Page 6 – Telecom Review Asia

Preserving Tuvalu: How Tech is Keeping a Nation Alive

Posted on April 15, 20252 min Read

Tuvalu, a Pacific Island nation comprising nine islands, is confronting the existential threat of rising sea levels by launching the ‘Digital Nation’ initiative, aiming to preserve its identity, culture, and governance in the digital realm.

Central to this initiative is the creation of a digital twin—a comprehensive 3D model of Tuvalu developed with geographic information system (GIS) technology. This digital replica captures detailed imagery and data of the islands, enabling leaders to monitor environmental changes, assess flooding impacts, and engage citizens through virtual reality (VR) experiences.

Beyond environmental monitoring, Tuvalu is digitizing cultural artifacts, official records, and governance processes. The government is developing virtual passports and digital platforms for citizens to participate in elections and civil activities remotely. This digital archive ensures that Tuvalu’s heritage and governance structures are preserved, even if physical territories become uninhabitable.

However, this digital transformation exposes Tuvalu to increased cybersecurity risks. The nation’s limited cyber infrastructure and resources make it vulnerable to cyberattacks, which could target sensitive governmental and cultural data. Recognizing these threats, Tuvalu has prioritized strengthening its cybersecurity measures, collaborating with international partners to build robust defenses against potential cyber threats.

Tuvalu’s innovative approach to digital preservation exemplifies resilience in the face of environmental and technological challenges. By leveraging technology to safeguard its cultural and governmental legacy, Tuvalu sets a precedent for other nations confronting similar existential threats.

New Brain Chip Implant Project Speeds Up a Major Breakthrough

Posted on April 15, 20251 min Read

CIBR and NeuCyber are fast-tracking human trials of Beinao No.1, positioning it to become the world’s most widely tested brain chip, underlining China’s determination to catch up with leading foreign brain-computer interface (BCI) developers.

The Beinao No.1 has already proven effective for patients with paralysis, enabling them to control a robotic arm to pour a cup of water and even transmit their thoughts onto a computer screen.

The chip detects electrical signals in the brain, identifying patterns linked to specific actions and translating them into computer commands.

Luo Minmin, Director of CIBR and Chief Scientist at NeuCyber, shared, “Next year, after getting regulatory approval, we will do formal clinical trials that will include around 50 patients.”

Notably, these trials could make Beinao No.1 the most widely tested brain chip in the world.

How Regulations and Vendor Diversity Will Redefine Connectivity in Asia

Posted on April 15, 20257 min Read

As Asia embraces a digital-first future, the forces shaping its connectivity infrastructure are evolving in tandem. While the spotlight often shines on emerging technologies like 5G, edge computing, and satellite broadband, the foundations enabling this next wave of connectivity are being quietly redrawn through smarter regulations and more diverse vendor ecosystems.

These two factors, often viewed as supporting acts, are now stepping into central roles, determining not just how networks are built, but how resilient, inclusive, and future-ready they become.

Evolving Regulations

Across the region, governments and regulators are rethinking their approach to telecom oversight. The traditional top-down, risk-averse posture is gradually giving way to more agile, innovation-friendly frameworks. Rather than simply enforcing compliance, many regulators are now positioning themselves as enablers, offering sandbox environments, encouraging private-public partnerships, and pushing for infrastructure-sharing to bridge the digital divide.

This regulatory shift is especially evident in fast-growing economies aiming to leapfrog legacy infrastructure challenges. By allowing more flexible spectrum usage, streamlining licensing processes, and supporting experimental deployments, countries are accelerating the rollout of next-generation connectivity.

In July 2024, the Ministry of Communication and Informatics (Kominfo) issued Technical Standard No. 352, establishing new guidelines for LTE and 5G New Radio (NR) technologies. This regulation defines additional frequency bands for both subscriber and base stations, aiming to improve mobile broadband services across Indonesia.

In August 2024, Hong Kong’s Office of the Communications Authority (OFCA) approved the cessation of 2G services. The spectrum previously allocated to 2G in the 900 MHz and 1800 MHz bands will be repurposed to enhance 5G services, reflecting a strategic shift towards next-generation mobile networks.

Despite this shift, cybersecurity, data sovereignty, and supply chain integrity remain front and center. Regulatory frameworks are becoming more nuanced, encouraging innovation while simultaneously tightening controls around critical infrastructure and digital assets. The result is a delicate balancing act that seeks to fuel digital transformation without compromising trust or national security.

