This in turn enables their success.

    As cloud adoption continues to gain traction in the foreseeable future, how does SES expand leadership in cloud-optimised connectivity?

    SES partners with the world’s leading cloud service providers to provide one-hop, lowest latency connectivity to the cloud to power future-proof connectivity. For instance, our partnership with Microsoft facilitates seamless cloud connectivity to support access to Azure suite of cloud services and applications. We are the first Microsoft Azure ExpressRoute services partner offering Azure customers opportunities to leverage satellite-enabled managed services to connect rural, remote, or underserved areas. With the launch of O3b mPOWER, Azure will be capable of supporting greater resiliency and higher-performing, lower-latency satellite connectivity solutions to customers globally.

    In addition, SES is part of the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Direct Connect Delivery Partner program to deliver seamless global connection between any location and AWS, backed by robust service level agreements covering availability, throughput, and latency.

    These initiatives are aligned with the ecosystem’s shared vision to extend intelligent cloud network solutions to elevate industries and societies in the digital economy.

    e have also partnered with a wide range of terminal providers to ensure that O3b mPOWER is compatible with a plethora of end users in various industries. As we move towards a software-enabled satellite ecosystem, we are trying to become more flexible with the hardware that works with the system so that more customers can seamlessly integrate satellites into their network.

    How does O3b mPOWER differ from the upcoming LEO constellations and why did SES choose MEO?

    Owing to the satellites’ proximity to Earth, upcoming LEO satellite constellations promise negligible latency ideal for real-time applications. However, as these satellites operate near Earth, they cover less region of the earth and require thousands of satellites to provide seamless global coverage. Not only is this costly to install, each satellite, being smaller in size compared to MEO satellites, delivers a lower total throughout. We have also seen that LEO constellations are approximately 3/4th of the time over uninhabitated areas or low demand regions, making the business case very challenging.

    Comparatively, MEO satellites that are launched at higher altitudes provide an optimal balance between realising low latency, ultra-high throughout global coverage with just over a dozen satellites. Further flexibility on O3b mPOWER enables us to steer the beams over the hotspots or high demand regions to provide large concentrated satellite capacity focussed over a particular region.

    Harnessing the benefits of MEO satellite constellations, SES’s O3b MEO constellation offers fibre-like low latency and multiple gigabits of throughput by being closer to the earth. Through the unique O3b MEO constellation, we have been successful at delivering connectivity to urban areas in landlocked Africa and central Asia.

    Founded on the success of O3b MEO, O3b mPOWER is designed to support next-generation network services. This breakthrough provides unprecedented performance and scale, complemented by high throughput GEO satellites, enabling us to extend new, bandwidth-intensive network services and applications.

    A flexible satellite system to date, the O3b mPOWER promises greater total capacity and satellite roundtrip latency at less than 150ms – requirements that support growing demand for bandwidth. As 5G continues to build momentum, O3b mPOWER’s backhaul solutions allow MNOs to dynamically scale up network needs as desired. More importantly, O3b mPOWER is capable of covering 95% of the world’s population to power seamless connectivity in the rural, remote and suburban and create new socioeconomic values in the 5G era.

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  • Jio Platforms Ltd and SES partner to deliver high-performance satellite-based broadband across India

    Jio Platforms Ltd and SES partner to deliver high-performance satellite-based broadband across India

    Jio Platforms Limited, India’s leading digital service provider, and SES, a leading global satellite-based content connectivity solutions provider, announced the formation of a joint venture – Jio Space Technology Limited – to deliver the next generation scalable and affordable broadband services in India leveraging satellite technology. JPL and SES will own 51% and 49% equity stake in the joint venture respectively. The joint venture will use multi-orbit space networks that is a combination of geostationary (GEO) and medium earth orbit (MEO) satellite constellations capable of delivering multi-gigabit links and capacity to enterprises, mobile backhaul and retail customers across the length and breadth of India and neighbouring regions.

    The joint venture will be the vehicle for providing SES’s satellite data and connectivity services in India, except for certain international aeronautical and maritime customers who may be served by SES. It will have availability of up to 100 Gbps capacity from SES and will leverage Jio’s premiere position and sales reach in India to unlock this market opportunity. As part of investment plan, the joint venture will develop extensive gateway infrastructure in India to provide services within the country. Jio, as an anchor customer of the joint venture, has entered into a multi-year capacity purchase agreement, based on certain milestones along with gateways and equipment purchase with total contract value of circa US $100 million.

