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SAMENA Daily - Industry News Briefing

Industry News Briefing
April 29, 2026

Featured Member News

stc Group achieves 12% net profit growth in Q1; excluding non-recurring items, with revenues reaching SAR19.9 billion

stc Group CEO Eng. Olayan Alwetaid stated that the group began 2026 with strong operational and financial momentum, successfully translating the group’s strategy into tangible growth and reinforcing its role in the digital economy...

Member News

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Zain launches landmark ‘Regulatory Academy’ with GSMA Advance to empower its Policy and Regulatory professionals

This collaboration sees the launch of the ‘Zain Regulatory Academy’, an industry-first initiative that falls under Zain’s Inclusion, Diversity & Equity University (IDEU), delivering accredited training to...

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Huawei named a Gartner® Peer Insights™ Customers' Choice for second year in a row

The recognition follows a 100% willingness-to-recommend rating for its OceanProtect Data Protection product based on 241 reviews as of Dec. 31, 2025...

Recent Developments

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e& reports AED 19.4 billion consolidated revenue, with 15.1% YoY growth in Q1 2026

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Cisco introduces Universal Quantum Switch, advancing the path to a quantum network

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Eutelsat and MTN Côte d’Ivoire sign multi-year agreement to expand satellite connectivity using EUTELSAT KONNECT services

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ZainTECH named a Leader in IDC MarketScape: Gulf Countries AI Professional Services

Policy and Regulation

•	Egypt reviews rising prepaid recharge and data prices amid telecom cost pressures Egypt’s National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA) is reviewing increases in prepaid recharge card prices and mobile data packages, as operators face mounting cost pressures in the country’s telecom sector...

•	Togo, Benin and Senegal launch free roaming ARTAO, also known as WATRA, is the West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly, founded in 2002 to create a unified platform for telecommunications and ICT regulators in the West African region...

Middle East

•	Aramco accelerates push into AI and advanced technologies to drive energy transformation Saudi Aramco is deepening its investment in artificial intelligence and advanced technologies, positioning itself at the forefront of digital transformation within the global energy sector...

•	Zain Jordan launches “You Are One of Us” brand platform to strengthen customer connection Zain Jordan continues to invest in both network capabilities and brand development, aligning its communications strategy with evolving customer expectations and digital engagement trends...

•	Cloudsdcs enters Saudi market with strategic AstroLabs tieup Cloudsdcs, a global enterprise cloud and cybersecurity specialist with over 20 years of experience, has announced its expansion into Saudi Arabia with support from AstroLabs, the Gulf’s premier business setup and...

South Asia

•	Pakistan clears path for 5G trials in Gilgit-Baltistan as operators prepare for rollout Pakistan has approved policy directives to initiate 5G test trials in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), marking a key step toward expanding next-generation telecom infrastructure in the region...

•	Afghanistan launches pilot 5G internet service in Kabul Taliban’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology says it has launched fifth-generation (5G) internet services in Kabul for the first time on a pilot basis, marking a major step in the country’s...

3G, 4G and 5G Networks

•	Digicel PNG gets NICTA nod to roll out rural 4G in Papua New Guinea Digicel PNG has reportedly signed an agreement with Papua New Guinea’s National Information and Communications Technology Authority (NICTA) to deploy 4G services to rural communities around the country...

•	EE expands 5G+ network using world-first RAN coordination tech EE continues to integrate Advanced RAN Coordination into its expanded 5G+ network to optimise radio performance...

Content & Immersive Technologies

•	V expands Rakuten TV ad partnership across Europe V, the company behind VIDAA, has expanded its advertising partnership with Rakuten TV Enterprise across key European markets, including Germany, the UK and France...

•	Meta helps drive AR smart glasses shipments up 98% Global AR smart glasses shipments rose 98% in 2025, while second-half shipments jumped 148% from a year earlier...

North Africa

•	Egypt adds 7.9 million new mobile internet users in 2025 as digital adoption accelerates Egypt saw an increase of 7.9 million mobile internet users in 2025, reflecting rapid growth in digital adoption and expanding connectivity across the country...

Satellite & Internet

•	Starlink-powered O2 Satellite Puts the UK at the Front of Europe’s D2D Race Early Ookla signal scan data shows broad but shallow uptake across UK not-spots, as Ofcom’s first-mover framework turns the market into Europe’s direct-to-device testbed...

•	T-Mobile deepens broadband push with new fiber joint ventures T-Mobile said that it has signed deals to form two joint ventures with Oak Hill Capital and Wren ‌House, expanding its fiber internet business to complement its fast-growing broadband and core wireless base...

Global Telecom Update

•	Telkom Indonesia launches agentic AI platform for enterprises Telkom Indonesia announced that it has launched a next-gen agentic AI platform that it says will accelerate digital transformation via intelligent automation, business process integration and data-based decision making...

•	NTT DATA launches AI brain health monitoring service using driving data for cognitive safety NTT DATA, a global leader in AI, digital business and technology services, announced the launch of a new brain health monitoring service that analyzes driving data collected using AI and generates a brain health score...

•	Onecom unveils agentic AI platform for customer comms Onecom has launched Halo, an agentic AI platform designed to help businesses deploy and manage AI-driven digital workforces across customer communications...

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