Service provider Telekom Malaysia is said to be exploring plans to build a new hyperscale data centre, expanding its capacity from the existing Klang Valley Data Centre (KVDC) and Iskandar Puteri Data Centre (IPDC).

The hyperscale data centre is likely to be a large facility offering at least 40 Megawatts (MW) of IT power capacity, catering to large cloud service providers and internet companies.

CIMB Investment Bank, which, according to the Edge Malaysia news service, announced the news, suggests that, by leveraging its extensive submarine and terrestrial networks as well as its strong local relationships, Telekom Malaysia may be able to attract strong strategic international partners to co-invest in the new data centre.

« Besides helping to partly fund the investment required, a strong strategic international partner could also share expertise in the design and operation of data centres that cater to hyperscalers and AI workloads, » CIMB said in a note earlier this week.

If Telekom Malaysia proceeds, CIMB, a leading ASEAN-focused bank and one of the region’s foremost corporate advisors, expects the group to develop the facility in phases. It notes, « If kicked off in 2H2024, the first phase could be ready for service by 1H2026. »

For the moment, this news awaits confirmation. However, data centre activity in Malaysia does seem to be ramping up. Among many similar announcements in recent months to appear in these pages, we reported last week that Malaysia’s Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) has formed a strategic partnership with the Ministry of Investment of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to develop data centres in Malaysia.

HAUD AND ORANGE FORGE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP TO BOOST INTERNATIONAL A2P MONETISATION AND ENHANCE MESSAGING PROTECTION

Uppsala Sweden – HAUD, a leading telecommunications security company, has officially announced a transformative strategic partnership with Orange Wholesale commitment to identify, address, and mitigate revenue leakage across all channels within the Orange group, ensuring sustained protection and revenue growth across the entire portfolio of Orange operating companies worldwide.

As part of this long-term partnership, HAUD is set to deliver a comprehensive suite of services, to bolster Orange’s A2P Monetisation business. These services encompass vulnerability testing assessments, strategic consulting, and award winning security software deployment throughout the Orange group. HAUDs mission is clear – to fortify the identification and prevention of A2P revenue leakage across diverse messaging channels, securing and optimizing the A2P Monetisation ecosystem.

“The partnership with HAUD signifies a strategic move towards fortifying the integrity of our messaging platforms and maximizing revenue generation. HAUDs solutions ensure we can maximize revenue from our messaging platforms in partnership with our operating companies and affiliates, solidifying our commitment to providing secure and innovative services,” said Cedric Gonin, VP Global Business Support at Orange Wholesale.

The Smart Ecosystem is meticulously designed to prioritize the protection of subscribers and systems, against potential threats while ensuring sustainable, scalable revenue streams. By embarking on this strategic journey with Orange Wholesale, HAUD reinforces its commitment to pioneering advancements in telecommunication messaging security. The partnership marks a pivotal step towards fortifying messaging protection and maximising the value derived from A2P Monetisation initiatives within the global telecom landscape, “said Erik Angelow, CEO at HAUD.

For further information, please contact:

Emily Morgan

emily.morgan@haud.com

About HAUD

HAUD stands as a distinguished leader in telecommunications security, dedicated to serving global Mobile Network Operators (MNOs). Our comprehensive expertise spans a suite of award winning solutions, including A2P Monetization, Messaging Protection and Security, Messaging assurance, and SMS and Messaging Firewalls. 

With an unwavering commitment to empowering our clients, HAUD facilitates the imperative to “Stay in Control” of network dynamics, wholesale revenue, and overall customer experience. As the enduring and trusted partner for telecom operators and messaging partners worldwide, HAUD delivers cutting-edge services that redefine the benchmarks of telecommunications security.

Indonesian operator Telkomsel announced it has formed a strategic partnership with Google to provide rich communication services (RCS), including a rich business messaging (RBM) feature aimed at enterprises.

Telkomsel signed of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Monday with Google for the development of RCS in Indonesia. Telkomsel’s parent company Singtel also signed the MoU, under which it will develop and offer RCS in Singapore.

