ArtificiaI intelligence (AI)-ready data centres are in the news this week, with Malaysia and Indonesia playing host to new or planned facilities.

Asia Pacific and Japan hyperscale data centre specialist AirTrunk says it has commenced operations in Malaysia, following the official opening of its flagship Malaysian 150 megawatt (MW) hyperscale data centre in Johor Bahru.

Named AirTrunk JHB1, the initial phases of the new data centre will provide over 50MW of capacity for its large technology customers.

Spanning over 10.3 hectares, JHB1 is strategically located in Johor Bahru at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. Servicing a major cloud availability zone, the data centre offers strong domestic and international connection to regional technology hubs including neighbouring Singapore, with an end-to-end cross-border connection strategy.

Along with a power usage effectiveness (PUE) of 1.15, making it one of the most efficient data centres in the country, the new facility features an AI-ready design with AirTrunk’s first deployment of direct-to-chip liquid cooling technology alongside traditional indirect evaporative cooling (IEC) and high-density racks. This pioneering approach, says AirTrunk, reduces energy consumption by up to 23%. 

JHB1 is also equipped with a solar-ready roof, able to provide over 1MW of power for this phase, making it one of the largest onsite solar deployments for a data centre in Southeast Asia.

Also name-checking AI is BDx Indonesia, a joint venture of BDx Data Centers, Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison, and Lintasarta, which has announced the Phase-1 completion of its AI campus CGK4 in Jatiluhur, Indonesia. The CGK4 campus is Indonesia’s first renewable-powered AI data centre park scalable up to 500MW.

The facility offers high power density of up to 120 kW per rack, innovative liquid cooling technologies and high-speed connectivity that, it is claimed, enable it to meet the demands of Generative AI workloads. The dedicated AI data centre is supported by an integrated 24/7 on-site team within the campus and offers eight layers of security, reinforced by industry-leading certifications.

Mayank Srivastava, CEO of BDx Data Centers, explains: “BDx Indonesia is committed to enable Indonesia to become an AI-first nation. We are the only data centre provider in the country offering up to 700MW of development potential spread across Indonesia. This sustainable and interconnected mesh of digital infrastructure is engineered to support training workloads at central sites, and inference workloads across multiple locations nationwide.”

It’s  no surprise perhaps that both initiatives are stressing energy efficiency. The vast amount of energy required by data centres as AI adoption grows is a controversial subject already, one discussed in more detail in a major Developing Telecoms feature published today.

News

The operator says incorporating 5G tech could generate huge cost and energy savings for the public sector

According to a new ‘Connected Spaces’ report, written by WPI Strategy on behalf of Vodafone UK, installing 5G-enabled technology like digital twins, IoT, and smart sensors to public buildings could save the UK £580 million.

The report models the current energy spend of various public sector buildings and estimates how much money could be saved via the integration of new technology. These technologies, says the report, provide a wealth of additional information about the buildings’ energy consumption, helping to drive efficiencies and limit energy use.

In total, the report found that digital twins, IoT, and smart sensors could generate an average 17% reduction in public building energy consumption, saving the average 40,000-person town up to £350,000 a year. Extrapolating this data across the UK leads us to the figure of £580 million per year.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the biggest savings could be made my incorporating these technologies in council/civil service buildings and hospitals, which could save on average £85,000 and £153,612, respectively.

Of course, installing these new technologies in the buildings in question would not be cheap, but the study estimates that their deployment would pay for themselves in 2–3 years.

Beyond pure cost savings, the new technology would also save roughly 1.43 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions, helping the UK meet it sustainability goals.

Vodafone’s argument is that all of these new technologies will need standalone 5G (SA 5G) to function effectively.

“We believe that a best-in-class 5G network would provide a much-needed economic boost to the public purse, saving £580 million of taxpayer money, while also helping to decarbonise the public estate,” said Andrea Dona, Chief Network Officer of Vodafone UK.

“Public buildings are critical to communities, and we want to propel them into the future – which is why, as part of our proposed combination with Three UK, we have committed to rolling out 5G Standalone to every school and hospital across the nation by 2030.”

That these technologies can only be delivered with SA 5G is not strictly true – 4G and other alternative wireless technologies would likely be suitable for at least some of these deployments. Nonetheless, SA 5G would undoubtedly provide the best performance, delivering faster speeds and far greater capacities, able to handle thousands of devices and sensors operating simultaneously.

