Two interesting items touching legacy infrastructure in the US, some renewable energy, and a data center in a market we don’t hear about much: … [visit site to read more]

Indonesian telco Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison says it has formed a partnership with Vietnam-based electric taxi service Xanh SM to create smart mobility solutions leveraging ICT, IoT and analytics for Xanh SM’s new taxi fleet in the country.

Xanh SM – which is owned by Vietnamese conglomerate Vingroup – launched its electric taxi service in Vietnam in March 2024 and currently operates in over 59 provinces. It has since expanded operations into Laos and, as of last month, Indonesia.

Under a partnership deal announced on Thursday, Indosat will provide Xanh SM with a connectivity solution through its card management platform, including Cisco IoT Control Center, to provide flexible control and monitoring of SIM cards for taxis and specially tailored mobile packages for Xanh SM drivers.

Indosat will also provide IoT solutions for monitoring critical driving metrics such as speed, acceleration, and behavior that can help identify anomalies or potential vehicle issues to ensure safety and efficiency.

The smart mobility solution will also leverage big data analytics for customer profiling and behavior analysis, which Indosat said will enable targeted campaigns and programs to elevate the customer experience.

Indosat and Xanh SM will start with an initial six-month pilot testing phase to explore and refine solutions, followed by a comprehensive rollout in subsequent stages.

“By leveraging the ICT, IoT, and analytics technology offered by Indosat, we can enhance operational efficiency while delivering services that positively impact both customers and the environment,” said Nguyen Van Thanh, global CEO of Xanh SM, in a statement.

Indosat and Xanh SM also talked up the eco-friendly aspects of the tie-up, as Xanh SM says its fleet of electric taxis is equipped with energy-efficient technology that reduces carbon emissions and serves as a model for sustainable transportation solutions. Indosat said the partnership is “expected not only to enhance Indosat’s customer experience through high-quality transportation but also to inspire the transportation sector to adopt more innovative and eco-friendly solutions.”

Indosat isn’t alone in chasing the connected-car/EV dollar. In September 2024, Telkomsel Enterprise struck a partnership with automaker Toyota-Astra Motor to integrate IoT and in-car Wi-Fi into Toyota’s “T Intouch” telematics app for its latest generation of Fortuner SUVs.

The same month, Telkomsel Enterprise also signed an MoU with EV manufacturer Mobil Anak Bangsa Indonesia (MAB) to « jointly develop a more integrated and environmentally friendly EV ecosystem. » Under that deal, Telkomsel will provide connectivity, services and tech solutions, including IoT and broadband, to improve the operational efficiency of EVs.

The 45,000 kilometre 2Africa subsea cable systems interconnecting Europe, Asia and Africa is back in the news again, this time thanks to an announcement from Telecom Egypt and Cisco.

Egyptian service provider Telecom Egypt, which is also one of the largest subsea cable operators in the region, has announced the activation of a Mediterranean subsea link on the 2Africa subsea cable system.

The project has taken place in collaboration with networking and security technologies giant Cisco. Using Cisco’s Network Convergence System (NCS), the link creates a high-capacity connection between Port Said in Egypt and Marseille in France via Genoa in Italy.

As Telecom Egypt points out, the exponential growth of capacity-intensive applications such as cloud and AI services in the region is fuelling demand for expanded subsea network capacity, which in turn requires advanced coherent transmission systems of high performance.

This project, says Telecom Egypt, enables it to maximise the potential of its subsea assets on the 2Africa subsea cable, enhancing the efficiency of its cable operations and boosting international traffic capacity.

Along with Cisco’s cutting-edge NCS, the system offers data transmission powered by optical interconnect products specialist Acacia’s multi-haul coherent module, delivering high performance with less power per bit.

Telecom Egypt explains that the system allows network operators to enhance capacity across any cable, enabling precise adjustments to optical transmission signal bandwidth, modulation format and spectral efficiency.

Mohamed Nasr, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Telecom Egypt, says: “By enhancing the capacity of our well-established subsea infrastructure, we are meeting the surging demand for bandwidth-intensive services such as cloud computing and AI across the Mediterranean and beyond.” He adds: “Looking ahead, we aim to unlock even more of our potential by developing new projects and launching innovative products and services.”

We all know how we got to this modern world of infrastructure in 2025. Or do we? Most of the real stories behind the rise of the fiber business never make it into the public sphere. But in less than two weeks we’re going to be treated to a whole lot more of them when Dan Caruso’s new book drops. … [visit site to read more]

While the growth of 5G private networks in Africa may not so far have been as spectacular as some operators had hoped, such networks are certainly gaining traction in South Africa, as a recent agreement signed by operators MTN and China Telecom and tech giant Huawei seems to indicate.