Vendor Diversity

Alongside regulatory shifts, the telecom ecosystem is witnessing a significant diversification in its supply chain. No longer dominated by a handful of legacy equipment providers, the market is welcoming a broader pool of vendors spanning global players, regional innovators, and cloud-native startups.

This shift is being accelerated by the rise of open and disaggregated network architectures, such as Open RAN. These approaches enable operators to mix and match components from multiple vendors, increasing flexibility and reducing the risks associated with single-vendor dependencies.

Beyond resilience, vendor diversity fosters innovation. Different providers bring unique strengths—be it in AI-powered network automation, energy-efficient design, or rural connectivity solutions tailored to underserved markets. For telcos, this means more opportunities to align network investments with business goals, local realities, and sustainability targets.

Local vendors, in particular, are gaining momentum. With a better understanding of regional needs and often more agile development cycles, these players are helping to localize technology deployment. Their presence strengthens national digital sovereignty while also creating opportunities for export and regional collaboration.

For example, China Mobile and NTT DOCOMO jointly developed the world’s first multi-vendor eSIM. NOW Corporation (NOW) is advancing connectivity in remote regions in the Philippines through its Trusted Network initiative. By partnering exclusively with vendors deemed low-risk, NOW ensures both resilience and cybersecurity in underserved areas.

NEC is enabling telcos to modernize their infrastructure through cloud-native, microservice-based solutions that thrive in multi-vendor environments, eliminating vendor lock-in while enhancing integration.

In Australia, Telstra is pushing the boundaries of intelligent connectivity by embedding AI into operations in collaboration with traditional infrastructure vendors, showing that strategic vendor partnerships can drive next-generation efficiencies.

Meanwhile, in Vietnam, Viettel has launched a commercial Open RAN 5G network in partnership with Qualcomm, proving that open, interoperable systems can support both public and private network demands while fostering a sustainable vendor ecosystem.

The Glue Holding It All Together

With more vendors in the mix, interoperability has never been more critical. Operators must now integrate hardware and software components from different providers without compromising performance or security. This is where global standards, joint testing labs, and certification programs play a crucial role.

Efforts across the industry are converging to ensure that multi-vendor networks remain as seamless and secure as their legacy counterparts. From cloud-native core networks to virtualized RAN setups, achieving plug-and-play interoperability is no longer a luxury; it’s a necessity for scalable, future-proof infrastructure.

In Asia, mandates promoting open interfaces are gaining traction to encourage interoperability and innovation. India’s Telecommunications Act 2023 and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) push for spectrum and infrastructure sharing aim to foster open, collaborative telecom environments. The Philippines’ proposed Open Access in Data Transmission Act seeks to dismantle monopolies in data transmission and promote an open internet. Regionally, the GSMA Open Gateway initiative is being adopted by key players like PLDT, Smart Communications, Globe Telecom, Chunghwa Telecom, and CTM, offering developers standardized network application programming interfaces (APIs) to build cross-operator digital services. These efforts mark a strategic move across Asia toward multi-vendor, future-ready networks.

Furthermore, others are incentivizing the adoption of vendor-neutral platforms. Japan’s Open RAN ecosystem, backed by government funding, supports multi-vendor deployments to reduce dependence on specific suppliers.

South Korea is promoting Open RAN through government-industry collaboration, aiming to boost domestic tech capabilities. Minister Lee Jong Ho, emphasized, “Amidst intensifying global technological competition surrounding communication networks, Open RAN is gaining attention as a key element for taking the higher ground in this competition.”

Through ORIA (Open RAN Industry Alliance), we aim to create a collaborative and mutually beneficial ecosystem among the public and private sectors, as well as large businesses and SMEs.

Meanwhile, Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) is offering grants to explore and pilot interoperable 5G networks.

These initiatives are laying the groundwork for a new kind of telecom infrastructure: one that is modular, dynamic, and innovation-driven.

Policy and Procurement as Catalysts

Regulations and procurement practices will be just as influential as the technologies themselves in shaping Asia’s connectivity landscape. Smart spectrum policy, trusted vendor frameworks, and climate-aligned infrastructure mandates will determine which innovations gain traction—and how quickly.

