Page 53 - SAMENA Trends - August 2020

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Oman Data Park (ODP) Receives MTC Accreditation to Provide Government,

Private Organizations with Data Storage, Retrieval Facilities

Oman Data Park (ODP), the Sultanate's of Oman Data Park, said, “As the premier equipped to educate and serve private and
first IT-managed and cloud services Cloud, Hosting and Security services government sectors with cost-effective
provider, has successfully been accredited provider in Oman, we are delighted to and secure IT needs. The company offers
by the Ministry of Technology and receive this accreditation in recognition a wide range of security services for all
Communications (MTC) for delivering of our excellence in delivering world-class government sectors to improve their
“Security Assessment Services” services to users in Oman. Having already services in a more cost-effective manner.
and “Cloud and Hosting Services” to served key government institutions with ODP’s security assessment services can
government institutions in the country. our hosting and security services, this help government institutions to reduce the
ODP has been added to MTC’s Register accreditation will further strengthen risks of possible security breaches and
of Accredited IT Service Providers on our commitment towards the digital take all necessary measures to prevent
its official website: www.mtc.gov.om/ enablement of our government entities them or minimize the harm they can cause.
ITAccreditation. The organization has been and its preparation for the 4th Industrial ODP’s security assessment services are
awarded two Economic Activities License Revolution. Our talented and professionally used to generate a defence strategy in the
Certificates by the Ministry of Technology qualified Omani teams are ready to serve area of information technology that can be
and Communications (Subject to Free any government institution to enable them implemented by organizations to reduce
Zones laws and regulations). The license in their digitization journey while saving potential security risks. It is a preventative
form has been signed and certified using costs and increasing overall efficiency,” system that greatly reduces the risk of an
a Digital Signature Certificate as specified he added. ODP offers managed cloud intrusion and keeps up with ever-evolving
under the Electronic Transactions Law of services to reduce cyber threats and is fully threats.
the Sultanate of Oman issued by the Royal
Decree No. 69/2008. The accreditation
as a Cloud and Hosting Services permits
ODP to provide data storage, retrieval and
cloud and hosting services to government
administrative units. The accreditation
as a Security Assessment Services
permits ODP to conduct penetration
testing and vulnerability assessment to
protect the government administrative
units of the country against external and
internal threats by identifying the entity's
security weaknesses and preventive
measurements. Maqbool al-Wahaibi, CEO

MTN Says Iran Exit Is Not Imminent

MTN Group of South Africa says it has which is over the next three to five years’. talks’ to offload its business in Syria, with
no ‘immediate’ plans to exit is operation The group says its 49% subsidiary MTN operations in Afghanistan and Yemen next
in Iran, though it is expecting to ‘dispose Irancell will continue to operate as before in line for a sale as it moves to focus its
of its operations in the Middle East in an and ‘business will be run as usual’. MTN strategy on Africa.
orderly manner over the medium term, has confirmed that it is in ‘advanced

Robi Expands 4G Coverage to 80% of Population

Bangladeshi mobile operator Robi Axiata company claims that it now offers LTE in services – launched in February 2020 –
has expanded its 4G service to 80% of all 492 upazilas (district subdivisions). In with around 5,000 sites supporting the
the population via the deployment of over addition, Robi/Airtel customers in Dhaka technology.
11,000 4G sites across the country. The and the Chattogram have access to VoLTE

53 AUGUST 2020