News

AVK to open Netherlands service hub

AVK, a supplier of power solutions for data centres and organisations in the UK and Europe, is driving further European expansion by opening a new service hub in the Netherlands. This strategic move will reduce reliance on AVK’s existing service infrastructure in the UK by creating a strong local presence in Europe. Based in Lelystad – around 30 minutes from Amsterdam – AVK says that the new service hub is the latest example of the company's commitment to providing the highest levels of in-country support for the increasing number of European data centres as they go live, and throughout their operation. By offering AVK’s European customers a dedicated, localised service infrastructure, the hub is designed to deliver enhanced service responsiveness, improved logistics, and stronger client partnerships in Europe’s burgeoning data centre market. When the new service hub opens as scheduled in April this year, companies operating in the energy and data infrastructure sector across Europe can immediately benefit from the greater proximity of AVK service engineers to major data centres, ensuring rapid support and improving operational efficiencies. The Netherlands hub will consist of warehousing, critical spares and administrative offices for which staff recruitment is currently underway, including for a European Service Manager. Plans are in place for AVK to expand its European presence even further, with the next new hub scheduled to be set up later this year in Frankfurt, followed by other key locations. There is already a service office operating in Dublin, Ireland. AVK states that the creation of these new service hubs not only illustrates its forward-thinking approach to integrating local infrastructure, but that it also underlines the company’s growth trajectory and its continuing investment in operational excellence. The hubs also support AVK’s long-term plan to roll out its Academy programme to provide further training. AVK academies are dedicated training hubs that play a vital role in developing the next generation of data centre engineers. Lynsey Partlow (pictured above), Service Director at AVK, says, “For several years, AVK has been expanding its service operations across European territories as a reflection of the significant number of new data centres that have been created. From this summer, we expect to see a lot more data centres commissioned and going live throughout the region, and it is essential that AVK has an active in-country service footprint that enables us to support our partners proactively as they grow. “Setting up these strategic service hubs will help us enormously with our supply chains, our relationships with clients and our field delivery. Instead of locally-based staff relying on our service infrastructure in the UK, having a European infrastructure will make a massive difference to how we support the increasing numbers of customers setting up new data centres across the continent.” Looking even further ahead, Lynsey reveals several additional developments in the pipeline for AVK. For example, AVK technicians are to carry out the service and maintenance of selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems that the company installs in data centres to minimise harmful emissions from diesel-powered backup generators. For more from AVK, click here.

CtrlS Datacenters launches GreenVolt1 solar farm

CtrlS Datacenters has unveiled its captive GreenVolt1 solar farm in India. Phase I of the solar farm with a capacity of 62.5MWp already went live in June 2024, while Phase II with an additional capacity of 62.5MWp is under implementation. CtrlS spent over a year in R&D to optimise the project and comply with all the regulations.          With ambitious plans to develop over GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030 across India, including notable ongoing investments in Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka, CtrlS is dedicated to reducing carbon emissions and promoting renewable energy adoption. Sridhar Pinnapureddy, Founder and CEO, CtrlS Datacenters says, “GreenVolt 1 will power CtrlS data centres both existing and upcoming, which we believe will set a new benchmark in the Indian data centre industry. We are committed to scaling our DC capacity to over 1GW and our GreenVolt solar farm is a major step towards doing that sustainably.” As part of the $2 billion investment plan announced by CtrlS earlier, the company has set its eyes to achieve net zero goal by 2040. To fulfil that goal, CtrlS is investing in solar projects across India. “GreenVolt1 is a giant leap with an intent to make bigger strides and expand GreenVolt projects across India. This is part of our journey towards sustainability, guided by the idea of responsible growth. We are now closer than ever before to the big picture- Making CtrlS completely carbon neutral by 2040,” Sridhar adds. Located in Nagpur, Maharashtra, the 125 Wp solar farm will power 60% of CtrlS’ Mumbai Datacenter Campus with clean energy, further solidifying the company’s green credentials. With this, enterprises hosted at CtrlS Mumbai Datacenter Campus can achieve their Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) by offsetting their carbon footprint – in line with the brand mission of helping them take control of digital transformation seamlessly, securely and sustainably. CtrlS GreenVolt 1 is spread over 340 acres of land. Phase 1 of the project, which went live in June 2024, powers 30% of CtrlS Mumbai Datacenter Campus with solar energy, to be further scaled to 60% with the completion of Phase 2, adding another 62.5 MWP of solar capacity. Key differentiators CtrlS’ GreenVolt1 solar farm has a geographic advantage. Most solar farms are isolated in remote areas, but this site is located along the Mumbai-Kolkata highway, ensuring seamless connectivity. It’s a rare tabletop land, ensuring optimal utilisation of land area, evenly laid-out solar panels and cost-savings. While most solar farms in India use P-type panels, CtrlS GreenVolt 1 uses advanced N-type panels, the most efficient solar panels, delivering more energy with reduced land requirements and ensuring high efficiency in energy production. In phase 1, the company has installed 107,912 solar panels. CtrlS is on a mission to build over 1GW of solar capacity by 2030, which will power the company’s data centre footprint of over 1,000MW by 2030.

