Public Safety Connectivity: TCCA’s Critical Communications Broadband Group published a white paper on off-network mission-critical communications using sidelink device-to-device tech, mapping key performance indicators and ways to optimize reliability when coverage is compromised. Regional Infrastructure Push (Malaysia): Malaysia’s MCMC and the Highway Authority signed an MoU to improve telecom coverage along highways, targeting 77 new towers across about 50km of weak-coverage stretches and tying connectivity to smarter transport systems. Satellite Direct-to-Cell Trial (Malaysia): Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said Starlink will trial direct-to-device/direct-to-cell connectivity in Malaysia, aiming to reach areas without towers. Regulatory Pressure on Operators (Australia): Singtel confirmed it is in talks over a minority stake sale in Optus as Australia’s regulator takes Optus to court over the 2025 “Triple Zero” outage. Mission-Critical Hardware (Latin America): RugGear joined ALAS to strengthen mission-critical communications and security industry ties across Latin America and the Caribbean. Telecom Market Watch (Qatar): Qatar’s telecom sector fell 6.08% for the week, the steepest drop among QSE sectors. Cyber/Crime Angle: Malaysia police raids highlighted how crypto mining is being linked to electricity theft in Southeast Asia.