Energy & Sustainability Making AI energy efficient The conversation around the impact of AI is all-encompassing, but one aspect that is coming under increasing scrutiny is the vast amount of energy required by data centres as AI adoption continues apace.
Data Centres & Networks How can AI benefit Africa? AI is being touted as the most transformative technology since personal computers and the internet. The technology also shows promise to transform lives on the African continent which has struggled with multiple challenges that developed markets have made a distant memory.
Operators Vodafone CTO details gen AI plan Vodafone Group CTO Scott Petty (third, from right) laid out how AI has the potential to fundamentally change the economic landscape of the internet, but developing markets will be slow to see this change, due to challenges such as low smartphone uptake and lack of fundamental infrastructure to...
Enterprise Ecosystems From telco to tech co: how rebranding helps operators diversify In an industry as future-focused as telecoms, service providers need to ensure that their branding conveys the right messaging to prospective subscribers.
Optical & Fixed Networks What was the biggest takeaway from DTW 2024? No prizes for guessing that AI stole everyone’s attention at Digital Transformation World in Copenhagen this year. In every keynote and session, the two letter acronym left the lips of every single person that took a stage.
Operators Asian operators look to AI for growth The chief executives of Axiata Group, Jio Platforms and Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison expressed great confidence in AI and digitalisation for delivery of growth for emerging market operators and economies.
Regulation TM Forum chief sees light for industry TM Forum CEO Nik Willets was buoyed by a resurgence in the telecoms industry saying it is climbing out of its “code red moment” by leveraging key technologies such as AI, despite admitting returns from AI being disappointing across the board.
Wireless Networks What to expect from DTW 2024 Copenhagen Last year at Digital Transformation World (DTW) Copenhagen, TM Forum President and CEO Nik Willetts (pictured) said the telecoms industry was at a “crisis point”.
Wireless Networks Private networks are the key driver for 5G growth The ability of 5G to enable wide-scale industrial applications has long been billed as a major differentiator for the standard compared to 4G.
Vendors Interview: Nokia MEA SVP Mikko Lavanti Nokia Mobile Networks SVP of Middle East and Africa, Mikko Lavanti, sat down with Developing Telecoms to discuss a range of topics affecting markets under his remit. Here the executive explored markets he believed will be opportunities for growth, his ambitions and what operators need to keep...
Operators What now for operators in Nigeria? Volatile foreign exchange rates across Africa are currently hamstringing operators, with notable names such as MTN and Airtel revealing how badly their coffers were hit in recent financial results.
Satellite Networks Constellation consolidation: why GSO providers are merging to take on Starlink SES’ recent purchase of Intelsat is the latest example of major consolidation within the geostationary orbit (GSO) satellite sector, following on from mergers between Eutelsat and OneWeb as well as Viasat and Inmarsat.
Optical & Fixed Networks Damage to submarine cables: claims and remedies Transmitting about 99% of the world’s telecommunications, submarine cables have emerged as critical infrastructure necessary for systems to function. In recent months, there have been two “extraordinary” outages that have brought submarine cable damage and protection issues to the fore.
Vendors AI: An arms race in the making Huawei Analyst Summit (HAS) 2024 may have been a closed event for media this year but Developing Telecoms was still in Shenzhen to soak in new developments from Huawei and scope out the vendor’s almost mythical Ox Horn Campus, a fairy-tale project from Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei.
Optical & Fixed Networks Laying the groundwork: how Africa handled its subsea cable crisis Within the space of a month, Africa experienced two extraordinary cable disruptionsthat led to internet outages in at least 11 countries...
Operators Sub-Saharan Africa operators call for government alliance Africa is reaching a tipping point as take up of connectivity services has surged year-on-year and it is not slowing down anytime soon. Its population is huge at 1.1 billion and young, a perfect combination for a surge in data usage and opportunities for operators. But now is the...
Operators Now Corp chairman eyes tower lease opportunity and mobile launch Now Corporation sees its rivals selling off tower assets to independent tower companies as an opportunity for its enterprise broadband provider unit Now Telecom to expand its coverage through leasing deals, and eventually launch its consumer mobile business in two years.
