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SAMENA Daily - Industry News Briefing

Industry News Briefing
September 16, 2026

Featured Member News

Cisco delivers trusted AI at scale through new splunk advancements

As AI agents take on more of the work inside the enterprise, the biggest barrier to adoption isn’t capability – it's confidence. Customers need to trust that AI is secure, governed, and worth the cost before they let it run at scale...

Member News

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Eutelsat selects Arianespace for two upcoming OneWeb LEO launches

Scheduled for 2027 and 2028, the missions will launch OneWeb satellites aboard Ariane 64 rockets, the most powerful version of Ariane 6, from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana...

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ESpanix deploys Nokia Deepfield Defender to protect Spain's internet traffic from DDoS attacks

Nokia announced that ESpanix, Spain's largest internet exchange point (IXP), has selected and deployed Nokia Deepfield Defender to protect its exchange platform and connected networks against distributed...

Policy and Regulation

•	Bahrain's iGA seals agreement with Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority Bahrain's Information & eGovernment Authority (iGA) has signed an agreement with the Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA) in a move aimed at strengthening joint co-operation and the exchange of expertise and knowledge in...

Middle East

•	Saudi Arabia hosts UNESCO global forum as AI ethics moves from principles to implementation Saudi Arabia is hosting the fourth UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence in Riyadh, bringing together more than 1,200 participants to examine how governments can translate AI ethics principles into...

•	Oman: Green AI Alliance to link technology growth with clean energy Oman has launched a Green Artificial Intelligence Alliance to promote the use of cleaner energy in AI and high-performance computing as the country seeks to reduce the environmental impact of its expanding digital economy...

•	M42 to unify clinical and genomic data with Oracle Health Data Intelligence UAE-based healthcare group M42 plans to deploy Oracle Health Data Intelligence across its network to bring clinical, genomic and real-world data into a unified environment, with diabetes programmes set to become the first...

•	PIF spearheading Saudi Arabia’s push to build AI ecosystem Saudi Arabia is ramping up investment in artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure, led by its wealth fund PIF as the country seeks to attract technology capital and build domestic AI capabilities...

South Asia

•	PTA orders PTML to suspend new ONIC SIM, eSIM issuance and subscriptions The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has directed state-owned telecom operator Pakistan Telecommunication Mobile Limited (PTML) to immediately stop issuing new ONIC SIMs and eSIMs, activating new connections,...

•	DSI joins the Dialog Pay Merchant ecosystem Customers can now make secure LankaQR payments using Dialog Pay at over 260 DSI stores, adding greater convenience to their shopping experience while receiving complimentary Dialog data on eligible LankaQR transactions...

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

•	Telstra to upgrade 4G network capacity in Westmere Telstra will upgrade the mobile base station serving Westmere from September 17, 2026, with the work aimed at increasing 4G network capacity and improving mobile data performance in the area...

•	Tencent Cloud partners with U Mobile on enterprise 5G and AI solutions Tencent Cloud announced that it has signed an MoU with Malaysian 5G operator U Mobile to explore development of practical 5G and AI solutions for enterprises and SMEs...

•	Globant, Aldar Properties induct AI-powered agents Built on Salesforce Agentforce and powered by Data 360, the initiative marks a significant step in how Mena's property sector is moving from AI experimentation to enterprise-scale deployment, with AI agents supporting...

Global Telecom Update

•	IOCO adds the Cato SASE Platform to its managed cybersecurity portfolio This service addresses the needs of enterprises in South Africa facing rising cyber risk, growing AI adoption, and increasingly complex hybrid and cloud environments...

•	GDIT launches zero trust solutions for existing IT systems The cyber threat landscape facing the DoW and federal agencies is evolving rapidly, with AI fundamentally changing the speed, scale and complexity of emerging threats...

•	Cybastion to support Senegal's digital transformation plans Cybastion, a US company that delivers digital and infrastructure solutions in Africa, reportedly plans to mobilise about US$300 million for several projects supporting Senegal's digital transformation...

North Africa

•	Egypt’s ICT sector growth accelerates to 13.8% in FY2024/25: IDSC Egypt’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector recorded a real growth rate at fixed prices of 13.76% during fiscal year (FY) 2024/2025, compared to 8.43% in FY2013/2014, according to a report by the...

Satellite & Hybrid Networks

•	KDDI signs Asia-first Starlink mobile V2 agreement with SpaceX The new technology will enable full cellular coverage with high-speed internet connectivity and native voice calling through "au Starlink Direct," a direct-to-device communication service, which today provides customers with...

•	BEAD’s unspent billions will deliver broadband to additional locations More than $21 billion remaining from the US Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment programme can be directed toward additional locations without broadband service, after states and territories reduced projected spending...

Content & Immersive Technologies

•	Comcast and Paramount Skydance review future of SkyShowtime Comcast and Paramount Skydance have launched a strategic review of SkyShowtime, with a possible wind-down of the European streaming service among the options being considered...

•	Apple TV expands to 59 new countries as Apple bundles streaming with iCloud+ Apple is expanding Apple TV into 59 additional countries, taking the streaming service to 170 markets globally while introducing a new bundling strategy that gives paid iCloud+ subscribers access to Apple TV and Apple Arcade...

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