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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.

  • M1 taps UOB for QR code payment

    M1 taps UOB for QR code payment

    Singapore operator M1 has partnered with the nation’s United Overseas Bank (UOB) to offer PayNow as a payment mode for M1 customers.

    Under the agreement, M1 customers can now make mobile payments for purchases via PayNow at all M1 Shop outlets, as well as make monthly bill payments via PayNow by scanning the QR Code on the bill.

    M1 is the first communications provider in Singapore to enable retail customers to make e-payments via PayNow, providing customers with an additional payment option, in addition to existing payment modes. UOB is the key provider of PayNow Corporate services to M1, and will help enable the safe and hassle-free scan-and-pay experience for M1’s customers.

    To pay for in-store purchases, customers need to scan a dynamic QR Code that is generated at the counter using the mobile banking application of any PayNow participating banks with QR scanning functionality. Customers can also use PayNow to pay for their monthly bills by scanning the dynamic QR code on their bill statement. Customers can complete the payment by confirming the transaction details that have been automatically filled in, such as the payment amount and recipient.

    “Today, about eight in 10 consumers in Singapore have adopted e-payments and PayNow is a very convenient e-payment platform which will enhance our customers’ payment experience. This new initiative is one of many, as part of our digitalization journey to deliver a seamless digital experience for our customers,” M1 CMO  P. Subramaniam said.

  • Hyperscale operators to boost colocation market

    Hyperscale operators to boost colocation market

    Synergy Research Group (SRG) says hyperscale operators are the fastest growing customer category for colocation providers. For both wholesale and retail colocation, 2018 revenue from hyperscale customers grew much more rapidly than revenues from other service provider customers and from enterprises.

    While the overall colocation market grew by 10% in 2018, revenues from hyperscale operators grew by 24% in the wholesale segment of the market and by 16% in the retail segment. Enterprise spending on wholesale colocation was relatively flat in 2018 compared to 2017, while enterprise spending on retail colocation grew by 7%.

    Synergy’s Q4 and year-end data shows that the total colocation market grew to over $34 billion in 2018.

    Growth was strongest in the APAC region, with China, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore showing the highest growth rates in the region. Hyperscale operators comprise the world’s major cloud and internet service firms, including the largest operators in IaaS, PaaS, SaaS, search, social networking and e-commerce. The other service provider category includes telcos, non-hyperscale cloud providers and internet service firms, hosting/outsourcing companies and content & digital media service providers. The enterprise category includes all other industry verticals plus government and the public sector.

    “It comes as no surprise that hyperscale operators are providing a boost to colocation providers, as they are on a charge to rapidly extend their worldwide data center footprint and in 2018 ramped up their capex by no less than 43%,” said John Dinsdale, a chief analyst at Synergy Research Group.

    “In order to support this rapid growth they cannot just build their own data centers, so they also need to rely on colocation providers to lease out both large wholesale facilities and capacity at smaller edge locations. Hyperscale operators are becoming an ever-more important source of business for leading colocation companies such as Equinix, Digital Realty, Interxion, CyrusOne, QTS and GDS.”

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  • Dtac, CAT, TOT to collaborate on 5G testbeds

    Dtac, CAT, TOT to collaborate on 5G testbeds

    Thai state owned operators TOT and CAT Telecom and privately-owned operator Dtac will collaborate on the development of 5G testbeds in the nation.

    The operators have signed a public-private partnership agreement to conduct both laboratory and live testing of 5G use cases at the 5G testbeds at Chulalongkorn University and the Eastern Economic Corridor.

    Applications due to be tested will focus on applications including smart farming, smart cities and environmental management.

    Specifically, TOT will test smart poles for smart city applications, CAT Telecom will trial 5G equipped air pollution sensors, and Dtac plans to test 5G connected drones to support real-time precision farming.

    The report cites Dtac CEO Alexandra Reich as noting that collaboration with vertical industries including co-investments will be essential for securing the resources required to pay for 5G infrastructure development.