Riello UPS set for Data Centre World 2025

Critical power protection specialist, Riello UPS, is set to showcase its comprehensive range of data centre products and innovations at the industry’s largest trade event of the year. The uninterruptible power supply manufacturer is once again exhibiting at Data Centre World, which returns to ExCeL London on 12-13 March. Members of the Riello UPS team will be on hand at stand DC340 throughout the two-day event to showcase demo versions of several of its data centre UPS ranges, including the modular Multi Power and Multi Power2, the evolution of its modular offering capable of ultra-high efficiency of up to 98.1%. They will also be on hand to outline the business’s range of UPS maintenance plans, comprehensive data centre UPS design and consultancy services, and a growing library of certified CPD content for data centre consultants and engineers. Data Centre World is recognised as the largest global gathering of data centre professionals, and this year’s event is once again staged as part of the wider Tech Show London, giving attendees the opportunity to explore four other co-hosted events (Cloud Expo Europe, DevOps Live, Cloud & Cyber Security Expo, and Big Data & AI World). DCW 2025 will host more than 300 exhibitors from across the industry, along with a packed conference programme featuring over 200 hours of seminars, discussions, and speakers. Key themes for this year’s show include: • Redefining Data Centres: Sustainability, Resiliency, and Tech Innovation• Navigating the Regulation Landscape• Protecting the Data Centre: Security in the Modern World• Modernising Data Centre Infrastructures: Edge, Colocation, Hyperscales• The Impact of AI on Data Centres• Cultivating a People-Focused Data Centre Workforce Culture• Financing Data Centres: The Investor’s Perspective. Leo Craig, Managing Director of Riello UPS, comments, “Data Centre World is always our most anticipated show of the year and we can’t wait to showcase our proven range of data centre solutions again at the ExCeL. “This year’s event is the first since our successful completion of the company merger, bringing together all the wholly owned UK subsidiaries of Riello UPS under one strong, unified brand. We’re looking forward to showing how integrating these strengths, expertise, and resources into a single entity will enable us to provide enhanced product and service offering, along with expanded customer support.” For more from Riello UPS, click here.

