Bermuda, a British island territory in the North Atlantic, combines natural beauty with cultural and economic significance. Spanning 54 square kilometres across an archipelago of 181 islands, its main landmass is linked by bridges and centred on the capital, Hamilton. Known for its unique blend of British and American influences, Bermuda also offers a strong maritime heritage through sites such as the Royal Naval Dockyard, alongside a reputation as a global hub for finance, insurance, and international business.
According to GSMA Intelligence, Bermuda had 65,200 active mobile connections at the start of 2025. That figure is higher than the island’s total population, which is not unusual as many people use more than one SIM, often separating work and personal numbers. The rise of eSIM technology has made managing multiple lines even simpler. In fact, GSMA data shows mobile connections now stand at 101% of the total population.
Looking at growth, connections rose by 3,892 year-on-year, a 6.3% increase between January 2024 and January 2025.
Importantly, the majority of these connections are now “broadband” capable, GSMA estimates about 91.7% run on 3G, 4G, or 5G networks. However, not every device actively uses mobile data. Some subscriptions still provide only voice and SMS services, so the broadband-capable figure shouldn’t be read as a direct measure of mobile internet adoption.
Bermuda’s telecom market is going through one of its biggest shifts in years. The arrival of a third mobile operator, commercial 5G launches by all players, and new unlimited plans are reshaping how locals and visitors connect. Here’s a breakdown of the current mobile landscape, market share, and where 5G adoption stands today.
One Communications (formerly CellOne) the long-time incumbent, part of ATN International, still holds the largest subscriber base. OneComm was also the first to launch commercial 5G in Bermuda in late 2023, working with Ericsson on a new cloud core and radio network. The rollout began in Hamilton, with about 75% of the island “5G-ready” on day one. The company markets itself as having the largest and most reliable network, now enhanced by 5G.
Digicel has long been OneComm’s main rival. In July 2025, it officially switched on its 5G+ network island-wide, introducing new unlimited postpaid plans.
The company has also been boosting capacity around major events like Cup Match. Its 5G+ branding emphasizes higher throughput and wider coverage.
The newest entrant, Paradise Mobile, launched services in 2023–2024 with a 5G-first approach. By mid-2025, Paradise had rolled out a 5G+ network and twice won Ookla’s “Fastest 5G in Bermuda” award, including for Q3–Q4 2024. Median 5G speeds were reported around 281 Mbps in late-2024 tests.
The operator positions itself as the performance leader, appealing especially to data-heavy users and tech-forward customers.
So now the Bermuda mobile market is a three-player race, with each operator pushing a different angle:
OneComm: scale, reliability, and first-mover 5G.
Digicel: unlimited plans and broad 5G+ branding.
Paradise Mobile: fastest speeds and “next-gen” positioning.
According to the July 2025 Ookla analysis, Bermuda is seeing rising 5G-device usage and time spent on 5G, the key challenge ahead is network capacity. With such 5G adoption rising quickly, greater investment in small cells, spectrum use, and eventually standalone 5G cores will be expected. For consumers, the outcome should be better speeds, better prices, and more choice than Bermuda has seen in years.
SIMBA Telecom, Singapore’s youngest mobile operator, is preparing to take a major leap with the acquisition of rival M1. This transaction, valued at S$1.43 billion, represents the first significant consolidation in Singapore’s telecoms sector and signals a new phase in the market’s development.
SIMBA’s story began in 2016 when, then known as TPG Singapore, it secured spectrum rights in a government auction. Initially part of TPG Telecom Australia, the Singapore business became independent in 2020 following the merger of its Australian parent with Vodafone Hutchison. The local unit was listed under Tuas Ltd and later rebranded as SIMBA in 2022. Over the past few years, the operator has steadily grown its customer base to more than one million subscribers, doubling its mobile connections in the space of two and a half years. Its lean cost structure, no-frills approach and competitive pricing have allowed it to establish itself as a disruptive challenger in a highly competitive environment.
M1, by contrast, is one of Singapore’s established operators with a history stretching back to the mid-1990s. Today it serves more than two million mobile customers and over 200,000 fixed broadband households. The company has invested heavily in 5G, building a standalone network that covers much of the island, and it has also developed a growing enterprise business. For the financial year ending April 2025, M1’s telecom operations generated S$806.1 million in revenue and S$195.4 million in EBITDA.
Bringing SIMBA and M1 together would create a company with over 3.2 million mobile connections and almost 240,000 fixed broadband lines. That scale would push the merged operator into second place in the mobile market, behind Singtel with its 4.5 million customers and ahead of StarHub with 2.4 million. On the broadband side, the combined business would hold just under 16 per cent of the market, still far behind Singtel and StarHub but with room to grow.
From an infrastructure standpoint, the benefits for SIMBA are clear. The company has been rolling out its own 5G network but remains at an earlier stage than its competitors. By combining with M1, SIMBA gains access to a denser radio footprint, both indoors and outdoors, as well as stronger fixed broadband infrastructure and an established enterprise platform. The merger also consolidates spectrum resources, giving the enlarged operator more capacity to support high-speed services and to compete on network quality as well as price.
Operationally, Tuas, SIMBA’s parent company, expects significant synergies. The two operators have relatively little overlap in resources, which makes it easier to combine their networks and retail footprints while avoiding duplication. Analysts expect efficiency gains in spectrum use, site sharing and core network integration. Together, the businesses generated S$948.8 million in revenue and S$256 million in EBITDA in the past year, providing a strong financial base for further investment.
The deal comes at a time when Singapore’s telecoms sector is under pressure from falling revenue per user. Mobile virtual network operators have been driving down prices with low-cost plans, forcing the main players to compete aggressively for subscribers. Consolidation from four operators to three is likely to ease some of that pricing pressure, allowing the remaining players to focus on improving network quality and investing in new technologies such as advanced 5G and future fibre upgrades.
