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SAMENA Daily - Industry News Briefing

Industry News Briefing
August 18, 2026

Featured Member News

ZainTECH optimizes Vision Bank UAE’s core banking applications, enhancing efficiency and performance

ZainTECH, the integrated digital solutions arm of Zain Group, enabling organizations to become Digital, Intelligent, and Resilient, collaborated with Vision Bank UAE to optimize and replatform the bank’s application environment hosted on Microsoft Azure...

Member News

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stc Bahrain shortlists top start-ups for inspireU from stc

stc Bahrain, a digital enabler, has launched the second phase of the 13th intake of the inspireU from stc program, featuring a competitive judging event where 17 local start-ups showcased their innovative projects and...

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Cisco Highlights Three Key Principles for Operationalizing AI at Scale

As organizations look to move beyond isolated AI pilots and achieve measurable business outcomes, the challenge is shifting from experimenting with individual AI tools to embedding AI securely and effectively across everyday...

Policy and Regulation

•	TDRA Board renews telecom licences of both operators for another 20 years The renewed licenses will be effective from 9 August 2026 until 8 August 2046, replacing the licences issued in 2006. The renewal provides the sector with a long-term regulatory framework that offers the stability required...

•	Three kinds of satellite signal, three challenges for radio astronomy The rapid expansion of low-Earth orbit satellite constellations is creating new interference risks for radio astronomy, with researchers detecting thousands of satellite-generated signals across protected and adjacent...

Middle East

•	Qatar strengthens AI readiness as World Bank highlights infrastructure and productivity potential Qatar has been identified among a group of economies making notable progress in artificial intelligence readiness, according to the World Bank Group’s World Development Report 2026, which examines how countries can...

•	e& drives regional AI leadership embedding Agentic AI into core business connectivity e& UAE has announced a significant milestone in its AI journey, becoming the first telecom provider in the region to embed Agentic AI into its core mobile and fixed connectivity plans...

•	Telr partners with Jet to power quick-commerce payments in Jordan UAE-based payment gateway Telr has partnered with Jordanian quick-commerce platform Jet Application to provide the payments infrastructure behind its digital commerce operations, supporting faster transaction processing,...

South Asia

•	Nepal publishes 5G roadmap targeting nationwide coverage by 2035 Nepal Telecommunications Authority has published a draft Mobile Broadband Improvement Plan outlining a phased transition toward nationwide 5G coverage by 2035, with initial deployments targeted in major urban areas and...

•	Pakistani AI-robotic training data startup partners to expand tech trade with US A Pakistani startup focused on connecting local industry with the robotics sector of the United States has entered a partnership to boost its data library...

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

•	CTN expands fixed wireless 4G LTE coverage across Lilongwe Converged Technology Networks has expanded its fixed wireless 4G LTE network across several parts of Lilongwe through a partnership with unconnected.org and the Internet Society, extending broadband access to more...

•	CETIN Networks selects RADCOM AI assurance platform for Slovakia 5G network CETIN Networks has selected RADCOM to deploy an AI-driven service assurance platform across its mobile network in Slovakia, supporting its transition to 5G Standalone and a cloud-native core...

•	IBM, OpenAI partner to accelerate secure enterprise AI deployment IBM announced a strategic partnership with OpenAI to help enterprises deliver business outcomes by deploying AI at scale across core business operations and complex workflows, while strengthening cyber defense and resilience...

Global Telecom Update

•	Oracle and AWS expand partnership, now spanning 22 regions Oracle and AWS expand long-term strategic collaboration agreement to accelerate customer migration, with Oracle AI Database@AWS now available in 22 AWS Regions and offering new expanded capabilities...

•	Lynk, Omnispace complete merger and launch Elveo Mobile for global connectivity Lynk and Omnispace announced the completion of their merger and the introduction of Elveo Mobile, the newly combined company that delivers mobile connectivity and elevated intelligence for a planet on the move...

North Africa

•	Egypt advances digital justice infrastructure and unified judicial data platform Egypt is accelerating the digital transformation of its justice system, with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi reviewing progress on the Justice City project, electronic court management, digital notarisation and a new shared...

Satellite & Hybrid Networks

•	Lynk and Omnispace merge to form Elveo Mobile for direct-to-device satellite connectivity Satellite operators Lynk Global and Omnispace have completed their merger to form Elveo Mobile, creating a new direct-to-device satellite company focused on delivering connectivity to standard mobile phones, connected...

•	Gilat Perú delivering fiber to underserved communities in Ayacucho Gilat Perú has signed a US$14 million agreement with the Regional Government of Ayacucho for a fiber-optic broadband project in southern Ayacucho...

Content & Immersive Technologies

•	Google TV Freeplay adds new live channels and expands free on-demand catalogue Google TV has expanded its Freeplay service with additional live channels and more than 10,000 free movies and television shows on demand, strengthening its ad-supported streaming proposition in the United States...

•	Unified Streaming adds C2PA credentials to live video Unified Streaming has introduced a content provenance system capable of attaching C2PA credentials to live, on-demand and dynamically assembled video streams immediately before distribution...

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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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