Dean NELSON
FOUNDER & CHAIRMAN IMASONS
EDITORIAL
HOTSHOTS
Magazine - The sixth edition
Welcome to the 6th edition of HOTShots Magazine, the only watchable telecom magazine!
In this issue, we explore the forces shaping telecom’s future: from AIdriven innovation and edge-powered data centers to the convergence of LEO satellites and 5G. Discover how Italy and Latin America are building tomorrow’s digital backbones, and meet 13 inspirational leaders driving bold ideas, growth, and global connectivity.
We also spotlight new ways of working, subsea breakthroughs, and collaborations redefining the industry.
HOTShots isn’t just a magazine, it’s your front-row seat to telecom’s future. Enjoy!
Shelley Wright Head of Content and Marketing, HOT TELECOM
The AI revolution
Dean Nelson envisions an AI-driven future, where massive infrastructure growth shifts toward inference-first, edge, and private enterprise data centers.
In this inspirational interview, Dean Nelson, Founder and Chairman of iMasons shares his bold view of the AI-driven future of digital infrastructure. Known for his bigpicture thinking, Dean discusses his mustread article about the “reality of AI”, breaking down how today’s massive training builds will flip to an inference-first world within just five years.
The scale is staggering. In the past year alone, 41 GW of capacity has been added to the pipeline, setting the industry on track to double in two years and triple in five.
Governments and hyperscalers are pouring billions into AI infrastructure, sparking what Dean calls an “AI arms race.”
DEAN NELSON FOUNDER & CHAIRMAN
IMASONS
Looking ahead, he predicts every building in every city could effectively become a data center, with edge computing and private AI clouds reshaping how enterprises protect their data while enhancing their products.
Don’t miss Dean’s visionary perspective on how the AI revolution will transform the world around us. Watch the full conversation to see why this moment marks the fastest build-out in digital infrastructure history.
“Every country is doing something because they realize this is the AI arms race. If you’re not in it, you lose.”
Disrupting telecom fraud
Eli Katz talks about collaboration and data sharing to combat telecom fraud, enabling real-time intelligence and cross-border regulatory alignment globally.
XConnect CEO Eli Katz returns to the HOTSeat with a clear view on one of telecom’s toughest battles: fraud. For Eli, the solution lies not in isolated tools, but in smarter collaboration. With threats cutting across mobile, voice, and messaging, data sharing is now missioncritical.
“The more data we share, the stronger we are,” Eli insists. But achieving this requires international alignment from regulators and legislators to unlock safe, cross-border flows of intelligence.
ELI KATZ CEO AT XCONNECT
“The more data we can share together, the better we can unify in addressing the challenges globally.”
Momentum is building and the direction is clear.
Industry initiatives are also stepping up. Open Gateway APIs from GSMA bring powerful identity services like SIM swap detection and silent authentication, finally enabling operators to trace suspicious activity and block fraud at its source.
Eli calls this the third evolution of fraud prevention and this time, it’s here to stay.
Real-time data sharing transforms global telecom fraud prevention.
He also talks about XConnect’s Risk Alert, a new service built with GSMA to deliver near real-time fraud intelligence to carriers and aggregators worldwide. By combining authoritative data with live alerts, XConnect is giving the industry a vital edge.
Watch Eli’s HOTShots interview to see how XConnect is transforming the global fight against fraud.
Jorge Alvarez, CEO of Retelit, shares the company’s transformative journey and ambitious growth plans. Over 25 years, Retelit has grown from a domestic infrastructure provider into a leading force in fiber, cloud, and data services across Italy.
Since 2020, Jorge has driven market consolidation, acquiring Ares, Brenner, Vita Italia, and most recently BT Italia. These moves added 11,000 kilometers of fiber, six new data centers, and 316 new customers, strengthening Retelit’s position in serving large enterprises and high-value clients.
On the international stage, strategic partnerships and the Sparkle acquisition are enabling Retelit to support Italian
JORGE ALVAREZ CEO AT RETELIT
Building Italy’s digital backbone
Jorge Alvarez drives Retelit’s bold transformation, connecting Italy and beyond through fiber, cloud, and strategic innovation.
multinationals abroad while attracting global traffic to its domestic network.
