Egypt and UK agree to strengthen ICT cooperation
EGYPT 08:36

Egypt and UK agree to strengthen ICT cooperation

Egypt and the UK have resolved to boost investment in the ICT sector and attract more UK companies to invest in the North African country's offshoring industry. Egyptian ICT minister Amr Talaat and British Ambassador Mark Bryson-Richardson have discussed cooperation in the areas of digital modernisation, training, artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced technologies. They explored opportunities to expand cooperation in cloud computing, data centres, cybersecurity, fintech and digital infrastructure, and t

Vision expands Global WiFi service with unlimited 5G plan in Egypt
EGYPT 05:50

Vision expands Global WiFi service with unlimited 5G plan in Egypt

Japanese company Vision, the operator of Global WiFi, has begun offering a new unlimited 5G plan in Egypt under its Global WiFi overseas router rental service, responding to growing demand for fast mobile connectivity among travellers to the country. The new plan became available on 15 January and supports 5G communications in major Egyptian cities including Cairo, Giza and Alexandria, where network infrastructure has been rapidly expanding. Vision said the launch aligns with increased tourism activity in E

STC Group supports over 12 mln Riyadh Season festival visitors
SAUDI ARABIA 15 JAN

STC Group supports over 12 mln Riyadh Season festival visitors

STC Group says it supported over 12 million visitors to the Riyadh Season entertainment festival at various zones and events, providing more than 15,000 TB of network capacity through a combination of indoor and outdoor coverage services, using 4G and 5G technologies. The number of roaming customers exceeded 10,000 subscribers.

Zain selects six Kuwaiti graduates for 'Gen Z' training scheme
KUWAIT 15 JAN

Zain selects six Kuwaiti graduates for 'Gen Z' training scheme

Zain Group has selected six talented Kuwaiti nationals to participate in the eleventh Generation Z (Gen Z) internal graduate training programme. The intensive year-long undertaking will offer participants exposure to AI tools, Big Data and analytics platforms. They will be encouraged to develop creative and systems thinking capabilities, enabling broader, more strategic approaches to problem solving as well as leadership and social influence skills.

Zain Bahrain sign MoU with DOO to explore use of AI in customer service
BAHRAIN 14 JAN

Zain Bahrain sign MoU with DOO to explore use of AI in customer service

Zain Bahrain has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore potential collaboration with DOO, which provides automated customer service for enterprises using artificial intelligence (AI) agents, including in different Arabic dialects. The MoU establishes a structured framework through which Zain Bahrain can assess DOO's AI capabilities for potential alignment with its customer services, includes the exploration of advanced automation, multilingual support, intelligent engagement tools, and opport

Zoho launches 2 data centres in UAE
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES 14 JAN

Zoho launches 2 data centres in UAE

Zoho has announced the launch of its data centres in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, strengthening its regional footprint and enabling greater control over performance, compliance and data sovereignty for customers. The centres form a part of AED 100 million investment in the UAE that the company had announced in 2023. They will host services from Zoho Corporation's main brands, namely ManageEngine (enterprise IT management) and Zoho (cloud business services).

STC Bank joins hands with Mastercard on international remittances
SAUDI ARABIA 14 JAN

STC Bank joins hands with Mastercard on international remittances

Mastercard announced a collaboration with STC Bank to bring the bank's customers in Bahrain – both consumers and businesses – greater access to cross-border payment services, leveraging Mastercard Move capabilities. STC Bank's customers will benefit from fast, secure and cost-efficient digital cross-border transfers from Saudi Arabia to 120 countries thanks to the agreement. Mastercard Move provides banks and non-bank financial institutions with fast, secure money movement solutions, both domestically and i

Qatar Airways deploys Starlink on Boeing 787 and completes Airbus A350 Starlink roll-out
QATAR 14 JAN

Qatar Airways deploys Starlink on Boeing 787 and completes Airbus A350 Starlink roll-out

Qatar Airways says it has become the first carrier globally to enable Starlink on Boeing 787-8 aircraft. The airline had also equipped its entire Airbus A350 fleet with the service by December, within eight months. To date, Qatar Airways is operating three Dreamliners with fast Wi-Fi, bringing the total of its Starlink-connected widebody aeroplanes to nearly 120. 

Starlink offers free internet services in Iran
IRAN (ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF) 14 JAN

Starlink offers free internet services in Iran

Starlink is now offering its satellite service free in Iran, amid protests and a days-long internet blackout, Bloomberg reported. It cited Ahmad Ahmadian, executive director of the US group Holistic Resilience, which works with Iranians to secure internet access. Ahmadian said SpaceX has waived the Starlink subscription fee in Iran, so people with receivers in the country can access the service without paying. According to the report, a person familiar with Starlink's operations confirmed the free service. 

Orange Jordan expands fibre network to new areas
JORDAN 14 JAN

Orange Jordan expands fibre network to new areas

Orange Jordan announced the expansion of its fibre network to include Tafila and additional areas in Aqaba. This comes as part of the company's ongoing efforts to extend coverage across the country's governorates, including Ramtha, Karak, and Zarqa, as well as a series of new expansions in Irbid. 

