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SAMENA Daily - Industry News Briefing

Industry News Briefing
March 13, 2026

Featured Member News

stc Group reports record network usage at the Two Holy Mosques during Ramadan

stc Group, a leading digital enabler, reported record growth in network traffic and demand for connectivity services at the Two Holy Mosques during Ramadan, driven by the increasing number of Umrah pilgrims and rising demand for connectivity and internet services in Makkah and Madinah...

Member News

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O2 Telefónica brings 5G cloud core to own data center with Nokia and AWS Outposts

O2 Telefónica is using technology from European network equipment supplier Nokia to run its 5G core network on AWS infrastructure...

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ZTE unveils "Telco Service Agent" at MWC Barcelona 2026, introducing intent-driven network intelligence

ZTE unveiled the AI-native "Telco Service Agent" at MWC Barcelona 2026, enabling users to command personalized 5G experiences through natural language...

Policy and Regulation

•	MoHRE’s digital evolution: 60 million interactions driven by AI The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) has announced a record-breaking 60 million communication engagements through its Tawasul system in 2025...

•	CRTC to eliminate fees when cancelling or switching cellphone and internet plans Canada's telecommunications regulator says it will prevent companies from charging customers when they cancel, change or activate plans...

Middle East

•	Qatar’s Ministry of Labour surpasses 325 online services on digital portal The Ministry of Labour (MoL) in Qatar has announced a major milestone in its digital transformation journey, now offering over 325 integrated services through its advanced e-portal...

•	33 smart police stations provide 24-hour services across Dubai Dubai Police announced that its 33 Smart Police Stations (SPS) provide round-the-clock services to customers across Dubai without human intervention...

•	Saudi Arabia leads banking cyber readiness in the Middle East and Africa A recent technical report revealed a significant escalation in cyber risks facing financial institutions across the Middle East and Africa, driven by the accelerating pace of digital transformation and the expanding reliance...

North Africa

•	Morocco’s “AI Made in Morocco” strategy This strategy aims to move the country from a consumer of technology to a sovereign producer, targeting a 100 billion dirham (US$10 billion) contribution to GDP by 2030...

3G, 4G and 5G Networks

•	Telstra upgrading 4G/5G coverage in Temora The upgrade will increase the mobile site’s capacity, helping deliver faster download speeds, smoother streaming and less congestion for local users...

•	Vodacom claims African first with ‘SuperUpload’ 5G test Vodacom South Africa says it has successfully tested a new 5G technology capable of delivering upload speeds of up to 254Mbps, marking what it describes as a first for the African continent...

Content & Immersive Technologies

•	InterDigital showcases energy-aware video streaming at DVB World 2026 InterDigital announced it will attend Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) World 2026 to spotlight breakthroughs in energy-aware media innovation that make video streaming more efficient, alongside new leadership roles within...

•	Rakuten TV Enterprise launches LIVE CTV event series Rakuten TV Enterprise has launched LIVE, a new European event series aimed at senior executives across the connected TV and streaming sectors...

South Asia

•	Pakistan to launch 5G pilot projects in major cities next week The Pakistani government has announced that 5G pilot projects will commence in major cities across the country starting next week, following the successful completion of a landmark spectrum auction...

Satellite & Internet

•	Strategic partnership promises easier access to advanced satellite technology Satcoms company ST Engineering iDirect, has announced a strategic partnership with Q-KON, a premier African satellite engineering and service provider, to launch an initiative called Intuition Unbound across Africa...

•	Greenlight Networks: US$24 million investment to expand fiber internet across Northeast Pennsylvania The fiber-to-the-home provider said the project will deepen its regional footprint and strengthen digital infrastructure across multiple communities...

Global Telecom Update

•	NeutraDC and F5 to develop AI-based connectivity in Indonesia Telkom Indonesia’s data center arm NeutraDC announced that it has signed an MoU with F5 to explore strategic cooperation in the development of managed AI connectivity solutions in Indonesia...

•	KnowBe4 expands AI suite with the launch of a new agent to measure human risk KnowBe4, the world-renowned platform that comprehensively addresses human and agentic AI risk management, has announced the launch of its Custom SAPA (Security Awareness Proficiency Assessment) AI Agent...

•	Eoptolink launches liquid-cooled optics for AI data centers with 12.8 Tbps XPO module Eoptolink Technology has announced the launch of its industry-first 12.8T XPO product, a next-generation pluggable optical transceiver engineered to support a wide range of AI data center architectures, including scale-up,...

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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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