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SAMENA Daily - Industry News Briefing

Industry News Briefing
October 16, 2026

Featured Member News

Digital. Intelligent. Resilient.: ZainTECH evolves brand promise ‘What’s next is now’ as it unifies operations and accelerates regional expansion.

To accelerate the next phase of its growth, ZainTECH, the integrated digital solutions arm of Zain Group, has evolved its brand promise to ‘What’s next is now,’ reflecting the meaningful business outcomes it delivers to more than 1,600 organizations and government customers through its Digital. Intelligent. Resilient. framework...

Member News

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stc Bahrain wins Best Data Service Innovation at Global Connectivity Awards 2026 for pioneering SmartVenue Insights platform

stc Bahrain, a digital enabler, has won the prestigious Best Data Service Innovation award for its pioneering enterprise solution, SmartVenue Insights, at the Global Connectivity Awards 2026, held during Capacity Europe in...

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Nokia to publish third-quarter and January-September 2026 interim report on 22 October 2026

Nokia will publish its third-quarter and January-September 2026 interim report on 22 October 2026 at approximately 8 a.m. Finnish time (EEST)...

Policy and Regulation

•	SDAIA and CST launch the “Its AI” campaign to rise awareness in fake clips and deepfake risks The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) and the Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST) have launched an awareness campaign titled “Its AI” to raise awareness of the risks...

•	Iraq caps SIM cards at seven per person under new registration rules Iraq’s telecoms regulator has approved rules that limit each citizen to seven regular SIM cards and seven data SIM cards, and require phone companies to check subscribers’ identities electronically...

Middle East

•	Ooredoo Qatar announces 5G+ first Operator Ooredoo Qatar has announced the launch of Qatar’s first 5G+ mobile network, building on the capabilities of 5G standalone, the network Ooredoo Qatar was the first to deploy...

•	Iraq to inaugurate first-of-its-kind satellite teleport The facility is a step toward achieving digital sovereignty, he said, adding that it would pave the way for the next phase of Iraq’s national space sovereignty project, with further details to be announced later...

•	Batelco by Beyon introduces Protect+ with AppleCare services in Bahrain The introduction of Protect+ comes ahead of the highly anticipated arrival of the new iPhone Duo at Batelco, further expanding the range of value-added services available to customers purchasing premium devices...

•	Saudi Council of Engineers signs co-op deal with Germany's TÜV Rheinland The Saudi Council of Engineers (SCE) has signed a co-operation agreement with leading German technical services company TÜV Rheinland covering seven major areas, including data analysis, artificial intelligence,...

North Africa

•	Algeria surpasses 4 mln FTTH subscriptions The achievement highlights ongoing government efforts to modernize national digital infrastructure and broaden internet accessibility nationwide...

3G, 4G, 5G/5G-A, Cloud, AI, Energy

•	Bouygues Telecom shuts down over 2,800 4G sites on 2.1GHz band as 5G expands Bouygues Telecom deactivated 4G services on the 2.1GHz frequency band at more than 2,800 cell sites during September 2026, while expanding its 5G footprint on the same spectrum to 19,429 sites...

•	Telefónica weighs expanding 5G home internet in Brazil Brazil's Vivo, the telecom operator controlled by Spain’s Telefónica, is studying a new 5G home internet project called Vivo Box 5G Lite, according to Veja magazine...

•	Future leaders urge adaptability, youth inclusion as AI reshapes societies Leaders from technology, business, civil society called for greater adaptability, investment in human capabilities and youth inclusion as artificial intelligence reshapes societies, economies and workplaces...

Content & Immersive Technologies

•	AMC launches free SELEKT Light service in Czech Republic and Slovakia AMC Global Media has launched SELEKT Light in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, replacing its existing AMC Mikro streaming service...

•	BBC News channel launches on YouTube for viewers in UK and US The BBC News channel is launching live on YouTube in the UK and United States as part of a trial aimed at reaching new and younger audiences...

Satellite & Hybrid Networks

•	Alaska Communications to resell Starlink for remote and backup business internet The Internet access market is growing in Alaska as traditional terrestrial network owners look to supplement coverage with satellite options...

•	Vodafone launch Express Capacity to speed up provision of 100G or 400G links Vodafone Business has launched a new service called Express Capacity, which aims to speed up the provision times of either 100G or 400G transport (data) links across selected strategic European routes to large enterprises,...

South Asia

•	PTA shares tips to improve calls, internet quality The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) advised mobile phone users to adjust their network settings and adopt newer technologies, including Voice over Long-Term Evolution (VoLTE), Wi-Fi...

•	Bangladesh Internet Governance Forum begins, stresses connectivity, inclusion, responsible AI Jointly organised by the BTRC and the Bangladesh Internet Governance Forum (BIGF), the three-day seminar will see the participation of over 200representatives, including policymakers, telecom experts,...

Global Telecom Update

•	Revolut disrupts German telecom market with launch of Revolut Mobile Revolut has officially entered the German telecommunications market with the launch of Revolut Mobile, a competitive data and voice service integrated directly into its financial app...

•	Keysight launches 1.6T Ethernet test platforms for AI data centers Keysight Technologies announced two new 1.6T Ethernet test platforms, Switch and Edge Router Tester (SERT) 1600GE and AresONE Plus 1600GE, designed to help customers validate next-generation AI data center and hyperscale...

•	Telikom and Digicel sign Papua New Guinea’s latest tower sharing deal State-owned Telikom PNG announced that it has signed a tower sharing licence agreement with Digicel PNG, marking the third such deal in Papua New Guinea’s telecoms sector in the past two months...

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