How did Brunei restructure the telecommunications industry?

DST developed its pioneering strategy as the Brunei government restructured the telecommunications industry by consolidating the country’s fibre-optic internet connectivity and mobile infrastructure under the purview of a single wholesale network operator: state-owned Unified National Networks (UNN).

What is unified national networks (UNN) in Brunei?

In 2019 Brunei created Unified National Networks (UNN), a wholesale network consolidating fixed, mobile, and submarine infrastructure for DST, imagine, and Progresif. In June 2023 Brunei officially launched nationwide 5G with about 90% of the population covered.

What are Brunei's future power grid management strategies?

Brunei’s future power grid management strategies focus on creating a more flexible, resilient, and sustainable electrical infrastructure. This includes investments in energy storage technologies, advanced grid management systems, and increased renewable energy capacity.

How has Brunei developed its power grid?

Brunei’s power grid management has evolved significantly from its early dependence on oil and gas-driven electricity generation. The sultanate has strategically developed its electrical infrastructure to support economic diversification and meet growing energy demands.

Why is Brunei transforming its energy system?

This transformation reflects Brunei’s commitment to modernizing its national energy systems while maintaining reliability and efficiency. The power generation in Brunei primarily relies on natural gas-fired power plants, with increasing investments in renewable energy technologies.

Why does Brunei have a small telecom market?

Small Market Size: With only ~450k people, Brunei’s telecom market is tiny. This limits economies of scale – network infrastructure is expensive, and fewer customers means higher cost per user to recoup investments. This was one reason all networks were consolidated under UNN; competing networks would have been unsustainable.