SAMENA Daily News - SAMENA Telecommunications Council

'SAMENA Daily' - Archive

SAMENA Daily - Industry News Briefing

Industry News Briefing
October 20, 2026

Featured Member News

Omantel launches R&D Initiative with MIT CSAIL and leading Omani academic institutions to advance technology development in Oman

The initiative will place research at the heart of Omantel’s technology development model, creating a clear pathway from promising ideas to market-relevant solutions and commercially viable opportunities, while strengthening the company’s ability to anticipate and respond to global technological advances...

Pact to establish satellite optical ground network in Oman

Oman is set to establish a network of three advanced optical ground stations by 2028 under a strategic partnership between Omani space communications company Durri Space and French photonics specialist Cailabs, marking a significant step towards developing the Sultanate as a regional hub for high-capacity satellite communications...

Member News

•

AT&T, NBA and WNBA launch next-generation network built for the future of basketball

The National Basketball Association (NBA), Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and AT&T announced the launch of the fourth generation of the High-Speed Arena Network (HSAN), the latest evolution of the...

•

Nokia and SoftBank Corp. agree to conduct commercial AI-RAN field trial in Japan

The planned deployment will use Nokia’s anyRAN software on SoftBank’s AITRAS, its core platform for AI-RAN, with NVIDIA Aerial RAN Computer (ARC), in conjunction with the AITRAS Orchestrator...

Recent Developments

•

Omantel Hosts SAMENA Council Leaders AXIS Conference 2026 to Drive Digital Investment in Oman

•

UAE took proactive steps to prepare for 6G through forward-looking 6G roadmap: TDRA

•

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

•

SAMENA Council Leaders’ AXIS 2026 Advances Oman’s Digital Investment, Infrastructure, and Innovation Ecosystem Opportunities

Policy and Regulation

•	Oman telecom regulator launches nationwide beneficiary satisfaction survey Oman’s Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) will launch its 2026 Beneficiary Satisfaction Survey on Telecommunications Services on October 19, aiming to assess customer satisfaction and improve the quality of...

Middle East

•	Bahrain's iGA signs strategic deal with Computer World The agreement aims at centralising the management and operation of government cloud services and enhancing the digital services provided to citizens and residents...

•	Ooredoo, iQ Networks partner on Iraq-Europe fiber route Ooredoo Group’s international connectivity arm, OFN, has signed an agreement with Iraqi fibre-optic company iQ Networks to improve internet connectivity between the Gulf, Iraq and Europe...

•	Pact to establish satellite optical ground network in Oman Oman is set to establish a network of three advanced optical ground stations by 2028 under a strategic partnership between Omani space communications company Durri Space and French photonics specialist Cailabs, marking a...

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...

•	BTRC proposes spectrum price cuts of up to 30% The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) sent the proposal to the Posts and Telecommunications Division for approval...

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

•	Lekha Wireless to integrate Analog Devices radio technology in 4G and 5G products Indigenous mobile wireless communication equipment provider Lekha Wireless Solutions will integrate American chipmaker Analog Devices’ (ADI) radio technology into its 4G and 5G RAN products...

•	AIS achieves 100% Bangkok coverage for 5G-Advanced uplink AIS has expanded its 5G-ADVANCED Uplink capability to cover 100% of its outdoor service areas across Bangkok, setting a global benchmark for capital cities with citywide 5G-ADVANCED Uplink coverage...

•	Nvidia-backed Nscale, Anthropic in talks for new US$45 billion AI cloud deal, source says Nscale is in talks to sell AI computing power to Claude maker Anthropic in a new deal that could be worth about US$45 billion...

Global Telecom Update

•	Beeline Uzbekistan owner Veon buys rival Perfectum for US$207 million Global digital operator Veon – which owns Beeline Uzbekistan – said that it has struck a deal to buy rival telco Rubicon Wireless, which operates under the “Perfectum” brand, for US$207 million...

•	Vodafone launches express capacity for rapid data centre connectivity Vodafone Business has launched Express Capacity, a quick delivery service providing organisations expanding their cloud and AI capabilities, including new data centres, with scalable, ultra-fast transport links in days...

North Africa

•	Algeria's Mounir Ammari automates online payments with SlickPay Algerian fintech entrepreneur Mounir Ammari is the co-founder and CEO of SlickPay, a start-up developing digital solutions to simplify payments and money transfers...

Satellite & Hybrid Networks

•	Digicel Trinidad and Tobago adds satellite to managed services portfolio Digicel Trinidad and Tobago announced that its business unit has launched satellite connectivity solutions that offer businesses a secure, resilient backup connectivity option to strengthen business continuity and...

•	Malaysia reveals timeline for SALAM subsea cable project A plan by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to build a new subsea cable connecting peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak is reportedly moving forward, with construction scheduled to begin early...

Content & Immersive Technologies

•	TF1 reports 30% viewership growth following Netflix launch TF1 says viewing hours for TF1+ have risen 30% year-on-year following the launch of its distribution partnership with Netflix more than three months ago...

•	Lokal-TV Portal launches apps for iOS and Android The German Lokal-TV Portal has launched mobile apps for iOS and Android, extending access to local television channels to smartphones and tablets...

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