For the market leader Singtel and its close rival StarHub, the emergence of a larger SIMBA-M1 entity presents both a challenge and an opportunity. On the one hand, competition becomes sharper as a stronger second player emerges. On the other, consolidation reduces the intensity of price competition that has squeezed all operators in recent years.
Regulatory approval will be required from the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA). If approved, SIMBA’s acquisition of M1 will mark a turning point in Singapore’s telecoms industry. It will create a more balanced market structure, strengthen investment capacity and reshape competition, with SIMBA moving from a challenger to a genuine contender for market leadership in the years ahead.
At the recent rApp DevCon 2025 hosted by Ericsson, Gavin Spain, Group Owner of Wireless Network Strategy at Telstra, delivered a keynote that set out an ambitious and compelling vision for the future of RAN autonomy. As operators around the globe seek to simplify operations and reduce cost in increasingly complex networks, Telstra’s strategy places autonomy at the heart of network transformation.
Telstra has set clear targets: level 3 RAN autonomy within three years, and level 4 by 2030, as defined by TM Forum standards. Achieving this will demand deep changes across technology, process, systems, and tools. But more than just a transformation project, Gavin Spain framed autonomy as a strategic necessity to meet rising expectations and scale networks efficiently. For Telstra, autonomy is not about buzzwords but about delivering adaptability, optimisation and self-healing capabilities across its vast and varied network landscape.
With tens of thousands of 4G and 5G sites, spanning dense cities to remote regions, Telstra faces a highly diverse RAN environment. Rather than seeing this as a burden, Telstra views variability as an opportunity. Automation at the cell level enables a granularity of control not possible through manual approaches. Autonomy can unlock previously inaccessible value from the existing infrastructure and allow dynamic, performance-driven decisions at scale.
Central to this transformation is Telstra’s four-year agreement with Ericsson, a cornerstone investment of 800 million Australian dollars. This will upgrade the RAN with Open RAN-ready hardware, integrate 5G Advanced software, and crucially, adopt Ericsson’s Intelligent Automation Platform (EIAP) to power rApps and enable intelligent, programmable networks.
Telstra’s early focus is on two operational journeys: streamlining the planning, design and deployment of network infrastructure, and improving performance management and optimisation. This includes energy efficiency use cases, where Telstra is applying machine learning to find the right balance between performance and consumption. The long-term vision extends well beyond 5G. As future generations like 5G Advanced and 6G arrive, the complexity and costs will only grow. Programmability and intelligence must evolve with them.
Gavin Spain also highlighted the key architectural elements required to make this vision a reality. These include open and standardised interfaces to encourage portability and innovation, conflict resolution frameworks to manage competing app intents, integration of AI/ML pipelines to support closed-loop optimisation, seamless support for both traditional and virtualised RAN, and certification frameworks to ensure rApp quality and reusability.
Beyond the technology, the keynote emphasised economics. Operating mobile networks is increasingly expensive, while revenues per user remain flat or in decline. This puts pressure on operators to lower TCO and improve efficiency. For developers, this presents an opportunity. Even small improvements, such as reducing energy consumption by 1% or minimising truck rolls, can translate into significant cost savings. rApps that can deliver this type of value are well-positioned to scale across the global ecosystem.
Gavin encouraged developers to understand operator challenges, build with purpose, and iterate rapidly. He highlighted that the value of AI is not just in rApps themselves, but also in how developers can use AI tools to speed up development and testing. With the network domain evolving rapidly, speed and bold ambition will be essential.
The call to action was clear: no single player can deliver autonomy alone. Operators, vendors, standards bodies, and developers must collaborate closely. Operators like Telstra will contribute use cases and domain expertise. Vendors like Ericsson will provide platforms. Standards bodies ensure interoperability. And developers will bring the innovation and execution speed required to translate vision into reality.
Telstra has already begun migrating legacy Self Organising Network functions to EAIP. Initial use cases include configuration automation, anomaly detection, and intent-based optimisation. These are the first steps on a much longer journey, one that aims to reshape how networks are designed, deployed, and operated for the next decade and beyond.
Telstra’s message to the ecosystem is simple: collaborate, move fast, and focus on real-world value. With the foundations being laid today, the path to RAN autonomy is no longer just a concept but a concrete roadmap for intelligent, adaptive and customer-centric networks of the future.
The video of Gavin Spain’s keynote at rApp DevCon 2025 is embedded below. It is well worth watching for a deeper understanding of Telstra’s strategy and the broader opportunities for developers and partners across the ecosystem.
Azerbaijan, located at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and Western Asia, is known not only for its rich oil reserves and cultural heritage but also for its evolving mobile telecommunications sector. While the telecom industry plays a significant role in the country’s non-oil GDP, its overall progress has been slowed by years of political instability, civil unrest, and systemic corruption.
Despite these challenges, Azerbaijan has made meaningful strides in expanding mobile connectivity and strengthening its 4G infrastructure. Mobile penetration reached 100% as early as 2011, though growth has largely stagnated since. However, mobile operators are steadily extending their LTE networks across the country. This expanded coverage, along with increased access to faster data services, is expected to fuel modest growth in both mobile usage and mobile broadband adoption in the coming years, particularly as users shift from 3G to 4G. While 5G deployment is still in its early stages, the current LTE infrastructure remains sufficient to meet most of the population’s demand for high-speed data and broadband.
According to the latest data from GSMA Intelligence, Azerbaijan had approximately 12.2 million cellular mobile connections at the start of 2025. It's important to note that this number exceeds the country’s total population, a common occurrence in mobile markets globally. Many individuals maintain multiple mobile connections, often separating personal and professional use. The growing availability of eSIM technology has further simplified managing multiple lines on a single device.
In fact, mobile connections in Azerbaijan were equivalent to 118% of the country’s population as of January 2025. This ratio highlights the widespread reliance on mobile services and suggests a mature market in terms of connectivity access.
Looking at year-on-year trends, the number of mobile connections grew by 370,000 (or 3.1%) between early 2024 and the beginning of 2025. This moderate but consistent growth reflects a combination of factors, including population mobility, the rise of connected devices (like smartwatches and tablets), and continued expansion into underserved regions.
