Summary Bullets:
• ASEAN telcos announced various partnerships and new initiatives, mainly in emerging areas such as AI, APIs, private networks, and industrial solutions.
• This can enable them to monetize their network infrastructure including 5G and increase operational efficiencies to drive their overall business margins.
Key Announcements by ASEAN Telcos
Mobile industry players including telcos have been using Mobile World Congress (MWC) as the global stage to announce their new partnerships and initiatives. Like previous years, 2025 saw several key announcements by ASEAN telcos.
Indonesia
• Telkomsel signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Pegatron 5G (i.e., a network/IoT solution provider for manufacturers with a focus on O-RAN, edge and private networks) on 5G smart manufacturing solutions at the production facilities of PT Pegaunihan Technology Indonesia (i.e., Pegatron’s subsidiary).
• Telkomsel expanded its collaboration with ZTE to drive Indonesia’s digital transformation through AI adoption and edge, private networks.
• Telkomsel signed an MoU with TikTok to leverage ‘telco verify’ (i.e., API-based authentication) and ‘telco insight collaboration’ (i.e., data analytics) to enhance the user experience while improving security and privacy.
• Indosat announced an initiative to deploy AI RAN in collaboration with Nokia and Nvidia to develop a unified compute infrastructure for both AI and RAN workloads by integrating Nokia’s 5G cloud RAN with the Nvidia AI Aerial platform.
Malaysia
• CelcomDigi signed an MoU with Huawei to integrate the latter’s AI capabilities in its fixed-mobile convergence (FMC) network. This includes Huawei’s AI-driven solutions, Net5.5G and F5.5G.
• CelcomDigi signed an MoU with ZTE to leverage the vendor’s AI technologies into its network infrastructure including new calling, intelligent deep packet inspection, and intelligent operations and maintenance.
• CelcomDigi announced a partnership with Ericsson to drive digital transformation in the oil and gas industry focusing on 5G-enabled use cases such as enhanced safety, advanced tracking, digitalization and automation, and mission-critical connectivity.
• Maxis announced a collaboration with Huawei to integrate the latter’s AI and ML capabilities into its network operations to enhance network quality and operational efficiencies.
• U-Mobile signed an MoU with Qualcomm to co-develop 5G-enabled IoT solutions leveraging the latter’s Qualcomm Aware Platform for logistics and supply chain use cases such as real-time tracking, device and condition monitoring.
• U-Mobile announced an MoU with Braintree Technologies (i.e., an agri-tech company) by integrating its network with the latter’s smart farming robotic systems to co-develop use cases such as precision farming, autonomous machinery, remote monitoring, and mixed reality.
The Philippines
• PLDT, Globe, and Dito signed an MoU to collaborate on the deployment of CAMARA APIs to provide a seamless ecosystem across developers, systems integrators, and other players to drive innovations leveraging telecom APIs, such as fraud detection and identity verification.
Perspective
The overall initiatives by ASEAN telcos in 5G, IoT, industrial use cases, IT-OT convergence, AI, and APIs are aligned with GlobalData’s take on the key takeaways of the event (for more, please see Inside MWC25: The Essential Insights and Actions, March 13, 2025). These initiatives also reflect the current state of the ASEAN region. The telecom market in Southeast Asia is no longer developing but is rapidly maturing with high user adoption and penetration rates. Telcos are exploring new revenue streams and enhancing operational efficiency to maintain margins. This includes a stronger focus on the enterprise ICT segment, 5G monetization, and API use cases. For example, Telkomsel’s partnership with Pegatron 5G strengthens the operator’s vertical capabilities and proposition, especially in manufacturing. This also enables the operator to capture the high-growth opportunities from one of the biggest industries in the country amid rapid digitalization within the sector. Its partnership with TikTok demonstrates the potential of telecom APIs. Meanwhile, Malaysian operators (CelcomDigi and Maxis) are driving various initiatives to integrate AI into their respective networks to enhance operational efficiencies.
What’s Next
• ASEAN telcos should continue to develop industrial capabilities through partnerships to strengthen their solutions across different technology stacks (e.g., devices, networks, security). Partnerships with industry players can also strengthen their propositions especially in the IT-OT convergence. This can enable operators to address enterprises’ ICT requirements that are increasingly driven by business needs.
• Telecom APIs are still new but progressing rapidly globally as well as in ASEAN. Like Indonesia and the Philippines, operators in other ASEAN countries should collaborate and adopt APIs standardized through the CAMARA initiative to ensure interoperability and support innovation.
• Operators should continue to focus on developing private network solutions and driving collaborations with enterprises to co-develop and trial solutions. The demand for private mobile networks including 5G continues to grow strongly. The market is also progressing driven by vendors’ new capabilities such as unified solutions as well as wider deployments across multiple industries globally.
• Integrating AI into the network has become crucial for operators not only to drive operational efficiency but also to unlock new network-based solutions. As use cases are still emerging, operators should include AI capabilities across different vendors in their network roadmaps and start exploring early use cases such as network troubleshooting/resolution and security. They should also consider adjacent technologies like O-RAN and V-RAN.