AI-Driven Connectivity: Asia Pacific Charts Path Towards a Smarter Digital Future
The first Broadband Development Summit APAC 2026 brought together government officials, standardisation bodies, and telecommunications operators in Bangkok to build consensus on the direction of network development in the artificial intelligence era. Participants included representatives from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Thailand’s National Board of the Digital Economy and Society, the World Broadband Association (WBBA), and operators such as Telkomsel, XLSmart, AIS, Globe Telecom, and Huawei.
Wetang Phuangsup, Secretary-General of Thailand’s National Board of the Digital Economy and Society, stated that high-speed broadband networks are no longer just about providing internet access but have become essential infrastructure underpinning the AI revolution. He noted that AI serves as a key engine driving national competitiveness and improving quality of life.
Martin Creaner, Director General of the WBBA, outlined three initiatives for the path to 2030: closing the quality gap to ensure broadband benefits are universally felt, building AI-ready networks with 10G access and 800GE core capabilities, and achieving these goals through collaboration and agreed standards.
Huawei’s President of Asia Pacific Carrier Business, Denny Deng, stressed the need for the industry to accelerate broadband network evolution, strengthen synergy between computing and networking, and enhance cross-border connectivity to build a faster, smarter, and greener digital infrastructure in the region.
On the operator front, Telkomsel’s Director of Sales, Stanislaus Susatyo, explained the company’s transformation from a connectivity provider to a value creator, leveraging its fixed broadband market position to drive growth through superior services and next-generation home ecosystems. Surge Indonesia’s CTO, Shannedy Ong, highlighted efforts to connect underserved communities with affordable broadband, thereby strengthening Indonesia’s digital society. Globe Telecom’s Head of Broadband Business Group, Danny Theseira, detailed how AI is foundational to their network, enabling predictive maintenance that automatically resolves 30% of Wi-Fi issues without human intervention.
Huawei’s Vice President and CMO of the Optical Business Product Line, Kim Jin, promoted the synergy between optical technology and AI, introducing the AI-ON solution to build AI-centric optical networks and deliver ultra-low latency across the Asia Pacific. The summit underscored a collective vision for a smarter, more resilient digital future driven by the convergence of connectivity and artificial intelligence.