Faster, smarter, but more fragile? Rethinking communications resilience in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia has spent the past decade moving rapidly towards a more connected future. Fibre networks have replaced much of the region’s older copper infrastructure, smartphones have become the primary gateway to services, and communications, payments, government functions and commerce have increasingly shifted online. That transition has brought enormous benefits, but it has also created […]…
Southeast Asia has seen a rapid transition towards more connected and digital infrastructures over the past decade. This shift has brought numerous benefits, including faster and more capable networks for communications, payments, government functions, and commerce. However, this increased reliance on digital infrastructure also presents new vulnerabilities.
When connectivity fails, the consequences can be far-reaching, affecting various aspects of daily life such as banking, transport information, emergency communication, and access to public services. The issue at hand is not the reliability of modern digital networks but rather the assumption that internet connectivity will always be available when needed.
Recent events, such as the simultaneous disruptions of Vietnam's major international subsea internet cables in 2024 and the Philippines' vulnerability to typhoons and extreme weather events, highlight the need for designing communications systems that can withstand failures and remain resilient in the face of unexpected disruptions.
Brief written by urgent.news from e27's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
