GX Group, a Netherlands-based fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) and optical networking gear maker, has extended what it calls its ‘Ecoverse’ initiative aimed at manufacturing Wi-Fi routers and GPON optical network terminals (ONTs) with recycled and biodegradable materials. In this case it plans Wi-Fi routers made from Khadi and bamboo, with, it seems, an eye to the Indian market.

Malaysia is back in the data centre news again. Hard on the heels of news that Equinix has completed the second phase of a new data centre in Cyberjaya, Selangor, has come the announcement of an award by Google related to the building of a hyperscale data centre in the country.

There are both positive developments and a few problems for the digital infrastructure company Equinix in Malaysia, according to recent headlines.

Technology vendor Nokia has announced that Cybernet, Pakistan’s leading fibre broadband provider, has chosen Nokia’s optical transport solution for its new long-haul optical fibre cable (OFC) network.

Indian data centre firm RackBank says it has broken ground on a campus in the city of Nava Raipur in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh. Spanning 13.5 acres, the development will be Chhattisgarh’s first data centre campus.

Nokia has signed a deal with Danish shipping giant Maersk to deploy private wireless network solutions across 450 vessels in its fleet.

Indian operator Reliance Jio has reportedly started using its own network products for planned small cell-led densification of its pan-India 5G network.

Malaysian operator Maxis has unveiled plans to significantly expand its fibre network in the state of Penang, aiming to connect over 100,000 homes by 2027 in support of the government’s digital transformation agenda.

There’s bad news and good news for ICT-related employment in India, with Zoho holding back on plans to put money into a semiconductor facility and Rakuten boosting its investment in the country.

The global smartphone market recorded flat growth in the first quarter of 2025, as signs of saturation emerge in key developing regions, according to the latest report from analyst firm Canalys.

Cataleya and Aarenet have announced that they have established full interoperability to facilitate their expansion into Southeast Asia.

State-owned operator Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and telecom and digital infrastructure solutions provider ACES India have signed an agreement to deliver seamless voice and data connectivity across the Kanpur Metro's deep underground stations and tunnels.

Payment services are again making headlines in India. Both Shriram Finance, an Indian non-banking finance company (NBFC), and online retail giant Amazon have recently made news with their plans for the sector. 

Smartcom, a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) in Singapore, says it is expanding its reach beyond its home country into Indonesia bringing its mission-critical push-to-talk (PTT) solutions to a significantly larger market.

EdgePoint Towers, part of EdgePoint Infrastructure, a leading ASEAN-based independent telecommunications infrastructure company, has announced the successful launch of its first solar hybrid site.

Solomon Islands operator Our Telekom is partnering with Oracle for an end-to-end digital transformation initiative.

Public research university and technical institute the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT B) has signed an agreement with telecom infrastructure firm Indus Towers for research initiatives in sustainable energy.

Ericsson Antenna System (EAS), part of technology giant Ericsson, says it is expanding its local manufacturing footprint in India, positioning the country as a strategic innovation hub within Ericsson’s global network.

State-owned Indian operator Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) has reportedly defaulted on loan repayments of over INR83 billion about (US$971.5 million) to multiple banks.

Payment and connectivity services company IDEMIA Secure Transactions (IST) and National Payment Corporation of Vietnam (NAPAS) have announced a strategic partnership to boost the digital payment landscape in Vietnam.

Mobile data consumption and the adoption of 5G services will be key drivers of mobile service revenue growth in Malaysia, according to analyst firm GlobalData.

Huawei showcased its Xinghe Intelligent Unified SASE Solution, an AI-powered cybersecurity system designed to tackle the rising threat of AI-driven attacks.

Globe Telecom has moved forward with its acquisition of a 50% stake in AB Capital Securities Inc (ABCSI), aiming to strengthen the stock brokerage capabilities of its fintech unit, Mynt, which operates the widely used GCash mobile wallet.

PLDT has credited its collaborative strategy for halving material losses caused by vandalism between 2022 and 2024.

In an interesting alliance of mobile communications and e-commerce, Indian operator Bharti Airtel has announced a partnership with the platform Blinkit, one of the largest e-grocery companies in India, for the delivery of SIM cards to its customers within ten minutes.

Philippines-based operator Globe Telecom expanded its partnership with telecom IT solutions provider Netcracker Technology, in a bid to expand operational efficiency.

At a time when Vietnam may be facing trading difficulties with the US, the announcement of a collaboration effort with industry organisation the GSMA seems a timely boost to its ambitions for economic growth – at least in telecommunications.

Axiata Group is reportedly seeking financial advisers as it explores a potential sale of its majority stake in tower subsidiary edotco Group, in a deal that could be worth up to US$3 billion including debt.

NBCC (India) Limited, a central public sector enterprise (CPSE) under the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs, has signed a strategic memorandum of understanding (MoU) with RailTel Corporation, a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) or government-owned establishment under the Ministry of Railways, to collaborate on developing data centre projects.

While many subsea cable stories recently have been about accidents and repairs in the world’s oceans, two recent stories from India and West Africa are land-based and underline some of the potential pitfalls of inadequate planning.