Procurement strategies will also need to evolve. Rather than defaulting to the most established vendors, operators and governments alike must assess suppliers based on agility, security, sustainability, and localization potential. Such criteria will empower emerging players while ensuring networks are both robust and responsive to change.

In this dynamic environment, collaboration will be key. Stakeholders across the ecosystem—regulators, telcos, vendors, and communities—must work together to define standards, share threat intelligence, and co-create solutions that are not just cutting-edge, but equitable and secure.

Asia stands at a pivotal moment in its connectivity journey. The convergence of progressive regulation and vendor diversity offers a powerful springboard, not just for more efficient networks, but for more inclusive and resilient digital societies.

As these foundational forces mature, they will redefine what it means to be connected, not only by enabling faster speeds and lower latency, but by ensuring that connectivity is built on trust, choice, and shared opportunity.

Also Read:

Japan Prime Minister Leads International Effort for AI Regulation Framework

Shared Difference: The Variety of Telecom Regulations in Asia

Globe Backs GSMAi Green Network Sustainability Push

Posted on April 14, 20253 min Read

As a company committed to environmental responsibility, Globe played a crucial role in the GSMA Intelligence (GSMAi) Green Network Index (GNI) study. This initiative set new industry standards for network sustainability.

Globe was one of only six telecom companies worldwide to take part in the first project. This shows its dedication to leading environmental sustainability efforts by actively participating in research that promotes greener networks and reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the industry.

“We understand the importance of working together to create a more sustainable telecom sector. Our involvement in the GNI study demonstrates our commitment to incorporating sustainable practices that benefit both our industry and our journey towards achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions,” said Yoly Crisanto, Globe’s Chief Sustainability and Corporate Communications Officer.

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Apple Evangelista, Globe’s Head of Sustainability and Social Responsibility, added, “Through the GNI, we are gaining valuable insights that will help us improve our approach to energy efficiency, renewable energy adoption, and overall network sustainability.”

There is increasing global support for greener telecom networks. The majority of telecom operators, representing 70% of the industry’s revenues, have already committed to reducing GHG emissions in line with the Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi).

This commitment was driven by rising energy costs, which make up 15-20% of a telco’s operational expenses, highlighting the importance of energy efficiency. Additionally, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting is becoming more important to credit-rating agencies and financial analysts, making a standardized metric for assessing sustainability crucial across different regions and network technologies.

In response to this, GSMAi created the GNI, which combines various factors into a single comprehensive figure to enhance comparability among telecom operators and guide companies in their journey towards sustainability.

“Tracking progress on mobile network operators’ energy sustainability is critical in driving meaningful change. Our Green Network Index helps operators to achieve that goal by enabling them to make informed decisions that support a greener, more sustainable future,” said Tim Hatt, Head of Research at GSMA Intelligence.

The GNI builds on GSMAi’s previous energy efficiency analysis, expanding it into a comprehensive index that considers energy and carbon efficiency, renewable energy usage, performance and availability, and vertical enablement.

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Accelerating Gender Equity through Artificial Intelligence

GSMA, VDCA to Accelerate Vietnam’s Digital Transformation

Posted on April 14, 20252 min Read

The GSMA and the Vietnam Digital Communications Association (VDCA) have partnered to boost Vietnam’s mobile and digital communications ecosystem. This collaboration seeks to position Vietnam’s growing tech economy on the global map.

Under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), the GSMA and VDCA will work together to support the Vietnamese government’s Information and Communication Infrastructure Plan for 2021-2030. This plan includes goals to expand broadband coverage to 99% of the population with 5G by 2030, foster sustainable digital infrastructure, create innovation zones, and establish Vietnam as a regional hub for network and data security.

As part of the MoU, both parties will share technical expertise, organize industry events, and bring stakeholders together through thought leadership initiatives. The GSMA will also provide resources such as its Mobile Threat Intelligence Framework (MoTIF), fraud prevention guidelines, quantum-safe technology, and global best practices in regulatory governance to support Vietnam’s objectives.

This collaboration comes at a time when Vietnam’s digital economy is rapidly expanding, with mobile technologies contributing over USD 20 billion to the economy in 2023. By 2030, 5G is expected to represent nearly a third of all mobile connections, driving innovation across industries.

The partnership will also integrate Vietnam’s digital communications ecosystem with the GSMA’s global network. The MoU reflects a shared commitment to promoting Vietnam’s technological advancements on the world stage.

