SpaceX has secured approval to launch its Starlink satellite broadband service in Vietnam, after receiving licences from the government to provide both fixed and mobile satellite services.

Amazon’s satellite connectivity arm Leo has launched its largest payload to date, expanding its low-Earth orbit (LEO) constellation to 200 satellites as it ramps up competition with SpaceX’s Starlink.

The adoption of 5G by industry for private networks hasn’t been as fast paced as many people may have hoped, but, as a new initiative in India shows, it’s certainly an ongoing focus for both industry and government.

Malaysian telecoms group Axiata has promoted Group CFO Nik Rizal to CEO and managing director, succeeding Vivek Sood after nine years with the company.

Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison reported a 12% increase in net profit for its 2025 financial year, pointing to AI-driven initiatives, network upgrades and service innovation as key growth drivers.

Abu Dhabi-based technology holding group G42, and a consortium comprising IT services company the FPT Corporation and consumer-focused business the Viet Thai Group have signed a framework cooperation agreement to develop sovereign AI capabilities and cloud infrastructure across Vietnam.

Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison (IOH) said its AI-powered cybersecurity software has detected and blocked more than 2 billion spam and scam attempts across its network, marking a major milestone in its efforts to protect customers.

The rush to build data centres in Malaysia continues apparently unabated, with new announcements targeting Cyberjaya, a planned city outside of Malaysia’s capital Kuala Lumpur, and Banting, a town in the western peninsular state of Selangor.

Malaysia has announced an immediate and full ban on the importation of electronic waste (e-waste) – discarded electronic products such as computers, mobile phones and appliances.

ST Telemedia Global Data Centres (STT GDC), a leading player in the Asia Pacific data centre business, has been acquired in what has been described as one of the largest digital infrastructure transactions in Southeast Asia.

Customer experience and data monetisation solutions specialist Comviva has announced the launch of the next-generation Digital Distribution Management System for channel partners, working with CelcomDigi, Malaysia’s largest mobile network operator.

Papua New Guinea’s National Executive Council (NEC) – essentially its cabinet – has approved the Pukpuk Connectivity Initiative, which it has described as one of the most important digital infrastructure approvals in the nation’s recent history.

Global smartphone revenues climbed to a record US$135 billion in the fourth quarter of 2025, rising 7% year-on-year as higher prices and strong demand for premium devices offset ongoing pressure on shipments.

Following the news that India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has frozen the AGR dues of operator Vodafone Idea and allowed staggered repayments spread over 16 years until 2041, the company is now looking ahead with some ambitious investment plans.

Philippines-based operator PLDT has invested PHP1.215 billion (US$20.5 million) in its data analytics unit Kayana, doubling down on efforts to unlock new growth engines across the wider group.

Data centre and fibre solutions company Digital Edge has announced a US$4.5 billion investment to build CGK Campus, one of Indonesia's largest AI-ready hyperscale data centre campuses, in the GIIC Industrial Estate in Bekasi, in the province of West Java, located on the eastern border of Jakarta.

NTT Global Data Centres (NTT GDC), part of NTT Data, and the world's third-largest data centre provider, has signed a 100MW power purchase agreement with Thai Energy company B.Grimm Power, through its Amata B.Grimm Power division, securing capacity for its upcoming Bangkok 4 Data Centre.

Hard on the heels of the EU agreement with Kenya reported earlier today on these pages comes more evidence of growing international concern about cybersecurity, with news of a Cambodia-Hong Kong MoU and Ghanaian plans to regulate would-be cybersecurity service providers.

The US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) has commissioned Malaysian subsea cable developer SubConnex to study the feasibility of a new submarine cable system linking India with Singapore and major data centres across Southeast Asia.

The leading operator in Bangladesh, Grameenphone, has secured 10 megahertz of spectrum in the 700MHz band, marking the first-ever allocation of the low-band frequency to a mobile operator in Bangladesh. It was, apparently, the sole buyer.

India's policymakers seem finally to have put an end to the 6GHz debate between proponents of cellular and of Wi-Fi with government confirmation of plans to delicense the lower 6GHz band to help enable faster Wi-Fi indoors.

Taiwanese vendor Asus has reportedly shelved plans to develop new smartphones in 2026 as it pivots resources towards emerging “Physical AI” projects spanning smart glasses and robotics.

Digital Realty, which describes itself as the largest global provider of cloud and carrier-neutral data centre, colocation and interconnection solutions, has joined the race for data centre space in Malaysia.

Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN) and OMS Group announced on Monday that they have signed a contract with newly formed JV Intra-Asia Marine Networks (I-AM NW) to supply and install the Intra-Asia Marine (I-AM) Cable system linking Japan and Southeast Asia.

Malaysian operator CelcomDigi has announced the completion of a large-scale connectivity and tower infrastructure deployment across IOI Corporation’s plantation estates in Sabah, a state on the northern part of Borneo, and Peninsular Malaysia.

Huawei has regained the title of China’s leading smartphone manufacturer for the first time in five years, narrowly edging ahead in a competitive market, according to Omdia.

NTT Data, Sumitomo and JA Mitsui Leasing announced plans on Tuesday for a new subsea cable, dubbed Intra-Asia Marine Cable (I-AM Cable), that will connect Japan and South Korea to Malaysia and Singapore.

Global smartphone shipments rose 2.3% year on year to 336.6 million units in the fourth quarter of 2025, shrugging off ongoing chip supply constraints and buoyed by sustained demand for premium devices.