Notably, 96.5% of all mobile connections in Azerbaijan are now classified as “broadband connections,” meaning they operate over 3G, 4G, or 5G networks. However, it's worth clarifying that a broadband-capable connection doesn’t automatically equate to active mobile internet usage. Some plans, particularly lower-cost or enterprise bundles, may provide only voice and SMS services without significant data allowances. Therefore, while broadband-capable connections indicate the potential for mobile internet access, they don't necessarily reflect actual usage patterns.
Therefore the mobile network coverage is generally good, with 4G and 3G networks estimated to have 100% coverage in 2025, according to Statista. Opensignal's Global Network Excellence Index ranks Azerbaijan 65th overall, with an 81% 4G/5G availability.
The country has three major GSM operators: Azercell, Bakcell, and Nar Mobile.
Established in 1996 as a joint venture between the Azerbaijani government and Turkcell, Azercell is today the country’s foremost mobile provider, commanding around 48–51% market share with over 5 million subscribers.
As of early 2024–2025, its 4G network spans roughly 94–98% of both population and territory. In 2023 alone, Azercell installed 300+ new LTE base stations and modernized 1,600+ existing sites, boosting 4G coverage by ~10% and doubling average internet speeds. This ambitious project extended connectivity into reclaimed Karabakh areas, with over 150 base stations deployed in key cities such as Shusha, Agdam, Khojaly, and more.
From 2017 onward, Azercell has actively incorporated solar-powered base stations, notably in Karabakh, where 35 stations derive ~60% of their energy from renewables. In 2024, it joined the GSMA Climate Action Taskforce and became the official telecom partner for COP29 in Baku—underlining its commitment to sustainability efforts.
In 2022, Azercell launched Azerbaijan's first 5G test zone at Baku’s Fountain Square and in select locations. They are also actively collaborating with GSMA Advanced programs, focusing on AI, IoT, and network security training for staff. Currently the 5G network remains in test/trial mode, focused on public hotspots like Fountain Square.
Bakcell serves over 3 million subscribers, positioning it as Azerbaijan's second-largest mobile operator. The operator has been named “Azerbaijan’s Fastest Mobile Network” by Ookla multiple times, three consecutive years from 2018–2019, again in 2021, and most recently for Q1–Q2 2022 . Their extensive network of ~9,000 base stations ensures coverage for 99.9% of the population and ~92.6% of the country's area.
Bakcell was among the first in Azerbaijan to introduce eSIM and VoLTE, often bundled with high-speed 4G infrastructure .Their LTE network rollout has been rapid: by mid‑2019, they had installed nearly 3,000+ 4G base stations, covering 78% of the population and 52% of the land area.
In February 2023, Bakcell officially launched its 5G test network in several central Baku locations: Fountain Square, Khagani Garden, and Deniz Mall. The pilot supports Huawei, Xiaomi, OnePlus, Poco, and Vivo devices, offering 5 GB of free trial data per hour. The trial is fully embedded within existing data packages, no added charges for users testing 5G.
Through its affiliate, AzerTelecom, Bakcell is contributing to the “Digital Silk Way” fiber-optic corridor: improving regional connectivity across the Caucasus and Central Asia, this aims to build a high-capacity fiber-optic corridor bridging Europe and Asia. The infrastructure includes both terrestrial and subsea routes through key countries like Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Georgia, and Türkiye.
Nar (Azerfon) is the third-largest mobile operator in Azerbaijan with around 2.2 million subscribers. It offers approximately 97–98.5% territory coverage and serves 99.7–99.8% of the population.
As of early 2025, Nar operates over 7,300–8,500 base stations, including more than 1,620–1,800 LTE sites, up from just 1,000 LTE bases in 2019. In the last year alone, 685 new 4G stations and 150+ 3G stations were added. As of recent reports, 91.5% of the population is within 4G network reach, and active 4G users total around 850,000 (about one in three Nar users).
Although Nar has not launched public 5G trials, it’s building out LTE infrastructure aggressively, strengthening its capacity ahead of future 5G deployment. Infrastructure expansion, especially in liberated regions and transport corridors, provides a solid foundation for next-gen services. With its strong customer satisfaction, regional reach, and ongoing network upgrades, Nar is well-positioned to enter the 5G space once spectrum becomes available and demand accelerates.
Azerbaijan’s mobile market reflects a blend of resilience, innovation, and regional ambition. With three strong national operators, increasing investments in LTE and 5G, and efforts to bridge the digital divide, the country is well on its way to a more connected future.
As demand for faster, more reliable mobile services continues to grow, Azerbaijan’s telecom sector will likely play a central role in shaping its broader digital transformation.
China Mobile continues to demonstrate a forward-thinking approach to innovation, especially as it prepares for the security demands of future networks. Its recent white paper on post-quantum cryptographic (PQC) migration in telecommunication networks, published through GTI, outlines both the challenges and roadmap for ensuring security resilience in the quantum era. This work aligns strongly with the operator's broader BASIC6 sci-tech innovation strategy, where 6G and security sit alongside big data, AI, integration platforms and computility networks as core pillars of future readiness.
As quantum computing capabilities evolve, current cryptographic systems face a growing threat. The white paper details how quantum algorithms like Shor's and Grover's could undermine widely used encryption and authentication schemes such as RSA, ECDSA and Diffie-Hellman. While symmetric encryption can be strengthened through increased key lengths, public key systems will require fundamental change. This poses a particular concern for telecom networks, where secure identity, signalling integrity and encrypted communication are vital.
The analysis examines vulnerabilities across key network components, including the 5G core, signalling, bearer, transport and synchronisation networks. Each of these relies on a combination of cryptographic mechanisms that will need to be assessed and upgraded to support quantum-resilient algorithms. China Mobile explores how NIST-approved PQC schemes like CRYSTALS-Kyber and Dilithium can be integrated, though this shift brings practical issues such as increased key sizes, protocol field expansion and processing latency.
