Four interesting expansion projects, two by international players in the American southwest, and two from international markets: … [visit site to read more]

A data center, some FTTH, and two bits of cooling news: … [visit site to read more]

Malaysian operator Maxis has partnered with Nokia to deploy data centre networking solutions for large enterprises, aiming to meet the growing demand for AI and cloud adoption.

In a statement, Maxis described the partnership as a joint go-to-market initiative designed to equip enterprises, hyperscalers, and OTT players with more scalable, secure, and automated networking capabilities to fully leverage AI and cloud technologies.

As part of the collaboration, Maxis will provide high-performance connectivity using Nokia’s AI-powered Data Centre Fabric, a networking solution that enables data centre operators to enhance efficiency, automation, and resilience in their cloud environments.

“The rapid evolution of AI and cloud technologies is creating new opportunities and driving growth in the cloud and data centre landscape. Reflecting this transformation, our partnership with Nokia will support our ongoing efforts to deliver next-generation networking solutions to our customers,” said Maxis Chief Enterprise Business Officer Prateek Pashine.

One fiber M&A and three interesting partnerships: … [visit site to read more]

Recent cable landing station news from eastern India and West Africa underlines the continuing growth of the submarine cable business across both regions.

The state of Odisha in eastern India is aiming to establish itself as a global digital hub; to this end the state government’s Electronics and IT department has initiated plans to set up a cable landing station (CLS) in a coastal city called Puri.

A detailed project report is apparently being jointly prepared by ICT neutral telecom infrastructure provider RailTel and consultancy Deloitte.

The facility will provide direct international fibre connectivity, reducing latency, improving internet speed, and, it is hoped, positioning Odisha as a prime destination for hyperscalers, global capability centres and enterprises.

According to India’s Economic Times news service, the state’s Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja has emphasised the need for consultations with hyperscalers and key ecosystem players to ensure a comprehensive and future-ready implementation. He has also called for early submission of the detailed project report for approval with a focus on completion of the project within three years.

Puri was identified as the ideal location for the cable landing station due to its strategic geographic position, suitable coastline, scalability potential and robust infrastructure.

Meanwhile, in West Africa, ACE Gabon, part of the ACE (Africa Coast to Europe) subsea cable consortium, and Medusa Africa have signed a construction and maintenance agreement to land the Medusa submarine cable in Port-Gentil, Gabon. 

According to the Data Centre Dynamics website the original plan was for The Medusa submarine cable, which is powered by AFR-IX Telecom – an infrastructure and telecom operator in Africa – to have 17 landing points across Algeria, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Italy, Libya, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, and Tunisia. Now, however, as well as connecting all Mediterranean countries it will extend into West Africa. 

ACE Gabon will act as the landing party in Gabon, providing both domestic resources and investment as well as continuous operational and maintenance support in Gabon and its territorial waters for the lifetime of the cable, expected to be 25 years.

ACE Gabon will also own rights along the trunk of the Medusa system, enabling it to provide regional and international broadband services to the country’s enterprises and people.

Some regional expansion, a new PoP, some FTTH, and some quantum network security: … [visit site to read more]

MegaFon Tajikistan has switched on 60 new 4G base stations across the country as part of its efforts to enhance service quality.

In a translated statement, the operator said that since the beginning of the year, 20 new 4G sites have been deployed in Khatlon, making it the most expanded region, with several cities and districts benefiting from the rollout. The Sughd region saw the addition of 14 base stations, while several unspecified sites were also activated in Dushanbe province.

The expansion is supported by government initiatives aimed at developing Tajikistan’s digital economy and driving innovation.

“2025-2030 have been declared the ‘Years of Development of the Digital Economy and Innovations’ in our country. Sharing the goal of making digital services widely accessible, we have been actively launching base stations across cities and regions since the start of January. This aligns with both technological advancements and the expectations of our subscribers,” said Anatoly Izyumnikov, CEO of MegaFon Tajikistan.