    The joint venture will leverage SES-12, SES’s high-throughput GEO satellite serving India, and O3b mPOWER, SES’s next-generation MEO constellation, to extend and complement Jio’s terrestrial network, increasing access to digital services and applications. Jio will offer managed services and gateway infrastructure operations services to the joint venture.

    As Covid-19 has demonstrated, access to broadband is imperative for full participation in the new digital economy. This joint venture will be a catalyst for connecting the unconnected areas within India and the region to the full range of digital services, offering access to remote health, government services, and distance learning opportunities.

    Akash Ambani, director of Jio, said, “While we continue to expand our fibre-based connectivity and FTTH business and invest in 5G, this new joint venture with SES will further accelerate the growth of multigigabit broadband. With additional coverage and capacity offered by satellite communications services, Jio will be able to connect the remotest towns and villages, enterprises, government establishments, and consumers to the new digital India. We are excited about this new journey combining our massive reach and customer base with SES’s innovative leadership and expertise in the satellite industry.”

    Steve Collar, CEO of SES said, “This joint venture with JPL is a great example of how SES can complement even the most extensive terrestrial networks to deliver high-quality connectivity, and positively affect the lives of hundreds of millions of people. We look forward to this joint venture whereby we can play a role in promoting digital inclusion in India.”

    The joint venture also aligns with the hon’ble prime minister’s ‘Gati Shakti: National master plan for multi-modal connectivity’ initiative to provide integrated and seamless connectivity by implementing diverse infrastructure. It will also accelerate the achievement of the Connect India goals in the 2018 National Digital Communications Policy and the Digital India programme by expanding broadband connectivity to Indian citizens across Indian geography.

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  • Singtel Dash partners Zip for buy now, pay later options

    Singtel Dash partners Zip for buy now, pay later options

    Singtel and Zip, a leading global buy now, pay later (BNPL) player, announced an exclusive partnership to launch Zip’s pay later service in Singapore on the Dash app. This new service provides an alternate payment option for Dash customers, giving them the flexibility to choose between paying for their purchases immediately with Dash or paying later with Zip.Larry Diamond

    Dash customers can use Zip’s pay later service for in-store or online purchases from merchants such as Klook, Omnidesk, OSIM and Singtel. Zip’s current payment scheme offers four interest-free installments across six weeks. Over the next six months, Zip will be rolling out more payment schemes and bringing onboard more than 2,000 merchants through partner agreements with AsiaPay, Razer Merchant Services and HitPay.

    Gilbert Chuah, head of financial and lifestyle services at consumer Singapore, Singtel said, “Many of our customers want greater choice and control over managing their finances and our partnership with Zip provides just that with an alternative payment method that is transparent and flexible. This collaboration adds to Dash’s rapidly growing financial services business and we are working on expanding our suite of financial products and services to meet our customers’ diverse needs.”

    According to FIS’ 2021 Global Payment Report, BNPL is projected to be the fastest-growing payment method for Singapore, with transaction volume expected to increase from US$210 million in 2020 to US$1.3 billion by 2024. A study commissioned by Zip also showed that 56% of e-commerce users in Singapore have used or will consider using a BNPL service.

    Larry Diamond, CEO and co-founder of Zip said, “We are thrilled to be launching in Singapore through an exclusive partnership with Singtel Dash, one of the country’s most widely-used mobile apps for everyday financial and lifestyle needs. This partnership is consistent with Zip’s strategy to build a truly global BNPL business that supports regional and global partners operating in multiple markets. Our move into Singapore is an opportunity for us to tap into the country’s growing BNPL market and expand our presence in the Southeast Asian region following our strategic investment in BNPL provider TendoPay in the Philippines.”

  • ZTE and China Mobile launch SPN intelligent fault diagnosis system

    ZTE and China Mobile launch SPN intelligent fault diagnosis system

    ZTE Corporation and the Liaoning branch of China Mobile have verified the rule/policy-based SPN intelligent fault diagnosis system on the intelligent management, control and analysis platform ZENIC ONE (UME) and deployed it across Liaoning province in China.

    4GThe system, jointly developed by ZTE and China Mobile, orchestrates the policies for the diagnosis flow through innovative flexible programming of fault diagnosis rules. Thereby, the intelligent management and control system can quickly respond to and meet the requirements of O&M staff to implement minute-level fault location.