Feature - The Top Internet Outages of 2024

Ahead of their appearance at the upcoming DTX Manchester exhibition - taking place from 2-3 April 2025 - Cisco ThousandEyes, a network intelligence company, explores some of 2024’s most notable Internet outages and application issues, along with key takeaways to help ITOps teams improve digital resilience in 2025. In 2025, digital resilience is a top priority for IT Operations teams around the globe. When outages happen, it’s how you identify and recover from them that makes the big difference for users and businesses. Beyond that, consistent proactive optimisation is essential to both elevate digital experiences for users and guard against potential problems before they impact customers. The biggest outages of 2024 provide plenty of learnings for ITOps teams charged with improving digital resilience in their business, with recurring themes emerging - most notably the number of outages that were the consequence of configuration changes or automation related. Here, Cisco ThousandEyes goes through some of the most notable outages and disruptions of 2024, identifying key takeaways to help businesses assure great digital experiences for their users in 2025. Microsoft Teams Service Disruption | 26 January 2024 Microsoft Teams was disrupted for more than seven hours in January, when a problem inside Microsoft’s own network affected the collaboration service. Frozen apps, login errors, and users left hanging in meeting waiting rooms were some of the symptoms reported during the disruption, which began early in the workday for many Americans. ThousandEyes’ own observations during the incident indicated that the failure was consistent with issues in Microsoft’s own network. Failover didn’t appear to relieve the issue for many users; although further “network and backend service optimisation efforts” did eventually restore service. Meta Outage | March 5, 2024 On 5 March, Meta experienced an outage that prevented users from accessing services including Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and Threads. While the platform appeared to be reachable, many users were unable to proceed beyond the login or authentication process. Shortly after the outage began, Meta confirmed that it was experiencing problems with its login services. The issue was likely caused by a failure in one of the dependencies that the login system relies on. ThousandEyes observations also point to a backend cause, as Meta’s systems appeared reachable and network paths connecting to the services didn’t display any significant network conditions that could have led to the outage. This outage serves as a reminder that issues with just one part of the application delivery chain can render the whole service functionally unusable. It’s crucial to have full visibility into your whole digital delivery chain to help identify any drops in performance or functionality. Atlassian Confluence Disruption | March 26, 2024 In late March, workspace application Atlassian Confluence experienced issues, resulting in customers having problems accessing the service and receiving HTTP 502 bad gateway errors. While this was a relatively short outage, lasting just over an hour, ThousandEyes’ analysis revealed it affected users all over the globe. By tracing the network paths to the application’s frontend web servers, hosted in AWS, it was clear that this was a backend issue rather than network connectivity itself. This is one of those outages where relying on error messages would only give you half the story. Identifying the root cause requires you to consider factors such as any third-party dependencies. Being able to rule out issues with a cloud hosting provider, for instance, gets you one step closer to identifying the real problem. Google.com Outage | 1 May 2024 In early May, Google.com experienced a global disruption lasting around an hour, during which users encountered HTTP 502 error messages instead of the expected search results. The HTTP 502 status code often indicates a proxy server failing to connect with the origin server. It can also be a sign of overwhelming levels of traffic, but there was no reason to suspect that Google was suddenly struggling under demand, with no extraordinary events to trigger such an influx of search traffic. ThousandEyes analysis revealed a 'lights on/lights off' scenario, where service suddenly dropped, suggesting a problem with backend name resolution or something connected to policy/security verification, rather than an issue with the search engine itself. CrowdStrike Sensor Update Incident | 19 July 2024 Organisations in Australia and New Zealand began experiencing issues on Friday 19 July, at mid-afternoon. A range of industries and major brands simultaneously reported outages as their Windows machines reportedly got stuck in a boot loop that ultimately resulted in the BSOD (Blue Screen of Death). The impact quickly spread to other geographies, causing problems with airline booking systems, grocery stores, and hospital services. And these were just the tip of the iceberg. Initial responsibility for the widespread outage was thought to lie with Microsoft, but a different common denominator emerged: CrowdStrike, a managed detection and response (MDR) service used to protect Windows endpoints from attack. CrowdStrike published guidance on actions and workarounds for IT administrators, and an early technical post-incident report that attributed the incident to an issue with a single configuration file that “triggered a logic error resulting in a system crash and blue screen (BSOD) on impacted systems.” Recovery wasn’t a simple task, requiring IT staff to physically attend machines to get them functional. At one point, Microsoft reported that up to 15 reboots per machine may be needed. Cloudflare Disruption | 16 September 2024 Cloudflare is one of the world’s biggest CDN providers, so when it catches a cold, other well-known services start sneezing. Cloudflare’s 16 September outage lasted for around two hours, and affected applications such as Zoom and HubSpot. The ThousandEyes platform showed the impact on these third-party applications clearly, with agents in the US, Canada, and India all failing to connect to the various applications during the outage. This is a good example of how you can avert the “Is it just me?” problem. By tracking the entire service delivery process of your applications, you can follow the network paths taken by your apps - and the suppliers they are connected to. Microsoft Outage | 25 November 2024 Microsoft’s late November outage, which affected services such as Outlook Online, occurred in two parts and wasn’t always easy to spot. Problems emerged around 2 AM (UTC), with symptoms such as timeouts, resolution failures, and the occasional HTTP 503 error message. The problems were intermittent and not always obvious to end users, with the service sometimes presenting as slow or laggy. The issue appeared to be resolved within an hour or so, but four hours later problems emerged again, and this time with greater severity. ThousandEyes observed an increase in packet loss at the edge of the Microsoft network and increased congestion connecting to services. Microsoft later explained the problem was caused by a configuration change that caused an “influx of retry requests routed through servers.” The outage was resolved by performing “manual restarts on a subset of machines that [were] in an unhealthy state.” OpenAI Outage | 11 December 2024 We almost made it through an entire year of outages without mentioning AI. OpenAI’s December outage affected ChatGPT and the new generative video service, Sora. Users witnessed partial page loads, with requests for further information prompting HTTP 403 error messages. ThousandEyes observations pointed to backend application issues and that was later confirmed by OpenAI, which revealed that a new telemetry service deployment had “unintentionally overwhelmed the Kubernetes control plane,” causing cascading failures. Key takeaways from 2024 You’ll notice that most of the major outages of 2024 stemmed from a backend configuration change that had unintended consequences or the failure of an automated system. ITOps teams have limited control over faulty configuration changes made by service providers. However, they can enhance their overall visibility into service delivery paths, which allows them to quickly identify the source of any errors when they occur. This approach provides valuable insights into faults or degraded components, enabling teams to take appropriate actions, such as rolling back changes, redirecting to alternative resources, or implementing contingency plans. By thoroughly understanding their service delivery chains, teams can also regularly optimise services to improve digital experiences and enhance digital resilience. As we have observed in several significant outages of 2024, error messages typically provide only a hint about what has happened; they cannot in isolation identify the cause. If 2024’s major outages deliver one lesson, it’s that your digital resilience depends on knowing what’s gone wrong - or what could potentially go wrong - even before the service providers themselves acknowledge an issue. - Cisco ThousandEyes will be exhibiting at the upcoming DTX Manchester event, taking place on 2-3 April 2025. To register, and for more information about the event, click here. For more news from the DTX exhibitions, click here.