Operators Orange MEA boss leaves door open for Ethio Telecom deal Orange Middle East and Africa CEO Jerome Henique (pictured) has left the door open for an eventual entry into the Ethiopian market, despite recently dropping...
Operators Vodacom CTO talks up hydrogen power and 4G cloud phone Vodacom Group CTO (pictured) Dejan Kastelic said the operator is exploring a range of strategies to tackle rising opex costs and reduce its carbon footprint through innovative new technologies, including harnessing the power of hydrogen to power base stations.
Trends & Forecasts MWC24: Key takes from our editorial team With MWC24 now over, it’s time to look at the key trends that emerged from the show – and check whether they aligned with our...
Trends & Forecasts MWC24: Five tech trends we expect to see in emerging markets Mobile World Congress 2024 takes place next week, and Developing Telecoms will be at the show in Barcelona to report on the major trends that will shape the sector in emerging markets across the next year.
Regulation Is the Nepalese government being too heavy-handed? The spread of connectivity has transformed the economies of multiple developing markets enabling citizens from Asia, Africa and Latin America to tap into a myriad of information and services.
Energy & Sustainability Cost savings – not social pressure - are driving telcos towards green energy The telecoms sector has an indisputable impact on the environment. Operating a reliable network requires vast amounts of power, the manufacture of network equipment and personal devices produces significant carbon emissions, and the swift obsolescence of these devices generates a constant...
Trends & Forecasts AI promises huge benefits in 2024, but needs to be better understood Interest in artificial intelligence (AI) as a potential game-changer for the telecoms industry will continue to build through 2024, and in turn drive experimentation and innovation across many areas of telcos’ businesses and those of their customers.
Trends & Forecasts Satellite 5G and enhanced WiFi show promise for 2024, but AI will dominate the discussion As year-end approaches, analyst and consultancy firms, industry players and assorted commentators are once again posting their predictions for telecoms in 2024. However diverse their research interests or business focus, almost all of these forecasts share a common theme this time around -...
Optical & Fixed Networks Universal broadband access - is it achievable still? Since the early 2010s, connectivity has become central to the lives of people living in developed markets. It was very apparent that the internet was fast becoming life-changing technology, as it enables levers to streamline productivity and deliver entertainment in ways that were deemed...
Mobile Finance Mobile money’s future is rooted in trust Last week, we examined the impact of mobile money in Africa, exploring the runaway success of M-Pesa in Kenya by framing this against the broader backdrop of the...
Mobile Finance Has mobile money had its day in Africa? Mobile money is one of the great success stories in Africa – or at least, this is the popular narrative around the technology. In this two-part series of Features, we will examine mobile money’s impact in Africa, and the extent to which it really has revolutionised financial inclusion in the...
Service Management Is artificial intelligence worth it for developing markets? Artificial intelligence has ascended to the top of minds in the telecoms sector over the past year due to its potential to transform the industry.
Operators Key takeaways from Digital Transformation World 2023 TM Forum president and CEO Nik Willetts (pictured) opened Digital Transformation World 2023 with a stark message for the telecoms industry, claiming it is at a “crisis point” where it faces being left behind by the “very revolution we’ve created”.
Energy & Sustainability E-waste: Emerging markets must lead by example In the final instalment of our recent series focusing on e-waste in emerging markets, we reached out to a major Asian operator to learn more about how they plan to achieve a major sustainability pledge - Thailand’s True Corp, which has announced that it aims to achieve zero e-waste to landfill...
Energy & Sustainability E-waste: Changing perceptions lead to changing policies In the first instalment of this series, we explored the scale of the issue of e-waste and some of the steps being taken to reduce it. As attitudes towards sustainability shift, policymakers take note – whether at company or government level – and in this article we’ll explore the factors...
Energy & Sustainability E-waste: How big is the problem? In this new series of features, Developing Telecoms will explore the under-reported issue of electronic waste. We will explore possible solutions for addressing the issue as well as examining a case study with a leading Asian operator, but to begin, this article aims to examine the scale of the...