That’s today’s news from Bloomberg. The UK incumbent BT Group is taking steps that could lead to the sale of all or part of the company’s international business. According to the article, they have reached out to AT&T and Orange to talk about possible transactions. … [visit site to read more]

This Industry Viewpoint was authored by Anil Kollipara, vice president of Product Management, Spirent Communications

Two decades ago, “operational resilience” in telecom was mostly about keeping the lights on—keeping voice and data services available in the event of outages or equipment failures. Today, as we conduct more of our personal and professional lives online, the stakes are much higher. Resilience now means ensuring that people can continue transacting, trading, and accessing the critical digital services that keep the … [visit site to read more]

Aamir Ibrahimn (pictured), CEO of Pakistani operator Jazz, has revealed that the Veon-owned company is expanding its services into healthcare as part of its growth strategy.

Speaking to Developing Telecoms at the recent Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Ibrahim highlighted how Jazz has evolved beyond traditional telecoms to establish itself as a technology company.

“We were a lot more intentional in 2023 in terms of redefining our purpose—from being a traditional telecom company to becoming a dynamic digital services provider,” said Ibrahim.

He noted that this shift mirrors the broader transformation of telecoms operators worldwide, which are increasingly positioning themselves as service providers rather than just mobile network operators (MNOs).

“The connectivity part of the business will always remain with us—we’re really proud of it, and it gives us a ticket to play the game,” he said.

The “game” Ibrahim refers to is Veon Group’s strategy of driving growth through digital services, with a goal of engaging consumers for “1,440 minutes per day” across its markets.

Betting on digital services

Two years ago, Jazz made three key strategic bets to expand its services. The first was investing in mobile financial services through JazzCash, its digital payments platform. The second focused on growing its digital content offerings, including streaming and insurance services. The third bet was on cloud and analytics technology, helping to enhance its digital capabilities.

Ibrahim considers these bets successful and is now doubling down by expanding into new sectors.

“Our priority for 2025 is to continue evolving this service-led model. We’ve had success in financial services and entertainment, and now we’re building out new segments in health and education,” he said.

Reshaping the business model

To facilitate this expansion, Jazz restructured its business model eight months ago, shifting from a “monolithic single company” into multiple specialised units. This includes its financial services arm, which now oversees Mobilink Microfinance Bank.

In December, Jazz also announced the sale of its tower business to Engro Corporation for US$563 million, providing funding to support its strategic shift.

Jazz has already made strides in insurance with the launch of its platform, FikrFree, which has sold around 3 million insurance policies and generates US$2 million in recurring monthly revenue.

Tackling Pakistan’s healthcare challenges

Jazz is taking aim at another potential vertical and that is the Pakistan’s overstretched healthcare sector.

Multiple barriers prevent people from accessing treatment. Ibrahim sees this as an opportunity for technology to bridge the gaps.

Jazz is developing an AI-powered healthcare app that will allow patients to describe their symptoms in voice or text, generating an automated transcript. This system aims to speed up the diagnosis process, taking inspiration from e-commerce platforms like Shopify.

“The interaction between the patient and our AI bot will be captured in voice, with a transcript produced, allowing for faster recommendations,” Ibrahim explained.

If a physical consultation is required, the platform will facilitate bookings, and Jazz will partner with pharmacies to ensure a seamless e-commerce experience for purchasing medicines.

“This is still in development, but this is the direction we’re heading in. Like many of our other products, we will learn as we go. We may end up with exactly what I’ve described, or we may refine our approach based on customer needs,” he added.

A ‘service company’, not a ‘Techco’

Despite its transition from a traditional telecoms player to a technology-driven company, Ibrahim is cautious about embracing the “techco” label, which has become an industry buzzword.

“We avoided calling ourselves a techco because we wanted to be more humble in our approach. Technology can sometimes alienate customers—there are concerns about data privacy, surveillance, and an arrogance that can come with technological sophistication.

“We want to be a service company—one that serves its customers with humility, passion, and dedication,” he concluded.