UK advances gigabit broadband expansion

Ultra-fast broadband has been rolled out in remote areas of Scotland as part of the Government's initiative to improve connectivity around the UK. Connectivity on the Scottish islands has long been a challenge due to their remote locations, but Openreach engineers, working on the Scottish government's Reaching 100% (R100) programme, have now brought full-fibre broadband to Tiree and Iona. This deployment required careful planning with local organisations to protect wildlife and the natural landscape. The upgrade is seen as transformative, linking islanders to the global digital economy. Further rural Scottish communities are set to benefit from the R100 programme in the coming months, aligning with the government's goal of full digital inclusion. Meanwhile, in North Yorkshire, Quickline is rolling out gigabit broadband under the £5bn Project Gigabit programme, launched in 2021 to boost economic recovery and regional development. Targeting areas overlooked by commercial providers, the initiative ensures underserved locations gain access to high-speed internet. Five months into its North Yorkshire contract, Quickline has delivered access to nearly 5,000 homes and businesses, including the first 46 premises under contract and an extra 4,800 through commercial expansion. The North Yorkshire contract aims to provide broadband to 36,000 funded premises, with an additional 50,000 connections through commercial expansion. Across all its Project Gigabit contracts, Quickline is set to connect 170,000 subsidised homes and businesses in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, rising to 360,000 with commercial builds. Elizabeth Anderson, CEO of the Digital Poverty Alliance, says, "The ongoing rollout of gigabit connectivity can make a transformative difference to the lives of people across the UK, providing fast broadband access to online digital services. Tasks such as online banking, e-learning and booking a digital healthcare appointment are made almost impossible for those without connectivity, so these broadband rollout schemes are vital for the British people. However, the affordability of these services is key - with faster packages often costing much more and being out of reach for those on lower incomes." "Scotland, especially, has proved difficult to reach for broadband providers due to its rural nature, but the success of the Tiree rollout highlights the roadmap for creating a connected Scotland. We'd hope to see the Scottish government placing affordable connectivity as a central point within their digital inclusion strategy work, committing substantial investment into high-speed, affordable infrastructure in rural areas to ensure digital quality for all."

