Thailand's five major data center service providers have formed a strategic alliance with the goal of transforming the country into a major data center hub for Southeast Asia. Representatives from the local units of AIMS Data Centre, Evolution DC, NTT Global Data Centers, STT GDC, and Telehouse signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish the Thailand Data Centre Council (TDCC).
Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced that it is expanding its facilities in Tokyo and Osaka to meet the increasing demand from customers. This investment is in addition to the approximately USD 10 billion that AWS has already spent in Japan between 2011 and 2022.
Huawei and China Unicom Beijing have launched a large-scale 5.5G pilot test network in Beijing to further advance network connectivity. The pilot test covered three key areas in the city, namely, Beijing Financial Street in the city center, the landmark Beijing Long Distance Call Building, and the multipurpose Workers' Stadium.
The Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) has reportedly approved incumbent telco PLDT's proposed PHP 6.75 billion (USD 120 million) acquisition of broadband and cable TV provider, Sky Cable Corporation.
Maxis and Public Bank Bhd. (Public Bank) have joined forces to promote digital adoption among small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia. The collaboration, formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), aims to raise awareness about digitalization among SMEs and provide them with access to digital solutions and financial assistance.
Goodman Group, a leading global specialist in industrial property and digital infrastructure, is expanding its data center capacity in Asia as part of its global strategy in this sector. Goodman entered into agreements to deliver up to 1,000 MW of power in Japan and has started construction on a new 50 MW data center in Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong SAR. The company has also opened a new regional office in Singapore to support its data center growth in Asia.
Vietnam's Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) is reportedly urging the country's telcos to seek new growth opportunities in the digital niche due to a slump in the sector's growth in 2023. Minister of Information and Communications, Nguyen Mạnh Hung, stated in an interview that the growth of telecom operators has not matched the country's GDP growth.
Direct-to-phone satellite operator, Lynk Global, announced that Telikom Limited, the state telecommunications company of Papua New Guinea, has begun offering Lynk's Sat2Phone service to its subscribers. Initially, the Sat2Phone service in Papua New Guinea will only support SMS messaging. This is because Lynk currently has only three LEOsats (low Earth orbit satellites) in orbit to support the service, out of a planned constellation of 5,000.
Malaysia's Ministry of Investment, Trade, and Industry (MITI) announced that it has formed a strategic partnership with the United Arab Emirates' Ministry of Investment to develop data centers in Malaysia.
PT Link Net Tbk, an Indonesian Internet Service Provider (ISP), is reportedly considering raising up to USD 500 million through the sale of a stake in its fiber business, in anticipation of expanding its network coverage.
