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SAMENA Daily - Industry News Briefing

Industry News Briefing
March 17, 2026

Featured Member News

Cisco secure AI Factory with NVIDIA makes AI easier to deploy and secure, anywhere organizations need it

Cisco expands its Secure AI Factory with NVIDIA to work not just in large data centers, but at local edge sites where real-time decisions can't wait, from hospitals and warehouses to moving vehicles....

Member News

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stc Bahrain provides IOT solutions to NBH Loop

stc Bahrain, a digital enabler, announced delivering a strategic project with the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports to provide private connectivity for the SOS Infrastructure & Service for NBH (Nasser bin Hamad) Loop...

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Nokia launches suite of application‑optimized optical solutions for AI-era networks

Nokia announced a suite of new optical networking innovations designed to address the unprecedented scale and application diversity demands driven by the AI supercycle...

Policy and Regulation

•	Direct-to-device satellites: Four ways to connect the world The latest Space Connect webinar hosted by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) underscored the changing perceptions and expanding applications of D2D...

•	Papua New Guinea plans SIM card registration Papua New Guinea intends to join the growing list of countries insisting on SIM card registration after a lengthy consultation process that ended recently...

Middle East

•	Omnix International partners with Dataiku to accelerate enterprise AI adoption across the GCC Omnix International has announced a new partnership with Dataiku aimed at helping organizations adopt artificial intelligence at scale while ensuring strong security, governance, and measurable business outcomes...

•	Alfa activates free plan dedicated to distance learning for subscribers Telecom operator Alfa announced in a statement published the automatic activation of the Free e-Learning plan for all its data subscribers on its network in Lebanon...

•	MoCSY launches Digital Innovation Award for libraries in Oman Oman’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth (MoCSY) has launched the Digital Innovation Award for Libraries, an initiative aimed at encouraging libraries across the country to adopt advanced technologies and modern...

South Asia

•	PTA speeds up 5G rollout plans ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr The PTA is expediting the 5G rollout in Pakistan, aiming for a launch before Eid-ul-Fitr. Telecom operators are preparing for simultaneous service deployment...

•	Starlink internet launched on Bangladesh trains in trial deployment Bangladesh has introduced Starlink satellite internet on moving trains for the first time, marking a new step in the country’s efforts to modernize passenger connectivity services...

North Africa

•	Mobile calls and SMS decline in Morocco as messaging apps gain ground The volume of outgoing mobile phone calls in Morocco declined significantly in 2025 as consumers increasingly turned to internet-based messaging platforms for everyday communication...

3G, 4G and 5G Networks

•	Vodacom achieves African first with SuperUpload, offering up to 250 Mb/s 5G uplink speed Telecommunications group Vodacom South Africa has achieved a significant milestone with the successful testing of SuperUpload, a 5G advanced technology that delivers uplink speeds of 254 Mb/s...

Satellite & Internet

•	China establishes technical committee to standardize satellite internet systems and services China's State Administration for Market Regulation has officially approved the establishment of a national technical committee to standardize satellite internet systems and services...

•	Xfinity and Comcast Business high-speed fiber internet now available in Cheney, Washington Comcast announced that it has connected the first homes and businesses in Cheney to multi-gigabit, symmetrical Internet from America’s smartest and most reliable converged network...

Global Telecom Update

•	WBBA reports show AI driving customer service, cybersecurity, and network evolution Telcos must look beyond their own organizations to maximize the benefits of AI, the WBBA advises in a new report launched at BDC Barcelona 2026...

•	MTN Uganda sees record service revenue and fintech growth in 2025 MTN Uganda has reported strong financial and operational performance for the year ended 31 December 2025, driven by growth in service revenue, data consumption and fintech services...

•	Telekom Malaysia, Tenaga partner for green digital infrastructure Telekom Malaysia (TM) and state utility company Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) announced on Monday they have signed an MoU to develop green energy solutions for more sustainable and interconnected energy and telecoms...

Content & Immersive Technologies

•	Paramount+ to absorb BET+ as streaming consolidation continues Paramount Global is preparing to fold BET+ into Paramount+, leaving the group with a single subscription streaming service in the United States...

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Disclaimer: Information contained herein has been obtained from sources, which we deem reliable. SAMENA Telecommunications Council is not liable for any misinformed decisions that the reader may reach by being solely reliant on information contained herein. Expert advice should be sought.

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