Raxio Group achieves certification for DRC data centre

Raxio Group has announced that its 1.5MW data centre in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has successfully achieved the Tier Certification of Constructed Facility (TCCF) from Uptime Institute. Raxio states that the certification reaffirms its commitment to delivering world-class, reliable, and high-performance data centre infrastructure across Africa. The Tier III certification process involved a rigorous four-day, on-site evaluation conducted by Uptime Institute engineers. Every aspect of the facility’s design and construction was thoroughly tested, inspected, and verified to ensure full compliance with Tier III standards. Successfully passing every test validates that the facility has been built entirely in accordance with the approved design documents, underscoring Raxio’s technical expertise and dedication to quality. “Achieving the TCCF for our DRC data centre is a significant milestone for Raxio Group,” says Robert Saunders, CTO at Raxio Group. “This certification not only demonstrates the resilience and adaptability of our team in overcoming many challenges, but also reinforces our commitment to building and operating state-of-the-art data centres in emerging markets.” Raxio says that the achievement would not have been possible without the dedication and expertise of its engineering team, whose technical leadership was instrumental in securing this certification. Additionally, the Project Management Office team played a crucial role in overseeing construction efforts, the company tells us, while the local Technical Operations team ensured the facility was ready for the Uptime Institute’s rigorous testing. With this latest certification, Raxio now boasts three Tier III certified facilities across its growing portfolio, further solidifying its reputation as a leading provider of cutting-edge data centre solutions in Africa. For more from Raxio Group, click here.

Nokia to upgrade New York Internet Exchange

Nokia and DE-CIX, an Internet Exchange (IX) operator, have announced the upgrade of the backbone network for DE-CIX New York, the largest IX in New York and in the US north-east region. The DE-CIX backbone will be upgraded to 400 Gigabit Ethernet (GE) using Nokia optical technology and redesigned in a ring topology, redundantly interconnecting the 10 data centre facilities where DE-CIX infrastructure is housed and enhancing the resiliency of the platform for all participants. The Nokia optical solution also enables 800GE support for anticipated further growth of the IX and employs Reconfigurable Optical Add/Drop Multiplexer (ROADM) technology to ensure much greater routing flexibility, faster reaction times in the case of incidents, and a seamless customer experience without any service interruptions. Dr. Thomas King, CTO of DE-CIX, says, “When we began planning the upgrade of our New York backbone, we wanted to simplify our network, while also increasing the resilience of the platform. We took a detailed look at the options in the market, and Nokia was the best choice for us. We have worked with Nokia globally for more than 10 years now, and the capacity, reliability, and innovative strength of their hardware has always impressed us.” Within a dense wavelength-division multiplexing (DWDM) system, the ROADM technology in Nokia’s 1830 Photonic Service Switch (PSS) makes it possible to automatically re-route waves at the optical layer in any direction around the backbone. This means that incidents at any location in the network can be mitigated more rapidly and less capacity is required at the IP layer to guarantee the same level of resilience. James Watt, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Nokia’s optical business, comments, “In today’s connected world, staying resilient and ready to scale is a must. This upgrade to DE-CIX New York’s backbone isn’t just about supporting the largest Internet Exchange in the north-east - it’s about shaping the future of connectivity in one of the world’s biggest markets. With Nokia’s cutting-edge optical tech, we’re ensuring networks are flexible, reliable, and ready to handle whatever comes next. Together with DE-CIX, we’re building the foundation for a limitless digital future.” Ed d’Agostino, Vice President DE-CIX North America, adds, “This upgrade, powered by Nokia’s optical technology, allows us to future-proof our platform to best serve the New York market and start 2025 on track for further growth. With the number of data centres that we integrate, it is imperative that we have a state-of-the-art transport network with scalable capacity. DE-CIX New York is the largest IX in New York and the youngest Internet Exchange in the Top 5 largest IXs in the US. The platform covers an area spanning Long Island to the East and Piscataway and Edison to the South and West. It connects over 265 networks from across the city, with an infrastructure that spans over 40 data centres served. DE-CIX New York is connected to all other DE-CIX locations in North America, enabling remote peering and access to a vibrant ecosystem of networks not present in other local exchanges. The DE-CIX Internet and Cloud Exchanges in New York, Dallas, Chicago, Richmond, Houston, and Phoenix, and the dedicated Cloud Exchange in Seattle, form the largest carrier and data centre neutral interconnection ecosystem in North America. Further, DE-CIX New York is directly connected to DE-CIX’s locations in Europe – e.g. DE-CIX Frankfurt, the largest IX in Europe – and beyond. Globally in 2025, the 30th year since the operator’s establishment, DE-CIX offers its interconnection services in close to 60 locations across Europe, Africa, North and South America, the Middle East, and Asia. Accessible from data centres in over 600 cities worldwide, DE-CIX interconnects thousands of network operators (carriers), Internet service providers (ISPs), content providers and enterprise networks from more than 100 countries, and offers peering, cloud, and other interconnection services. In addition to this announcement, Nokia will host a webinar together with DE-CIX and 650 Group on the topic of Rewiring the Future: Conversations on Networking for an AI-Driven World. Interested parties can join Rodney Dellinger, CTO of Webscale, Nokia, Dr. Thomas King, CTO of DE-CIX, and Alan Weckel, co-founder and Principal Analyst of 650 group, as they discuss what’s needed for the success of GenAI and how the network needs to evolve to deliver these services to the end users. For more from DE-CIX, click here.

