Page 10 - SAMENA Trends - August-September 2025

SAMENA COUNCIL ADVOCACY SAMENA TRENDS

SAMENA Council On

WLAN Performance & Wi-Fi Technology

WAA and SAMENA Telecommunications Council Forge Strategic Partnership

to Accelerate Broadband Development across Emerging Markets

stakeholders across government and
industry to expand the impact of their
initiatives beyond national boundaries.

A spokesperson from WAA noted that
this partnership represents a strong step
toward creating a more unified global
approach to Wi-Fi development and
certification. Secretary General of the WAA,
Yang Tao, stated: “The collaboration with
the SAMENA Council holds significant
meaning. By integrating resources and
strengths from both sides, we will jointly
promote the establishment of international
The World WLAN Application Alliance (WAA) to help operators and service providers, standards for the WLAN industry,
and the SAMENA Telecommunications including the including the SAMENA the promotion of industry norms, the
Council have entered into a Memorandum Council Members, deliver more reliable and application of technological innovations,
of Understanding to work jointly on higher-quality broadband services in both and market expansion, thereby contributing
accelerating broadband development in urban and underserved areas. more substantially to the prosperous
the emerging markets including in the development of the global WLAN industry.”
South Asia – Middle East – North Africa The collaboration covers a wide range
(SA-ME-NA) region. This collaboration of joint activities, including participation CEO of the SAMENA Council and
entails strengthening wireless broadband in each other’s events, coordination on Board Member, Bocar BA, stated: “This
development, particularly through industry research, exchange of practical collaboration agreement with the WAA is
addressing technical and policy-related experience, and cooperation on emerging a part of the SAMENA Council’s broader
challenges in WLAN technologies. technology use cases such as smart strategy to support digital transformation
cities, IoT applications, and future wireless by enabling better connectivity, enhanced
WAA, a global non-profit dedicated to systems like 6G. The agreement also end-user experience, and more inclusive
improving Wi-Fi technology, performance includes the development of pilot projects, broadband access across the SA-ME-NA
standards, and international certification, shared publications, technical workshops, countries. The SAMENA Council is
brings its global expertise to the partnership. and targeted capacity-building events. committed to supporting the private-sector
The SAMENA Council, an industry body These initiatives will focus on practical as well as growing digital economies
representing telcos and techos as well as challenges such as network performance, as they strive to achieve new digital
digital ecosystem partners across South regulatory compliance, and broadband transformation milestones. For this, quality
Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa, expansion in underserved markets. broadband access is fundamental.”
focuses on digital development and policy
advocacy to support sustainable economic By combining the WAA’s technical This collaboration between the WAA and
growth in the region. capabilities with the SAMENA Council’s the SAMENA Council will remain in effect
regional reach, experience and policy for two years, during which both
Through this MoU, the two organizations engagement both regionally and globally, organizations anticipate working closely to
plan to share knowledge, organize industry the partnership is designed to reduce represent the growing needs of the ICT
events, support common standards, and fragmentation in WLAN development and Industry and making tangible progress on
improve Wi-Fi testing and certification encourage more consistent and efficient the WLAN front.
processes by leveraging each other’s reach rollout of broadband infrastructure. Both
and strengths. These steps are expected organizations also aim to jointly engage

10 AUG-SEP 2025