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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.

  • Telenor Myanmar signs partnership with TikTok

    Telenor Myanmar signs partnership with TikTok

    Telenor Myanmar has become the market’s first official partner for short-form video sharing platform TikTok, and introduced a new mobile data plan to support the partnership.

    The operator has introduced the new Sate Kyite Kyi plan, which will offer mobile video content from TikTok and Myanmar’s other most popular video apps – including YouTube, Viu and MyanFlix – at a rate of 1 kyat ($0.00065) per megabyte.

    Users will be able to subscribe to the plan over SMS, via the MyTelenor app or WowBox content platform with subscription fees of 499 kyats per week. The plan will not be auto-renewed and must be resubscribed to at the end of each week of service.

    “We are very excited to become the first official local partner of TikTok in Myanmar. Sate Kyite Kyi is the very first result of the agreement between us and the top video apps and we are delighted to add TikTok to our partners’ list for this innovative data plan,” Telenor Myanmar head of digital services Chan May Ling said.

    “It will be the one of a kind data plans in Myanmar, providing users with a one-stop shop solution where they can enjoy all of their favorite videos. As you all know, Telenor Myanmar has been offering the best and most affordable products and services since its inception in Myanmar to ease users’ daily lives and we promise that we will come up with many more innovative services from this partnership.”

  • Humans cause 90% of cloud data breaches

    Humans cause 90% of cloud data breaches

    Incidents in public cloud infrastructure are more likely to happen because of a customer’s employees rather than actions carried out by cloud providers, according to a new Kaspersky Lab report.

    Companies expect cloud providers to be responsible for the safety of data stored on their cloud platforms, the report found. However, around 90% of corporate data breaches in the cloud happen due to social engineering techniques targeting customers’ employees, not because of problems caused by the cloud provider.

    Cloud adoption allows organizations to benefit from more agile business processes, reduced capex and faster IT provision. However, they also worry about cloud infrastructure continuity and the security of their data. At least a third of both SMB and enterprise companies are concerned about incidents affecting IT infrastructure hosted by a third party. The consequences of an incident may make the benefits of cloud redundant and instead evoke painful commercial and reputational risks.

    Even though organizations are primarily worried about the integrity of external cloud platforms, they are more likely to be affected by weaknesses far closer to home. A third of incidents (33%) in the cloud are caused by social engineering techniques affecting employee behavior, while only 11% can be blamed on the actions of a cloud provider.

    The survey shows there is still room for improvement to ensure adequate cybersecurity measures are in place when working with third parties. Only 39%  of SMBs and half (47% ) of enterprises have implemented tailored protection for the cloud. This may be the result of businesses largely relying on a cloud infrastructure provider for cybersecurity. Alternatively, they could have false confidence that standard endpoint protection works smoothly within cloud environments without diminishing the benefits of cloud.

    “The first step for any business when migrating to public cloud is to understand who is responsible for their business data and the workloads held in it,” Kaspersky Lab VP of global sales Maxim Frolov said.

    “Cloud providers normally have dedicated cybersecurity measures in place to protect their platforms and customers, but when a threat is on the customer’s side, it is no longer the provider’s responsibility. Our research shows that companies should be more attentive to the cybersecurity hygiene of their employees and take measures that will protect their cloud environment from the inside.”

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  • KDDI, Sumitomo to enter Myanmar mobile game market

    KDDI, Sumitomo to enter Myanmar mobile game market

    Japanese operator KDDI and conglomerate Sumitomo have revealed plans to jointly enter Myanmar’s mobile game industry through newly created joint venture Funcreate Myanmar.

    Funcreate Myanmar, a subsidiary of the companies’ Singapore-based joint venture Funcreate, will localize and distribute mobile games from Japan and other countries throughout Myanmar.

    Funcreate was established in November last year and has been a joint venture since April. It is 51% owned by KDDI and 49% owned by Sumitomo.

    The companies aim to attract more than 1 million downloads for each game title offered. Myanmar’s mobile games market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 52% due to the nation’s rapidly developing mobile phone market.

    KDDI has meanwhile established a strategic partnership with Singapore-based mobile game service provider goGame to take advantage of the latter’s expertise in game procurement, development, operation and marketing for the Asian market.

    Sumitomo, which launched a mobile game sales operation in North America in 2018, will meanwhile provide strategic marketing proposals for the new mobile game business operation, tailored to the Myanmar market.