Migration to PQC in telecom environments is not straightforward. Beyond technical integration, there are questions of industry alignment, certificate management, hardware support and standardisation. China Mobile points out that new certificate formats must accommodate hybrid cryptography while remaining compatible with legacy systems. Moreover, real-time services, especially at the edge, may suffer from the computational overheads of post-quantum cryptographic algorithms. This makes algorithm selection critical depending on scenario requirements.
These considerations are closely connected with China Mobile's larger push towards future network architectures. Under the BASIC6 umbrella, the company is laying the groundwork for 6G systems that integrate communications, computing, intelligence and sensing. Their work includes development of testbeds, international standardisation contributions and advanced platforms like the computility network, which is already managing over 60 EFLOPS of computing capacity nationwide. With quantum computing systems, quantum-secure communication prototypes and endogenous security now in place, post-quantum cryptography is a natural continuation of this broader effort.
The operator's leadership in 6G standards within 3GPP and ITU, combined with its role in defining the first global 6G requirements and scenarios, places it in a strong position to shape how PQC becomes a core feature of next-generation mobile infrastructure. Post-quantum security is not just about reacting to a threat. It is a foundational design choice that must be embedded from the outset of 6G network development, supporting trust, resilience and regulatory compliance across use cases.
China Mobile's approach provides a model for how national carriers can combine practical migration planning with strategic innovation goals. PQC integration will require deep collaboration across the ecosystem, from chipmakers and protocol developers to equipment vendors and standards bodies. But for operators aiming to deliver world-class secure information services in the 6G era, these efforts are already becoming a competitive necessity.
This important work builds on several topics already covered in detail on the Free 6G Training Blog, including post-quantum cryptography, quantum network architecture and 6G security. As the quantum age approaches, ensuring that security evolves alongside performance and scalability is one of the most pressing challenges for operators worldwide.
Algeria, the largest country in Africa, has a fast-growing telecommunications sector shaped by strong state involvement, a youthful and increasingly connected population, and rising demand for mobile internet. Despite regulatory complexities and infrastructure challenges, mobile operators are competing to improve coverage, increase speeds and launch innovative digital services.
The mobile market in Algeria is dominated by three major operators: Mobilis (ATM Mobilis), which is state-owned; Djezzy (Optimum Telecom Algeria), a privatised operator with majority state ownership; and Ooredoo Algeria, a subsidiary of the Qatari Ooredoo Group.
According to GSMA Intelligence, there were 54.8 million cellular mobile connections in Algeria at the start of 2025. It is common for individuals to use more than one mobile connection, often splitting usage between personal and professional needs. The growing use of eSIMs has made this even easier. Mobile connections in Algeria were equivalent to 116 percent of the total population in January 2025. This figure had risen by 3.0 million, or 5.8 percent, over the previous year.
Of these connections, 91.4 percent are classified as broadband, meaning they access the internet via 3G, 4G or 5G networks. However, broadband-capable devices do not always translate to mobile internet usage, as some plans may include only voice and SMS services.
Mobilis holds the largest share of Algeria’s mobile market at 43.7 percent. As the state-owned operator, it plays a central role in national connectivity. Mobilis launched GSM services in 2003 and was the first to introduce 4G LTE in 2016. With strong government backing, it focuses on reaching both urban centres and rural areas. The operator offers a full suite of services including prepaid and postpaid voice, SMS and data plans. It has invested heavily in network upgrades and has been preparing for 5G with successful trials and a commercial rollout expected later in 2025.
Recent tests have shown Mobilis achieving speeds of up to 1.2 Gbps with low latency, demonstrating its ability to meet global performance benchmarks. These trials featured use cases such as virtual tourism, cloud gaming and augmented reality experiences. Alongside its mobile efforts, Mobilis is also expanding its fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) offerings through partnerships with local microenterprises, supporting broader national digital inclusion goals.
Djezzy, established in 2001, commands a 30.84 percent market share. Known for its innovation and wide reach, Djezzy has played a major role in expanding Algeria’s 3G and 4G footprint. The operator offers a variety of competitively priced data plans, particularly attractive to value-conscious users. It has also been involved in 5G trials as it looks to modernise its network and stay ahead of evolving consumer demands.
Ooredoo Algeria holds a 25 percent market share but consistently ranks high on digital service quality. The latest Opensignal report highlighted Ooredoo’s strengths in download and upload speeds, network consistency and video experience. Its portfolio includes data-rich plans aimed at younger users as well as solutions for business customers. The company is actively preparing for 5G through partnerships with global technology providers.
Ooredoo is also participating in the Universal Telecommunication Service project, a government-led initiative to extend coverage to remote and underserved regions. As part of this programme, the operator is working to deploy more than 1,200 new sites across rural Algeria, delivering essential voice and data services to communities that were previously unconnected or poorly served.
The mobile landscape in Algeria remains highly competitive, with all three operators striving to enhance service quality and expand their networks. This competition has helped to keep prices attractive while driving continuous improvements in infrastructure and user experience.
Algeria’s mobile ecosystem is evolving rapidly. With growing demand for data, nationwide 4G expansion and the expected arrival of commercial 5G services, the market is set for further transformation. Government initiatives to promote digital inclusion and the operators' sustained investment in technology suggest a strong trajectory for mobile connectivity across the country.
Michal Sewera, an experienced technology leader at Deutsche Telekom Group (generally written as TDG which stands for 'Telekom Deutschland GmbH'), recently offered a rare behind-the-scenes view of how AI is being used to manage and optimise telco cloud operations. As the head of TDG’s cloud-native 5G core DevOps team, he has led the shift to a new operating model built on cloud-native principles, automation and AI.
Presenting at the FutureNet World conference in London on 7–8 May 2025, Michal shared how TDG’s journey to cloud-native began with the realisation that cloud is not simply about virtualisation or containers. The real transformation lies in a fundamental change in architecture and operations. Moving to a GitOps operational model with declarative deployments and a concept of desired network state has allowed TDG to move from infrequent bulk updates to continuous, incremental changes. In this new approach, change is no longer an exception but an asset.
