An internationally recognized leader in network measurement and connectivity intelligence, Ookla concluded its first Telecommunications Regulatory Summit for the Asia-Pacific region last week in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The summit brought together over 40 regulatory representatives from more than 10 countries across the Asia-Pacific region. The event served as a valuable platform for policymakers to share best practices in regulatory planning and oversight, as well as how they’re leveraging Ookla’s connectivity insights to help address the digital divide through broadband network improvements in their respective markets.

“As a trusted industry leader, Ookla is honored to host this event encouraging collaboration and enabling regulators to share best practices”

From effective spectrum management to increasing the availability of broadband through fixed wireless access (FWA), representatives from regulatory bodies throughout the region shared how they are closing the digital divide, supporting consumer protection, and increasing competition within their markets. Central to most of these efforts is a clear understanding of existing network performance, quality, and availability — and how Ookla’s crowdsourced network insights assist regulators in evaluating and improving connectivity.

“It is important to make informed decisions, drive tangible improvements, and revolutionize our approach to strengthen internet connectivity in the country,” said CTIO of Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) Sam Majid. “Crowdsourced data has become critical for us to understand where the demand for connectivity is, where we need to improve, and where we need to deploy. These insights help us manage regulatory policy to address the digital divide, support consumer protections, and increase competition within the market.”

Broad public access to reliable high-speed internet access is a requirement for economic growth, innovation, and social development. By bringing together regulators from across the region, the summit aimed to facilitate a collaborative exchange of ideas focused on leveraging network intelligence to help improve connected experiences for all.

“As a trusted industry leader, Ookla is honored to host this event encouraging collaboration and enabling regulators to share best practices,” said President and CEO of Ookla, a division of Ziff Davis Stephen Bye. “We recognize the critical role that regulators play in shaping the future of connectivity. This summit underscores Ookla’s dedication to helping different countries close the digital divide. We are committed to working with regulators to create a more connected and digitally inclusive community.”

The inaugural APAC Regulatory Summit marks another step in Ookla’s journey to help drive meaningful improvements in broadband connectivity for users across the globe.