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SAMENA Daily - Industry News Briefing

Industry News Briefing
May 21, 2026

Featured Member News

stc Group prepares for Hajj 1447 AH with advanced solutions and an integrated connectivity ecosystem

stc Group, Saudi Arabia’s leading digital enabler, has completed its preparations for the Hajj 1447 AH season through a comprehensive operational plan designed to enhance network efficiency and expand coverage across Makkah and Madinah...

Member News

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e&, Cyber Security Council, and Open Innovation AI Launch the UAE Sovereign AI Platform for National-Scale Infrastructure

The UAE Cyber Security Council (CSC), e& UAE, and Open Innovation AI (OI) today launched the UAE Sovereign AI Platform for national-scale infrastructure, an initiative delivering secure AI capabilities across national...

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Nokia launches AI networking lab to drive co-innovation with partners and accelerate next era of AI-native data center networking

Nokia AI Networking Innovation Lab accelerates innovation in high-performance networking technologies for large-scale AI training and real-time inference by designing, testing, and validating new data center networking...

Recent Developments

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Omantel wins platinum award in ESG category at Oman Sustainability Week Awards

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Kenya launches AI for Disability Project with Huawei and local partners to advance inclusive digital transformation

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Qatar Media Corporation selects Eutelsat to launch QBC Business Channel in 4K at MENA’s leading 7/8° West video neighbourhood

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stc Group wins CST Awards for best user experience

Policy and Regulation

•	The Communications, Space and Technology ecosystem leverages all its digital capabilities to serve pilgrims in the Hajj 2026 season CST highlighted that the readiness of digital infrastructure among service providers included the delivery of advanced, innovative solutions powered by emerging technologies and artificial intelligence (AI)...

•	Egypt’s ICT Minister highlights national digital transformation priorities at EITESAL event The discussions focused on accelerating digital modernization across government services, telecommunications infrastructure, artificial intelligence, outsourcing, and technology-driven economic development...

Middle East

•	Oman calls for trusted AI-driven digital transformation in healthcare at World Health Assembly Oman hosted a high-level side event during the 79th session of the World Health Assembly in Geneva focused on accelerating trusted digital transformation in healthcare systems amid the growing global adoption of artificial...

•	Iraq targets major internet infrastructure expansion by 2027 Iraq is accelerating efforts to modernize and expand its internet infrastructure with major development targets set for 2027, according to the country’s Minister of Communications...

South Asia

•	SLT-MOBITEL highlights strong financial performance amid Sri Lanka’s digital transformation push SLT-MOBITEL says it is continuing to drive Sri Lanka’s digital transformation agenda forward through strong financial performance and sustained investments in telecommunications and digital infrastructure...

•	Banglalink to test Starlink-backed satellite mobile service nationwide Bangladesh's move is considered significant for coastal connectivity and disaster resilience because of the country's large coastal belt and dependence on maritime activities in the Bay of Bengal...

3G, 4G and 5G Networks

•	MTN expands South Africa network footprint MTN South Africa is investing ZAR 480 million to enhance the reliability and resilience of its 4G network across the Free State and Northern Cape...

•	Verizon upgrades 5G network ahead of Indy 500 To meet expected demand this year, Verizon upgraded radio equipment throughout the race facility and reported a 400% increase in available network bandwidth...

Content & Immersive Technologies

•	ruwido and Ocilion present next generation of TV remote control At ANGA COM 2026, ruwido and Ocilion, two established Austrian technology companies, announced their close cooperation in the development of a new TV remote control for ocilion’s latest platform...

•	More than 70% of UK homes now access SVOD More than 70% of UK homes now have access to at least one subscription streaming service, according to new data from Barb...

North Africa

•	Egypt launches unified digital environmental registry Egypt has launched a unified digital environmental registry for the industrial sector, marking a significant step in the country’s broader push toward digital governance, environmental modernization, and data-driven...

Satellite & Internet

•	Transtelecom, Qazpost to connect remote Kazakh communities with Starlink Kazakh telco Transtelecom JSC said that it has kicked off a project with national postal operator QazPost to install satellite connectivity from LEO satellite operator Starlink in remote settlements in Kazakhstan...

•	Midco, Switch deploy 200 Tbps 400G optical network for AI data center Midco and Switch are proud to announce a five-year, multistate connectivity agreement supporting critical AI infrastructure in Ellendale, North Dakota...

Global Telecom Update

•	Kasi Cloud Datacenters completes hyperscale AI data centre in Lagos Nigeria’s Kasi Cloud Datacenters said that it has flagged off its planned hyperscale, AI-ready, carrier-neutral data centre in Lagos that it’s positioning as a sovereign alternative to global platforms...

•	CoreWeave expands AI cloud platform with Sandboxes execution layer The new offering is available on a customer's own CoreWeave infrastructure or as a serverless runtime through Weights & Biases (W&B)...

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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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