    In traditional PTN/SPN network operation, it is difficult to develop alarm-relativeness rules, so the location of substantial faults depends on the experience of senior O&M engineers. The diagnosis usually takes several hours with low efficiency. ZTE has found a new way of fault diagnosis to flexibly orchestrate diagnosis rules and policies in accordance with service scenarios to improve the efficiency of fault diagnosis and location.

    Based on the cloud native and microservice architecture of the ZENIC ONE (UME), ZTE integrates the SPN intelligent fault diagnosis system onto the ZENIC ONE (UME) as an independent tool. This system uses the knowledge graph to build the diagnosis rules and develop the diagnosis process through a series of atomized diagnosis rules, which can be independently programmed by Drools. At the same time, the system adopts the jBPM workflow graphs and flexibly orchestrate rules and policies for different service scenarios, thereby enabling one-touch fast fault diagnosis and location of 4G and 5G base stations backhaul services.

    ZTE and China Mobile have verified the fault diagnosis function of the system in 4G and 5G base station backhaul service interruption and packet loss scenarios on the existing network in Liaoning province. The faults are successfully located through backtracking and review of faults history. The fault location time is shortened from hours to minutes, and the graphical diagnosis policies and flows are completed by one touch. The system significantly reduces the O&M difficulty in existing network and highly improves the O&M efficiency.

    Moving forward, ZTE and China Mobile will continue using AI technologies to promote system self-learning and enrich application scenarios such as mobile apps. On this basis, both parties will further implement closed-loop management from fault diagnosis to automatic service recovery, and push autonomous networks to evolve its service guarantee capability from L2 to L3.

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  • Asia Pacific outlook: Surge in data centers

    Asia Pacific outlook: Surge in data centers

    According to Cushman & Wakefield, the Asia Pacific data center market is poised to become the world’s largest data center region over the next decade. In a 2022 report, Singapore takes the top data center spot in the Asia Pacific, and the second place globally – tying with Silicon Valley after Virginia. In the region, Hong Kong claims the second spot, Sydney comes in third place, while Shanghai maintains the fourth place.

    The surge in data center activities is led by colocation providers including AWS, Microsoft, Tencent, and Alibaba. Research firm Report Linker revealed that investments into the region’s data center market amounted to US$63.15 billion last year, with investments predicted to reach US$94 billion by 2027.

    The largest data center market in the region, Singapore lifted a moratorium on new data center construction in January 2022. The moratorium was first implemented in 2019 to allow new server facilities that meet energy efficiency criteria to be constructed. As of last year, Singapore had more than 70 data centers operating with a total power capacity of 1,000 megawatts.

    For telecom operators, where data centers are becoming a strategic asset, many are deliberating data center partnerships or sell-offs to cash in. Last November, Globe Telecom was in advanced talks with ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC) to establish a data center business in the Philippines.

    To optimize and grow the value of its large and unique portfolio of quality infrastructure assets, Singtel outlined plans to create a regional data center business last year. Through a partnership with Thailand’s Gulf Energy and AIS, Singtel’s regional data center strategy aims to offer customers a differentiated value proposition.

    The global pandemic sparked work-from-home arrangements and a spike in digital infrastructure and cloud demand. Hyperscalers are amongst those pressured to increase data centers. Compounded by the acceleration of 5G deployments and resulting technologies, strategic investments into data centers have been on the rise. New sources of funding from private equity funds also contribute to the growing data center market to capitalize on future growth opportunities.

    Datacenterpricing, a data centre research specialist, estimated over 1.5 million square meters of space under development for data centers in the Asia Pacific.

    A recent high-profile investment is the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)’s US$150 million into data centers serving emerging countries in the Asia Pacific. Of which US$100 million would be channeled through Keppel’s Keppel Data Centre Fund II (KDC Fund II), which closed with US$1.1 billion in funding commitments.

    After the US, China has the second-largest hyperscaler data center capacity, accounting for 15% of the world’s total. According to Datacenterpricing, China will expand its data center market by 239,000 square meters to represent a 14% growth. Without overloading its power grids, China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) announced the set-up of four mega data center clusters outside the main population epicenters.

    South Korea is also a hotspot for data centers. In January, Equinix and Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund, GIC will jointly develop and operate two xScale data centers in Seoul, South Korea. Digital Realty will also be launching its first carrier-neutral data center in the capital to scale large enterprise applications.

