February 2019 - SAMENA Telecommunications Council has announced that AT&T, one of the world's foremost telecom companies and providers of Pay TV content, has joined members in stakeholder dialogue to address needs and issues surrounding digital communications, as business sustainability challenges intensify and as Operators' role continually evolves in the wake of fifth-generation technology.
Expressing his warm welcome to AT&T on having joined SAMENA Council's community of telecom operators from and operating in the SA-ME-NA (South Asia - Middle East - North Africa) region, Mr. Bocar BA, CEO & Board Member stated, "AT&T is well known as a world-leading customer-centric communications service provider. AT&T is a modern media company that brings together premium content, direct to consumer relationships, advertising technology and high-speed networks to deliver a unique customer experience. SAMENA Council sees, as does AT&T, that telecom operators around the world fully recognize the importance of the SA-ME-NA region as regards their push for business growth, experience-sharing, and being counted on to contribute their expertise and knowledge for materializing a new, hyper-connected digital world. The enterprising nature of SAMENA Council and AT&T and the common goal of fostering collaboration and co-operation within the digital ecosystem are good enough causes for both organizations to join their synergies together. I congratulate Mr. Mike Corkerry and the AT&T international external affairs team on their decision to join SAMENA Council, and, with pleasure, I look forward to having AT&T among our most active members."
“We look forward to working with SAMENA on policy issues impacting the industry across the region,” said Mr. Mike Corkerry, AT&T’s Vice President for International External and Regulatory Affairs in Europe, Middle East and Africa.
AT&T is the first North American telecoms operator to join the SAMENA Council, which is comprised of regional operators from the SA-MA-NA region, as well as some from Europe and Asia Pacific. As an important part of SAMENA Council's membership, AT&T is well placed to help SAMENA create new synergies among local, regional, and international operators on tackling multiple challenge areas, including 5G development and deployment scenarios, cross-border data flows, development of digital economy, and digital content, while also fostering AI and IoT-driven approaches in the region.
SAMENA Council believes policies and co-operative approaches can help develop new methods and models of engagement, help frame future-friendly regulations and policies, and cross-stakeholder involvement should be fostered to incentivize and influence more investment in digital development. The digital ecosystem's sustainability challenges and the need for making better use of digital technologies, therefore, demand that all operators collectively communicate on common issues and needs, while providing SAMENA Council the opportunity to provide advocacy support and build communication bridges with regional governments.
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About SAMENA Telecommunications Council
SAMENA Telecommunications Council is South Asia - Middle East - North Africa (SAMENA) region’s premier industry association of telecom operators and service providers. SAMENA Council voices network operators’ issues and needs to regulators, policymakers, and international institutions. The most renowned regional telecom operators, including Saudi Telecom, Etisalat, Batelco Group, du, Viva Kuwait, Orange - MEA, Zain Group, Telecom Egypt, Sudatel, Omantel, and Alfa (managed by Orascom TMT), among other leading operators and technology companies, are a part of the Council’s membership. SAMENA Council is a sector development partner to the private and the public sectors, and empowers stakeholders to communicate together and addressing the most pressing industry issues, in order to help create a sustainable business environment for the industry, and to accelerate digital development in regional economies.
As an international non-profit organization, SAMENA Council is contributing to the understanding of cross-stakeholder priorities within the public and the private sectors. The Council has created a unique regional position as the regulatory reach and operator advocacy organization, promoting institution-level engagements with leading private and public-sector organizations.
SAMENA Council was founded in 2006. In February 2018 in Barcelona, Saudi Telecom Company, represented by Eng. Nasser Al Nasser as its GCEO, was re-elected to chair the Board of Directors of SAMENA Council.