Also Read:

Singtel Collaborates with GSMA and Global Telcos for Responsible AI Maturity Roadmap

GSMA Predicts Asia-Pacific Mobile Industry to Top USD 1 Trillion by 2030

Huawei Unveils Comprehensive Suite of AI-Powered Solutions at MWC Barcelona 2025

Posted on April 11, 202510 min Read

As the telecommunications industry moves toward an intelligent era, artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to revolutionize every aspect of the digital world, enabling groundbreaking technologies that will reshape the future of the digital landscape.

At the Huawei Product & Solution Launch during Mobile World Congress (MWC) Barcelona 2025, Huawei revealed its innovative roadmap, showcasing a comprehensive suite of AI-powered solutions designed to transform network infrastructure, accelerate digital information, and propel the industry into a more intelligent, connected, and sustainable digital future.

AI-Centric Network Solution, Seizing New Opportunities in the AI Era

Yang Chaobin, Huawei’s Director of the Board and CEO of the ICT Business Group, introduced the AI-Centric Network solution to address the growing demand for enhanced network bandwidth, lower latency, wider coverage, and improved operations and management (O&M).

In his keynote, Yang Chaobin highlighted the solution’s four-layered approach, which includes all-domain connectivity, application-oriented O&M, enhanced AI-to-X services, and innovative business models. Through this strategy, Huawei aims to accelerate the transition towards an intelligent world while unlocking new revenue streams.

By exposing network capabilities, collaborating with different industries, and engaging in scenario-specific innovation, we can make the most of new growth opportunities in the age of AI, and bring the world one step closer to a brighter, more intelligent future.

AI-Centric 5.5G, Igniting the Mobile AI Era

Building on an AI-powered network foundation, Cao Ming, Vice President of Huawei and President of Huawei Wireless Solution, noted that mobile AI aims to revolutionize the world by delivering intelligent, human-like experiences anytime, anywhere, and for everything. This shift towards ‘AI for All’ will drive three major transformations in the mobile industry. Firstly, it will transform the user experience from being downlink-focused to offering diverse capabilities. Secondly, it will evolve O&M from AN L3 to AN L4 intelligence. Thirdly, it will shift business models from traffic-based to multi-factor monetization.

In the mobile AI era, connections will expand from human-to-human to human-to-AI and AI-to-AI, requiring diverse experiences and services. For multi-modal AI interactions, high uplink capability is essential. Cao Ming mentioned that, for real-time AI agent calling, ultra-low latency is critical. To enable ubiquitous intelligent connections, Cao Ming emphasized that seamless coverage is necessary, particularly for AI-powered devices in both dense cities and remote areas.

To address these challenges, Cao Ming introduced three AI-Centric 5.5G solutions: GigaGear, GreenPulse, and GainLeap.

Looking ahead, we will continue to innovate with all partners and develop more solutions to meet the evolving demands of mobile AI.

Cao Ming, Vice President of Huawei and President of Huawei Wireless Solution

Intelligent Core, Paving the Way to the Mobile AI Era

Further expanding on the mobile AI concept, George Gao, President of Huawei Cloud Core Network Product Line, charted the evolution of core networks into AI-native systems.

To meet the requirements of AI-powered terminals and services, core networks must evolve into AI native beyond connectivity.

In his keynote, George Gao noted that AI core network transformation occurs in two phases: 5G-A Intelligent Core and Agentic Core. He added that 5G-A Intelligent Core can equip three intelligence entries with calling agents, personalized experience agents, and digital expert agents.

Moreover, George Gao also launched Huawei’s Telco Intelligent Converged Cloud (TICC) infrastructure, which manages heterogeneous hardware and integrates FusionMind to provide high-quality training and inference services for agents.

George Gao, President of Huawei Cloud Core Network Product Line

Towards AI ON for New Growth in the AI Era

Huawei’s product and solution launch also showcased optical network advancements, with Bob Chen, President of Huawei Optical Business Product Line, unveiling the AI Optical Network (AI ON) concept.

Premium connectivity is the solid foundation for AI development.

AI applications, from self-owned call assistants to third-party chatbots, thrive on a strong network foundation. According to Bob Chen, the equation is clear: (Data + Model + Computing) x Network = AI prosperity. However, AI development demands deterministic connections and on-tap computing power akin to utilities like electricity and water.