AddOn Networks to showcase new transceivers

Businesses within the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and beyond will gain the bandwidth required to support the latest Artificial Intelligence (AI) developments, as AddOn Networks brings its new 400G and 800G transceivers to Ai Everything 2025. Exhibiting at the event – which takes place in Dubai on 5-6 February – AddOn Networks will be demonstrating products and innovations capable of reducing the demands on existing infrastructure within the region to help businesses handle the surge in demand for AI. “The Middle East has rapidly emerged as a significant global hub for data centres, with AI at the forefront of this evolution,” says AddOn Networks Vice President of Sales, EMEA and India, Sam Walker. “As nations continue to make significant investments regarding data centre infrastructure, AddOn Networks can offer solutions designed to support the AI revolution at a fraction of the price of larger Network Equipment Manufacturers (NEMs).” The UAE continues to diversify its economy away from oil, with significant investments from companies involved in AI technologies made in recent years. Despite this, demand for AI services now outpaces supply; an issue set to worsen as businesses turn towards hyperscale operations that require immense storage frameworks and processing power. Elsewhere, in Saudi Arabia’s ‘Vision 2030’, which is the Kingdom’s $100 billion (USD) AI initiative, 66 of the 96 goals outlined by the country relate in some form to data storage and AI. As these Kingdoms attempt to expand their offerings in non-oil sectors and industries, AddOn Networks has launched the new 800G OSFP 2XFR4 transceiver to simplify massive-scale data centre deployments. The 800G OSFP 2XFR4 offers an extended reach of up to 2 kilometres, and integrates ubiquitous duplex LC connectors to reduce both lead times and the complexity of the structured cabling used in data centres. AddOn Networks will also exhibit its full line of AI transceivers, including its OSFP 2xSR4 and OSFP 2xDR4 transceivers - the first third-party 800G optics specifically designed to meet the needs of AI-enhanced networks. Alongside these cutting-edge 800G solutions, AI Everything will also feature the 400G QSFP112 SR4 and 400G QSFP112 DR4 transceivers, which deliver high-performance connectivity critical for GPU server applications. All transceivers provided by AddOn Networks are compatible - and can be seamlessly integrated with - all major NEM platforms used in the region, including Nvidia, Arista, and Juniper. “The global competition to be first to market for AI-fuelled services is intense,” Sam continues. “Data centre operators require greater choice, but without compromise, to ensure their AI deployments go to market on-time and on-budget. AddOn Networks transceivers are built on a foundation of quality components and 100% performance, rigorous testing to ensure not only host compatibility, but interoperability between network equipment gear. As a result, we are in the best position to support customers within the region.” AddOn Networks will be at stand H3-G20 during the Ai Everything exhibition. For more from AddOn Networks, click here.