    KDDI and Sumitomo were selected in 2014 to partner with state-owned Myanmar Posts and Telecom to operate a joint venture providing fixed and mobile services in the rapidly developing local telecoms market.

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  • 5G will hit the IoT market in late 2020

    5G will hit the IoT market in late 2020

    5G will make its first appearance in the IoT market in late 2020 and struggle for years before it can become a mainstream technology, says a new report from Berg Insight.

    According to the IoT analyst firm, the first 5G cellular IoT modules will become available for developers this year.

    While this allows early adopters to create the first IoT devices based on the 5G standard, the report also states that it will take some times for 5G to become popular in the context of IoT.

    The technology will account for just 3% of the total installed base of cellular IoT devices by 2023, predicts Berg Insight.

    “5G still has some way to go before it can become a mainstream technology for cellular IoT”, said Tobias Ryberg, principal analyst and author of the report.

    Just like 4G when it was first introduced, the initial version of 5G is mostly about improving network performance and data capacity, he added.

    “This is only relevant for a smaller subset of high-bandwidth cellular IoT applications like connected cars, security cameras and industrial routers. The real commercial breakthrough will not happen until the massive machine type communication (mMTC) use case has been implemented in the standard,” explained Ryberg.

    The report also identifies homeland security as an area where 5G cellular IoT can have a major impact already in the early 2020s.

    “5G enables the deployment of high-density networks of AI-supported security cameras to monitor anything form security-classified facilities to national borders or entire cities”, said Ryberg.

    “How this technology is used and by whom is likely to become one of the most controversial issues in the next decade.”

    In a separate report, Berg Insight predicts the global number of cellular IoT subscribers will reach to 9 billion in 2023 from 1.2 billion in 2018, largely driven by the “momentum scale” of deployment in China.

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  • SES Networks to provide connectivity luxury cruise ships

    SES Networks to provide connectivity luxury cruise ships

    SES Networks has won a deal to provide high-speed satellite broadband services for a fleet of luxury cruise ships in the Asian market.

    The Luxembourg-based satellite operator has signed a contract to provide its Signature Cruise Solution to Dream Cruises, a subsidiary of Hong Kong’s Genting Cruise Lines.

    Dream Cruises will use the connectivity solution for its cruise ship fleet, consisting of the World Dream, Genting Dream and newly-launched Explorer Dream.

    The solution has already been implemented onboard World Dream and Explorer Dream, and will be introduced on Genting Dream in September.

    It uses SES Networks’ O3b constellation of medium earth orbit (MEO) satellites, with backup from its geostationary fleet for added network resilience, as well as a suite of managed services.

    “Today’s cruise passengers demand excellent connectivity even when they are traveling on the high seas,” Dream Cruises president Thatcher Brown said.

    “As part of our efforts to provide our guests with the best possible services and amenities on board our ships, we partnered with SES Networks because of their high-speed capability to deliver a terrestrial broadband-like internet experience in some of the most challenging of conditions.”

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  • Japanese, Taiwanese cellcos suspend Huawei device sales

    Japanese, Taiwanese cellcos suspend Huawei device sales

    The first crop of Asian operators have responded to the US trade ban on Huawei and its implication for Huawei’s access to the Android OS by freezing sales of new Huawei devices.

    Japan’s KDDI and SoftBank have both revealed plans to postpone the planned launch of Huawei’s new range of smartphones, which had initially been scheduled to launch this month.

    Meanwhile NTT Docomo has announced it will stop taking orders for the new devices, but has not yet announced plans to suspend the scheduled launch of a new high-end Huawei handset.

    But Huawei has insisted it will continue offering services and support for its existing products in Japan without disruption despite the decision.

    Meanwhile, in Taiwan, Chunghwa Telecom and Taiwan Mobile have both revealed they plan to stop selling Huawei devices after their current stocks sell out. The operators no longer intend to launch the latest crop of Huawei devices.

    The US Commerce Department last week officially added Huawei to the list of companies covered by president Donald Trump’s executive order declaring a state of emergency. The presidential declaration gave the government powers to regulate commerce by prohibiting US companies from trading with foreign companies deemed to present a national security threat.

    This decision has prompted a number of key Huawei suppliers to announce they will stop trading with the vendor – including Google, which said it will comply with the order and cut off Huawei’s access to Android.