Looking ahead, Jorge aims to make Retelit Italy’s go-to player for telco infrastructure, with a focus on fiber, housing, cloud, and cybersecurity. All while guiding customers through their digital transformation journeys.
See how Retelit is shaping Italy’s digital future and creating value for businesses at home and abroad. Watch Jorge Alvarez’s full story to discover what’s next for the company.
“We acquired around 11,000 kilometers of fiber, six new data centers, 316 new customers, and ten megawatts more power.”
“The vessel is laying the cable to Puerto Rico as we speak, it’s becoming a reality”
LATAM subsea revolution
Gabriel Holgado empowers Caribbean connectivity through subsea cables, flexible solutions, and strategic partnerships.
Gabriel Holgado, SVP at Trans Americas Fiber System, shares his vision for transforming connectivity across the Caribbean and beyond. With many areas still underserved in that region, Gabriel highlights the urgent need for nextgeneration subsea cables that offer low latency, physical diversity, and reliable redundancy for both traditional operators and digital-native enterprises.
“Our system is designed not just for today, but for the future,” he explains. Trans Americas Fiber brings a carrierneutral, flexible approach, enabling cloud providers, large enterprises, and small ISPs to access tailored connectivity solutions.
Beyond infrastructure, he emphasizes partnerships as key to driving digital transformation in sectors such as tourism, fintech, and healthcare. As connectivity is the foundation of the region’s societal and economic evolution.
Excitement is building as their flagship project is now being laid, turning plans into reality, mile by mile, connecting Puerto Rico and beyond.
Discover how Gabriel and Trans Americas Fiber System are empowering the Caribbean with cutting-edge connectivity and enabling the region’s digital future. Watch the full story unfold now!
Redefining worklife balance
David
Aldworth
unveils
Ringer Mobile, separating work and personal lines, empowering employees, streamlining communications.
David Aldworth, President of Ringer, discusses the company’s recent rebrand and bold expansion into mobility.
Founded over 20 years ago at the forefront of VoIP, the company has launched Ringer Mobile, a solution designed to bring two distinct personas: personal and professional to a single mobile device without the need for extra apps.
The device supports two personas without separate phones
“People want to separate work and personal communications without carrying two phones,” says David.
Ringer Mobile allows employees to have one line for business and another for personal use, giving employers continuity of their business lines while empowering employees to maintain work-life balance.
This innovation is disruptive to the unified communications space. By eliminating bloated applications and unnecessary cloud infrastructure, Ringer provides exactly what businesses need, efficient, user-friendly mobile management.
Looking ahead, David envisions expanding Ringer’s mobile solutions further, enabling companies to control employee mobile experiences while keeping personal and professional lives distinct.
Discover how Ringer is redefining mobile communication for businesses and the future of unified communications. Watch David’s full conversation to see the innovation in action!
“It allows us to separate personal and professional lines on one device, very easy to use and innovative.”
DAVID ALDWORTH PRESIDENT AT RINGER
Innovation beneath the surface
Joerg Schwartz highlights Xtera’s Harold Wood facility, advancing in-house subsea manufacturing with greater efficiency and flexibility.
At Xtera’s new manufacturing site in Harold Wood, Joerg Schwartz, Chief Partners & Solutions Officer, gave an inside look at the company’s evolving approach to subsea system production. Traditionally agile and lean, Xtera has focused on engineering inhouse while partnering for manufacturing.
The new facility represents a strategic shift, enabling Xtera to produce specialized products, including optical drop multiplexes with greater control and flexibility.
The move to bring some manufacturing in-house was driven by scale and timing requirements for a major 7,000 km project. By setting up assembly capabilities close to their UK office, Xtera can maintain high standards of quality while improving speed and efficiency.
Looking ahead, the facility will concentrate on cost reduction and design-formanufacture improvements, while also exploring automation for tasks such as fiber splicing.
While people will continue to assemble repeaters, automation will help make the process faster and more cost-effective.
JOERG SCHWARTZ CHIEF PARTNERS & SOLUTIONS OFFICER AT XTERA
“We’ve always been agile and lean, but this time, being agile was more important.”
Step inside the brand new Xtera cuttingedge manufacturing lab and see how the company is combining engineering expertise, efficiency, and innovation to meet the demands of next-generation subsea projects, and discover how this new approach is shaping the future of subsea manufacturing.