RCS is the messaging protocol spearheaded by the GSMA, whose RCS Universal Profile is designed to enhance SMS and MMS with features such as more interactivity, better support for multimedia content, group chats, notifications for received and read messages, and typing indicators.

The RBM feature is designed to enable businesses to use RCS messaging as another application-to-person (A2P) channel to reach consumers, similar to how many businesses currently use OTT messaging apps like WhatsApp.

A recent report from Emergen Research said that businesses are increasingly adopting RCS because of its ability to engage customers effectively: “Research suggests that RCS messages are read 35 times more often than emails, and engagement with brands using RCS is 74% higher.”

The catch is that consumers need a phone that is compatible with RCS – which at the moment is limited to Android phones running Android 5.0 or later. iPhones currently do not support the RCS Universal Profile, although Apple announced in November that iPhones will start supporting RCS later this year.

“We hope that this service can support digital transformation in various types of businesses and open up new opportunities for business innovation in the future, » said Jason Choy, international director of Android and Business Communication Product Partnerships at Google.

Telkomsel’s RCS play comes almost three months after rival telco Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison launched Indonesia’s first RCS service in November.

News

The call to action comes after Ofcom announced plans to ban mid-contract price rises late last year 

According to research from Which?, many mobile and broadband customers are set to face major price hikes this April, with the alternative being to face large fees to exit their contract. 

As part of their mission to provide financial clarity for mobile and broadband customers, Which? analysed the mobile industry market data to better understand the impact of the price rises on customers. It found that, of all the mobile providers using CPI (Consumer Prices Index) as a foundation for their price increases, EE, Three, and Vodafone are all increasing their prices by 7.9% this year, costing customers up to an additional £27.36 per year.  

In terms of broadband, the average BT customer will have the biggest price increase, up by 7.9% and increasing their bills by up to £35.92 per year. 

“We think it is unconscionable that broadband and mobile providers are still planning to go ahead with this year’s inflation-linked price rises, which will impact millions of people, even after the regulator declared this practice causes substantial consumer harm and proposed a ban,” Which? said on its website. 

“It’s outrageous that telecoms firms could yet again trap their customers between inflation-busting price hikes and punitive exit fees this April, despite Ofcom declaring this practice causes substantial consumer harm,” said Rocio Concha, Which? Director of Policy and Advocacy. 

“Telecoms providers must do the right thing by halting unfair price hikes immediately, rather than piling more misery on their customers.” 

Find the full Which? analysis here. 

Back in December, Ofcom announced their proposal to ban inflation-linked mid-contract price rises to give customers more transparency regarding their future bills. Their research found that, as of April last year, four in ten broadband customers and over half of mobile customers were on contracts that were subject to inflation-linked price rises. Despite this, awareness of what this actually meant was staggeringly low; 55% of broadband customers and 58% of pay monthly mobile customers did not understand what inflation rates like CPI and RPI (Retail Prices Index) measure, and therefore do not fully understand how price increases are calculated.  

Ofcom concluded that the price rises cause “substantial amounts of consumer harm” and proposed the rule change. 

A period of consultation is currently underway, and the results are to be published in Spring. 

Keep up to date with the latest international telecoms news by subscribing to the Total Telecom daily newsletter 

Also in the news:
EE dominates RootMetrics benchmarking study but loses 5G crown to Three
FCC updates spectrum rules to facilitate broadband access on ships and aircraft
UK government strikes deal with Vodafone over e& security concerns 

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News 

The move comes as a measure to prevent foreign powers from having too much power and influence over British businesses 

Vodafone and the UK government have reached an agreement to implement “proportionate measures” after the government raised concerns over UAE-based e&’s growing stake in the UK operator. 

The government last week said that e&’s significant stake in the business poses a national security risk and ordered Vodafone to take mitigating action, the details of which have now been agreed. 

e&, previously known as Etisalat, is 60% owned by the Emirati government and has built up its stake in Vodafone in recent years, reaching 14.6% in April 2023.  

The increased stake made it Vodafone’s largest shareholder and gave e&’s CEO, Hatem Dowidar, a seat on Vodafone’s board.  

The decision immediately faced scrutiny from the UK government, with the cabinet office warning that the decision would enable e& to “materially influence policy at Vodafone”. 