    The Commerce Department has subsequently issued a 90-day reprieve allowing companies to continue trading with Huawei, but only to provide products and services required to maintain existing solutions.

    But Huawei will still be prohibited from using all but the open source version of Android in new devices and risks losing access to Google’s suite of services for even its existing devices after the 90-day window.

    Huawei has contingency plans in place such as its own operating system, which it has been developing for some time and promises at least some compatibility with Android apps, as well as its own app store.

    The Chinese vendor has repeatedly denied any suggestion that the Chinese government could use its equipment to spy on foreign nationals.

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  • 2 in 3 cellcos plan to deploy 5G within 18 months

    2 in 3 cellcos plan to deploy 5G within 18 months

    Mobile service providers anticipate significant new revenue opportunities from the coming deployment of high-speed 5G networks and a host of new IoT-driven use cases

    According to a new survey fielded by the Business Performance Innovation (BPI) Network, in partnership with A10 networks, but they also believe much-improved security will be essential to realizing that potential.

    The new study report, “Securing the Future of a Smart World,” demonstrates that carriers are moving decisively toward 5G commercialization and that security is a top concern.

    • 67% will deploy their first commercial 5G networks within 18 months and another 20% within two years
    • 94% expect growth in network traffic, connected devices and mission-critical IoT use cases to significantly increase security and reliability concerns for 5G networks
    • 79% say 5G is a consideration in current security investments

    “Mobile carriers anticipate significant revenue opportunities and exciting new use cases as they move forward with their 5G deployments. However, the industry also recognizes that 5G will dramatically raise the stakes for ensuring the security and reliability of these networks,” said Gunter Reiss, vice president of A10 Networks.

    “New mission-critical applications like autonomous vehicles, smart cities, and remote patient monitoring will make network reliability vital to the safety and security of people and businesses. Meanwhile, dramatic increases in traffic rates and connected devices will significantly expand the attack surface and scale for cybercriminals.”

    Operators still have a significant amount of work ahead to fortify their networks for the coming of 5G. For example, while more than 80% of mobile operator respondents say they will need to upgrade Gi/SGi firewalls at the core of their networks, only 11% have completed the implementation of new Gi/SGi firewalls.

    Realizing the potential of full-scale 5G networks requires major investments by carriers—and payback on that spend is a crucial issue for the telecommunications industry. Operators see significant opportunities to increase revenues and innovate new business models.

    The top-three benefits derived from 5G

    • 67% – Overall growth in the mobile market
    • 59% – Better customer service and satisfaction
    • 43% – The creation of new 5G-enabled business models

    Top drivers for 5G

    • 61% – Smart cities
    • 48% – Industrial automation and smart manufacturing
    • 39% – High-speed connectivity
    • 35% – Connected vehicles
    • 37% – Fixed wireless

    Assessing 5G security needs

    Chief among security concerns are core network security and DDoS protection.

    • 63% – Advanced DDoS protection the most important security capability needed for 5G networks.
    • 98% of respondents said core network security was either very important (72%) or important (26%) in 5G build-outs.
    • 79% have or will upgrade their Gi/SGi firewalls
    • 73% have or will upgrade their GTP firewall

    “Operators overwhelmingly understand the importance of upgrading security in a more connected and smart world,” continued Reiss.

    “Now it’s time to take decisive action. Carriers need to move ahead aggressively with their plans to upgrade legacy DDoS protection and consolidate security services at the core and edge of their networks to address the growing concerns. A10 Networks 5G security solutions including Gi/SGi firewall, GTP firewall and AI-based DDoS protection enable operators to secure and scale their networks now and protect against the massive cyber threat coming with 5G.”

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  • Verizon Media unveils Hong Kong expansion plans

    Verizon Media unveils Hong Kong expansion plans

    Verizon Media has announced an aggressive expansion program for Hong Kong for the next 180 days and the year ahead, including the expansion of its Yahoo Studio in the market.

    The studio will be equipped with audio-visual production equipment for creating HD videos with virtual settings and advanced motion capture capabilities to deliver broadcaster grade production.

    The studio produces Yahoo TV live programs including celebrity talk shows and Engadget Updates.