OADC Texaf - Kinshasa achieves certification milestone

In what is reportedly a first for the DRC, Open Access Data Centres (OADC) Texaf - Kinshasa has announced the attainment of three prestigious certifications: ISO 27001, ISO 22301 and PCI DSS. The company says that the achievement underscores its steadfast commitment to delivering secure, resilient and world-class digital infrastructure services in the DRC that meet stringent global standards. ISO 27001, the globally recognised standard for Information Security Management Systems (ISMS), validates that OADC Texaf - Kinshasa has implemented robust measures for its information security management, demonstrating its ability to reassure clients of its information security integrity. This certification also underpins the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) Certification. PCI-DSS compliance establishes OADC Texaf - Kinshasa as a trusted partner for the financial services and payments industry. This globally recognised certification demonstrates adherence to stringent payments, industry security protocols and controls, playing a key role in transforming the DRC’s financial and payments ecosystem. It also provides critical reassurance in meeting the growing demands for financial inclusion among the DRC population. Finally, ISO 22301 certification; the Business Continuity Management System (BCMS) ensures uninterrupted service delivery and rapid recovery from unforeseen disruptions, providing clients with critical assurances of operational excellence and resilience - a cornerstone of trust and reliability for business demanding the utmost in operational integrity. Mohammed Bouhelal, Managing Director of OADC Texaf - Kinshasa, remarks, “Achieving ISO 27001, ISO 22301 and PCI DSS certifications is a testament to our unwavering dedication to operational excellence and client-centric service delivery. These milestones position OADC as a leader in secure and resilient digital infrastructure, supporting the growth of the DRC’s digital economy and fostering trust among local and international businesses.” These certifications hold significance for OADC Texaf - Kinshasa’s diverse clientele, the company states, including Internet Service Providers (ISPs), telecommunications carriers, enterprise clients, banks and other financial services companies. By meeting and exceeding global standards, OADC Texaf - Kinshasa strengthens the foundation for secure and reliable digital services, enabling innovation and economic growth across the region. This achievement also bolsters the DRC’s position as an emerging hub for digital infrastructure in Africa, attracting foreign investment and fostering confidence in the country’s digital transformation journey. As the demand for secure, resilient and compliant data centre services grows, OADC Texaf - Kinshasa remains at the forefront, setting benchmarks for excellence and shaping the future of the digital economy in the DRC and central Africa. For more from OADC, click here.

