The Asian Carriers Conference (ACC) 2025, the gathering of telco operators, technology providers, and industry pioneers from around the world, trained the spotlight on deeper exploration of technology’s impact on human experiences.
ACC 2025 highlighted the wide range of available technology while stressing the importance of understanding how innovations affect individuals, businesses, and social connections.
“Connectivity is no longer the finish line,” said Albert Villa-Real, president and CEO of PLDT Global Corp., the global arm of PLDT Inc. and the title partner of this year’s conference, during his opening remarks. “It is the starting point for creating new possibilities. Over the next few days, we have the chance to engage with global experts, discover new business models, and forge partnerships that will shape not only our industry but also our nation’s future in the digital economy.”
Villa-Real emphasized that the event is about more than learning. He described ACC as a venue for collaboration, for connecting people and organizations, and for building a digital future that can work for everyone.
This year’s conference carried the theme “Shaping the Future. Beyond Connectivity.” First held more than 20 years ago, ACC provides a space for operators, vendors, and technology companies to exchange knowledge, secure business deals, and discuss trends that affect the digital economy.
Among this year’s featured speakers was Simone Heng, a global presenter and author, who discussed the importance of rethinking human connection in a digital environment. Her keynote speech framed technology as something that not only enables commerce but also directly affects emotions and relationships.
“We really need to consider how technology affects different individuals’ lives, how it affects emotions and how it affects connections to each and everyone,” Edith Gomez-Cudiamat, COO of PLDT Global, said on the sidelines of ACC 2025. “We have been exploring services beyond connectivity, improving customer experience, and allowing us to touch internet-based solutions and beyond.”
Gomez-Cudiamat also pointed to the presence of global data center operators at ACC 2025. Their participation, she said, underscores the Philippines’ readiness to support hyperscale and AI services, citing resources such as power availability, data center capacity, and high-bandwidth connectivity.
Attendance at the conference continued to grow, with nearly 300 companies joining this year compared with about 200 in 2024. Delegates and corporate partners came from Europe, the Middle East, and across Asia.
Aside from the plenary sessions, discussions touched on infrastructure development, including how expanding fiber networks and establishing collocation sites across the country could help underserved communities gain better access to high-speed internet. The dedicated Data Center Forum highlighted the sector’s role in supporting digital services such as cloud, subsea cables, and artificial intelligence. Securing APIs is also among the focus on the workshops, which aims to assist mobile network operators in improving and ramping up services amid widespread fraud and scams.
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