Given the fact that Vodafone plays a strategic role in the UK telecommunications sector, the government mandated that a “national security committee” is to be set up at Vodafone, which will monitor any sensitive work that could have an impact on the UK’s national security. The government said that the measure is “necessary and proportionate” to “mitigate the risk to national security”.  

The UK government also ordered that it be notified if the relationship between the two companies changes.  

These new governmental interventions have been made under the recently triggered section 26 of the National Security and Investments Act, put in place to address any countrywide security concerns. 

“Where investment might impact the UK’s national security – for example through the acquisition of certain technologies or infrastructure – we will work with investment partners to minimise any risk,” said Oliver Dowden, Deputy Prime Minister in a statement made last week. 

“As part of our Critical National Infrastructure, telecoms is one such sector. Vodafone is also a particularly important company for the UK Government given its critical functions, including as a key partner in HMG’s Cyber Security Strategy,” he continued. 

Since that statement, the Cabinet Office confirmed this week that “proportionate measures to address any potential national security concerns” have been agreed by Vodafone, though further details as to what these measures are have not been announced. 

“We are pleased to have received clearance in our home market for our strategic relationship agreement with e& and for e& to take a seat on our board,” said Vodafone in a short statement. 

Keep up to date with the latest news of the merger by subscribing to the Total Telecom newsletter 

Also in the news:
South Korean president backs semiconductor mega cluster investment
Malaysia to launch second 5G network alongside DNB
BT signs connectivity deal with Iraqi gas firm 

These days plenty talk about building fiber infrastructure, but few have taken on the task of rebuilding      the infrastructure of one of the biggest markets in the world from the ground up.  But that’s what DF&I has been doing when it comes to northern Virginia, and that’s what they hope to replicate elsewhere even as they continue to add new routes.  With us today to explore their vision of the dark fiber and conduit business and where DF&I might go from here are the co-founders and veteran fiber builders John Schmitt and Judd Carothers. … [visit site to read more]

News 

Nokia’s 2023 financial results reflect the gloom of the current market, similar to Ericsson and AT&T’s results which have also been published this week 

This week, Nokia have released their financial results for Q4 and the full 2023 financial year. Net sales decreased 21% year-on-year in Q4, which the company put down to continuing macroeconomic uncertainty impacting operator spending.  Net sales for the year declined 8% year-on-year. 

“In 2023 we saw a meaningful shift in customer behaviour impacting our industry driven by the macro-economic environment and high interest rates along with customer inventory digestion,” said Pekka Lundmark, Nokia’s President and CEO in a statement. 

Despite Nokia’s success in the current climate, Lundmark warned that the same “challenging environment” of 2023 will continue into this year Nokia’s biggest revenue division, mobile networks, saw a 17% year-on-year decrease in sales to €2.5 billion in Q4, with Lundmark suggesting that 2024 will see operators remain cautious in terms of network investment. 

In Q4 cash flow performance was positive, generating €1.7 billion of free cash flow, and ending the quarter with net cash flow of €4.3 billion. 

Looking ahead at the next year, Nokia expects to see a comparable operating profit of between €2.3 billion to 2.9 billion 

Upon the news, Nokia shares had risen by 8.5%. 

These results come just a month after Nokia was struck a major blow when US operator AT&T signed a $14 billion 5G deal with Ericsson, significantly reducing Nokia’s presence in the US giant’s network. The deal negatively impacted Nokia share price, seeing it drop down 25% compared to the same time last year.  

Lundmark called the deal a “disappointing development” for Nokia, but added he believes Nokia has the right strategy to achieve a double-digit operating margin longer-term. 

Other key market players such as Ericsson and AT&T have also released their financial results this week, which also reflect the conservative nature of the market, with operators expected to heavily cut back on their purchases of 5G equipment. This has led to extensive cost-saving measures throughout the industry, with both operators and vendors implementing job cuts. 

 Back in February last year Ericsson announced it would cut 8,500 jobs. 

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Also in the news:
South Korean president backs semiconductor mega cluster investment
Malaysia to launch second 5G network alongside DNB
BT signs connectivity deal with Iraqi gas firm