Beyond turnkey: Inside the new era of subsea disaggregation Special Featured Article
A changing landscape
This month’s issue of HOTSHOTS magazine includes interviews with turnkey system operators, disaggregated system owners and a supplier who offers both turnkey and disaggregated services. It therefore seemed like the perfect opportunity to spotlight the risks and rewards of both approaches to contracting subsea cables.
The subsea cable market is evolving rapidly. Ownership changes, squeezed vessel schedules, and busy manufacturing lines are reshaping the landscape.
As a result, customers are questioning how they source and assemble their networks. For years, the go-to method was to hand everything - cable, repeaters, installation, and all the ancillary parts - to one turnkey supplier.
It felt straightforward: one contract, one accountable partner, and the “assurance” that when the system is turned on, every component will function in harmony. But turnkey supply doesn’t always offer the best of everything. A vendor with worldclass marine installation might also be constrained by factory lead times.
LYNSEY THOMAS SUBSEA SPECIALIST AT
LT CONSULTING
Additionally, another with highperformance amplifiers might not offer the most advanced cable design.
I therefore see more and more customers asking: should we break the system into parts and buy each component from the best supplier available? This approach, known as disaggregated supply, isn’t as radical as it first sounds. In fact, early subsea consortium projects regularly split supply scopes between different manufacturers.
Permitting responsibilities move between purchasers and suppliers depending on the region, experience, capability and willingness of the parties. What is new is the extent to which developers are considering disaggregation for more complex systems.
“Ownership changes, squeezed vessel schedules, and busy manufacturing lines are reshaping the landscape.”
Freedom to ch oose
The appeal is clear. A disaggregated approach gives buyers the freedom to choose exactly who is best suited for each part of the job: the cable from one vendor, the repeaters from another, and installation from whichever contractor has a suitable vessel available at the right time.
In a period when manufacturing lines and ships are heavily booked, this flexibility can make the difference between a project that progresses, and one that stalls. It also allows developers to start work even when some details remain undecided. Early desktop studies or permitting work are often performed.
There are sustainability and regional development benefits too. Rather than shipping thousands of tonnes of cable across oceans, a developer can choose a nearer supplier. It’s “local product for local requirements,” building local capacity and trimming logistics costs and carbon footprint along the way.
Complexity comes as standard
And of course, cost always plays a role. By cutting out turnkey mark-ups and negotiating directly with specialist suppliers, owners can push for the best possible pricing. They may also negotiate more favourable commercial terms, spreading purchasing decisions throughout the project lifecycle so they are based on the most current technology and market conditions.
But for every advantage, a new responsibility and/or risk lands with the purchaser. The biggest challenge is integration. When several companies contribute parts of the puzzle, who is responsible if something fails?
A tiny optical margin miscalculation, a routing error, a manufacturing defect, or even a speck of dust on a connector can compromise system performance. And when multiple suppliers are involved, the chances of misaligned tolerances, conflicting schedules, or vague interface points increase dramatically.
Turnkey suppliers usually carry the performance risk and absorb the coordination burden, that’s part of what customers pay for. With disaggregation, the purchaser takes that on. They must negotiate and enforce multiple contracts, each with clear deliverables and aligned responsibilities.
Warranties and insurance must match across suppliers. Otherwise, gaps can form that only become apparent when something goes wrong. Even nontechnical issues can cause significant disruption.
For example, if cable arrives late to port due to customs issues, the owner, not the cable supplier or the installation contractor, may end up paying costly standby fees for a vessel waiting offshore.
Experience defines success
That’s why experience counts. Successful disaggregation requires a project team with a deep understanding of how all the
pieces fit together, not only technically but commercially and logistically. A strong integrator or project manager must be constantly anticipating what might go wrong next. As seasoned managers like to say: you’re never finished worrying, you just change the topic of concern. There’s also a question of project suitability.
On shorter regional systems with minimal repeaters and fewer branching units, disaggregated supply is already proven. For transoceanic systems, where complex optical design, shape equalisation, ROADMs, and narrower margins are the norm, turnkey suppliers still provide comfort that everything will interoperate and be delivered in a sequence that makes sense.
The verdict
So, is disaggregation worth it? The answer depends on who’s asking. If the project owner has a strong appetite for risk, confidence in supply chain pricing, and access to experienced integration capability, disaggregated procurement offers undeniable benefits: flexibility,
commercial advantage, and potentially superior technology.