    Meanwhile Dtac is urging the government to develop a clear 5G spectrum roadmap encompassing high, mid and low band spectrum, and including a clear allocation timeline, in order to support the industry’s preparations for the launch of 5G in Thailand.

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  • Shanghai launches 5G trial district

    Shanghai launches 5G trial district

    The City of Shanghai has launched 5G trials in the Hongkou district, which also has the distinction of having a gigabit broadband network.

    The 5G trial, backed by China Mobile, involves providing full coverage of the district.

    During a commencement ceremony for the trial, a 5G video call was placed using the Huawei Mate X foldable 5G smartphone.

    The city plans to deploy over 10,000 5G base stations by the end of the year, and over 30,000 by 2021.

    As part of the trials, the city also plans to provide support for over 100 companies developing 5G-related application scenarios.

    The wide-scale trial follows Huawei’s deployment of trial 5G services at Shanghai’s Hongqiao Railway Station in February.

    Other Chinese cities are also investing in taking an early lead with 5G deployments, including Chengdu in the Sichuan province and Wuhan in Central China.

    The latter city has deployed a trial 5G network encompassing over 100 5G base stations to explore developments in autonomous vehicles, drones and satellite-based positioning, the report states.

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  • Telstra launches tiered loyalty program

    Telstra launches tiered loyalty program

    Australia’s Telstra has announced a new tier-based loyalty program designed to allow customers to earn points for every dollar they spend with the operator.

    The Telstra Plus program will be available to both prepaid and postpaid customers. Members will accumulate points they will be able to exchange for discounts on new devices and accessories.

    Through partnerships, Telstra will also offer access to benefits such as discounted sport and movie tickets and complementary extras.

    Membership to the tiered system will be calculated based on spend over the previous 12 months. The higher tier services include benefits such as priority call handling and 24×7 tech support, as well as yet to be announced entertainment bonuses.

    Telstra CEO Andy Penn said Telstra plans to extend the new offering to its roughly 8 million customers from May.

    “Every service, subscription or hardware repayment will see customers earn points towards new technology, and we think that’s a pretty powerful offer,” he said.

    “The first 5G devices will be available with Telstra soon, opening up even more opportunities for Australians to get more out of life through technology and helping our customers take advantage of all our network has to offer… In addition to the better value we provide our customers through our larger network coverage and data speeds, we’re upping the ante through rewarding our customers for their loyalty over time.”

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  • Dialog Axiata announces 5G pilot service

    Dialog Axiata announces 5G pilot service

    Sri Lanka’s Dialog Axiata has launched what it says is South Asia’s first fully standards based 5G pilot service in collaboration with Huawei.

    The successful demonstration involved the use of the operator’s Huawei-based RAN and core network with the most current 5G non-standalone architecture to transmit data to a 5G smartphone.

    Dialog Axiata group chief executive Supun Weerasinghe said the trial marks another step towards the operator’s introduction of 5G in the region. The operator has to date upgraded over 20% of its base stations to support Massive MIMO technology, giving them 5G ready status.

    “The success of South Asia’s first demonstration of a mobile 5G service is yet another milestone following our launch of a fully functional pre-commercial 5G network and builds on our significant investments into high speed broadband network infrastructure in Sri Lanka,” he said.

    “Dialog will continue to deliver on its promise of delivering the future today by leveraging the unique capabilities of 5G technology, to spearhead the country’s transformation into a regional technology hub.”

    Dialog Axiata launched its pre-commercial 5G network at the end of last year, demonstrating South Asia’s first fully functional and standards compliant 5G transmission using commercial grade base stations.

  • Telenor appoints Irfan Khan to head the group’s Asia operations

    Telenor appoints Irfan Khan to head the group’s Asia operations

    Telenor Group has appointed Irfan Khan, chief of Pakistan unit, as executive vice president and cluster head for the Norwegian telecom group’s emerging Asia operations, effective from April 1, 2019.

    Khan (pictured) succeeds Petter-Børre Furberg, who will take up a role as CEO of Telenor Norway and move out of the group’s executive management team.

    As a result of the move, Khan will join Telenor Group’s executive management team and report directly to Telenor Group CEO and president Sigve Brekke.