    With many countries in the region still underserved, Asia Pacific will continue to witness unprecedented growth in the data centers, fuelled by increased digitalization and e-commerce.

    Indonesia, for instance, offers immense opportunities with a digital economy projected to be worth US$124 billion by 2025. The country houses more than 200 million internet users and an e-commerce market expected to reach US$100 billion by 2025. Last May, Singapore-headquartered STT GDC entered into a partnership with Indonesian Triputra Group to develop a new data center operating platform in Jakarta. Tencent Cloud built two data center facilities in the country.

    Alibaba Cloud also built its third data center in Indonesia last year. In the Philippines, Alibaba Cloud built its first data center last year to support businesses’ digitalization. This year, Alibaba has plans to debut centers in Thailand to expand its foothold in the region – a key profit driver which accounts for about 8% of the company’s total revenue, and amid greater competition by Tencent in China.

    In one of the latest, SpaceDC partners with JLL to build the largest data center in the Philippines. India, being the second most populous country in the world, is another country with very high population, but with a very low data center capacity. The current data traffic boom in India makes it another high-growth market for data centers. According to reports, Bharti Airtel plans to triple its data center capacity to 400 megawatt by 2025.

    Data centers demand is here to stay. As some telecom operators rethink their strategy for non-core operations, others view the data center business as a worthwhile investment. With the emergence of 5G and accompanying technology, telecom operators are well-positioned to seize opportunities working with, rather than against hyperscale providers to extend their capabilities to the network edge

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  • Telenor sale could endanger Myanmar activists

    Telenor sale could endanger Myanmar activists

    The sale of Telenor’s Myanmar subsidiary could place the personal data of its 18 million customers in the junta’s hands. As Telenor finalizes the sale of its Myanmar business to a military-linked group, concerns have been raised that sensitive data will be infringed and that families of activists in hiding will be put in harm’s way.

    According to sources, the sale will be completed by 15 February. Last July, Telenor announced that its Myanmar subsidiary would be sold to Lebanon’s financial firm, M1 Group. Military-linked Shwe Byain Phyu was later known to be a co-investor in the sale approved by the junta.

    Justice for Myanmar has since urged the Norwegian government to intervene in the sale. There had been reports that the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MOTC), ruled by the junta, had made more than 200 requests to Telenor for information including records of calls, over the past year.

    Telenor has since said that customers in Myanmar are handled by Telenor Myanmar and that Norwegian or EU data protection regulations do not apply to its subsidiary.

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  • StarHub and Chubb partner to safeguard customers against online risks

    StarHub and Chubb partner to safeguard customers against online risks

    Digital service provider to help customers mitigate the impact of online risks, StarHub and Chubb Insurance Singapore Limited (Chubb) have introduced CyberCover, a cyber protection policy designed to provide financial support for StarHub mobile and broadband customers affected by cyber-bullying, identity theft, unauthorized transactions, and undelivered or discrepancies in online purchases.

    With CyberCover, cyber protection, traditionally offered to only enterprises, has now become accessible and affordable for all consumers, providing individuals and families with financial support in the event of cyber threats.

    “Boldly embarking on DARE+ to be the digital service provider with the most enriching experiences for our customers, we are taking a leap towards offering much-needed services that complement our mobile and broadband subscriptions as well as our best-in-class network,” said Johan Buse, chief, consumer business group, StarHub. “Cybercrimes are on the rise, and as the cases strike closer to home, we want to give our customers peace of mind, knowing that StarHub will be there to help them get back on their feet during difficult times. Following the recent launch of our CyberSecure Business Solution to safeguard enterprises, we are now pleased to work with Chubb to extend a safety net to our customers, empowering them to do more of what they love without feeling threatened by dangers online.”

    Chubb’s country president for Singapore, Kevin Bogardus said, “The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted an increase in digital consumption – users are spending more time on social media platforms and consumers are engaging more in digital payments. As digital footprint goes up, so does the likelihood of cyber risk exposure. We are very excited about our partnership with StarHub to offer CyberCover. It is through this personal protection solution that we want to provide StarHub’s customers and their family members with practical support in the face of cybercrimes.“

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  • Singtel partners with Microsoft their first public MEC solution in Asia

    Singtel partners with Microsoft their first public MEC solution in Asia

    Singtel will launch the first Microsoft Azure Edge Zones integrated with Singtel’s 5G network, delivering multi-access edge compute (MEC) for enterprises in Asia. The solution combines the speed, hyperconnectivity, and high bandwidth of Singtel’s 5G network with Microsoft Azure services, enabling developers to deploy and manage mission-critical applications that require high throughput and low latency. It will boost business capabilities in areas such as metaverse-based real-time simulations, and live video analytics in a multi-tenant environment. Customers will be able to use their existing Azure subscriptions.