    “The new studio can unleash video creativity, enabling us to produce more live programs, HD videos with 3D virtual settings, and e-commerce shows,” said Lorraine Cheung, head of audience at Verizon Media. Live programs include finance, tech, lifestyle, and entertainment programs.

    Cheung said the company will unveil its first virtual character this July. The virtual character will not only be a Yahoo KOL but also a co-host of Yahoo’s homegrown TV programs. “The character aims to enhance overall user experience via more fun interaction, turning media into a two-way conversation.”

    In addition, Verizon Media is bringing its new Yahoo Rewards membership program to Hong Kong. The program will allow users to earn points with their daily online engagement such as polling, following groups, e-shopping, and content consumption on Yahoo App.

    The company plans to roll out a Good Deeds Good Life campaign to the app, which will allow users to earn points by engaging in social causes that benefit the community.

    Verizon Media recently unveiled a first-of-its-kind virtual reality advertising offering for demand-side platform users, which aims to help advertisers seamlessly extend existing display and video assets into VR environments.

    “We see huge potential in AR and VR technology on improving engagement of ad and branded content. Our focus is to introduce the technology and facilitate the market adoption.” Verizon Media Hong Kong senior director for APAC ad creative technology Roger Li said.

    Verizon Media, a division of Verizon, was renamed from Oath in 2019. “The purpose of Verizon Media is to transform how people stay informed and entertained, communicate, and transact,” said Rico Chan, managing director of Verizon Media Hong Kong, Japan and INSEA. “The company’s priorities include growing our member-centric ecosystem, building brands B2B customers love and trust, as well as videofy our brands and platforms.”

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  • Arm cuts ties with Huawei

    Arm cuts ties with Huawei

    In the latest development in the ever-churning Huawei news cycle, chipmaker Arm is suspending business with the Chinese vendor to comply with the US restrictions.

    The BBC reported Wednesday that Arm sent out a company memo that said its employees must discontinue “all active contracts, and any pending engagements” with Huawei and its subsidiaries. The memo also said that Arm’s designs contained “U.S. origin technology,” which it believes is affected by the Trump administration’s ban.

    Losing Arm’s technology would be a big blow to Huawei in the smartphone sector. Huawei, currently the second-largest smartphone vendor behind Samsung, uses Arm’s mobile device processors as the key element of its smartphones.

    “Arm is complying with the latest restrictions set forth by the US government and is having ongoing conversations with the appropriate US government agencies to ensure we remain compliant,” according to Arm’s statement.

    “Arm values its relationship with our longtime partner HiSilicon (Huawei’s chip arm), and we are hopeful for a swift resolution on this matter.”

    Last week, the Trump administration blocked Huawei from buying goods made from 25% or more of U.S.-originated technologies or materials, and previously accused the world’s largest telecommunications vendor of being a spy for the Chinese government via backdoors in its telecom gear.

    On Tuesday, the US Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) announced it would allow some companies to continue to do business with Huawei under specific conditions. The BIS said it would issue a temporary general license (TGL) to Huawei and its 68 affiliates to authorize some U.S. telecom companies to continue to engage in export transactions with Huawei for the next 90 days, which took some of the immediate heat off of Huawei.

    Google had announced that it would no longer allow access to software updates for its Android operating system and apps that are used in Huawei’s smartphones and tablets, but reversed course after the BIS decision was announced.

    In other Huawei news, Panasonic said on Wednesday that it would stop shipments to Huawei of some of its components, but that won’t have as big an impact as losing Arm.

    Huawei said its own operating system for smartphones and tablets would be operational this fall, but would only use it if the company no longer has access to Google’s Android and Microsoft Windows’ operating systems.

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  • U Mobile contracts Nokia for Single RAN deployment

    U Mobile contracts Nokia for Single RAN deployment

    Malaysia’s U Mobile has contracted Nokia to help the operator expand the delivery of mobile data services across the nation.

    Under the three year agreement, U Mobile will deploy a Nokia Single RAN network at greenfield locations across Malaysia, as well as microwave and IP-based mobile transport technologies.

    The deployment will enable U Mobile to end its reliance on RAN sharing agreements by extending its own footprint across Malaysia.

    Both companies also plan to collaborate on a live 5G network trial later this year aimed at demonstrating enhanced mobile broadband capabilities, as well as 5G use cases such as VR streaming and e-sports.