However, this shift comes with its own challenges. Cloud-native telco systems are composed of highly distributed microservices, open-source components and loosely coupled layers. This creates what Michal refers to as the butterfly effect, where even a small change can lead to unexpected consequences elsewhere in the system. Traditional approaches to validation, configuration and assurance are simply no longer sufficient.
To address this, TDG has integrated AI tools across all stages of the network lifecycle: development, rollout and operations. In the development phase, TDG uses an AI-based validation framework that collects data from across the application, platform and infrastructure layers. It analyses complex interdependencies using pattern recognition across 3GPP signalling, KPIs, logs, Kubernetes, CNIs and service mesh. This approach replaces traditional regression testing with intelligent analysis that highlights functional issues and pinpoints root causes early in the pipeline.
During rollout, the AI-powered Network Configuration Co-Pilot supports configuration changes across distributed clusters. The tool goes well beyond Git automation bots, using a mix of reusable configuration patterns, chat-based interaction with embedded vendor knowledge and natural language integration with systems like Kubernetes. This allows engineers to handle the massive complexity of telco configurations more efficiently and with greater confidence.
In live operations, TDG employs a combination of active and passive monitoring across its Platform as a Service layer. Probes and telemetry continuously monitor performance while AI-driven root cause analysis tools detect anomalies and correlate them with platform and network data. This enables early detection of degradation and supports predictive fault analysis. TDG also applies AI to canary testing and deployment. New releases are gradually introduced in production environments under close AI-assisted monitoring, allowing issues to be caught before full rollout. This model is a marked departure from the old reliance on staging environments and lab testing.
TDG’s new operational model, grounded in GitOps and driven by AI, offers a compelling example of how operators can adapt to the complexity and speed of change in cloud-native environments. The shift transforms telecom networks from silent, black-box systems into transparent, data-rich platforms where actionable insight can be extracted and acted upon in near real time.
Michal’s insights make clear that AI is not an optional add-on in this new environment. It is a fundamental enabler that allows the telco cloud to scale, evolve and remain resilient. For operators looking to modernise their networks, TDG’s experience offers valuable lessons in how to harness automation and intelligence to meet the demands of the future.
Malaysia has a robust telecommunications infrastructure and a competitive mobile market. According to GSMA Intelligence, Malaysia had 43.3 million cellular mobile connections at the start of 2025. It is important to note that many individuals use more than one mobile connection, such as one for personal use and another for work, so the total number of mobile connections often exceeds the population. The growing adoption of eSIMs has further simplified the use of multiple connections on a single device.
In fact, GSMA Intelligence data shows that, as of January 2025, mobile connections in Malaysia were equivalent to 121% of the country’s total population.
Looking at recent trends, mobile connections grew by 474,000, an increase of 1.1%, between the start of 2024 and early 2025. Additionally, 99.0% of mobile connections in Malaysia are now classified as broadband, meaning they connect through 3G, 4G, or 5G networks.
However, it is worth noting that not all devices on broadband-capable networks actively use mobile data. Some connections may be limited to voice and SMS services only, so this broadband percentage should not be interpreted as a direct indicator of mobile internet usage.
As part of its broader economic development efforts, Malaysia has actively promoted open competition in the telecommunications sector. This approach has led to high penetration rates in both mobile and mobile broadband services, along with near-universal LTE coverage. Since the launch of 5G in 2022, adoption has grown rapidly, with 5G making up 38 % of all mobile broadband subscriptions by September 2024.
The major mobile operators in Malaysia are CelcomDigi, Maxis, U Mobile, YTL Communications (YES), and Unifi Mobile. These operators have been actively involved in the rollout of Malaysia's national 5G network and are key players in the country's telecommunications landscape.
To maintain consistent 5G service quality, Malaysia’s mobile operators continue to utilise the state-owned 5G network operated by Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB). In May 2023, Malaysian authorities announced plans to transition to a dual 5G network model once DNB reached 80% population coverage, a milestone that was achieved in December 2023.
This shift marked a significant policy change, including the revocation of a 2021 ministerial directive that had previously appointed DNB as the sole entity responsible for Malaysia’s 5G rollout.
DNB was established by the government in 2021 as a special-purpose vehicle tasked with developing the national 5G infrastructure. Its network, deployed by Ericsson, is currently used by private telcos to deliver 5G services to consumers and businesses.
As of now, the major mobile operators in Malaysia provide 5G services through DNB’s state-run network. These include CelcomDigi, Maxis, YTL Communications (Yes 5G), and U Mobile. Each of these operators, except for Telekom Malaysia which had its equity deal cancelled, holds a 16.3% equity stake in DNB. The Ministry of Finance retains a 34% share.
CelcomDigi holds a 30.1% market share in the Malaysian telecommunications sector. This is a significant increase from 2023, following the merger between Celcom and Digi in November 2022. The merged entity has become the largest telecommunications company in Malaysia, surpassing its closest rival, Maxis.
Currently, it serves over 20 million customers, two-thirds of the Malaysian population, through 6.7 million postpaid and 13.4 million prepaid subscribers. CelcomDigi operates the widest 4G network, covering over 96 % of the population nationwide from approximately 24,000 network sites and has an extensive fibre network of around 15,000 kilometres.
CelcomDigi and Ericsson have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to introduce AI-driven network analytics across CelcomDigi’s infrastructure, aiming to enhance operational efficiency as 5G adoption continues to rise in Malaysia. As part of the agreement, both companies will collaborate on the development of intent-based autonomous networks, integrating AI and automation to improve network performance and efficiency. They also plan to explore the use of AI in building advanced 5G service assurance solutions, with the goal of delivering more reliable and tailored connectivity experiences for both businesses and consumers.
According to Ericsson, Malaysia registered 18.2 million 5G subscriptions as of the end of 2024, which equates to a market penetration rate of 53.4%.