Operators Why are Asia Pacific operators sunsetting 2G, 3G networks? Shutting down 2G and 3G is ramping up across the globe as operators make way for more capacity for 4G and 5G networks. It is the inevitable cycle of progress, out with the old, and in with the new as the old saying goes.
Operators Interview: Helios Towers CEO Tom Greenwood Helios Towers is one the biggest towercos in Africa, and since its IPO four years ago the firm has dramatically expanded its footprint and portfolio. It has also strongly pushed a sustainability agenda while continuing to drive increased coverage across some of the most challenging markets in...
Vendors How did 5G improve a mine in South Africa? Despite the heavy emphasis on sustainability in 2023, it does not change the fact that global economies are growing beasts, with insatiable demand for energy as they grow.
Energy & Sustainability How does connectivity enhance a dam in Ghana? Those of us in the telecoms industry have sat through the same keynote speeches, listening to the same messages year after year on how enhanced connectivity will be the core to a brighter future for mankind.
Devices & Platforms Is slowing growth giving smartphones a second life in India? Smartphone sales in India are down to their lowest level since 2019, despite the pandemic underlining the importance of connectivity in society. However, while the overall volume of shipments may have dropped, the devices in demand are increasingly more expensive high-end models.
Operators Now Telecom chairman demands even playing field The Philippines telecoms market is one that constantly hits the headlines and this heat stems from the historic duopoly of Globe Telecom and PLDT’s Smart Communications in the archipelagic nation.
Investment Will the nationalisation of Hungary’s telecoms sector deliver on its goals? Through acquisitions and shareholdings, the Hungarian government – led by Prime Minister Victor Orbán’s Fidesz party – is increasingly displaying its determination to boost the state’s role in the telecoms sector, arguing that it will deliver an economic boost to Hungary, strengthen its...
Investment How can smart cities benefit emerging countries? The over-arching purpose of smart cities is to improve the living standards of their people through multiple pathways, be it waste management, transportation or energy efficiency, to name a few. All of this can lead to making citizens more productive and delivering what all countries desire -...
Blogs & Opinion Mobile World Congress 2023: Our Impressions Mobile World Congress 2023 may be done and dusted, but the agenda that emerges from the show tends to impact the industry’s focus across the following year. I’ve felt in the past that these trends have been more tangible than they were in 2023; we’re perhaps in a year of evolution rather than...
Videos & Webinars Features Review Autumn 2022 In our latest Features Review video, DT Editor Manny Pham and Director of Content James Barton take a look back at featured articles from the past months.
Wireless Networks Chart of darkness: mapping connectivity in North Korea Above all else, North Korea is defined by its secrecy – this isolated nation tightly controls the flow of information into and out of its borders, and this is never more apparent than with its telecoms sector.
Operators Key takeaways from Africa Tech Festival: Mobile money, fibre, subsea cables African nations, operators and private companies were all in agreement that Africa continues to hold so much potential, with much progress being made, but how much longer are we going to hear this instead of seeing it being fully realised?
Videos & Webinars Features Review: Myanmar internet control, Ericsson and Nokia's Russian exit, and India's 5G device market Over the past few months, Developing Telecoms has been working hard to produce more analytical pieces focused on the exciting and unpredictable workings of emerging markets telecoms. We’ve now compiled these articles into our new
Investment As Zambia zero-rates equipment imports, could other African markets follow suit? In October 2022, Zambia announced that it would zero-rate imports of telecoms equipment in a bid to encourage investment into the country’s ICT sector, which the government views as essential to job creation and economic development in the market.
Investment Only stability will restore Venezuela’s struggling telecoms sector Venezuela’s telecoms sector has not been flush with positive developments of late – the country’s economy has been in a downward spiral for well over five years now, and this has caused a staggering decline in a sector that had seen average to strong growth up until around 2015.
Operators Are tower sales the way to go in the Philippines? Amidst rising costs of coverage expansion to fulfil the rapidly increasing appetite for connectivity, operators globally are under more pressure to balance the books - a trend that is not limited to developed markets.
Investment Myanmar’s investment exodus is the price of control for its junta It’s never a good sign when a government steps in to block internet access, or bans a communication platform such as Twitter, and unfortunately such practices are not unheard of in the markets we cover at Developing Telecoms.
