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Qatar Airways Transforms Connectivity With Starlink Wi-Fi

by News Editor

March 3, 2025

In an innovative leap, Qatar Airways has significantly reduced its aircraft Wi-Fi installation time from three days to a mere 9.5 hours through a collaboration with Starlink. This strategic partnership allows over 50% of the airline’s Boeing 777 fleet, which includes nearly 30 aircraft, to now boast Starlink’s high-speed Wi-Fi connectivity.

At the Web Summit 2025 in Doha, CEO Eng. Badr Mohammed Al Meer revealed this milestone during the panel discussion, ‘Redefining Aviation: How Qatar Airways Sets the Benchmark.’ The airline has achieved its promise to offer unmatched wireless communication onboard its flights, providing an enhanced passenger experience.

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Accelerating Installation Speeds

The deployment of Starlink Wi-Fi is set to exceed 50 aircraft by May, with continuous installations planned. Collaborating closely with Boeing, Airbus, and Starlink teams, Qatar Airways is paving the way for a future where connectivity is seamless and rapid.

Looking To The Future

Qatar Airways aims to be the first to equip its Dreamliner 787s and A350-1000s with Starlink by year-end. This development indicates a proactive pursuit of cutting-edge technology to enhance passenger satisfaction and meet future travelers’ expectations.

Learn more about how innovation is reshaping industries by exploring developments like DeepSeek’s AI disruption against Nvidia.

Harnessing AI For Superior Service

Furthermore, Al Meer highlighted the plan to leverage AI, citing projects like the Sama app to improve customer service, meal options, and online services. Our long-standing partnership with Web Summit ensures that Qatar Airways remains at the forefront of technological innovation.

Microsoft Bets Big On South Africa With $297M AI And Cloud Investment

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

March 7, 2025

Microsoft is doubling down on its commitment to South Africa, pledging an additional 5.4 billion rand ($297 million) by 2027 to expand its cloud and AI infrastructure in the country.

The announcement, made by Vice Chairman Brad Smith in Johannesburg, comes ahead of a key South African investment conference and adds to the 20.4 billion rand Microsoft has already poured into Africa’s most industrialized economy.

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Driving Growth Through AI And Talent

Beyond boosting infrastructure, Microsoft is making a play for South Africa’s digital future. Over the next year, the tech giant will fund certification exams for 50,000 young people, equipping them with in-demand digital skills to fuel economic growth and innovation.

South Africa has struggled with sluggish economic expansion—averaging under 1% growth annually for more than a decade—and is actively courting private-sector investment to accelerate momentum.

Big Tech’s Race For Africa

Microsoft was an early mover in South Africa’s cloud computing race, launching data centers in Johannesburg and Cape Town long before Amazon and Google entered the market. The company is now ramping up capacity with a new facility in Centurion, Gauteng, while also spearheading a $1 billion geothermal-powered data center in Kenya.

President Cyril Ramaphosa welcomed the move, calling Microsoft’s investment a vote of confidence in South Africa’s economic potential. “This company really has an African heart,” he said, underscoring the country’s efforts to position itself as a prime destination for global tech investment.