EXA Infrastructure has partnered with Macarne to boost network connectivity between Europe and North America. The collaboration allows Macarne to leverage EXA’s extensive fibre infrastructure, enhancing its global IP transit services. By tapping into EXA’s advanced network, Macarne can deliver high-performance, reliable connectivity across continents, helping both companies meet the growing demands of digital businesses.
At the heart of this partnership is EXA Infrastructure’s vast network. Spanning 155,000 km across 37 countries and including six key transatlantic routes, EXA provides ultra-low latency and high-bandwidth connections, vital for finance, gaming, broadcasting, and hyperscale enterprises. Notably, the EXA Express route offers the lowest latency between Europe and North America, solidifying EXA’s role as a leader in global connectivity.
Furthermore, EXA’s recent network expansions, such as the Amitié cable connecting Boston, Slough, and Bordeaux, and the new terrestrial fibre route developed with SOCAR Fiber, add crucial diversity and resilience. These developments ensure that Macarne gains access to a future-proof infrastructure, enabling it to provide its customers with robust, secure, and scalable connectivity in an increasingly interconnected digital world.
Verizon has restored service following a network disruption that affected thousands of customers across the United States The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is investigating the incident, which impacted cities such as Chicago and Seattle.
The outage began at around 9:30 a.m. ET, with over 105,000 reports at its peak, according to Downdetector. Areas like Minneapolis, Phoenix, Omaha, and Denver were among the hardest hit. Verizon apologised for the inconvenience, but did not disclose the cause of the disruption.
Some iPhone users experienced ‘SOS’ mode, a status indicating that while their devices were disconnected from Verizon’s network, emergency calls could still be made via other carriers. AT&T confirmed that it was not facing a similar outage despite related complaints.
Verizon’s outage coincided with the company’s announcement of a $3.3 billion deal with infrastructure firm Vertical Bridge, granting it rights to lease and manage over 6,000 mobile towers across the US.
At the 79th annual UN General Assembly, 18 nations, including the United States, Australia, Canada, the European Union, and several Pacific nations, endorsed a joint statement addressing the security and resilience of undersea cable infrastructure. The statement highlights the indispensable role of these cables and underscores the pressing need to safeguard them against emerging threats, both natural and manufactured.
Earlier this year, undersea data cables in the Red Sea reportedly were damaged, and large parts of West and Central Africa were left without internet services in March 2024 because of failures on four of the fibre optic cables that run below the world’s ocean. The joint statement begins by acknowledging communications networks’ central role in modern society, with undersea cables being critical infrastructure for global data transmission.
The nations stress that the rapid expansion of undersea cable networks has led to greater interdependence among countries, making the protection of this infrastructure a priority. They advocate for adopting policies to ensure that the infrastructure remains efficient, secure, resilient, and redundant to mitigate risks posed by its vulnerability.
The joint statement outlines key principles for a unified global approach to securing undersea cable infrastructure, focusing on building resilient and secure systems while incorporating cybersecurity best practices. Nations highlighted the importance of promoting secure cable providers, improving government-industry coordination, providing transparent ownership, and emphasising careful planning to prevent disruptions. Additionally, they outlined the need to consider regular risk assessments and compliance with international laws.
Microsoft has officially launched ‘Bing Generative Search,’ a new AI-powered feature that generates summaries of search results, aiming to enhance how users interact with search engines. After a pilot in July, the feature is now being rolled out to US users. To try it, users can search “Bing generative search,” or trigger it through informational queries. Bing generative search uses a blend of AI models to compile information from across the web, offering an easy-to-read summary alongside traditional search links.
This feature evolves from Bing’s AI chat integration launched in February 2023, but now provides search results in a fresh, AI-generated format that aims to better fulfill user intent. For example, a search like ‘What’s a spaghetti western?’ would display a detailed overview of the genre’s history and examples, accompanied by relevant sources. However, users can opt out of the AI summaries if they prefer traditional search results.
While Microsoft promises that Bing’s AI-powered search still maintains website traffic, concerns have risen across the industry. Competitor Google’s AI Overviews have already been criticized for diverting traffic from publishers and, at times, delivering inaccurate results. Although Bing holds a smaller portion of the global search market compared to Google, Microsoft is keen to monitor the impact of generative AI on web traffic.
Malaysian tech firm Dagang NeXchange Berhad (DNeX) and Google Cloud have signed a multi-year agreement to provide sovereign cloud services in Malaysia. That partnership aims to meet the country’s growing demand for secure and compliant cloud solutions, particularly in regulated sectors such as public services, finance, healthcare, and energy. The collaboration will allow DNeX to operate Google Distributed Cloud, which offers ‘air-gapped’ solutions that can run without an internet connection, ensuring strict data privacy and residency.