Exclusive interview with Submarine Networks EMEA organisers

Ahead of the upcoming Submarine Networks EMEA 2025 event, taking place on 18-19 February at the Business Design Centre in London, Simon Rowley, Editor of DCNN, speaks with Harry Baldock, Editor of Total Telecom - the event's organiser - about what visitors can expect from this year's two-day show. DCNN: For our readers who may not be familiar with Submarine Networks EMEA, what can you tell them about the event? Harry: Submarine Networks EMEA is the largest annual subsea connectivity event, bringing together the over 1,000 senior leaders from across the industry for two days of networking and vibrant conference sessions. The event takes place at the Business Design Centre in London and attracts attendees from all over the world. Total Telecom has been hosting this event since 2018, during which time it’s gone from strength to strength, becoming a mainstay for the subsea community every year. DCNN: What are some of the biggest trends impacting subsea connectivity at present, and in what ways will these be reflected at the show? Harry: Personally, I think there are three big themes we’re seeing in the submarine cable space right now: security, geopolitics, and the recent boom in AI-powered data centre investment. Increasing security concerns, driven by the unstable global situation, are leading to tighter regulation and therefore more hurdles to be overcome when connecting cables to certain countries. This is leading to costly delays in planning and deployment – in some cases, sections of cable have already been built, but regulatory changes have left their owners unable to activate them. On the other hand, the booming data centre market is presenting many new opportunities for the subsea industry. All of these data centres will need global connectivity and their deployment is triggering a new wave of cable deployment, particularly in previously underserved areas. Other important topics include cable sustainability, maintenance, and recycling; cable deployment and repair ships; SMART cables (built with sensors to capture scientific data); subsea regulation; and training the next generation of professionals in this often-underappreciated industry. DCNN: How many exhibitors will be in attendance at this year's event, and what products or innovations will be showcased? Harry: There will be over 50 exhibitors at the show this year, showing off a wide variety of new projects and technologies. The core of the exhibitors, of course, are those showing cable system-related solutions – from landing station technology to the latest optical technologies. But there are many more players that play a role in a successful subsea cable project – for example, cable builders and operators, data centre operators, cable deployment experts, optical networking solutions providers, public sector officials, and national regulators. All of these will feature representation on the show floor at Submarine Networks EMEA. DCNN: The event will also include a jam-packed conference programme. What's in store for visitors this year, and what are expected to be among the highlights of these sessions? Harry: The telecoms and tech industries have become ever more interwoven in recent years, and this is clearly reflected in our conference agenda, which touches on everything from cable investment strategies to integrating sensing technologies. Our morning keynote sessions are always a major highlight; this year, our Day 1 keynote focuses on the privatisation of the submarine cable industry and the role of the hyperscalers, while Day 2’s will focus on the rapidly expanding data centre environment. On a personal level, as a journalist, I really enjoy the ‘News in Brief’ sessions – 10-minute updates on various cable projects around the world. They are always crammed with information. They also tend to include interesting anecdotes about overcoming challenges along the way, whether its decommissioning sea mines in the North Sea or having engineers canoe around the Norwegian fjords as part of the cable planning process! Lastly, a major goal for the event has always been to shed light on this niche industry as a career path and to help nurture the next generation of subsea professionals. Our Junior Top Dogs networking event, taking place on Day 2, is specifically designed to give students and other newcomers to the industry the opportunity to talk directly with industry veterans. You can check out our full agenda by clicking here. DCNN: Data centres are listed among the nine key themes that Submarine Networks EMEA will tackle. Could you expand on this notion and provide insight as to what visitors can expect with regards to this? Harry: As I’m sure your readers are aware, the data centre industry has been booming, with the hyperscalers pledging to invest billions of dollars in new data centre deployments in the coming years. Those same hyperscalers – like Meta, Google, and Microsoft – are also the key movers and shakers of the submarine cable industry, typically playing a leading role in the consortiums that build the submarine cables. The relationship between submarine cables and data centres is quite fundamental. More data centres being deployed globally will have major implications for the type and capacity of new cable systems deployed, and where these systems will interconnect with terrestrial networks. The Day 2 opening keynote focuses on this topic in detail, asking how the AI-driven data centre surge is impacting the subsea sector and what the two industries can learn from each other. DCNN: What are some of the biggest challenges in the subsea connectivity sector in 2025? Harry: As mentioned, cable security is a big challenge. We’ve seen lots of cable damage in key geopolitical hotspots in recent years – particularly the Red Sea, the Baltic Sea, and the waters around Taiwan – and, while accidental damage to cables happens every year, deliberate sabotage is suspected in a number of cases. Physically monitoring and defending such massive cables is a technical challenge of huge scope and financial cost, but one that the industry is under increasing pressure to solve. These security fears are, in turn, leaching into the regulatory landscape, which is at risk of becoming more intrusive and potentially obstructive to subsea projects. This is particularly the case in the US, where the Federal Communications Commission is currently reworking its submarine cable regulations for the first time since 2001! Just this month we have seen the UK government take steps in a similar direction, launching a subsea cable security enquiry this year and seeking to identify emerging threats in this space. As a result, submarine cable projects are likely to be more closely regulated, causing delays and additional expenses. In some cases, cable systems could be forced to circumvent some countries or bodies of water entirely. But the geopolitical uncertainty of the modern world is not all doom and gloom for the submarine cable industry. With national governments growing increasingly picky around how their international data is transported, opportunities to build new cables to meet these needs are beginning to arise. Greater submarine cable diversity means more choice for customers and reduces reliance on individual cables. DCNN: Is AI having a big impact on this sector, and if so, will this be a big theme throughout the event? Harry: I would describe AI’s effect on the sector as indirect but significant. As mentioned, AI is spurring a major investment in specialised data centres and seeing global data usage estimates increase massively. The submarine cable industry will have to adapt to this changing environment, though modern cables should be able to handle the predicted increase in data transport. Perhaps more interesting, the cable owners themselves are making increasing use of AI when planning and operating these systems, particularly regarding automation. This can deliver some huge cost-savings, enhance network monitoring, and support predictive maintenance. DCNN: What are the show's organisers most excited about heading into this year's exhibition? Harry: We’re thrilled to once again be at the heart of such a vibrant industry! We’re very lucky that the submarine cable industry is extremely collaborative by nature, and so great conversations are never far away. We’re looking forward to providing a forum for these discussions and helping the community tackle some of the biggest challenges in the sector today. DCNN: Is there anything else you'd like DCNN readers to know about? Harry: There is an oft-quoted figure in the industry that submarine cables carry over 95% of global internet traffic, but the vast majority of people do not even realise they exist. So, my message to readers would be: don’t forget about the submarine cable industry! It’s a huge, unseen part of our global digital fabric and becomes more diverse and broader in scope every year. Whether you’re dipping your toes into the submarine cable industry for the first time or you’re an industry veteran looking for a deep dive, Submarine Networks EMEA will put you at the heart of the industry. Submarine Networks EMEA will be taking place on 18–19 February at the Business Design Centre in London. If you’d like more information or want to get involved in Submarine Networks EMEA, please contact the event's Project Director, Laura O’Reilly, at laura.oreilly@totaltele.com.