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SAMENA Daily - Industry News Briefing

Industry News Briefing
February 9, 2026

Featured Member News

stc Group returns to World Defense Show 2026, showcasing the future of mission-critical communications

stc Group, Saudi Arabia’s leading digital enabler, returns as Principal Partner of World Defense Show (WDS) 2026, the Kingdom’s premier defense and security event...

Member News

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Smiles salutes its everyday heroes with 'Champions for Champions' day off

Smiles, e& UAE’s lifestyle SuperApp, has launched Champions for Champions, a community initiative that recognises the dedication of its delivery drivers with a fully sponsored surprise day off across the UAE...

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stc Group signs an agreement to implement the "Silklink" project in the Syrian Arab Republic

stc Group, Saudi Arabia’s leading digital enabler, announced that it has signed an agreement to implement the Silklink project in the Syrian Arab Republic...

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Arabsat and BBC Channels extend long-term partnership on 26°E

With this agreement, Arabsat continues to strengthen its position as the platform of choice for global broadcasters seeking secure, long-term access to MENA households...

Policy and Regulation

•	CRA Issues Updated Qatar National Frequency Allocation Planpdated Qatar National Frequency Allocation Plan The Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) announced the issuance of an updated version of the Qatar National Frequency Allocation Plan (QNFAP), which includes updates that keep pace with the rapid developments in the...

•	Namibian regulator proposes tax relief on 4G devices The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) has proposed tax relief, incentives and other measures to accelerate the adoption of 4G-enabled devices....

South Asia

•	Telenor Pakistan migrates subs to cloud charging and billing system Telenor Pakistan has completed the migration of its entire prepaid and postpaid subscriber base to a next-generation cloud-native charging and billing system (CBS), marking a significant upgrade to its core network...

•	Dialog delivers strong growth, stronger national contribution in FY 2025 The Group delivered a strong performance across Mobile, Fixed Line and Digital Pay Television businesses recording a positive Core Revenue growth of 16% Year to Date...

3G, 4G and 5G Networks

•	97% of Kenya covered by 4G network Kenya has successfully achieved a remarkable 97% 4G population coverage, providing a robust digital foundation for the government's ongoing expansion of inclusive skilling and sustainable last-mile connectivity...

•	SmarTone partners with Ericsson to deploy 5G Advanced technology in Hong Kong Hong Kong communications service provider (CSP) SmarTone has teamed up with Ericsson as its 5G Advanced technology provider, as the company continues to strengthen its network...

Content & Immersive Technologies

•	STV Player hits record 16.4 million streams in January 2026 STV Player has set a new all-time monthly streaming record, delivering 16.4 million streams in January 2026 – around 500,000 more than its previous high of 15.9 million in November 2024...

•	Dhiraagu introduces MTV mobile streaming through Medianet partnership Dhiraagu has announced the launch of Medianet streaming partnership, introducing a range of entertainment packages that combine seamless telecommunications services with premium streaming content...

Global Telecom Update

•	Cassava clears key hurdle for STANLIB stake in Africa Data Centres Cassava Technologies has cleared another regulatory milestone in South Africa for the sale of shares in its Africa Data Centres (ADC) unit to STANLIB Asset Management, a private equity firm backed by Standard Bank and...

•	Deutsche Telekom launches industrial AI cloud in Munich with NVIDIA and Polarise Deutsche Telekom is officially launching its Industrial AI Cloud in the presence of well-known representatives from politics, business and science...

•	Maxis cloud migration signals AWS Malaysia Region’s enterprise readiness The telecommunications provider migrated 100% of its digital workloads, including the customer-facing Maxis and Hotlink apps, which serve millions of users, making it the first Malaysian telco to trust the AWS Malaysia...

Middle East

•	Vodafone IoT and Hyundai partner for car connectivity in the Middle East Vodafone IoT and Hyundai Motor Group have announced a partnership to deploy regulatory-compliant in-car connectivity services across Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, expanding connected...

•	Ooredoo Qatar pioneers AI-powered outbound sales calling using Microsoft Azure OpenAI real-time voice technology Ooredoo, Qatar’s leading telecommunications provider, announced the launch of an AI-powered outbound sales calling capability built on Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service, leveraging real-time GPT voice technology to...

•	Qatar’s MCIT, Oracle sign deal to expand dedicated cloud regions, renew contract The agreement is designed to strengthen the continuity and resilience of government digital services by introducing an integrated backup data center, ensuring uninterrupted operations and improved operational readiness...

•	DCO and Arab News partner to combat digital misinformation, explore AI’s impact on media DCO said this step aligned with its efforts to strengthen collaboration with international media institutions to support responsible dialogue around digital transformation and contribute to building a more reliable,...

North Africa

•	Egypt to host the region’s first major AI summit The event will bring together more than 350 AI companies and startups from over 30 countries, showcasing applications across sectors including public services, smart cities, cybersecurity, fintech, digital payments, mobility...

Satellite & Internet

•	Starlink launches satellite internet service in Tajikistan The expansion represents another step in the company’s growing footprint across Central Asia and the broader CIS region...

•	Pilot Fiber expands network with acquisition of Extenet Systems’ enterprise fiber assets Pilot Fiber, an enterprise connectivity provider in the New York metro area, announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the enterprise fiber business of Extenet Systems...

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