    “I am confident that Irfan will continue to lead our dedicated and talented teams to success, connecting the cluster’s more than 130 million customers,” said Brekke. “I’d like to also thank Irfan’s predecessor in this role, Petter-Børre Furberg, for his leadership and achievements across our Asia region over the last several years.”

    He will also continue as CEO of Telenor Pakistan, a role he assumed in August 2016 following a three-year stint as deputy CEO and CMO of the business.

    Khan has been with Telenor for 14 years and was the first employee in Telenor Pakistan when he started as EVP and head of corporate affairs division in 2004.

    In Asia, Telenor has operations in Pakistan, Thailand, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Malaysia.

    Line appoints founder Jungho Shin as co-CEO

    Japan-based Line announced its founder and “chief wow officer” (CWO) Jungho Shin (pictured) will take up an additional role as co-CEO from April 1.

    As the co-CEO, Shin will now also focus on bolstering the competitiveness of Line’s services and promoting innovation, while Takeshi Idezawa will concentrate on the management, as well as revenue, organizational structure, human resources, and recruitment, the company said in a statement.

    Line said the decision was made during the company’s board meeting and the appointment comes as the company began what it calls its second growth phase this year, moving into new business domains such as fintech, AI and blockchain.

    “By having Idezawa and Shin commit to their respective areas of expertise under this new structure, the aim is to strengthen and enhance Line’s management structure, enable nimbler decision-making, and deliver world-class services that will accelerate Line’s growth, both in Asia and globally,” the company added.

    Shin was appointed as CWO in February. He has been with the company since its start, most recently serving as chief service officer since April 2018 and chief global officer before that.

  • HPE launches cloud advisory service

    HPE launches cloud advisory service

    Hewlett Packard Enterprise has announced HPE Right Mix Advisor, an offering that aims to help businesses develop their hybrid cloud strategies.

    HPE Right Mix Advisor recommends which workloads and applications are ideal to move to public clouds, or keep in private clouds, and how to migrate those workloads to achieve the right mix of hybrid cloud according to each business’s specific need.

    Many organizations find identifying their right mix to be a significant challenge, due to the complexity of their environment and the rate of change in technology and business. HPE said its new advisor aims to be the systematic approach businesses need to develop their hybrid cloud strategies with confidence.

    “IT executives have noted to us that identifying the optimal fit for their individual workloads is one of their top challenges today,” IDC’s Jed Scaramella said. “Past approaches that relied on best practices and manual analysis are now too costly and time consuming.”

    HPE Right Mix Advisor is built upon experience from over 1,000 hybrid cloud engagements, best practices from Cloud Technology Partners and RedPixie, and automated discovery capabilities from iQuate.

    Millions of data points are quickly collected from the customer’s IT landscape, from CMDBs such as ServiceNow, and from external sources such as cloud vendor pricing models. In a recent engagement, for example, nine million IP addresses across six data centres were examined.

    HPE Pointnext experts work with the client’s IT teams to analyze the data using proprietary tooling and placement algorithms. The result is a data-driven recommendation of the right workload placement strategy, as well as a phased plan to get there.

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  • Nokia unveils Factory in a Box 2.0

    Nokia unveils Factory in a Box 2.0

    Nokia is showcasing the second generation of the vendor’s Factory in a Box container solution at the 5G Arena during Hannover Messe 2019 in Germany.

    Factory in a Box 2.0 is designed to demonstrate how industry 4.0 solutions for manufacturers can be packed, transported and brought online within hours.

    The solution combines additive manufacturing technologies with augmented and virtual reality and robotics solutions, as well as connectivity using Nokia’s private 4G/5G equipment.

    Meanwhile a semi-automated production workflow has been integrated with Nokia’s Worldwide IoT Network Grid, which is designed to help mobile operators deliver a better global IoT experience to enterprise customers.

    Finally, the solution is designed with a Nokia Digital Automation Cloud, which is targeted at industrial environments large and small.

    “We could tell from the positive feedback we received on the Factory in a Box last year that there is a lot of potential for this concept in the manufacturing industry,” Nokia VP of supply network and engineering Grant Marshall aid.