It encourages innovation and maintains competitive pressure on turnkey players. But if the organisation values predictability above all else, or simply doesn’t have the structure or expertise for fine-grained coordination, then the turnkey route remains the safer, more efficient choice. In that case, the price paid includes peace of mind.
As the industry continues to evolve, we will likely see a hybrid future emerge. Turnkey for the most complex routes and buyers with limited risk capacity. Disaggregation for regional builds, agile operators, and those determined to optimise every element of their network.
In the end, the procurement strategy that wins will be the one most aligned with the owner’s capability and appetite to steer the journey, because with disaggregation, the destination matters, but the route and the ride can be bumpier.
Reinventing digital payments
Emilio del Rio shares how IDT Digital Payment is redefining connectivity through partnerships, and innovative global solutions.
“There are many ways people connect today. They can send gifts, communicate, travel, or even support each other digitally.”
Emilio del Rio, President of IDT Digital Payment, joined Isabelle to discuss how the industry is evolving beyond traditional voice services. For Emilio, connecting people today means understanding new ways they communicate and transact.
IDT Digital Payment’s mission has always been connecting people. Now, it’s about supporting the diverse ways they interact, from mobile top-ups to digital gift cards and SME solutions.
The company’s catalogue now features over 20,000 products, organised into three main categories that reflect how people live, work, and connect in a digitalfirst world.
More importantly, partnership is at the heart of their approach.
Emilio highlights multiple ways collaborators can leverage IDT’s retail, direct-to-consumer, and wholesale channels, creating mutually beneficial opportunities for growth.
Furthermore, with its expanding portfolio and innovative approach to digital payments, IDT is empowering consumers and businesses alike to go beyond traditional connectivity.
Finally, the company’s Digital Payment solutions are reshaping digital interactions and offering new ways to connect, redefining the future of commerce.
Watch the full interview to discover how IDT Digital Payment is transforming the way people connect and communicate.
EMILIO DEL RIO PRESIDENT
AT IDT DIGITAL PAYMENT
FERGUS INNES CCO AT CROSSLAKE FIBRE
Super HOTShot: powering the AI future
Join Isabelle for her second Super HOTShot as she speaks with Fergus Innes, CCO of Crosslake Fibre, and Richard Norris, Director of Global Submarine Networks at Ciena, about the rising demand for AI-driven network infrastructure.
As data centers seek greater power and compute capacity, unique subsea and terrestrial routes are becoming essential for large-scale AI operations and nextgeneration global networks.
Fergus highlights the importance of connecting remote data centers with highcapacity networks, which traditional core networks don’t cover.
“Unique routes, networks, and are essential to driven network infrastructure.”
routes,
high-capacity partnerships to scaling AI-
network infrastructure.”
Crosslake Fibre helps clients scale quickly, while reducing operational complexity. Solutions like metered-dark fibre and amplification-as-aservice allow AI providers to expand networks efficiently, paying only as they grow.
Richard emphasizes that both capacity and operational efficiency are critical. By partnering closely with network operators, Ciena delivers future-ready solutions designed to meet evolving AI workload demands. Collaboration enables optimized, best-in-class networks tailored to client needs.
Crosslake Fibre and Ciena are bridging the gap between compute-heavy data centers and global connectivity, driving innovation and shaping the future of AI networks.
Watch this exclusive Super HOTShot interview to hear their insights firsthand!
RICHARD NORRIS DIRECTOR OF GLOBAL SUBMARINE NETWORKS AT CIENA
Unlocking the subsea frontier
Anniki Mikelsaar discusses her research on global digital infrastructure, highlighting subsea innovation, AI potential, and opportunities for diverse emerging talent.
ANNIKI MIKELSAAR PHD
STUDENT
AT OXFORD UNIVERSITY
Isabelle spoke with Anniki Mikelsaar, a PhD student at Oxford University, about her research into global digital infrastructure.
Anniki’s interest in the submarine cable industry was sparked while analyzing foreign direct investment trends in Northern Europe, where she discovered the sector is strategically vital yet underexplored.
“The scale and importance of this industry are incredible,” says Anniki. She is particularly excited by the potential for distributed AI training, fiber sensing innovations, and emerging technologies that could reduce GPU costs and improve inference speeds.
