Four developments in last mile fiber across four different geographies: … [visit site to read more]

News from three data center projects plus a new PoP: … [visit site to read more]

PLDT’s wireless arm Smart Communications says it is banking on affordable 5G devices as a key part of its strategy to drive growth in its 5G business in the Philippines as it plans on stronger rollout of its 4G and 5G networks for the rest of 2024.

In a statement Friday, Smart said that data traffic growth is being driven in part by the number of unique 5G devices in the market, which Smart expects to continue as the price of 5G devices drops.

Meanwhile, PLDT has cited 5G adoption as one of the emerging growth streams of their Individual Business, which posted revenues of PHP41.9 billion (around US$745.8 million) in the first half of 2024. Mobile data revenues now account for 89% of PLDT’s total Individual Wireless revenues.

Alex O. Caeg, head of Smart’s consumer wireless business, said that data users, particularly gamers, are beginning to appreciate the power of 5G.

“Moving forward, 5G will definitely play an important role as compatible smartphones become more affordable,” he said in a statement.

Last Thursday, the operator launched what it says its “most affordable 5G device”: the Smart ZTE Blade A75 5G, which retails at PHP5,450 (a little under US$100). Under the current offer, subscribers can buy the smartphone in six monthly instalments at 0% interest.

Smart is also selling the ZTE Blade A75 5G with package bundles for its prepaid and postpaid 5G services.

Smart added it has also been offering device financing for 5G phones through various bank partners.

Apart from device affordability, Caeg said that for Smart to accelerate 5G growth momentum, we must leverage on our site rollouts and capacity enhancements, continue to offer the best value-for-money packages, and deliver excellent customer service to delight our subscribers.”

“We [also] see the potential of premium subscriber benefits for those using the 5G network, » said Kristine A. Go, SVP for Smart’s consumer wireless business.

Keep up-to-date with all the latest news, articles, event and product updates posted on Developing Telecoms.
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Keep up-to-date with all the latest news, articles, event and product updates posted on Developing Telecoms.
Subscribe to our FREE weekly email newsletters for the latest telecom info in developing and emerging markets globally.

Keep up-to-date with all the latest news, articles, event and product updates posted on Developing Telecoms.
Subscribe to our FREE weekly email newsletters for the latest telecom info in developing and emerging markets globally.

This Industry Viewpoint was authored by David Idle, CPO at Bigleaf Networks

Reliable internet access has become an essential component of modern life, powering businesses, education, and healthcare. Unfortunately, a significant gap continues between urban and rural communities in the United States. … [visit site to read more]

A second big data centre story this month has come from the Democratic Republic of Congo as it inaugurates a US$30 million data centre from Raxio Group, said to be Africa’s leading carrier-neutral Tier III data centre operator.

Located in Limete on the southeast of Kinshasa, the two-storey Raxio DRC1 spans 1,542 square metres and is the country’s largest data centre.

DRC1’s modern design can house up to 400 racks and can reliably deliver 1.5MW of IT power to customer equipment. The 24/7 ‘always-on’ facility is located along key fibre routes, delivering best-in-class colocation and connectivity services. 

Multiple paths for power and cooling systems underpin the centre’s Tier III certification, while the usage of cutting edge components guarantees what are described as unmatched levels of efficiency and a commitment to sustainability principles.

The project was announced in 2021 and broke ground on construction in early 2023.

Robert Mullins, CEO of Raxio Group says: “DRC is one of Africa’s largest and fastest-growing markets with an existing latent demand for digital products and services that is forecast to soar in the coming years. With this facility, we are providing the critical infrastructure essential to supporting the digital economy and enhancing connectivity – and we expect to expand our presence in DRC through additional capacity and new facilities in years to come.”

The DRC launch aligns with the government’s Plan National du Numerique to make expansive digitalisation a catalyst for economic growth, competitiveness and social inclusion, while enabling a range of public and private sector cloud-based digital services.

The provision of data centres is one of the key pillars of the government plan, improving the digital landscape through reduced latency for real-time applications and providing a reliable backbone for mobile and internet connectivity.

This is not the only recent major data centre news from DRC. Less than two weeks ago we reported that the first phase of OADC Texaf Digital, a joint venture between African data centre company Open Access Data Centres (OADC) and TEXAF, a major long-term investor in the economy of the Democratic Republic of Congo, was live in Kinshasa.

Some automation, some optical, some energy, and some funding: … [visit site to read more]

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