SAMENA Daily News - SAMENA Telecommunications Council

'SAMENA Daily' - Archive

SAMENA Daily - Industry News Briefing

Industry News Briefing
August 20, 2026

Featured Member News

SAMENA Council Announces Digital Continuity Forum 2026 in Dubai on Resilience, Sovereignty & UAE 6G Readiness

The SAMENA Telecommunications Council has announced the Digital Continuity Forum 2026 (DCF 2026), to be held on September 23, 2026 in Dubai bringing industry attention to the resilience, continuity, and operational requirements of critical digital infrastructure. With Chief Patronage of the UAE Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), the SAMENA Council DCF 2026 will focus on network resilience, digital continuity, critical ICT infrastructure protection, sovereign-grade infrastructure, autonomous networks, and future-network readiness...

Member News

•

ZainTECH recognized by Dubai Police for delivering “Lost and Found” platform; collaboration extends to Agentic AI-powered services

ZainTECH, the digital solutions arm of Zain Group, has been recognized by Dubai Police with a Certificate of Appreciation for the successful implementation and ongoing support of its Lost & Found platform...

•

Omantel AdTech showcases the power of intelligent audience engagement through Bank Muscat success story

As organizations across Oman increasingly seek greater efficiency, relevance, and measurable outcomes from their marketing investments, Omantel is continuing to strengthen its position as a leading provider of advanced...

Policy and Regulation

•	Kuwait launches Arqami service to let users check telecom lines registered in their names Kuwait’s Communications and Information Technology Authority has launched the Arqami service through the Sahel government app, allowing citizens and residents to view all telephone numbers and telecommunications...

•	Iraq regulator urges Korek users to switch authentication numbers amid service uncertainty Iraq’s Communications and Media Commission has advised Korek Telecom users in the Kurdistan Region to add an alternative mobile number from another licensed operator to their digital accounts, warning that users could...

Middle East

•	LG and stc tv deepen smart TV integration across Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain LG Electronics has partnered with stc tv to integrate the streaming service more deeply into LG’s webOS smart TV platform across Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain, giving users faster access to content, personalised...

•	Ericsson launches Gulf sustainability challenge for startups and young innovators Ericsson and the Hack for Earth Foundation have launched the Ericsson Sustainability Challenge for startups, university students and young innovators across the UAE, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain, with a focus on using...

•	GCC youth outperform global peers in key digital skills: GCC-STAT Young people in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries outperform their global peers in several key information and communication technology skills, according to data from the Statistical Centre for the Cooperation Council...

South Asia

•	Google establishes corporate presence in Pakistan and expands AI and skills commitments Google has formally established a corporate presence in Pakistan, marking a significant expansion of the company’s engagement with the country’s digital economy as it deepens investment in artificial...

•	Bangladesh minister presses mobile operators on call drops, rural coverage and package clarity Bangladesh’s Post and Telecommunications Minister Faqir Mahbub Anam has urged mobile operators to address persistent complaints over call drops, weak rural coverage and confusing package validity, while calling for...

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

•	Telstra upgrades Grenfell Northwest site with more 4G capacity and new 5G coverage Telstra is upgrading its mobile base station serving the Grenfell Northwest rural area to expand 4G capacity and introduce 5G coverage, with work scheduled to begin on 20 August and continue for 11 days...

•	Sure connects first Guernsey sites to new 5G network The work follows upgrades to mobile sites and core network systems, allowing Sure’s teams to test the new network in live conditions before further sites are brought into service...

•	Turkcell advances 6G technologies and Artificial Intelligence R&D Turkcell, Türkiye's leading telecommunications operator and technology company, is strengthening its position in the international R&D ecosystem...

Global Telecom Update

•	Rakuten Symphony, VIVA Bolivia explore strategic partnership for network modernization Under the MOU, Rakuten Symphony and VIVA will evaluate possibilities across Open RAN, OSS, cloud infrastructure, professional services and AI-enabled digital platforms...

•	Kazakhstan’s Data Centre Valley to launch in mid 2027 According to a number of local press reports, Kazakhstan expects to launch the first facility at Data Centre Valley, a large data centre campus in the country’s northeast, in the summer of 2027...

North Africa

•	Algeria moves AI strategy into execution with sovereign models, compute and local data Algeria has agreed a joint inter-ministerial roadmap to deploy artificial intelligence across public services, with the government placing sovereign models, domestic computing infrastructure, national data storage and...

Satellite & Hybrid Networks

•	SpaceX launches its 100th mission of the year, sends Starlink satellites to orbit This latest SpaceX Starlink launch, which took place early Wednesday from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, cements the company’s position as the undisputed leader in orbital logistics...

•	Kyivstar, Ukrtelecom partner to expand fiber broadband access across Ukraine Under the project, both operators will reciprocally use parts of each other's networks, helping bring fiber coverage to homes across the country quickly and efficiently...

Content & Immersive Technologies

•	Dutch SVOD platform Videoland drops ad‑free subscriptions Dutch SVOD platform Videoland has quietly ended its ad‑free viewing options, meaning that even subscribers on the most expensive plans will now see commercial messages...

•	SPORTEUROPE.TV relaunches platform with redesigned live sports streaming experience SPORTEUROPE.TV has relaunched its website with a redesigned interface, simplified navigation and an expanded livestream overview as part of a broader overhaul of its European sports streaming platform...

About SAMENA Council

• History

• Profile

• Board of Directors

• Working Groups

Industry Matters

• ELITE FWA Club

• 5G Development

• Digital Services

• Industry Fees & Taxation

• Latest Open Consultations

• Industry Issues

• Position Papers

• Articles & Industry Views

SAMENA Trends & Media

• SAMENA Trends

• Industry Updates

• SAMENA Council in Media

• Video Content

Please add news@samenacouncil.org to your E-mail Safe List.

If you received this news update from a colleague and are interested in receiving your own copy, please contact us here »

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.

To unsubscribe, click Manage Your Subscription below.

SAMENA Telecommunications Council