The transition to AI ON networks requires awareness, always-on demand, assurance, autonomous O&M, and AI-native capabilities. Chen explained that traditional networks struggle with undifferentiated services and reactive repairs, but AI-driven networks offer:

Customized Connections: Instead of fixed speeds, users can get tailored services. For example, a gaming package can offer 500 Mbps speed, 10 ms latency, and 99.9999% reliability.
Deterministic Performance: AI ensures low latency, “0” packet loss, and hitless protection switching, eliminating uncertainties caused by congestion and failures.
Autonomous Operations: The application of AI enables real-time risk detection, automatic troubleshooting, and proactive network health checks.

Bob Chen, President of Huawei Optical Business Product Line

AI WAN: Leading IP Networks into the Intelligent Era

Meanwhile, Leon Wang, President of Huawei Data Communication Product Line, presented the company’s new AI WAN solution, which is designed to empower IP networks in the Net5.5G era using AI. During his keynote, Leon Wang highlighted the solution’s three-layer architecture, comprising AI routers, AI new connections, and AI new brain, which enhances network performance and intelligence through millisecond-level flow sampling, high-accuracy flow awareness, and efficient security protection engines.

AI new connections enable flow-level scheduling to meet the diverse network requirements of various applications, allowing carriers to offer a wider array of value-added services.

Leon Wang explained that AI WAN’s predictive traffic management helped MTN South Africa reduce congestion at 10% of its 7,000 base stations, resulting in a 25% increase in data usage (DOU) in KwaZulu-Natal and traffic grew by 15.4%. In home services, Carrier CTM partnered with Huawei to optimize network services using an AI computing engine. This resulted in a dramatic reduction in game latency and hence a significant improvement on customer experience. For enterprise security, AI WAN’s intelligent flash defense detected attack flows, enabling carriers to offer high-value security services with a projected 35% revenue increase.

Leon Wang, President of Huawei Data Communication Product Line

AI-Ready Data Infrastructure Accelerates Telco-to-Techco Transformation

In his keynote, Peter Zhou, President of Huawei Data Storage Product Line, highlighted the growing importance of data in the AI era, as AI agents are set to leverage massive amounts of data to transform consumer, home, and business experiences.

By 2030, Peter Zhou predicts that each individual will generate TB-scale data, powering 10 billion AI agents, while each family will produce PB-scale data for 1.8 billion AI housekeepers, and enterprises will manage EB-scale data, driving 2.8 billion AI applications. To support this, Huawei introduced AI-Ready data storage, featuring a data lake, diverse data services, and a FlashEver business model. Their AI-driven storage innovations include OceanStor Dorado, which enables seamless AI and cloud-native applications; the OceanStor A Series storage, which reduces GPU wait time by 30% and cuts inference costs by 40%; and the OceanStor Pacific, which doubles storage capacity while cutting power consumption by 40%.

Peter Zhou added that Huawei’s security and business continuity solutions can reduce TCO by 30%, recover 1 TB of data in 20 seconds, and offer flexible AI storage models like FlashEver, a pay-as-you-go model with 10-year investment protection.

As the backbone for ICT infrastructure construction, carriers need to fully embrace AI to provide competitive services and boost the digital economy.

Peter Zhou, President of Huawei Data Storage Product Line

Huawei ICT Services and Software Enable Digital Intelligence Acceleration

In his keynote, Bruce Xun, President of Huawei Global Technical Service, showcased a series of innovative digital intelligence solutions to address the key challenges in the industry’s digital transformation journey.

Huawei established the equipment Center Office (CO) modernization solution, Intelligent Operations solution for MBB cross-domain service keepalive, Mobile Network NPS Improvement solution, Differentiated Service Experience Monetization and Assurance solution, and enhanced Mobile Money solution.

He emphasized focusing on high-value business scenarios, such as streamlining network, data, and AI capabilities along the value stream, and quickly integrating Copilot, AI Agent, and DTN into the operation process for efficient human-machine collaboration and value realization, ultimately creating tangible business value and accelerating digital intelligence.

Bruce Xun, President of Huawei Global Technical Service

Accelerate Intelligence with Cloud, Leap from Telco to Techco

Bruno Zhang, Huawei Cloud CTO, discussed the comprehensive strategies required for telecom carriers to shift to technology companies, highlighting, “Carriers have clear expectations for the cloud.” In his keynote, Bruno Zhang outlined Huawei’s cloud offerings, including Huawei Cloud Stack and CloudDC to support this transformation.