CelcomDigi also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with ZTE to collaborate on integrating AI technologies into its telecommunications infrastructure. The companies plan to explore AI-driven solutions such as new calling, intelligent deep packet inspection for smarter network traffic management, and intelligent operations and maintenance to automate network monitoring and maintenance using AI-powered predictive analytics.
Maxis is the second largest operator in Malaysia. Maxis operates one of the most reliable 4G LTE networks in the country, reaching over 95% of the population. With Malaysia's ongoing 5G rollout under the DNB single wholesale network model, Maxis was initially cautious in adopting the new structure. However, in 2023, Maxis signed an access agreement with DNB, enabling it to begin offering 5G services.
According to Opensignal, Maxis was the first Malaysian operator to win the Reliability Experience award. It also won the Consistent Quality award with 67.3% of tests, closely followed by Digi with 67.1%. Since the last report, Maxis’ Consistent Quality score has improved by 11 percentage points.
U Mobile, despite being a smaller operator, has announced plans to build Malaysia's second 5G network, aiming to rival the first built by DNB. The decision follows government approval for a second 5G network in a move to end the monopoly previously held by DNB. U Mobile has chosen Chinese vendors Huawei and ZTE as technology partners for this project.
The enterprise-grade 5G network will support 5G Advanced and network slicing from day one, enabling tailored services for industries like healthcare, transport, and smart cities. U Mobile’s rollout emphasises improved indoor 5G coverage and prioritises key locations such as transport hubs, medical centres and data centres. U Mobile has stated it will continue working with DNB to ensure quality of service during the transition.
Unifi Mobile is a Malaysian internet mobile network operator and a subsidiary of the national telephone company, Telekom Malaysia. Unifi performed well in the recent Opensignal report, winning the 5G Download Speed Award with speeds of 290.3 Mbps. In the previous report, there had been a three-way tie but Unifi has now emerged as the sole winner. Unifi also won the 5G Video Experience Award with a score of 77.7 on a 100-point scale, more than two points higher than Digi.
Yes Mobile is operated by YTL Communications Sdn. Bhd., a subsidiary of YTL Corporation Berhad, a leading Malaysian infrastructure conglomerate. Launched in November 2010, Yes Mobile was the fifth mobile operator in Malaysia and distinguished itself by deploying an all-IP, all-4G network from the outset.
In December 2021, Yes Mobile became the first operator in Malaysia to launch 5G services, branded as Yes FT5G. This rollout was facilitated through a partnership with DNB. Yes Mobile's 5G services initially covered areas such as Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, and Cyberjaya.
The Yes network is built with an all-IP architecture, making it the first and only all-4G and all-IP network provider in Malaysia capable of offering unique services such as user ID-based unified communications and session concurrency for mobile data and telephony services. Yes operates its own network infrastructure in Malaysia, with close to 5,000 base stations and an all-4G network footprint reaching over 85% of the population.
As Malaysia continues to expand its 5G infrastructure, mobile operators are in active competition and are poised to integrate next-generation technologies into their offerings.
At O2 Telefónica Germany, the “network of the future” is no longer a distant vision, it’s becoming an operational reality. Under the leadership of Matthias Sauder, Director Networks, the operator has made substantial strides in transforming its end-to-end infrastructure to meet the demands of a highly agile, programmable, and customer-focused future.
At the FutureNet World conference in London (7–8 May 2025), where leading telco and tech stakeholders gathered to explore network automation and AI in telecoms, Sauder shared how O2 Telefónica’s evolution journey spans radio, transport, core, data centres, and cloud landing zones, all underpinned by a strategy that prioritises automation, flexibility, and openness.
The transformation began with a foundational goal: enhancing radio network quality. Once considered the underdog in a three-operator market, O2 Germany set out to radically improve performance by embracing agile practices and reshaping internal structures. Inspired by the Spotify model, the company introduced agility not just in project management but also in technical delivery. This included frequent software release cycles for radio, positioning itself as a global leader in rapid deployment and continuous integration.
A key initiative known as Tech Strategy 25 laid the foundation for modernising radio, transport, and core networks. Today, over 80 percent of the strategy has already been executed. With a largely cloud-native core in place, O2 Telefónica is among the pioneers of this architectural shift. Its collaboration with Ericsson produced one of the world’s first cloud-native digital cores, while a parallel effort with Nokia deployed core services for one million users in a public cloud environment.
The rationale behind both cloud-native and public cloud approaches is clear. Legacy architectures no longer support the operational agility or cost efficiency needed in today’s competitive telecom landscape. Cloud-native systems enable advanced capabilities such as continuous integration, continuous delivery, and seamless in-service software upgrades (ISSU). O2 Telefónica has shown these upgrades can be executed without disrupting live customer services, challenging the long-standing perception that such practices are too risky for telco-grade reliability.
Beyond infrastructure, the company’s future network model hinges on the integration of open APIs and Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) capabilities. These aren’t abstract concepts, they’re practical tools enabling agility, programmability, and new revenue streams. Open APIs expose network functions to external developers and partners, unlocking opportunities for co-creation and monetisation that were previously out of reach.
This openness also extends to industry partnerships. A standout example is the company’s collaboration with Siemens, which now leverages O2's slicing capabilities to deliver tailored network services to its own customers. These kinds of arrangements demonstrate how NaaS, built on secure and standardised APIs, can unlock vertical-specific innovation.
But transformation isn’t just about technology, it’s also about mindset and culture. Simplifying and standardising network configurations (for example, reducing radio setups from over a hundred to just two) and promoting a service-centric approach are part of a broader shift. The focus is firmly on use cases and customer value, avoiding the trap of deploying technology for its own sake. Every new system or tool must demonstrate end-to-end value.
O2 Telefónica also recognises that data, rather than AI alone, is the foundation of intelligent automation. Without a robust data strategy, ambitions around AI, closed-loop automation, or service orchestration are unlikely to succeed. The company’s investment in OSS transformation and data-driven operations is laying the groundwork for intelligent networks that can scale, adapt, and optimise in real time.