The three major telecommunications names recently signed an agreement to deploy a state-of-the-art 5G private network for a leading (and so far unnamed) manganese mining company in South Africa’s Northern Cape.

The 5G private network will, we are told, provide ultra-reliable, high-speed connectivity – and lots of it – enabling applications such as personnel surveillance, vehicle tracking and unmanned trucks. This, Huawei says, will not only enhance efficiency but also improve workplace safety.

Beyond operational enhancements, by optimising energy consumption and resource management, the technology aligns with international environmental standards, positioning the mine as a leader in sustainable mining.

As Huawei points out, this initiative also marks a significant milestone in advancing the 5G-to-Business (5GtoB) ecosystem, showcasing a successful collaborative model between three industry leaders.

Huawei has provided an end-to-end 5G private network tailored to meet the unique demands of mining operations; MTN has contributed its infrastructure and expertise in network integration and operations; and China Telecom has leveraged its global expertise in vertical industries, providing advanced system integration and innovative digital solutions.

So does this partnership – a collaboration that will involve Africa’s largest 5G private network in the mining sector –  demonstrate the potential of 5G to drive industrial transformation in Africa, as Huawei suggests?

Certainly the promise of smarter, safer and more sustainable mining operations as well as better resource management and addressing of global supply chain demands sounds like a step forward in a key industry.

But it’s not the only target industry on MTN’s list. It was in November last year that we reported that MTN South Africa had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with China Telecom Global and Huawei to develop digital infrastructure across MTN’s African footprint.

Building on its strategic partnership with Huawei, MTN is already rapidly expanding its 5G private network business across a growing range of industries, including mining, oil and gas, ports, manufacturing, and education – and, of course, MTN is also extending its 5G presence to more countries in Africa.

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This Industry Viewpoint was authored by Dan Rice, Senior Managing Director and Communications and Media industry lead for Accenture in the US

Adapt or Be Forgotten

In 1876, Alexander Graham Bell picked up his telephone prototype and forever changed how the world connects. Fast forward almost 150 years, and the telecom industry is once again standing at the precipice of massive change. But here’s the thing – today, many see telcos as slow movers, lagging the tech giants of the world.

I disagree. … [visit site to read more]

Two new global PoPs, a subsea expansion, and a new IX collaboration: … [visit site to read more]

Intracom Telecom has upgraded its uni|MS Network Lifecycle Automation & Management Platform.

Release 13.1 boosts the platform’s capacity, allowing it to provision and manage up to 1 million Fixed Wireless Access devices (FWA CPEs) – a 65% increase from the previous version’s 600,000 devices.

Amidst rapid and substantial growth in the deployment of WiBAS CPEs by WISPs and telcos worldwide for their FWA networks, Intracom Telecom saw the need to develop innovative software that significantly enhances the capacity of the uni|MS platform.

To reach 1 million FWA CPEs, Intracom Telecom significantly redesigned how CPE entries are handled by the uni|MS database, using new technologies such as containerised applications. The platform was extensively tested, in a fully automated test environment, utilising actual network data and simulated stress scenarios to ensure it is ready for future growth and scaling needs.

As a result, the software algorithms developed by the company’s R&D have allowed it to deliver excellent customer experience to 65% more subscribers with the same or less data center CPU and storage resources.

Dimitris Padelopoulos, CTO of Wireless Solutions Portfolio at Intracom Telecom, stated: “This achievement is the result of the continuous evolution of the uni|MS platform by our company’s R&D department, focused on developing and integrating new innovative technologies. The capability to support up to 1 million devices ensures an efficient and reliable solution, capable of meeting even the most demanding current and future needs of our customers.”

John Tenidis, Product Management & Marketing Director of Wireless Systems in Intracom Telecom, added: « FWA is becoming an integral part of all modern fixed access networks, and with the release 13.1 of uni|MS we are strengthening our solution offering to both existing and potential clients, ensuring that we stay ahead of their needs as the FWA sector continues to grow.”

Zayo has detailed the next wave of longhaul buildouts it will be working on over the next few years, and it’s quite a lot. The communications infrastructure provider says it has more than 5,000 new route miles of fiber in the pipeline. The buildouts are in response to AI-driven data center capacity buildouts, which will inevitably require significant new capacity. … [visit site to read more]