    Bill Chang, chief executive officer, group enterprise at Singtel said, “This collaboration is a key milestone for edge computing in Asia. We’re always looking for ways to support enterprises in leveraging the potential of 5G for digital transformation to drive innovation for the benefit of consumers, business users and entire industries. This solution enables enterprises to streamline the integration of 5G and MEC into business operations, facilitate the development of new solutions, and scale and transform their business.”

    In addition to running low-latency applications at the edge using Singtel’s 5G network, the solution has the potential to transform operations in sectors such as public safety, urban planning, healthcare, banking, civil service, transportation and logistics. It also offers public sector customers high security and better performance for end-users, enabling new intelligent edge scenarios.

    Customers can leverage these capabilities, only paying for the amount of compute and storage they use for the duration which they use it, replicating the cloud consumption model at the network edge and saving on additional operational overhead.

    Dr. Yousef Khalidi, corporate vice president Azure for operators, Microsoft said, “With Azure for operators, Singtel empowers its customers to unlock business value at the network edge. The integration of Azure compute services with Singtel’s 5G network will enable enterprises and developers to provide low-latency applications across industries such as public sector and healthcare.”

    The solution will be publicly available in the second half of 2022 for Azure customers in Singapore through the Azure portal to rapidly develop, test and deploy 5G applications such as autonomous guided vehicles, drones, robotics and virtual, augmented or mixed reality, at the edge of Singtel’s 5G network. Government agencies and enterprises of all sizes that have built their business applications and operations on Microsoft Azure’s plug-and-play cloud computing service can conveniently leverage the benefits of 5G and MEC as well.

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  • CITIC Telecom CPC appoints new CEO

    CITIC Telecom CPC appoints new CEO

    CITIC Telecom International CPC Limited (CITIC Telecom CPC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CITIC Telecom International Holdings Limited, announced that Brook Wong, vice president of CITIC Telecom has been appointed to the additional role of chief executive officer of CITIC Telecom CPC effective 1st February, 2022, succeeding Esmond Li who has decided to retire and step down from CEO of CITIC Telecom CPC after over 20 years of service in the Group.

    “Wong has long been a visionary in telecommunications, applying his tremendous insight, depth of experience, and passion for technology to the cause of creating the innovative and intelligent future,” said Frank Cai, vice chairman of CITIC Telecom CPC. “We are delighted to welcome Wong to CITIC Telecom CPC, and I’m confident that he will lead the team to continue pursuing our motto ‘Innovation Never Stops’ and to win in this fast-changing, dynamic industry. I believe that all of us will benefit from his leadership and expertise.”Wong is the vice president of CITIC Telecom, overseeing China market since 2008. He has extensive leadership experience working with various telecommunications companies. An expert in developing and executing strategies for the Greater China market. His ability to see the big picture, from crucial market development to macro strategic perspectives, will be invaluable to CITIC Telecom CPC’s customers.

    “I am honored and truly proud to be appointed to lead CITIC Telecom CPC. Under all the former managements’ leadership and accomplishments, together with its innovation, technology, and talents, it lays a solid foundation for a leading DICT service partner around the globe. We are committed to delivering the most innovative and intelligent solutions to propel the ICT industry forward,” said Wong. “Over the 14 years I have worked at CITIC Telecom, I have seen the many ways in which our people, product, and service create a rapidly growing and innovative company. I look forward to working closely with the management and the team, to continue promoting our company culture of ‘unity, collaboration, tolerance and caring’, to lead and accelerate CITIC Telecom CPC to be ‘best-in-class global-local intelligent DICT service partner”, to foster customer-oriented corporate culture, create a win-win situation with our partners, and strive for new heights.”

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  • M1 and Blacknut to deliver 5G-powered cloud gaming services in Singapore

    M1 and Blacknut to deliver 5G-powered cloud gaming services in Singapore

    M1 Limited (M1) has announced an exclusive partnership with market-leading cloud gaming specialist Blacknut, to bring an all-you-can-play 5G-powered cloud gaming service to Singapore.