As the line between network and IT continues to blur, O2 Telefónica is aligning its BSS, OSS, and IT systems with its network strategy. This integrated approach supports holistic innovation and positions the company to deliver services with faster time to market and greater cost efficiency.
The transformation journey shared by Matthias Sauder is more than a technical roadmap, it’s a call for industry-wide disruption. With revenues flat and operational costs rising, embracing NaaS, open APIs, and cloud-native infrastructure is no longer optional. It’s the only viable path for telcos to stay competitive, innovative, and relevant in a software-defined, platform-centric future.
Sauder’s full presentation at FutureNet World provides deeper insight into this journey. You can watch it below:
South Africa has one of the most dynamic and competitive mobile telecommunications markets on the African continent. With millions of subscribers and evolving infrastructure, the country's mobile operators play a crucial role in driving connectivity, digital inclusion and economic growth.
Data from GSMA Intelligence shows that there were 124 million cellular mobile connections in South Africa at the beginning of 2025. For perspective, many individuals make use of more than one mobile connection, so it is not unusual for mobile connection figures to significantly exceed the total population. For example, the same person might have one connection for personal use and another for work. The rise of eSIMs has made this even easier in recent years.
GSMA Intelligence’s numbers indicate that mobile connections in South Africa were equivalent to 193 percent of the total population in January 2025. Looking at trends over time, the number of mobile connections increased by 5.2 million (4.4 percent) between the start of 2024 and the beginning of 2025.
Meanwhile, GSMA Intelligence data suggests that 97.5 percent of mobile connections in South Africa can now be considered broadband, which means they connect via 3G, 4G or 5G networks.
However, devices connected to broadband mobile networks do not necessarily use mobile data. For instance, some subscription plans may only include access to voice and SMS services. Therefore, this broadband figure should not be considered a proxy for mobile internet usage.
South Africa's main mobile operators are Vodacom and MTN, the dominant players, with Vodacom holding the largest share, followed by MTN, Telkom and Cell C.
In Opensignal’s latest analysis of the mobile network landscape in South Africa, MTN leads in seven out of 13 metrics, including Download Speed Experience, 5G Availability, and 5G Video and Games Experience. Vodacom achieves top scores in Consistent Quality, 5G Download Speed, 5G Upload Speed, Coverage and 5G Coverage Experience, followed by Cell C and Telkom.
Vodacom South Africa, the country’s largest operator, reported 50.7 million mobile subscribers at the end of December 2024. It has introduced a cloud-based phone to reduce the cost of smartphone access and to accelerate the migration of customers from legacy networks to modern 4G services on what it describes as the country’s most reliable network.
The device, manufactured by South African firm Mobicel, is intended to lower the barrier to smartphone use and to encourage users to move from 2G or 3G to 4G. The Mobicel S4 4G Cloud Phone is a thin-client device with 48MB RAM, 128MB ROM, a 2.8-inch screen and a 1000mAh battery. It relies on the cloud to run applications typically associated with more powerful smartphones, such as YouTube, TikTok and Facebook. Vodacom describes this as a 'smartphone lite' experience. The device is not exclusive to Vodacom and is priced at R249, or approximately US$13.93.
Vodacom was the first operator in South Africa to launch mobile 5G services in May 2020, starting with selected areas in Johannesburg, Pretoria and Cape Town. This early deployment was enabled by temporary emergency spectrum allocated during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Initial performance across the first five 5G clusters in Gauteng showed average download speeds of 154 Mbps, upload speeds of 14 Mbps and latency of around 31 ms, a strong starting point for next-generation connectivity.
Today, Vodacom’s 5G network covers over 50 percent of the South African population, with continued expansion. The company is investing approximately R10 billion annually into its network, focusing on optimising existing infrastructure, deploying new spectrum for improved coverage and capacity, and building new sites to extend its national footprint.
Vodacom has also announced increased investment in the Free State and Northern Cape provinces to enhance network speed and signal quality, particularly in rural areas.
MTN's official quarterly update for the end of September 2024 put its total users in South Africa at 39.2 million.
MTN South Africa launched its commercial 5G network on June 30, 2020, activating 100 sites across major cities including Johannesburg, Cape Town, Bloemfontein, and Port Elizabeth.
More recently MTN, in partnership with Huawei, successfully completed South Africa’s first 5.5G network trial at MTN’s head office in Johannesburg.
The trial featured Huawei’s SingleRAN ultra-wideband active-antenna units, combining hybrid beam-forming technology with flexible dynamic beam management and inter-FR carrier aggregation to push network performance to the next level. Using spectrum in both the millimetre wave and C-band, made available through a trial license, the test ran on a 5G standalone (SA) setup. MTN reported a peak download speed of 8.6Gbps during the trial, showcasing the future potential of next-gen connectivity.
5.5G, often viewed as a stepping stone between 5G and 6G, promises 10 times the performance of current 5G networks. This includes dramatic improvements in speed, latency, and massive IoT capacity, all while reducing energy consumption per terabyte of data transferred.
MTN has also launched the Icon 5G smartphone with ZTE, priced at just 2,499 rand, or about $138.This move is another strategic effort to bring next-generation mobile technology within reach for more South Africans. The affordably priced Icon 5G smartphone is designed to accelerate the transition from legacy 2G and 3G networks to faster, more efficient 4G and 5G connectivity. As the country pushes forward with its digital transformation goals, MTN’s partnership with ZTE highlights the growing importance of global tech collaborations. By delivering faster internet speeds and lower latency, MTN is addressing the needs of a market that’s hungry for reliable, cost-effective internet, playing a key role in narrowing the digital divide.
In the latest Open Signal Report MTN wins the 5G Availability award, with the 5G users on its network connecting to 5G on average for 11.5% of the time. Having superfast 5G download speeds are only useful when users have a 5G connection. 5G Availability compares the amount of time the 5G users spend with an active 5G connection, the higher the percentage, the more time users on a network spend connected to 5G.
