Page 43 - SAMENA Trends - March-April 2022

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Zain Group Signs MoU with Huawei to Accelerate 5.5G Innovation and
Enhance the Customer Experience

Zain Group has selected Huawei to accelerate the migration from 4G network (ADN) capabilities are supporting Zain improve network
to 5G including 5.5G innovation to enrich the customer experience efficiency and serve society more efficiently," Yangchaobin added.
across multiple markets. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) Zain Group is a leading ICT service provider in the Middle East
establishing the partnership was signed at the recently held and Africa region launching commercial 5G services in 2019 in
Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Present during the signing Kuwait and Saudi Arabia and has since experienced rapid growth
ceremony were Zain Group CTO Nawaf AlGharabally, Zain Group of 5G uptake. For example, Zain Kuwait’s 5G data traffic already
Network Director Mohammad AlMurshed, President of Huawei accounts for 46% of its total wireless traffic, and it is likely to
Wireless Product line Yangchaobin, President of Huawei Zain become the first mobile operator in the MEA region that has
Group Key Account Rico Lin, Vice-President of Huawei Middle more active 5G traffic than 4G. Zain Saudi Arabia launched the
East Marketing and Solutions Vanness You, as well as executive largest 5G network in the region now covering 51 cities. Zain
management teams from both companies. Within the scope of aims to empower marginalized and disadvantaged communities
the MoU, Huawei will support Zain Group to optimize its network by providing digital transformation solutions to create social
architecture to extend 5G capabilities to support IoT, Ultra-Reliable and financial value. This will be achieved by ensuring inclusive
Low Latency Communications, uplink centric broadband, real- access to connectivity, IoT, digitalization of Zain's core products
time broadband communication, harmonized communication, and services, and the development of digital verticals. In addition,
and sensing. The two entities will also work together to define Zain will work closely with Huawei to develop the application of
autonomous driving network-level criteria and explore new use new 5G services and intelligent networks to accelerate the digital
cases. Nawaf Al-Gharabally, Zain Group CTO, said: "Zain aims to transformation of the societies it serves.
provide a seamless converged experience for customers on 5G.
Therefore, Huawei's network technologies will play a big part in user
migration, 5.5G innovation, and intelligent network development
fast-tracking the introduction of new digital services. Zain Group
will work closely with Huawei to provide the required technologies
that enables us to further advance AI and digital solutions that
could immensely benefit our customers across multiple markets."
Yangchaobin, President of Huawei Wireless Product line, said:
"As a global ICT and network technologies provider, Huawei is
committed to support Zain to achieve their strategy aimed at
providing a seamless converged experience for customers. In
the past year, Zain ranked as number one in terms of 5G offload
ratio and proved to be one of the leading telecom operators in the
Middle East.” “In the future, 5G needs to support multi-dimensional
services such as AR/VR, cloud gaming, passive IoT, autonomous
driving, and so on. Therefore, both parties will need to pursue even
deeper collaboration. In addition, Huawei's autonomous driving

AT&T, Discovery Close Entertainment Merger

AT&T Inc and Discovery have closed their transaction to combine shareholders received 1.7 billion shares of WBD, representing
the telco’s WarnerMedia business with Discovery. The combination 71% of WBD shares on a fully diluted basis. Discovery’s existing
creates ‘a premier standalone global media and entertainment shareholders own the remainder of the new company. In addition
company’, which will be called Warner Bros. Discovery Inc; to their new shares of WBD common stock, AT&T shareholders
the enlarged company will begin trading on the NASDAQ stock continue to hold the same number of shares of AT&T common
exchange today (11 April) under the ‘WBD’ ticker symbol. Under stock they held immediately prior to close. John Stankey, CEO of
terms of the agreement – which was structured as a Reverse AT&T, commented: ‘With the close of this transaction, we expect
Morris Trust transaction – at close AT&T received USD40.4 billion to invest at record levels in our growth areas of 5G and fiber, where
in cash and WarnerMedia’s retention of certain debt. Additionally, we have strong momentum, while we work to become America’s
shareholders of AT&T received 0.241917 shares of WBD for each best broadband company. At the same time, we’ll sharpen our
share of AT&T common stock they held at close. As a result, AT&T focus on returns to shareholders.’

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