    Boasting the world’s largest catalog for cloud gaming, Blacknut has a unified gaming platform that is fully integrated within the M1 ecosystem, enabling users to have unlimited access to more than 450 high-quality PC and console titles, including renowned hits like Overcooked, Lord of Fallen, Modern Combat 5, Asphalt9 and more. Serious and casual gamers will soon be able to discover a seamless “click & play” experience, anytime and anywhere, regardless of their device – television, PC, tablet, or mobile.

    Leveraging the high speed and ultra-low latency of M1’s True 5G network, this upcoming cloud gaming service ensures seamless and uninterrupted gaming experiences for subscribers.

    “True 5G not only transforms businesses but also consumer experiences. We are excited to show the game-changing prowess of 5G through our partnership with Blacknut, to level up gaming experiences for Singaporean gamers. Powered by 5G connectivity, M1 is on track to create an inclusive gaming ecosystem by enabling affordable and accessible gaming options,” said Manjot Singh Mann, chief executive officer, M1.

    “We are very proud to support M1 in their 5G deployments with Blacknut Cloud Gaming. We are pleased that our platform is a great fit and fully aligned with M1’s 5G ambitions. Pairing Blacknut with M1’s 5G connectivity delivers ultra-responsive cloud gaming backed by a fast, reliable network and the best market solution to fulfil M1’s vision for Singapore,” said Olivier Avaro, chief executive officer, Blacknut.

    Since its launch in July, M1’s True 5G network coverage has expanded to about 65% of Singapore, and with the continual growth of the infrastructure, customers can expect to soon enjoy more innovative and diversified digital experiences and even more OTT offerings.

    M1 has been a frontrunner in Singapore’s 5G development and was the first telco in the nation to embark on 5G trials as early as 2018. To date, M1 has a record of more than 15 5G use cases and trials across consumer, enterprise and government sectors. To further the 5G ambition and fully unleash the power of True 5G for all, M1 is also working with Workforce Singapore (WSG) to upskill and train close to 10% of the entire workforce to build a pool of talent with up-to-date skills in 5G and emerging technologies.

    Details of the cloud gaming subscription plan will be announced during the official launch in Q2 2022.

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  • Globe debuts Asia’s first eco-SIM

    Globe debuts Asia’s first eco-SIM

    net-zeronet zero carbon emissions by 2040, and we align with the ambitions of many organizations to work for the better good and build a sustainable future.  The Eco-SIM card is small, but it has a big impact on plastic and polymer waste and is another example of how we innovate to drive change. We are excited to partner with Globe on this pioneering initiative in the Philippines with a goal to roll it out throughout Asia,” said  Jon Cahilig, head of mobile connectivity solutions for Asia, Thales Digital Identity & Security.

    In 2019, Globe became a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact, committing to implement universal sustainability principles on human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption in its operations. In January 2021, Globe formally expressed its support to the globally-recognized Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosure (TCFD) in January. Along with more than 1,800 companies worldwide, Globe supports the framework set by TCFD and is committed to following recommendations towards effective climate-related disclosures.

    To further this commitment in 2021, Globe became the first publicly-listed Philippine company to be listed by the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi) committed to set science-based targets, in line with the 1.5°C global warming scenario of the Paris Agreement and the #RacetoZero Campaign. These commitments cover both the mid-term (2030) and long-term (2050) targets.

    “In order for us to truly move the needle in the fight against climate change, we all must take on the responsibility to act sustainably. This partnership with the Thales Group not only enables us to come up with a solution for our telco business, but it also gives our customers the opportunity to step up and choose to live more sustainably,” said Yoly Crisanto, Globe’s chief sustainability officer and SVP for corporate communications.

    In 2018, Globe was also the first in the country to introduce electronic SIMs or eSIM, as another alternative to the physical SIM cards. eSIMs are digital SIMs embedded in compatible mobile phone models, allowing its users to manage multiple profiles using different mobile numbers on just one device and effortlessly switch lines that fit their purpose. It also allows gadgets like smartphones and smartwatches to be connected under one mobile number.

    Globe strongly supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly UN SDG No. 12, which highlights the roles of responsible consumption and production patterns as crucial steps toward building a circular economy. Globe is committed to upholding the 10 United Nations Global Compact principles and 10 UN SDGs.

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