As has become tradition for Vodafone publications over the past year, the company took this announcement as an opportunity to promote the company’s planned merger with Three UK, with the report concluding that the tie-up would “create necessary market conditions to secure a nationwide standalone 5G network”.

It also reiterated that the combined company would invest £11 billion into its network over the next decade, if the merger is allowed to proceed.

“The combined network will reach more than 99% population coverage with 5G standalone by 2034, and over 95% population coverage by 2030, as well as ensuring coverage in every school and hospital across the country helping to deliver on Labour’s manifesto commitment to reach national 5G coverage by 2030,” reads the report. “The combined business will invest over £6 billion in the first five years, and more than £11 billion for the overall ten-year plan, to create the UK’s biggest 5G network, bringing significant emissions and productivity savings to businesses and buildings across the country; safeguarding the lifeblood of communities for future generations.”

The merger is currently under investigation by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which is exploring if the deal will result in a significant loss of competition and drive-up prices for consumers.

It is surely no coincidence that the timing of this study’s publication coincides with an article in The Guardian this week, in which Vodafone CEO Margherita Della Valle argues that the new Labour government must approve the company’s merger with Three for the good of the nation.

The CMA is set to announce its decision on October 12.

How is the UK telecoms landscape changing in 2024? Join the discussion at Connected Britain 2024, the UK’s largest digital economy event

Also in the news:
AST SpaceMobile prepares to launch first commercial satellites
nexfibre passes almost 1.3m homes with full fibre
Telstra joins UNESCO’s Business Council to promote ethical AI

This Industry Viewpoint was authored by Brian Lavallée, Senior Director, Solutions Marketing at Ciena

Although there’s a significant amount of hype related to Artificial Intelligence (AI), there’s no debate that AI is real and is already significantly reshaping a wide range of industries, driving innovation and efficiencies to previously unimaginable levels. However, similar to any disruptive technology introduction, like steam engines, electricity, and the internet, AI will come with unique challenges and opportunities. … [visit site to read more]

Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison IOH reported growth across its business in the first half of the year pointing to optimisation of operations, while revealing more AI use cases will come in the latter half of this year.

IOH highlighted in an earnings call, net profit in the first half of 2024 more than doubled year-on-year to IDR2.7 trillion (US$164 million) and total revenue grew 13.4% to IDR28 trillion (US$1.7 billion).

EBITDA is a metric the operator often highlights in its results, it grew YoY by 17.8% to IDR13.4 trillion (US$816 million). The operator announced at its 2023 Capital Markets Day ambition to double EBITDA over the next three to four years to US$20 million.

The operator added 900,000 new customers and its base now stands at 100.9 million subscribers at the end of the half. Data traffic grew 13.4% to 7,965 Petabytes and ARPU was up by 10.5% to US$2.3.

Around 22,000 4G base stations were added to its total portfolio which now amounts to approximately 188,000. It also added 103 5G base stations this year.

Building an AI large language model

IOH announced partnerships with Nvidia and Tech Mahindra at Mobile World Congress Barcelona this year, to expand its capabilities and tap into AI technologies.

The operator is currently working on building its own large language model (LLM) called ‘Garuda’ with the official Indonesian language Bahasa at the centre of it.

IOH CEO Vikram Sinha (pictured) said in the call: “We want the machine to speak in Bahasa and focus on citizen services, and you will see starting use cases from September.”

As well as its large scale technology partners, IOH will also work with universities to develop use cases centred around its Garuda. It will be integrated into the IOH app which has 40 million downloads, and there will be no extra charge to use the LLM, said Sinha.

MONTCLAIR, N.J., July 29, 2024 – Sitetracker, the world’s leading provider of deployment operations management software, is expanding its GIS Link tool with the addition of VETRO, the market-leading cloud-native fiber management system provider. Announced at Fiber Connect 2024, the partnership provides Sitetracker’s broadband customers with geospatial design data from VETRO so they can plan and deploy fiber networks with greater speed and efficiency.

With the two-way integration between VETRO’s FiberMap interactive mapping and asset inventory solution and Sitetracker, customers gain enriched GIS-driven workflows and visualized network buildouts. The partnership provides companywide visibility into programs and projects, efficient resource allocation, and smoother handoffs between project phases, enhancing collaboration among engineering and construction teams.