Anniki also highlighted the welcoming and supportive spirit of SubOptic, noting how encouraging the conference has been for young professionals and researchers entering the field.
She emphasizes that there is ample room for diverse talent, not only in technical roles but also in assessing environmental and community impacts of subsea infrastructure.
Curious about the next generation shaping global digital infrastructure? Watch Anniki Mikelsaar share her insights and discover why the subsea telecom industry offers opportunities for innovation, impact, and exploration.
Reimagining telecom connected future
Silvia Peneva emphasizes ITW’s role in driving innovation, fostering partnerships, and shaping the evolving global telecom and connectivity landscape.
Silvia Peneva, Managing Director of the GLF & ITW at Techoraco, shares why industry events, such as ITW, are more important than ever as the telecom landscape evolves increasingly rapidly.
From global connectivity carriers shifting toward digital infrastructure, to hundreds of deals and meetings happening over just a few days, Silvia calls ITW “12 months of business in three days.”
This year, the conference continues to innovate with initiatives like the Tower Exchange Meetup Americas, the Women in Tech conference, DEI programs, and the new Product Innovation Forum, designed to spotlight emerging products and services shaping the sector.
SILVIA PENEVA MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE GLF & ITW AT TECHORACO
for a
Silvia also highlights the Tomorrow’s Telco 2 strategy from the GLF board, focusing on 3 key priorities: driving interoperability for ubiquitous connectivity, fostering innovation across products and services, and reinforcing trust and responsibility as the foundation of the global carrier community.
For Silvia, ITW is the place where ideas, partnerships, and industry evolution converge.
Explore Silvia’s insights on the future of connectivity and see how ITW is driving innovation across the telecom ecosystem. Watch the full conversation now!
“ITW 2025 is an ecosystem event, uniting the global connectivity and digital infrastructure industry.”
The space-tech collision
Dr. Riad Hartani highlights 2025’s focus on LEO-satellite and 5G convergence, adoption challenges, and geopolitical implications.
Emerging satellites drive future 5G expansion
collision
Riad Hartani, Founder of Xona, shares his insights on one of the most transformative trends in telecom: the convergence of satellite and terrestrial networks. For Riad, the focus is on low Earth orbit constellations meeting 5G, creating new broadband and direct-tosatellite communication opportunities.
“This is really happening now,” he says. “We’re entering a phase where multiple technologies and approaches will coexist, and the big questions are: which will succeed, and how will operators adopt them?”
Riad points to three core challenges: technology evolution and adoption, cost structures and scaling, and the complex geopolitics shaping who partners with whom.
DR. RIAD HARTANI FOUNDER AT XONA
Spectrum harmonization and international coordination are also critical, as operators and satellite providers plan for deployment over the next few years.
For the industry, these developments could redefine connectivity, offering new services and global reach like never before. Satellite, once quiet, is back at the forefront and its impact on 5G and mobile broadband is just beginning.
Don’t miss the full conversation, see how Riad envisions satellites and 5G reshaping the future of connectivity.
Building Latin America’s digital backbone
Renato Tradardi highlights Latin America’s digital growth through AI, fibre, and Gold Data’s agility.
Renato Tradardi, CEO of Gold Data, shares his perspective on the rapid evolution of digital infrastructure in Latin America. The region is experiencing a surge in demand for high-availability fiber networks and AI-ready data centers, driving a transformation that is challenging traditional infrastructure players.
“Latin America is in full expansion, but the market often struggles to keep pace,” says Renato. Gold Data differentiates itself through agility, rapidly adapting its business model to meet emerging needs, from subterranean fiber deployments to new subsea cables.
Central to this effort is the MANTA subsea cable project, connecting Mexico, the U.S., and Latin America. Scheduled for completion by 2027–2028, MANTA aims to deliver state-of-the-art connectivity and support the region’s digital growth at a global scale.
Looking ahead, Renato emphasizes Gold Data’s long-term vision: continued investment in submarine assets and regional data centers, enabling AI-driven services and new digital capabilities across Latin America.
Explore how Gold Data is shaping the future of connectivity in Latin America. Watch Renato Tradardi explain the company’s bold vision.
RENATO TRADARDI CEO AT GOLD DATA
“MANTA is a cable that will connect the entire region, not only Mexico with the United States, but Latin America.”