    “U Mobile has been aggressively expanding our network across Malaysia in our drive to bring our customers a superior experience. We are delighted to be able to leverage on Nokia’s expertise in our network expansion journey,” U Mobile CTO Woon Ooi Yuen said.

    “We are of course also looking forward to working with Nokia as part of our Road To 5G Strategy. We have in our plan to conduct several 5G live trials with Nokia later this year for various use cases. Currently, we already have in place Nokia’s AirScale base stations which are 5G-ready and hence, ready for trials.”

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  • Mislatel cleared to receive congressional franchise

    Mislatel cleared to receive congressional franchise

    China Telecom backed joint venture Mislatel Corporation has been cleared to secure a congressional franchise to become the Philippines’ third mobile player.

    Mislatel, the joint venture established with businesses owned by Philippines tycoon Dennis Uy, has received congressional approval to acquire the franchise owned by Mindanao Islamic Telephone Co.

    The National Telecommunications Commission will now make preparations to issue a certificate of public convenience and necessity and an allocation of spectrum for the operator. The allocation is expected to be complete by mid-June.

    But Mislatel will first be required to pay a 25.7 billion peso bond, which it will need to forfeit if it does not meet its rollout and other commitments to the government.

    These commitments include achieving 84% population coverage within five years, and reaching a minimum average internet speed of 27Mbps within the first year of operations, increasing to 55Mbps after this time.

    Mislatel won the selection process to become the market’s third major player in November last year. But the company was recently forced to postpone its planned launch date in early 2021 due to delays receiving the congressional franchise.

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  • Bharti Infratel-Indus Towers merger due to close in June

    Bharti Infratel-Indus Towers merger due to close in June

    The mega-merger between Indian operator Bharti Airtel’s infrastructure company Bharti Infratel and independent tower company Indus Towers is reportedly now expected to close in June.

    The planned merger, which has been in the making for around a year, is at an advanced stage of completion, according to the prospective parent companies of the merged company Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Group.

    In a stock exchange filing, the companies also announced that they have proposed to appoint current Indus Towers CEO Bimal Dayal and CFO Hemant Ruia to the posts of CEO and CFO respectively of the combined company.

    Merging Bharti Infratel with Indus Towers will create a pan-India tower company with over 163,000 towers in operation and a valuation of around $10 billion.

    The combined company will continue to serve Indian operators on a non-discriminatory basis and help support the expansion of 4G and 5G wireless broadband services across India.

    Indus Towers was established in 2007 as a joint venture between Bharti Airtel and what is now Vodafone Idea. Prior to the in-progress merger, the company was around 53% owned by Vodafone Idea, 42% owned by Bharti Infratel and 5% owned by Providence Equity Partners.

    “The Shareholder groups look forward to early completion of the merger and move towards successful integration,” the joint statement reads.

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  • Sprint/T-Mobile deal may get FCC approval

    Sprint/T-Mobile deal may get FCC approval

    In a move that was looking increasingly unlikely over the past few months, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has signaled that he will recommend that Sprint/T-Mobile merger be approved. The $26.5 billion mergers aren’t necessarily out of the woods yet as no vote has been taken and the other four commissioners have not been heard from yet and there is still the DOJ to persuade. But nevertheless, the deal has crossed a threshold and may now be back on track to close in the coming months.

    In order to get past the FCC’s concerns, Sprint and T-Mobile had to make a few concessions. The Boost prepaid business will be sold off, a 5G network will be built out over 3 years, and pricing will not be raised during that construction. Promises were made to ensure ‘robust’ infrastructure in rural areas and to work on in-home broadband offerings.

    The markets liked the move, and all four US wireless giants saw their stocks surge in response, Sprint and T-Mobile for obvious reasons and Verizon and AT&T due to the prospect of a reduction in the competition overall. Infrastructure providers, however, saw the opposite given the consolidation synergies that will inevitably come at their expense.

    The news comes just over a year since the deal was announced after years of dancing. I think we’re all tired of the dance at this point. I wonder though if a tweet will send things the other way in the next 24 hours.

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  • App development industry facing massive disruption

    App development industry facing massive disruption

    OutSystems has published its sixth annual research report on the state of application development and the challenges faced by development and delivery teams.

    The State of Application Development, 2019: Is IT Ready for Disruption report unveils detailed survey results from over 3,300 IT professionals in all industries across the world, 17% of which are from Asia Pacific (APAC).

