Today’s telecom news includes announcements on MViSTA Submarine Cable, 123NET, Vodafone Idea, Chunghwa Telecom, among others.
$400 Million MViSTA Submarine Cable Advances Procurement for 2,500-km Southeast Asian Network
The proposed MViSTA submarine cable system has advanced its supplier procurement process as developers prepare to connect Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore and Thailand. The project is estimated to cost approximately $400 million and will extend around 2,500 kilometers, using 16 fiber pairs. Developers identified NEC and Alcatel Submarine Networks as prospective equipment suppliers, with selection targeted for late October 2026. The cable is intended to provide additional international transmission capacity and route diversity for Southeast Asian telecommunications operators, cloud providers and data centers. Commercial operation is targeted for late 2028. The project has support from investors and infrastructure partners in Japan, Malaysia and Vietnam. A final supplier award or completed construction milestone has not been confirmed.
123NET Wins $86 Million Broadband Funding to Build 1,700 Miles of Fiber Across Michigan
123NET announced on October 28 that it had secured approximately $86 million in federal Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment funding for fiber expansion across Michigan. The investment will support approximately 1,700 miles of new fiber infrastructure, connecting 17,000 BEAD-funded addresses and contributing to a broader expansion covering 49,300 locations. Construction will cover 12 counties, including Oakland, Macomb, Kent, Kalamazoo, Jackson and Washtenaw. Work is scheduled to begin in early 2027. Michigan’s wider broadband program combines approximately $920 million in federal funding with $550 million in private contributions. The announcement represents a confirmed funding award rather than completed network construction.
Vodafone Idea Shows Signs of Stabilisation as India’s Telecom Subscriber Growth Improves
India’s active mobile subscriber base increased by 0.9 million to 1.068 billion in September, compared with 0.8 million additions in August, according to Jefferies. Bharti Airtel lost 0.2 million active subscribers following selective tariff increases but retained a 37.5 percent active subscriber market share. Vodafone Idea’s active subscriber base declined by 0.3 million, significantly below its average monthly loss of 0.7 million over the previous year, indicating possible stabilisation. Jefferies expects Airtel’s additions to recover as tariff-related effects ease. Meanwhile, machine-to-machine connections increased by 4.3 million, and India’s home broadband subscriber base reached 68.1 million.
Chunghwa Telecom Explores Asian Satellite Alliance to Reduce Starlink Dependence
Taiwan’s Chunghwa Telecom is considering an alliance with Asian telecommunications operators to develop a low-Earth orbit satellite network, strengthening communications resilience and reducing reliance on foreign satellite services. Chairman Simon Chien said the proposal remains at an early stage, with no partners identified. The potential project could raise NT$20 billion to NT$30 billion ($626 million to $939 million) to deploy 48 or 64 satellites, with government support likely required. Chunghwa Telecom also plans to involve major technology companies. Its broader resilience strategy combines undersea cables, fiber-optic and mobile networks, microwave links, and satellites to maintain essential communications during disasters or infrastructure disruptions.