    “This year, we have raised the bar again, and Factory in a Box 2.0 is now connected to Nokia WING and has Nokia DAC on board, making it even more flexible, secure and efficient.”

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  • Huawei profit grows 25.1% Last Year

    Huawei profit grows 25.1% Last Year

    Huawei has reported a solid 25.1% increase in net profit for 2018 despite the continuing political challenges the vendor has been facing in the US and other markets.

    The Chinese vendor reported a net profit for the year of 59.3 billion yuan ($8.83 billion), on the back of a 19.5% increase in revenue to 721.2 billion yuan.

    Sales in the vendors’ core carrier business declined slightly to 294 billion yuan, but consumer business revenue surged 45.1% from 2017 to reach 348.9 billion yuan as Huawei carved out a higher share of the global smartphone market.

    Enterprise revenue also grew 23.8% to 74.4 billion yuan, due to demand for the company’s cloud, big data, AI and IoT solutions.

    Commenting on the results, Huawei rotating chairman Guo Ping appeared confident that the company can weather the impact of decisions by regulators in markets including the US, Australia and New Zealand  to restrict the vendor from providing equipment to segments of their respective markets over national security concerns.

    “Through heavy, consistent investment in 5G innovation, alongside large-scale commercial deployment, Huawei is committed to building the world’s best network connections,” he said.

    “Throughout this process, Huawei will continue to strictly comply with all relevant standards to build secure, trustworthy, and high-quality products. As we work towards this goal, we have been explicitly clear: Cyber security and user privacy protection are at the absolute top of our agenda.”

    He added that the company is “confident that the companies that choose to work with Huawei will be the most competitive in the 5G era, and countries that choose to work with Huawei will gain an advantage for the next wave of growth in the digital economy.”

  • Philippines taps UNDP to accelerate free Wi-Fi rollout

    Philippines taps UNDP to accelerate free Wi-Fi rollout

    The Philippines’ Department of ICT (DICT) has signed a partnership agreement with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) aimed at fast-tracking the deployment of free Wi-Fi access in public places.

    Under the agreement, the UNDP will provide support for the government’s Pipol Konek – Free Wi-Fi Internet Access in Public Places Project.

    The UNDP will conduct area-based network analysis of target sites, oversee monitoring of project impact, and continue to provide technical training to stakeholders involved in the rollout.

    The UNDP and the DICT will meanwhile jointly take charge of project oversight. The project participants plan to hold workshops and consultative meetings to address the challenges with the rollout and investigate potential solutions.

    The DICT sought the assistance of the UNDP in September last year to expedite the project and aid in the capacity-building initiatives of the companies involved in the rollout. A formal signing ceremony was held last week during the first project board meeting.

    “Today as we set to seal this meeting of minds, the Department is optimistic that our goals of providing free Internet access and promoting knowledge-building among our citizens will soon be realized,” DICT acting secretary Eliseo M Rio Jr said at the signing ceremony.

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  • Dominic Barton joins Singtel board

    Dominic Barton joins Singtel board

    Singtel has appointed Dominic Barton (pictured) as an independent director with immediate effect, the Singaporean telco announced Monday.

    Barton is currently global managing partner emeritus of McKinsey & Company. Prior to that he was global managing partner of McKinsey until July 2018, a role he held for nine years. He has also served as chair of the board of Canadian mining company Teck Resources since October, 2018.

    “Dominic brings rich expertise and insights from across a broad swathe of industries, having advised clients in banking, consumer goods, tech and industrials over three decades of consulting,” said Singtel chairman Simon Israel said. “The diversity of his experience will be invaluable as Singtel’s digital transformation takes the group into businesses and partnerships that cut across multiple industries.”

    The Singtel Board now comprises 12 directors: Simon Israel (chairman), Chua Sock Koong (Group CEO), Gautam Banerjee, Dominic Barton, Bobby Chin Yoke Choong, Venky Ganesan, Bradley Horowitz, Gail Kelly, Low Check Kian, Peter Mason, Christina Ong, and Teo Swee Lian.

