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SAMENA Daily - Industry News Briefing

Industry News Briefing
November 4, 2026

Featured Member News

Omantel positions Oman as the Gateway to the Gulf and Global Connectivity Hub at the Middle East GCCM 2026

Oman continues to strengthen its position as a global connectivity hub with Omantel as the main driver, supported by sustained investment in international subsea and terrestrial networks, data centres and strategic partnerships...

Member News

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stc Bahrain wins ‘Best Nationalisation Strategy’ at HRSE Expo and Summit Awards, recognized for developing local next-generation ICT workforce

stc Bahrain, a digital enabler, has been awarded the prestigious ‘Best Nationalisation Strategy’ award at the Future Workplace Awards, held during the annual HR Summit & Expo (HRSE)...

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Cisco and NVIDIA collaborate to advance next-generation AI infrastructure

NVIDIA and Cisco have announced plans for Ultra-Dense Small Form Factor Pluggable (USFP), a new high-density 400Gb/s-per-lane optical module designed to equip the hardware ecosystem for the next generation of AI factories...

Policy and Regulation

•	TDRA empowers youth to turn ideas into innovative solutions through UAE Hackathon 2026 The Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) continues to deliver the Youth Track of the ninth edition of UAE Hackathon 2026, under the theme “Make an Impact… Going Beyond the...

•	6.3 billion people now online, yet digital divides persist An estimated 6.3 billion people, or 76 per cent of the world's population, are using the Internet in 2026, according to Facts and Figures 2026, released today by the International...

Middle East

•	OpenAI's Altman calls UAE world's most forward-looking nation on AI OpenAI CEO says partnership with ADNOC and G42 could help transform energy operations, while AI increasingly reshapes work and scientific research...

•	DE-CIX and Ooredoo Oman to launch IX connecting Muscat and Salalah DE-CIX and Ooredoo Oman announced on Tuesday they have signed an agreement to launch Gulf Gateway-IX, a new internet exchange (IX) that will interconnect the country’s dual subsea corridors in Muscat and Salalah...

•	Internet usage in Saudi Arabia reaches 99.6% in 2026, GASTAT reports Internet usage in Saudi Arabia reached 99.6 percent among individuals aged 15 to 74 in 2026, while social networking participation stood at 99.7 percent among internet users, according to the General Authority for Statistics...

•	Beyon to power third data centre entirely with renewable energy Beyon is expanding its renewable energy capacity in Bahrain, with a third data centre set to operate entirely on clean energy following the completion of Phase 5 of its Beyon Solar Park programme...

South Asia

•	Pakistan 5G users cross 1.8 million Pakistan’s 5G adoption is gaining momentum, with the number of users reaching 1.8 million, marking a significant milestone in the country’s transition towards next-generation mobile connectivity...

•	BTRC seeks Tk 21,250cr for spectrum renewal The telecom regulator is seeking to raise the spectrum renewal bill for Grameenphone, Robi and Banglalink to around Tk 21,250 crore under a revised plan to extend their licence period to 20 years...

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

•	Santiago Metro completes continuous 4G and 5G coverage across its network Mobile users travelling on Santiago’s underground railway can now connect to combined fourth- and fifth-generation networks across all seven lines, 143 stations and roughly 150 kilometres of track...

•	Telecoms giant secures €375m EU loan for 5G expansion across southern Europe The European Investment Bank (EIB) and telecoms infrastructure firm Cellnex have agreed a €375 million loan to support the roll-out of 5G mobile infrastructure across Spain, France, Italy and Portugal...

•	Deutsche Telekom expands AI partner ecosystem with Sparxity collaboration Atomic Mobile introduced Atomic Orbit, a cellular internet service designed to maintain connectivity for IoT devices by utilizing multiple carrier networks...

Global Telecom Update

•	Atomic Mobile launches Atomic Orbit for reliable IoT connectivity Atomic Mobile introduced Atomic Orbit, a cellular internet service designed to maintain connectivity for IoT devices by utilizing multiple carrier networks...

•	NTT Data launches new AI-ready data centre in Jakarta with added APN NTT Data announced that it has opened a new AI-ready data centre, Jakarta 2 Annex Data Centre (JKT2A), alongside the launch of its next-gen all-photonics network (APN) technology to interconnect its other data centres in...

North Africa

•	Cairo ICT's 30th Edition to focus on AI deployment across industries from November 7 To 10 Cairo ICT will hold its 30th edition from November 7 to 10, 2026, under the theme "AI in Action," focusing on how organizations can use artificial intelligence (AI) to improve services, increase efficiency, and support...

Satellite & Hybrid Networks

•	Kinetica 2 rocket sends 18 satellites into orbit The 53-meter-tall rocket blasted off at 8:15 am from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region...

•	Orange Romania tests 50G PON in its 5G lab Orange Romania says it has tested 50G PON technology for the first time in its 5G Lab in Bucharest, achieving symmetrical data speeds of around 40 Gbps and latency below 1 millisecond on a single fiber...

Content & Immersive Technologies

•	O2 Spain expands digital services while maintaining simple customer experience Over the past eight years, O2 Spain has significantly expanded its digital offerings by introducing upgraded data plans, 5G+, cloud storage, streaming partnerships, and a redesigned website experience...

•	Sky News expands Arc XP deal for video-led app and website Sky News has expanded its partnership with Arc XP to develop a new app and website, targeting launch by the end of 2027...

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