This deal follows Google’s announcement in May to invest $2 billion in its first data center and Google Cloud region in Malaysia. The partnership also includes plans to establish an AI centre of excellence designed to foster local talent in AI. Both companies aim to drive digital transformation in Malaysia through cutting-edge infrastructure and AI tools.
While the financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed, Google Cloud’s Vice President for Asia Pacific, Karan Bajwa, emphasised that the deal would empower Malaysian organisations to advance their digital capabilities while maintaining control over their data.
Russia has ordered Discord to delete nearly 1,000 posts that are deemed illegal. The communication regulator, Roskomnadzor, highlighted that the posts include content related to child pornography, extremism, drug abuse, and LGBT promotion.
Discord, a San Francisco-based platform, and the regulator have yet to respond to queries regarding the order. Previous actions have seen Discord fined 3.5 million roubles for failing to remove illegal material.
Russia’s demands follow a long-standing policy of controlling content on foreign technology platforms. Regular fines are issued for non-compliance, with social media platforms even facing bans in some instances.
President Vladimir Putin continues to emphasise traditional values, particularly with stricter rules on LGBT promotion. Moscow’s broader push aims to restrict content that contradicts the state’s values and regulations.
Alphabet Inc.’s Google has announced a $1 billion investment in Thailand to establish a data centre and cloud region, aimed at meeting the increasing demand for cloud services and supporting AI adoption in Southeast Asia. This investment is projected to create approximately 14,000 jobs annually until 2029, according to a Deloitte study.
Google’s new cloud and data centre infrastructure will be situated in Chonburi and Bangkok, respectively, improving access to Google Cloud capabilities and AI innovations while also supporting popular services like Search, Maps, and Google Workspace. This announcement follows Microsoft’s launch of its own regional data centre in Thailand in May, aimed at expanding cloud services in the region.
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra praised Google’s investment, stating that it aligns well with the country’s Cloud First Policy, which promotes the adoption of cloud technologies across various sectors.
OMS Group, a Malaysian telecom infrastructure company backed by KKR, is reconsidering its Initial Public Offering (IPO) plans after pausing them last year. That move follows a $400 million investment from KKR to support OMS’ expansion in Southeast Asia’s digital infrastructure market.
While the IPO details remain undecided, Deputy CEO Richard Sun mentioned the Malaysian stock exchange as a possible venue. Meanwhile, OMS secured $292.5 million in loans from HSBC and E-Sun Commercial Bank to fund its growth, including new vessels by 2029.
Beyond fleet expansion, OMS is actively growing its interconnect managed services (IMS) and subsea cable routes business, a key focus for the past five years. Currently, the company operates cable landing stations and subsea routes across Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand, with plans to extend its reach to Vietnam and the Philippines. These developments are part of OMS’ broader vision to become Southeast Asia’s leading, comprehensive connectivity solutions provider.
The Philippines is actively pursuing public-private partnerships (PPPs) to enhance connectivity for millions of Filipinos in remote areas. Globe Telecom, along with other industry players, is leading efforts to construct new cell towers, with the initial phase focused on building 1,500 towers across major telecommunications providers like Globe, Smart Communications, and DITO Telecommunity.
That initiative highlights the country’s commitment to improving digital connectivity. Globe’s CEO, Ernest Cu, emphasises the importance of collaboration between the telecommunications industry and the government to tackle infrastructure challenges. Consequently, investments in network infrastructure are expected to boost access to digital services and create economic opportunities.
To facilitate the project, the task force has called for legislative reforms to simplify the permit process and ensure a stable power supply for cell towers. Nevertheless, with over 26% of Filipinos still offline as of early 2024, there is an urgent need to bridge the digital divide and foster a more inclusive digital economy.
The Egyptian Postal Service is implementing a comprehensive development plan to enhance its services and modernise its infrastructure. That initiative not only reflects a significant commitment to improving accessibility and efficiency but also addresses the evolving needs of the population.
For instance, the increase in the number of post offices in Egypt from 3,600 in 2018 to 4,850 today demonstrates this dedication. By equipping these facilities with the latest technological solutions, the postal service aims to meet the growing demands of the digital age and provide an improved customer experience. Ultimately, this modernisation will streamline operations and ensure citizens can easily access essential services in a rapidly changing environment.
Moreover, the Egyptian Postal Service is crucial to the government’s broader efforts to modernise the economy. Ahmed Badawy, the Communications and Information Technology Committee Chairperson has highlighted the importance of collaboration between the committee, the ministry, and its affiliated bodies. That partnership is essential for successfully implementing initiatives that enhance the capabilities of the postal service and related sectors.
Furthermore, the postal service is a key player in attracting investments in communications and IT, particularly in mobile phone manufacturing. By expanding programs focused on applied technology schools, the ministry is equipping future generations with the skills needed to thrive in an increasingly digital landscape and fostering innovation and growth in the industry.