The Huawei Cloud Stack has reduced TCO by 50% over 3 years, offering 120+ cloud services for seamless migration, while CloudDC provides 30+ Tier 3+ data centers with a 10x efficiency boost and AI-powered fault recovery within 15 minutes. In terms of AI-powered databases, GaussDB outperformed competitors, doubling performance, ensuring zero data loss, and auto-fixing 90% of faults.

A leap from data-centric to knowledge-centric has become a must. Data platforms in the AI era should extract knowledge and expertise from data, and more importantly, do it in an efficient way.

Huawei’s ‘AI for Industries’ initiative leverages its Pangu Models and ModelArts to help enterprises create industry-specific AI models, with over 400 AI applications successfully deployed across 30+ industries. To help carriers leverage their device-cloud synergy with multi-architecture compute and multi-OS devices, Huawei created Cloud Device, a family of products including KooPhone, KooDrive, and Cloud STB. These products deliver 60 ms latency and zero buffering.

Bruno Zhang highlighted that live streaming and AI have experienced remarkable growth, with streamers increasing by 10x and AI usage growing 20x over the past five years. While traditional networks face challenges, Huawei’s Cloud Media Edge enhances real-time streaming and drives ARPU growth. Finally, Bruno Zhang explained that carriers require ecosystem capability and operational expertise to expand their enterprise business, and Huawei Cloud offers two solutions to support this. KooGallery provides carriers with easy access to tens of thousands of enterprise applications via standard APIs, while Cloud on Cloud offers comprehensive cloud operation capabilities.

Bruno Zhang, Huawei Cloud CTO

AI Empowering Operators Accelerated Transition Towards Energy Prosumers

Recognizing the significant role of technological innovation in the intelligent era, He Bo, President of Huawei Data Center Facility & Critical Power Product Line, highlighted the challenges of rising energy consumption, emissions, and infrastructure reliability. In his keynote, Bo noted that AI-driven energy solutions are transforming operators into Energy Prosumers 2.0.

He Bo introduced the Single SitePower infrastructure and AI-driven DC infrastructure to address these concerns. These solutions integrate energy and information flows and enhance resilience, efficiency, and sustainability. He also highlighted Huawei’s Virtual Power Plants (VPP), AI-driven PV+ battery systems (which increase energy yield by 20% and reduce cabling by 80%), and the Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupter (AFCI), which can extinguish arcs in 2.5 seconds, improving safety.

We believe that Huawei’s Single SitePower infrastructure and AI-driven DC infrastructure can create a more resilient, reliable, and greener ICT energy base. This will empower operators to transition to Energy Prosumers 2.0 and succeed in the new era of carbon neutrality and intelligence.

Meanwhile, Huawei’s modular designs and advanced cooling systems for data centers are addressing reliability, uncertainty, delivery, and high power demands. Huawei’s series of innovations aims to establish a greener energy foundation for the ICT industry, driving operators to thrive while accelerating carbon neutrality goals.

He Bo, President of Huawei Data Center Facility & Critical Power Product Line

Through these comprehensive product and solution offerings, Huawei is demonstrating its commitment to driving innovation and establishing an intelligent and sustainable digital ecosystem, ultimately advancing the telecommunications industry.

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Combating Deepfake Disruption in Asia

Posted on April 11, 20255 min Read

Deepfakes emerged from the development of deep learning techniques, particularly generative adversarial networks (GANs), in the mid-2010s. Originally, the technology was used for harmless entertainment, such as replacing actors in film scenes. But over time, deepfakes have begun to pose real threats—from spreading political propaganda and scamming businesses to violating personal privacy.

In Asia, these risks are amplified by diverse linguistic landscapes, complex political environments, and a high penetration of mobile and digital services. According to Grand View Research, the global deepfake AI market size was estimated to be worth USD 562.8 million in 2023 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 41.5% from 2024 to 2030.

In the region, more than 2.8 billion people are connected to the internet. This massive digital audience offers both a ripe target and a potential shield, depending on how countries and telecoms respond.

From Infrastructure to Guardianship

Telecommunication operators across Asia are no longer just internet providers; they’re digital gatekeepers. With their access to user data flow and infrastructure control, telcos are uniquely positioned to play a significant role in countering deepfakes.

