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Axiata, PLDT, Telin, Turkcell, Viettel and Zain Join SoftBank-backed Telecom Blockchain Consortium

Axiata, PLDT, Telin, Turkcell, Viettel and Zain Join SoftBank-backed Telecom Blockchain Consortium Image Credit: CBSG

A group of ASEAN and South Asian operators - Axiata Group, PLDT, Telin, Turkcell, Viettel and Zain - has joined the Carrier Blockchain Study Group (CBSG), a leading telecom blockchain consortium.

Launched in September 2017, the consortium is formed to enable joint development of an innovative blockchain platform designed specifically for telecom carriers. It is led by U.S.-based blockchain technology company TBCASoft and SoftBank, with Sprint and Far EasTone Telecommunications as initial founding members.

Other members of the CBSG Consortium are South Korea-based LG Uplus , KT Corporation, and UAE-based Etisalat. CBSG aims to provide telecom members and their customers various services such as secured global digital payments, clearing and settlement, personal authentication, IoT applications and other services using blockchain technology.

Last year, the consortium successfully demonstrated cross-carrier top-ups, mobile wallet roaming, international remittances and IoT payment on a cross-carrier payment platform system using TBCASoft’s blockchain technology that can be integrated with telecom carriers’ existing systems. The technology enables a highly secure and versatile global blockchain platform system that can be operated 24/7 at low cost. 

The blockchain platform and solutions proposed by the CBSG Consortium are specifically designed for telecom carriers and will help them create and extend their services beyond traditional markets and borders.

Dominic P. Arena, Group Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer, Axiata Group
We look forward to working with our operator peers to develop the world’s most secure and fit-for-purpose Blockchain-as-a-Service (BaaS) infrastructure, upon which we will build the next generation of digital services for our Consumer and Enterprise & Government customers.

Ling Wu, Founder and CEO, TBCASoft
The CBSG Consortium has been growing very fast since it was founded in September 2017. We have accomplished a lot in inter-carrier blockchain business innovation with existing CBSG members. 

Author

Executive Editor and Telecoms Strategist at The Fast Mode | 5G | IoT/M2M | Telecom Strategy | Mobile Service Innovations 

Tara Neal heads the strategy & editorial unit at The Fast Mode, focusing on latest technologies such as gigabit broadband, 5G, cloud-native networking, edge computing, virtualization, software-defined networking and network automation as well as broader telco segments such as IoT/M2M, CX, OTT services and network security. Tara holds a First Class Honours in BSc Accounting and Finance from The London School of Economics, UK and is a CFA charterholder from the CFA Institute, United States. Tara has over 22 years of experience in technology and business strategy, and has earlier served as project director for technology and economic development projects in various management consulting firms.

Follow Tara Neal on Twitter @taraneal11, LinkedIn @taraneal11, Facebook or email her at tara.neal@thefastmode.com.

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