Content delivery networks (CDNs) are a geographically distributed network of servers (caches) that work together to deliver content by moving it closer to the end-users.
In early 2022, AWS announced a new element to its cloud network infrastructure: the local zone.
With increased focus on moving cloud services closer to end-users, the local zone provides low-latency access to applications running closer to customers.
Google offers a similar service with its dedicated interconnect service, an option to connect to a low-latency colocation facility that provides latencies of less than 5 milliseconds between the workloads in a specified region and the on-ramp location.
OVH launched the same local zone service in the first quarter of 2024, and Microsoft joined in as well with their extended zone service launched in the summer of 2024.
Here's how these services differ—and how many have launched.
In 2024, 13 new cloud regions were launched globally. This marks a significant slowdown in the deployment of new cloud regions.
There hasn't been a year with fewer than 20 new regions since 2017. As you may recall, 26 regions launched in 2023, 24 in 2022, 27 in 2021, and 25 in 2020. At the peak in 2019, 41 regions came online.
Make some space on your wall.
The 2025 Africa Telecommunications Map is out—and it pairs perfectly with this year’s Submarine Cable Map.
Last month, I had the pleasure of speaking at Cairo ICT about colocation and connectivity trends.
I covered global bandwidth first, followed by a rundown on bandwidth in the Middle East and Africa.
Next up, data centers and interconnection hubs, with a discussion on where the hubs are, what makes a hub, and how hubs grow. Finally, I talked about end-user demand, which is very important with the growth of internet and demand.
You can catch a video of this presentation and download my slides below.
Competition between the United States and China continues to be a hot topic.
Take The Economist, which recently published America v China: who controls Asia’s internet?
While this piece did a great job highlighting the impact of geopolitical tensions on telecom infrastructure throughout Asia, my colleague Alan Mauldin and I want to expand on this coverage by offering updated data on two important areas of the story: cloud and cables.
Today, I'm breaking down three fundamental components of cloud networks.
Globally, 23 new cloud regions were launched in 2023.
Let’s break that down by region. Which region added the most? And which regions contributed zero?
Many retail service providers, such as mobile operators, MVNOs, and cable broadband providers, rely heavily on wholesale carriers to transport and terminate their customers’ international calls.
Wholesale carriers terminated approximately 257 billion minutes of traffic in 2022, down 5% from 2021. Wholesale traffic declined at an average rate of 1% per year over the past ten years, compared to a -2% CAGR for overall traffic. Wholesale carriers terminated nearly three-fourths (72%) of international traffic in 2022, up from 70% the year before.
Traffic to mobile phones in emerging markets has spurred expansion in wholesalers' share of the overall market. In 2022, wholesale carriers terminated over 87% of traffic to Sub-Saharan Africa and South America. In contrast, wholesale carriers terminated only 56% of traffic to Western Europe.
Wholesale revenues have changed only marginally from ten years ago. But let’s take a moment to look under the hood.