In Singapore, Singtel has launched an AI cloud service to democratize artificial intelligence (AI) for enterprises and the public sector. As part of this effort, it signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Hive, whose enterprise-grade models specialize in detecting deepfakes, generative AI (GenAI) content, and other harmful media. Leveraging NVIDIA chips and Singtel’s AI infrastructure, Hive provides clients with access to state-of-the-art detection tools suited for sensitive data environments.

In 2024, HONOR unveiled a real-time deepfake detection system at Mobile World Congress Shanghai, which is embedded in its smartphones and can identify manipulation during video calls. Moreover, Aletheia, a browser plug-in and endpoint software, can detect deepfakes by analyzing pixels and audio frequencies with up to 90% accuracy. Singapore’s ST Engineering developed Einstein.AI, which flags facial and audio anomalies in media content to protect public trust, especially ahead of elections.

Recognizing the increasing prevalence of online scams, cyberbullying, and misinformation in the digital space, CelcomDigi is taking a proactive approach to ensure content authenticity. As part of its broader initiative to promote online safety, the company hosted two exclusive Online Safety and Anti-Scam Masterclasses to empower content creators, social media influencers, and radio presenters to become advocates for digital safety. CelcomDigi’s Head of Sustainability, Philip Ling, explained:

Content creators and social media influencers, with their far-reaching platforms and wide followings, hold the power to shape how their audiences use the internet and stay safe online.

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Regional Cooperation and AI Alignment

The future of deepfake defense in Asia lies in collaboration. As the World Economic Forum points out, combating deepfakes requires a “whole-of-society” approach, involving governments, private companies, academia, and civil society.

Proposed regional strategies to combat deepfake disruptions in Asia include the introduction of the Expanded ASEAN Guide on AI Governance and Ethics – Generative AI, which illustrates its policy recommendations through four detailed use cases highlighting public and private institutions in the region that are implementing responsible AI practices. These include PhoGPT and VinAI in Vietnam, which focus on ethical generative AI development; Accenture’s Responsible AI Internal Programme, applied across ASEAN; Singapore’s Project Moonshot, led by the AI Verify Foundation to build trustworthy AI frameworks; and Thailand’s ThaiLLM, a collaborative effort by BDI, NSTDA, VISTEC, and other partners to develop large language models (LLMs) under ethical guidelines.

In 2024, the International Telecommunications Union’s (ITU) ‘AI for Good Global Summit’ brought together technology and media companies, artists, international organizations, standardization bodies, and academia, to discuss the security risks and challenges of deepfakes and generative artificial intelligence (AI). ITU experts predict that 90% of online content will be AI-generated in 2025; hence, they identified that the focus has shifted to developing technical standards for watermarking and verifying content authenticity. These efforts aim to distinguish between human-generated, AI-generated, and hybrid content, providing a reliable framework for content validation and helping combat misinformation in an increasingly synthetic digital environment.

In 2025, the Philippine government launched the Asia-Pacific Deepfake Task Force and rolled out an artificial intelligence-powered detection tool to combat disinformation and potential election fraud in light of the upcoming May elections. According to Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) Undersecretary, Alex Ramos, this initiative is part of a broader strategy to empower citizens against the escalating threat posed by deepfakes.

“This tool will be distributed to accredited institutions, including election watchdogs like the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), universities, and fact-checking groups,” Ramos explained. “During community gatherings, if someone reports suspicious content, it can be analyzed quickly using this tool.”

Before misinformation can gain traction, we can swiftly determine if it’s a deepfake.

Deepfakes: Insidious Yet Intelligent

Deepfakes can be considered both insidious and intelligent; it’s a technological feat with the potential to harm or help, depending on its application. Hence, APAC-based telcos, governments, and stakeholders are collectively adopting a unified approach to address the challenges posed by synthetic media in the region.

In Asia, where digital growth is outpacing regulation, the challenge is formidable; however, through forward-looking legislation, public-private partnerships, and telecom-driven innovation, the region is forging a resilient path forward.

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NBCC, RailTel Partner to Develop Data Centers

Posted on April 11, 20252 min Read

The National Buildings Construction Corporation (NBCC), a state-owned company, has signed an initial agreement with RailTel Corporation of India Ltd. (RailTel) to work together on data center projects.

In a regulatory filing, NBCC announced that they have signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with RailTel to develop data center projects in India and overseas for the next five years.

