AdminMalaysian mobile operator Tune Talk has completed Phase 1 of its Cloud Core Network Modernisation, marking a significant regional milestone with the deployment of an advanced cloud-native core at scale. The announcement was made at Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2026, positioning the company as the first ASEAN telco to operationalise this next-generation architecture on a wide commercial footprint.
The rollout, delivered in partnership with Nokia, was finalised in January 2026. Phase 2 is now underway and will focus on strengthening automation, orchestration and intelligent network capabilities.
Built on a fully containerised, microservices-based framework, the new cloud-native core enables elastic scalability, resilient performance and real-time intelligence. Industry observers note that such architecture represents a structural shift away from legacy telecom systems, allowing operators to deploy updates faster, scale dynamically and optimise operational efficiency without linear cost increases.
Rapid subscriber growth
The transformation is already yielding measurable results. Tune Talk’s subscriber base expanded from 0.95 million in 2024 to 1.8 million by end-2025, with projections pointing towards 2.5 million subscribers by mid-2026. The operator also reports improved network stability, stronger service consistency and reduced operational complexity through automation.
“The rapid subscriber growth underscores the effectiveness of our technology-first strategy—where infrastructure modernization directly fuels commercial acceleration,” said Gurtaj Singh Padda, Co-founder and CEO of Tune Talk. “This is not an upgrade. This is a structural reset of how a mobile network operates. By becoming the region’s first telco to implement this cloud-native core architecture at scale, we have built a platform designed for hyper-growth, automation, and digital service innovation.”
For Malaysia’s competitive mobile landscape, the development underscores how digital-native operators are leveraging infrastructure transformation to accelerate market share gains while maintaining cost discipline.
Strengthening independence through roaming infrastructure
Alongside its core modernisation, Tune Talk is building its own roaming capabilities, reinforcing its ambition to operate as a fully independent cloud-native mobile network operator. By developing in-house roaming infrastructure, the company gains greater control over international connectivity, improves service quality for subscribers abroad and opens pathways for cross-border innovation.
“Our collaboration with Tune Talk shows what’s possible when cloud-native technology is used not just to modernize networks, but to transform how operators grow and innovate,” said Raghav Sahgal, Chief Customer Officer at Nokia. “By providing a fully containerized, cloud-ready core, Nokia is helping partners like Tune Talk build intelligent, resilient networks that scale at speed and unlock new digital services — giving them greater control, efficiency and the foundation for advanced connectivity experiences.”
The dual strategy of ASEAN-first cloud core deployment and proprietary roaming infrastructure places Tune Talk among a new generation of digital MNOs emerging from Southeast Asia. As Malaysia advances its digital transformation agenda, the collaboration demonstrates that globally competitive telecom innovation can be engineered and scaled from within the region.
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