“Fiber network deployments and expansions are complex and require intricate coordination across multiple teams and systems,” said Giuseppe Incitti, CEO, Sitetracker. “As operators and contractors globally attempt to meet aggressive FTTH buildout targets, while optimizing historic private and public funding, they need more precision, detail, and insights than ever before. With VETRO’s mapping incorporated, Sitetracker customers have an end-to-end fiber solution that gives them the tools they need to succeed.”

Among the key features Sitetracker will offer with the new integration are easy importing of processes for fiber designs, automatic assignment of work to design elements, and status and progress updates directly linked to designs.

“Sitetracker is unlocking new efficiencies and management solutions that, combined with our intuitive fiber management system, are radically transforming the broadband landscape,” said Will Mitchell, CEO, VETRO. “Working together to bring greater clarity and control over fiber networks will improve network and business performances across the globe.”

Sitetracker’s platform is the digital infrastructure backbone for fiber deployments worldwide, including over 40% of the leading broadband providers in the United States today. Earlier this summer, the company added new production tracking capabilities for fiber companies, resulting in quicker invoicing and payments, and continues to invest in partnerships and product innovation that provide customers with real-time solutions to make their planning, design, and build processes easier.

Sitetracker is showcasing its latest innovations for the broadband industry at Fiber Connect 2024 this week.

About Sitetracker

Sitetracker powers the rapid deployment of tomorrow’s infrastructure. The global leader in deployment operations management software, Sitetracker helps innovative companies like Cox, Telefonica, EVgo, E.on, Engie, Nextera, Comcast, ChargePoint, Cypress Creek Renewables, Ziply, Southern Company, Iberdrola, Vodafone, Vantage Towers, VerticalBridge, and Congruex plan, deploy, and manage millions of programs, projects, sites, and assets across nearly 300 customers globally. By giving digital infrastructure, clean energy, EV charging, utility, and real estate teams a cloud-based solution that works easily and effectively, Sitetracker accelerates the transition to a fully connected and sustainable future. Deploy what’s next. For more information, please request a demo.

About VETRO

At VETRO, we believe visualizing data unlocks hidden potential, radically simplifying the way businesses operate and digitizing the future of connectivity. We focus on empowering network operators with unparalleled clarity and control over their fiber networks, enabling them to move faster, better, and more efficiently than ever before. Our revolutionary platform isn’t just software – it’s the physical network asset system of record, offering unprecedented visibility and control from strategic planning to daily operations. We empower our customers to bridge the digital divide at a rapid pace, unlock unforeseen opportunities, and squeeze the maximum value from their networks. Let’s illuminate the unseen, digitize the way we connect, and shape the future of connectivity, together. https://vetrofibermap.com/

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Some government and R&E news plus a bit of FTTH vendor activity: … [visit site to read more]

Costa Rican company Radiografica Costarricense SA (RACSA, a Grupo ICE company) has claimed a 5G first in the country with the launch of 5G fixed wireless access (FWA) services on the market, supported, it says, by the country’s first and only network designed for this technology.

Using the 3.5GHz band, in which it apparently holds a 100MHz block, RACSA will target its solutions at companies, institutions and SMEs, and, it says, will place Costa Rica among the countries with cutting-edge connections. 

As RACSA explains, FWA services on the 5G network offer high speed – up to one gigabit per second – for commercial and corporate segments, from a tower to the customer location without the need for cables. They allow simultaneous connection of devices without interruptions or speed losses.

Marco Acuña, president of Grupo ICE, explains: “RACSA will use the frequency it has been given to deliver the country’s first 5G network, designed and built from scratch, to meet the high data demand needs of its customers.”

RACSA is promoting its 5G wireless internet services to interested organisations and companies on its website, where they are invited to enquire about the service.

BNamericas says that state-owned Costa Rica internet provider RACSA is a subsidiary of state telco ICE, and offers internet and voice services. It manages subscriber connections to ADSL internet while ICE provides connectivity via its frame-relay ATM network. RACSA was founded in 1964.

RACSA seems to have beaten mobile operators to a commercial 5G offering, albeit with a very specific form of 5G and spectrum. We reported in May that Claro had become the third operator to launch 5G in Costa Rica, though the country’s operators are highlighting trials and tests rather than commercial availability as they await delayed 5G spectrum auctions.

News

After approval from the EU, the government aims to increase fibre network funding from €12 billion to €38 billion

Last Tuesday, the European Commission gave approval to the German government to amend the exiting state aid scheme aimed at rolling out fibre across the country. These amendments will see the scheme extended until the end of 2028, and the budget increase from 12 billion to €38 billion.

