New ASEAN Alliance tackles connectivity, datacentre challenges, Digital Platforms and Services

To address the growing demand for digital services, infrastructure and applications, several South-east Asian telecom operators and datacentre providers in the region have united to form a new connectivity alliance, the ASEAN Connect.One. 

Across South-east Asia, a digital revolution is rapidly transforming the region’s economies. As of 2022, the Association of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN) had 460 million internet users, with 100 million having joined since the start of the decade and that total number will have risen further over the past 18 months. This transformation is reshaping everything from e-commerce marketplaces to streamlined e-government services and is a catalyst for the bloc’s integration, according to the ASEAN Centre for Energy.

Reacting to these trends, a group of regional service providers – Telekomunikasi Indonesia International (Telin, a subsidiary of Telkom Indonesia), Hong Kong-based APT Satellite, Ho Chi Minh City-based FPT International Telecom, Bangkok-based Interlink Telecom, Phnom Penh-based Neocom ISP, Hong Kong-based data networking service provider NTC Asia, and Singapore-based wholesale service provider SEAX Global (Super Sea Cable Networks) – have decided to pool their resources. According to the announcement about the formation of ASEAN Connect One, this alliance aims to “offer a streamlined approach to connectivity and datacentre services, featuring one-stop shopping, single-end billing, unified operational processes, and enhanced service quality. These improvements are designed to reduce installation and maintenance lead times, providing seamless access to collaborative services for carriers and OTT players across ASEAN countries.”