MTN has also announced plans to invest more than $100 million by mid-2024 in generators, batteries, and renewable energy solutions. This effort aims to mitigate the impact of ongoing power outages, ensuring network stability and service continuity despite South Africa’s persistent energy challenges.
Telkom South Africa is seeing significant growth in its mobile subscribers, and is edging closer to the country's two biggest operators, Vodacom and MTN.
Telkom has also announced plans to sell its tower infrastructure, joining rivals MTN South Africa and Cell C in this strategic shift to focus on core business operations. With this move, Vodacom will be the only major mobile operator in South Africa that continues to own its tower infrastructure. This trend reflects a broader industry focus on streamlining business operations by offloading non-core assets.
These plans reflects the company's enhanced operational efficiency and successful monetization of its digital infrastructure asset base. according to Serame Taukobong, Group Chief Executive Officer:
“Our continued investment in our extensive fiber network and mobile infrastructure is now delivering the competitive advantage we anticipated, propelling our data-led strategy to ensure future-readiness,”
The operator's infrastructure investments continue to deliver significant operational results. Mobile subscribers grew by 24.6% year-on-year, surpassing 22.7 million, while mobile data subscribers increased by 19.6% to 14.6 million, driving a 12.7% rise in data revenues. Openserve’s fiber infrastructure also showed strong performance, with homes passed and connected growing by 11.4% and 18.1%, respectively, maintaining a market-leading home connection rate of 49.7%. Additionally, IT revenues sustained steady growth, highlighting the effectiveness of the company's connect-led strategy.
The smallest of the South Africa operators Cell C has been trying to increase their market share, but only had 7.7 million mobile subscribers at the end of May 2024.
According to the latest Open Signal Report Cell C users have seen the biggest increases across Overall Experience metrics compared to the last report. The quality of experience streaming on-demand video on Cell C has improved by 25%, while the average download and upload speeds have grown by 30% and 53%, respectively. These improvements are particularly significant given that Cell C has not been investing in its own network infrastructure due to severe financial difficulties in recent years. These challenges led to the company's recapitalization and the establishment of new wholesale and roaming agreements with MTN and Vodacom.
As part of this transition, Cell C deactivated its physical tower network and Radio Access Network (RAN). MTN now provides Cell C with a virtual radio access network for its prepaid and mobile virtual network operator subscribers, while Cell C’s contract customers roam on Vodacom’s network. However, Cell C continues to use its own spectrum and retains full control over the customer experience. Additionally, Cell C is currently testing 5G with network partners Vodacom and MTN, with plans to launch it soon.
Cell C has spent the past 18 months deploying a Mocn – multi-operator network core – roaming system, which has allowed it to create a virtual representation of its network on top of either MTN or Vodacom’s infrastructure.
We can clearly see with the ongoing investments from major operators, a great deal of progress is being made and 5G has the potential to bridge the digital divide, drive economic growth, and position South Africa as a leader in next-generation connectivity on the African continent.
Four years ago, the idea of cloud native in telecom was mostly aspirational—an ambitious leap from legacy architectures toward agility, automation, and scale. Today, while the journey is well underway, the destination is still far off.
At the recent Telco to Techco session, Philippe Ensarguet, VP of Software Engineering at Orange, took to the stage to assess the industry's real progress—and expose where it’s still struggling.
Telcos Are Still Caught Between Two Worlds
Many telecom functions are now containerised, but Philippe makes it clear: that doesn’t mean they’re cloud native.
“The ‘C’ in CNF must stand for Cloud Native, not just Container.”
Cloud native isn’t just a new way to package software—it’s a new way of building, deploying, and managing it. And that shift is proving to be far more complex than simply adopting Kubernetes or moving to public cloud.
Legacy virtualised network functions (VNFs) weren’t built for the dynamic, distributed nature of cloud platforms. Trying to retrofit them often results in complexity without the expected benefits.
What’s Working: Areas of Maturity
Despite the challenges, some progress is undeniable:
✅ Infrastructure Automation
Telcos like Orange have built robust cloud native platforms based on open technologies. The ability to scale infrastructure efficiently and reliably is now a reality.
✅ GitOps & Lifecycle Management
Cloud native lifecycle tooling—especially GitOps—is maturing. Orange, for example, manages diverse vendors through a unified GitOps-based integration platform called Network Integration Factory Tooling Zone.
✅ Open Source Participation
Open ecosystems are no longer optional—they’re essential. Orange is actively involved in Project Sylva (under Linux Foundation Europe) to define open, telco-grade cloud infrastructure.
What’s Still Holding Us Back
🛑 Skills Gap
Cloud native demands both hard skills (microservices, APIs, automation) and soft skills (agile mindsets, DevOps culture). These aren’t always easy to find—or to develop—in traditional telco teams.
🛑 Vendor Maturity
While some vendors are rearchitecting their software, others are just lifting old VNFs into containers. Philippe emphasises that cloud native transformation must go deeper.
🛑 Distributed Complexity
Managing services across private cloud, edge, and public cloud creates orchestration challenges. Real-time and asynchronous network functions must coexist—something telcos still struggle with operationally.
Why Cloud Native Still Matters
Despite the friction, the reasons to go cloud native haven’t changed. If anything, they’re more relevant than ever:
Scalability for on-demand growth
Agility for faster feature rollout
Resilience for improved service continuity
Efficiency to reduce infrastructure and operational costs
Innovation via open APIs and open source ecosystems
Multi-cloud flexibility and reduced vendor lock-in
Final Word
Philippe’s closing message was both grounded and optimistic. Yes, the journey is complex and sometimes slow—but cloud native is no longer a buzzword. It’s becoming the backbone of the telco techco transformation.
“The next few years will be about closing the gap—not just between CNFs and legacy systems, but between ambition and execution.”
A detailed article is available on Mobile Europe website here. The video of the conversation is embedded below:
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