Regional telcos bank on new tech for growth
ASIA-PACIFIC telecommunications (telco) operators are adopting new digital technologies to become more competitive in the region, market research company International Data Corp. (IDC) said.
In its recent “MarketScape: Asia/Pacific Next-Generation Telcos: Telecom Services 2018 Vendor Assessment” report, IDC cited AT&T, BT, Orange, Singtel, and Vodafone as industry leaders, given their strong market presence, adoption of new technologies, and wide array of services.
“CSPs (communication service providers) are attempting to go ‘digital’ themselves as they transform their networks to incorporate software-defined and virtualization paradigms, investing heavily in analytics, automation, and other emerging technologies that will transform not just their network architectures, but ultimately, their business,” said Nikhil Batra, senior research manager for telecoms practice at IDC Asia-Pacific.
Philippine telco giants PLDT Inc. and Globe Telecom are also investing in technology to boost operations.
PLDT started 2018 by investing $28.5 million (P1.4 billion) in its partnership with Chinese telecommunications equipment firm Huawei to enhance its wireless delivery platforms.
In a filing, PLDT Chief Executive Officer Manuel V. Pangilinan said the move would boost its wireless units Smart Communications Inc., Sun Cellular and TNT “to become much more agile, efficient and resilient in developing and delivering a growing array of digital services.”
Under the partnership, Huawei would upgrade Smart’s online charging platforms and electronic loading for prepaid subscribers.
Globe, meanwhile, tapped Huawei and Nokia as technology partners to equip its network with Internet of Things (IoT) services.
These are “parking sensors, water-meter reading, lighting control, garbage collection, and flood control, among others,” the Ayala-led telco said.
“Fundamentally, IoT is about creating a digital ecosystem for services that are being used by various organizations,” Globe President and Chief Executive Officer Ernest Cu was quoted as saying in a statement.
“The use of IoT-related services is growing significantly around the world, and it is time that we adopt them in the Philippines, so that local enterprises can take advantage of” their benefits, he added.
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