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The MoU was signed in the presence of Sanjai Kumar, CMD of RailTel; K.P. Mahadevaswamy, CMD of NBCC; Raj Kumar Chaudhary, CMD of NHPC Ltd.; Dr. Devesh Tyagi, CEO of NIXI; Sanjay Kumar Tyagi, IPS, Addl. CP Delhi; Rajeev Ranjan, Retd., IAS, TN; and senior officials from their organizations.

Under this agreement, NBCC will provide project management consultancy services for constructing data center buildings and related infrastructure, while RailTel will handle planning; designing; supply, installation, testing, commissioning (SITC); and operations and maintenance (O&M) for IT-related infrastructure for data centers.

This includes computing hardware, security systems, network systems, disaster recovery planning, and more. NBCC will offer project management services for constructing data center buildings and related civil and passive infrastructure. This involves contract management, construction supervision, cost control, quality assurance, and project handover activities.

This collaboration aims to combine the strengths of both organizations, allowing them to enhance their capabilities and improve client acquisition and service delivery efficiency in the long run.

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India’s Multiplay Service Market Set to Hit USD 3 Billion by 2029

Posted on April 11, 20252 min Read

India’s multiplay service revenue is poised to grow steadily, reaching USD 3 billion by 2029, reflecting an increase from the USD 2.4 billion recorded in 2024.

The projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.2% is driven by the increasing number of households subscribing to bundled telecom services.

2024 Comparison: India’s Multiplay Service Revenue Poised for 4.5% CAGR Growth from 2023 to 2028

The expansion of fiber-optic infrastructure across the country is playing a key role, as improved access to high-speed broadband is encouraging more consumers to shift to multiplay packages that combine services like broadband, telephony, TV, and over-the-top (OTT) content. These packages often come with cost-saving benefits.

GlobalData’s report indicated that, in 2024, doubleplay bundles—typically combining broadband and telephony—dominated the market, representing 78.4% of all multiplay households. Tripleplay and quadplay services followed with 12.2% and 9.4% shares, respectively.

Despite its dominance, the share of doubleplay services is expected to decline slightly over time, as more consumers adopt tripleplay and quadplay options. Tripleplay services are forecast to grow at a faster pace, with a projected CAGR of 16.6%, as users integrate pay-TV with internet and telephony.

To accelerate adoption, operators are offering incentives such as discounted packages and free access to popular OTT platforms.

Reliance Jio led the multiplay market in household subscriptions in 2024. Reliance Jio’s stronghold is attributed to its extensive fiber network and a large broadband customer base, enabling rapid expansion into bundled offerings.

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China Telecom, HKUST Partner to Advance AI, Quantum Innovation

Posted on April 10, 20252 min Read

China Telecom and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) recently signed a strategic cooperation agreement to enhance collaboration between the industry, academia, and research. This partnership includes the establishment of an Artificial Intelligence Innovation Laboratory and a Quantum Innovation Joint Laboratory, as well as a Joint Talent Development Program.

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The goal is to drive technological advancements, research commercialization, and talent development. The signing ceremony was attended by Mr. Ke Ruiwen, Chairman and CEO of China Telecom, and Prof. Nancy Ip, President of HKUST. The agreement was signed by Ms. Liu Ying, Executive Vice President of China Telecom, and Prof. Kar Yan Tam, Vice-President for Administration and Business of HKUST.

HKUST is known for its research and innovation excellence, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI). China Telecom is a global leader in intelligent information services. Together, they aim to establish an innovation ecosystem through joint management, laboratories, and talent programs. The collaboration will focus on AI research, quantum computing, and talent development to drive innovation in the Greater Bay Area.

Prof. Nancy Ip, stated, “This collaboration seamlessly integrates HKUST’s research expertise with China Telecom’s industrial strengths. We will jointly address key national scientific challenges, drive industrial technology innovation, establish a robust talent development framework, and accelerate the transformation of technological advancements. Together, we can make a greater contribution to both Hong Kong and the nation.”

Mr. Ke Ruiwen, added, “China Telecom is committed to leveraging joint laboratories and talent programs in collaboration with HKUST to cultivate core competencies in strategic emerging fields. Together, we aim to accelerate the growth of new productive forces and contribute the strength of a leading central enterprise to the development of a digital China and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.”

This partnership between China Telecom and HKUST sets a new standard for industry-academia-research collaborations in AI and quantum technology, benefiting smart city development in Hong Kong and various industries.

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