The funding is available for local authorities either to deploy and own their own fibre infrastructure, or to tender out both the deployment and operation of the network. Areas eligible for funding are those that only have access to single network providing speeds up to 300 Mbps and where upgrading that network to gigabit-capable speeds is not part of existing investment plans.

Following the approval of these amendments from the European Commission, the German government has moved rapidly, approving a new draft law the following day that they claim will rapidly expanding the fibre network rollout across the country: the TK Network Expansion Acceleration Act (TK-NABEG).

The TK-NABEG focuses on removing bureaucratic red tape that typically stands in the way of network deployments. The Act defines the rollout of telecommunications infrastructure as “in the overriding public interest”, therefore the process of obtaining ‘right of way’ approvals will be streamlined and accelerated.

“With this law, we are accelerating the urgently needed expansion of our digital infrastructure. In doing so, we are sending an important signal to the economy that we are determined to drive forward digitalization. This government can reconcile environmental protection and the modernization of our country. The expansion of our telecommunications networks will be in the overriding public interest in the future,” said Dr. Volker Wissing, Federal Minister for Digital Affairs and Transport.

“This will strengthen network expansion, create better planning and give companies legal certainty. Together with simplified procedures and more precise information in the Gigabit land register, we are laying an important foundation for providing Germany with fiber optics and the latest mobile communications standards across the board by 2030,” he continued.

In many ways, this increase in public funding and easing of rollout restrictions cannot come soon enough for Germany. The country has long been a laggard among its European peers when it comes to fibre – a fact which the government says is greatly hindering the country’s economic growth.

The government is also racing to meet its target of 50% fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) penetration by the end of 2025, itself a stepping stone to meeting the European Union’s goal of connection 100% of premises across the block to FTTP.

Figures from the German regulator, the Bundesnetzagentur, put the number of homes passed at 17.9 million at the end of 2023. With roughly 43 million homes in Germany, this means there is still plenty of work to be done to meet the ambitious target for the end of 2025.

Germany’s fibre rollout is accelerating fast. Join the connectivity ecosystem in discussion at this year’s Connected Germany conference live in Munich

Also in the news:
AST SpaceMobile prepares to launch first commercial satellites
nexfibre passes almost 1.3m homes with full fibre
Telstra joins UNESCO’s Business Council to promote ethical AI

Two data center projects, some FTTx, and some regional subsea action: … [visit site to read more]

News

The five Bluebird satellites are set to be launched into low Earth orbit (LEO) in September

Direct-to-device (D2D) satellite communications operator AST SpaceMobile has announced this week that it’s five new commercial satellites, dubbed Bluebirds, are built and ready for launch.

The Bluebirds will be shipped to Cape Canaveral, Florida, at the start of August, where they are targeted for launch in September. The exact launch date will depend on weather conditions at the launch site and will therefore be announced nearer the time.

The five satellites, once placed into LEO orbit, will allow AST SpaceMobile to deliver non-continuous commercial services for the first time. These services will include D2D satellite communications compatible with unmodified smartphones, allowing mobile coverage to reach some of the most remote locations on the planet.

AST SpaceMobile has said it will need between 40 and 60 commercial satellites to deliver continuous coverage in the US.

“This is a momentous occasion for AST SpaceMobile. These first five satellites are built on the success of our in-orbit BlueWalker 3 satellite and will provide US nationwide non-continuous service with over 5,600 cells in premium low-band spectrum, with a planned 10-fold increase in processing bandwidth,” AST SpaceMobile Chairman and CEO Abel Avellan said in a statement. “We are eager to see these pioneering satellites take flight and being laying the foundation of our global cellular broadband network.”

AST SpaceMobile already has strategic partnerships with AT&T, Verizon, Vodafone, Google, Rakuten, American Tower, and Bell Canada, as well as ‘agreements’ with 45 mobile network operators around the world.

Of course, AST SpaceMobile is not the only satellite player targeting D2D connectivity for consumers. Since last year, rival satellite giant SpaceX has reportedly been working on direct-to-device capabilities, working alongside its major US partner T-Mobile. The company’s Starlink satellite constellation is planning to launch initial D2D services in autumn this year, following the successful launch of around 100 of their newest generation of satellites.

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Also in the news:
Australian Government and AWS Collaborate to Strengthen country’s Cybersecurity
Solving congestion challenges in FTTP deployment
Vodafone Invests £120m in AI Chatbot ‘SuperTOBi’