    HKBN names Elinor Shiu marketing chief for residential services

    Elinor Shiu, CMO, Residential Services, HKBN Group

    HKBN Group has named Elinor Shiu (pictured) as chief marketing officer, residential services.

    In her new role, Shiu will lead the marketing strategies and operations of the group’s residential market business. She has also joined the group’s management committee, overseeing HKBN’s continued growth with six other senior executives, according to a company announcement.

    Shui has extensive experience in marketing management and business operations. She has held several senior positions across the group’s residential and enterprise solutions business before becoming head of marketing in 2018.

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  • Digital Realty breaks ground on third Singapore data center

    Digital Realty breaks ground on third Singapore data center

    Data center, colocation and interconnection provider Digital Realty has commenced construction of its third data center facility in Singapore.

    The 12,800 square meter plot of land will be the foundation of Digital Loyang II (SIN12), an expansion and further development of a Digital Loyang Connected Campus.

    SIN12 will be located less than 25km from Singapore’s CBD and will capable of supporting up to 50 megawatts (MW) of IT capacity. The new facility will span a gross floor area of 34,000 square meters.

    The facility is expected to be operationally ready in the second quarter of 2020.

    Digital Realty has so far invested a total of $500 million developing its first two facilities in Singapore.

    “The development of SIN12 reaffirms Digital Realty’s commitment to supporting Singapore’s digitalization efforts and smart nation initiative,” Digital Realty CEO A. William Stein said.

    “As more global technology brands increasingly look to expand their digital footprint, Singapore remains their preferred destination. With the addition of SIN12 to our connected campus, customers will soon be given new ways to connect, extend their reach and find new business opportunities through our global data center platform.”

    SIN12 will also be incorporating sustainability features into the construction of the facility that aims to lower power usage effectiveness (PUE) to between 1.2 to 1.3, making it the best PUE in a commercial data center in Singapore.

    “Sustainability will also play a big role in the development of SIN12. Our vision is to build the greenest commercial data center within the region,” added Stein.

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  • SK Telecom streams AR dragon in Korean stadium

    SK Telecom streams AR dragon in Korean stadium

    SK Telecom has announced it has used augmented reality to simulate a fire-breathing dragon at a sports stadium as part of its ongoing development of new 5G-powered services.

    Using augmented reality technology, the large fire-breathing wyvern was streamed flying around the SK Happy Dream Park during the opening day of the Korea Baseball Organization.

    The dragon was streamed both to the LED baseball scoreboard installed at the stadium and via sports broadcasting channels for fans watching the game on TV and smartphones.

    To achieve large scale augmented reality streaming, SK Telecom used its self-developed augmented and virtual reality technologies including the eSpace and T real Platform solutions.

    The demonstration arose from SK Telecom’s focus on the development of 5G-based services to support its commercial network, which launched in December last year. Augmented and virtual reality are a key area of focus for the company.

  • EU-wide security approach planned for 5G

    EU-wide security approach planned for 5G

    The European Commission (EC) has outlined plans to establish a common European Union approach to the security of 5G networks.

    The EC has recommended a series of operational steps and measures aimed at ensuring a high level of security of 5G networks across the EU.

    The recommendations for EU member states include legislative and policy measures designed to protect the nations’ economies, societies and democratic systems.

    As part of the program, the EC has recommended that each member state complete a national risk assessment of 5G network infrastructures by the end of June.

    Member states have also been urged to update their respective security requirements for network providers and include conditions for ensuring the security of public networks, especially when granting 5G spectrum licenses.

    At the EU level, the Commission and the European Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) has been tasked with completing a coordinated risk assessment by the start of October, which will be used to help member states agree to a set of mitigating measures that can be used at a national level.

    “Protecting 5G networks aims at protecting the infrastructure that will support vital societal and economic functions – such as energy, transport, banking, and health, as well as the much more automated factories of the future,” commented European Commissioner in charge of the digital economy and society Mariya Gabriel.

    “It also means protecting our democratic processes, such as elections, against interference and the spread of disinformation.”