    “Our 2019 survey shows that many IT departments are facing a multitude of disruptive forces when it comes to digital transformation and application development,” said Steve Rotter, CMO for OutSystems.

    “The threat of digital disruption and the need for digital transformation has been a driver of IT strategy for years. Add to that the current uncertain global economic outlook, and it becomes obvious why business leaders are so concerned about agility today.”

    The new research report provides in-depth insights from IT managers, enterprise architects, and developers addressing a wide range of issues. Digital transformation dominates business strategy today, which is why web and mobile development demand is booming. Moreover, speed and agility are more important than ever before, Rotter explained.

    This OutSystems report explores the priorities and challenges of application development and delivery, and the strategies that IT teams are using to try to speed up delivery.

    Six key findings that impact every IT professional:

    • Demand for app dev soars: The number of applications slated for delivery in 2019 has increased 60%, according to respondents globally, 38% of whom plan to deliver 25 or more apps this year. In APAC, 69% of respondents planned to deliver 10 or more applications in 2019, with 52% of APAC respondents targeting to deliver 50 or more applications in the year ahead.
    • Steep development time: 46% of respondents in APAC said the average time to deliver a web or mobile application is five months or more.
    • Backlogs remain: 63% of IT professionals in APAC said they have an app dev backlog, with 16% of these respondents having a backlog of more than 10 applications.
    • Development talent hard to find and keep: Most respondents have hired developers, 75% of respondents globally described app dev talent as scarce, and only 36% of organizations in APAC have larger app dev teams than a year ago. The numbers appear to show retention of app dev talent is an equally grave concern.
    • Agile practices are still slow to mature: 69% of organizations in APAC have invested in agile tools and services in the past year. However, the average agile-maturity score was a lackluster 2.76 out of 5, meaning most organizations in the region are still in the process of defining agile processes.
    • Customer-centricity continues to rise: Over 69% of organizations in APAC have invested in customer-centric practices in the past year, including customer journey mapping, design thinking, and lean UX. For the new apps slated for development in 2019, those that will be used directly by customers or business partners were identified as most important.

    Low-code has become mainstream

    Another key research finding was that low-code is no longer just for innovators and early adopters.

    43% of APAC respondents said that their organization was already using a low-code platform, and a further 12% said that their organization was planning to start using one soon.

    The analysis in the report identified that organizations using low-code are:

    • 26% more likely to describe their organization as satisfied or somewhat satisfied with the speed of application development
    • 11% more likely to deliver web applications in four months or less
    • 15% more likely to deliver mobile applications in four months or less
    • 20% more likely to score their agile maturity as level 3, 4 or 5
    • 12% more likely to say that their app dev backlog has improved since last year
    • Reporting a 16% higher self-assessment score for digital transformation maturity

    “Our findings in the 2019 State of Application Development Report crystallize a trend we have been observing in recent years – the uptake of low-code development platforms supporting innovation, continuous delivery, and better talent resource management in enterprises,” said Mark Weaser, Regional Vice-President, APAC, OutSystems.

    “No longer reserved for innovators and early adopters, low-code development platforms have definitely crossed the chasm and are well on the way to widespread adoption in Asia Pacific by the early majority.”

  • Thaicom to offer 5G satellite backhaul

    Thaicom to offer 5G satellite backhaul

    Thai satellite operator Thaicom aims to carve out a new revenue stream by offering satellite backhaul capacity to the nation’s operators for their upcoming 5G networks.

    Thaicom chief commercial officer Patompob Suwansiri said that satellite will be critical to the future of 5G networks.

    According to the executive, Thaicom is currently working with operator AIS, an affiliate of its parent company InTouch Holdings, to prepare for the transition. The company already provides transponder capacity for backhaul for AIS, as well as TrueMove and operators in several other Asian nations.

    The company is looking to replace the revenue that will be lost as a result of the exit of seven Thai digital TV channels in August.

    Thaicom’s concession to operate three of its five satellites will also expire in 2021, but the company is planning to bid to obtain the operating rights to the satellite under a public-private partnership model for after the rights expire.

    While satellite will not be able to deliver the low latencies expected for 5G networks, Patompob said around 80% of data traffic usage in the 5G era will be from applications that do not require low latency and will, therefore, be suited to satellite backhaul.

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