Iran reopens international calls but maintains domestic internet blackout
IRAN (ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF) 14 JAN

Iran reopens international calls but maintains domestic internet blackout

Iran has partially eased a nationwide communications blackout by restoring international telephone services, while continuing to block domestic and international internet access, NDTV reported. The move comes after days of anti-government protests triggered by a severe economic crisis and the plummeting value of the Iranian rial.

Batelco, Qareeb open Bahrain's first edge data centre
BAHRAIN 13 JAN

Batelco, Qareeb open Bahrain's first edge data centre

Batelco by Beyon has signed a strategic partnership agreement with Qareeb Data Centers. Under the agreement, Qareeb will manage and operate its first edge data centre through a long-term lease of Batelco's recently announced new facility. This enables Qareeb to deliver sovereign, low-latency and AI-ready co-location services for enterprises, cloud providers and digital platforms across the GCC.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES 13 JAN

E& Enterprise signs contract at Sergas to transform energy operations

E& Enterprise announced a contract with Sergas, a UAE-based gas systems provider, aimed at transforming the way energy operations are run and protected. The memorandum of understanding is expected to support new integrated digital capabilities designed to elevate Sergas' operational efficiency, security and customer engagement. 

EGYPT 12 JAN

Egypt's mobile phone subscription rise 9% in Q3

The number of mobile phone subscriptions in Egypt increased by 8.75 percent year on year to 120.85 million in September 2025 from 111.12 million in 2024, according to statistics from the ICT ministry. Mobile penetration rose to 109.22 percent from 102.14 percent, up by 7.08 percentage points.

MIDDLE EAST 12 JAN

Zain Group receives upgrade to 'A' score from CDP for 2025

Zain Group said it has achieved the top 'A' score in the recently published list from the non-profit Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) for 2025. CDP benchmarks show average scores of 'B' for Telecom and Data Centres, and 'C' for the global average, with Zain being the only company based in Kuwait to achieve an 'A' score. Out of 252 globally disclosing telecoms services companies, only 30 received an 'A' score, placing Zain in the top 12 percent of the industry.

BAHRAIN 12 JAN

STC gains naming rights for renovated lecture hall at University of Bahrain

STC Bahrain has partnered with the University of Bahrain (UOB) to introduce a newly renovated lecture hall, now named STC Hall, at the University's College of Arts.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES 12 JAN

E& signs fintech development MoU with Freedom Telecom

Freedom Telecom International (FTI), a subsidiary of Freedom Holding Corp (FRHC), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with E& to explore collaboration opportunities in telecommunications and financial technology in international markets. The MoU sets a framework for applying the two organisations' respective strengths in fintech, digital financial services and telecoms innovation. They intend to assess opportunities for new digital value propositions, explore advisory capabilities, and examine areas fo

OMAN 12 JAN

Omantel completes network upgrade to prepare for 5G Standalone

Omantel said it has completed a major network upgrade with no disruption to customers, positioning it to deploy 5G Standalone use cases, including Voice over 5G, tailored network services, RedCap, large-scale IoT connectivity and ultra-low latency applications. Omantel said the upgrade reinforces its long-term technology roadmap and its commitment to building a resilient, future-ready network that delivers tangible value to the economy and society.

BAHRAIN 12 JAN

Sama X obtains licence to provide Starlink services in Bahrain

Starlink global reseller Sama X has been licensed by Bahrain's Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) to the satellite internet services in Bahrain. Sama X offers turnkey services ranging from customer consultation to rapid installation and activation as well as local support, including a round-the-clock call centre serving in both English and Arabic. Sama X is backed by privately owned company Alghanim Industries. It will provide the high-speed internet service to every corner of Bahrain using Starl

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES 12 JAN

Space42 signs MoU with Abu Dhabi Police to advance autonomous mobility

Space42 and Abu Dhabi Police have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop smart security and autonomous vehicle systems. Under the MoU, Abu Dhabi Police will support road safety initiatives and minimise traffic incidents by applying AI and autonomous mobility capabilities in police vehicles. The two parties will also provide joint training and field programmes and establish the foundations to expand the scheme to a broader range of applications in Abu Dhabi's transport network, in line with the lead

IRAN (ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF) 12 JAN

Iran shuts down internet amid widespread violence

Iran has shut down the internet across the country to curb growing unrest as videos showed anti-government protests raging across the country, Reuters reported. Iran's Ministry of information and communications technology said the decision to shut down the internet was made "by the competent security authorities under the prevailing circumstances of the country."

QATAR 9 JAN

Ooredoo Qatar signs up Al Abdulghani Motors to provide transport for Doha Marathon

Ooredoo Qatar has announced an agreement with Al Abdulghani Motors to become the exclusive mobility partner of the Doha Marathon for three years. Al Abdulghani Motors will provide two raffle draw vehicles during the running race, too. The company will also support the event by providing the necessary workforce to ensure smooth and efficient operations during it.

OMAN 9 JAN

Cerillion wins GBP 42 mln five-year BSS/OSS contract from Omantel

Cerillion said it has secured a GBP 42.5 million new contract from Omantel to supply and install its BSS/OSS suite. It will provide ongoing support and maintenance, as well as hosting and managed services over the five-year subscription term, following an initial implementation period. This agreement is Cerillion's largest contract win to date and helps to underpin existing market forecasts for FY 2026 and beyond.

OMAN 9 JAN

Oman Data Park partners ZainTech to offer cybersecurity services

Oman Data Park (ODP) has begun a partnership with ZainTech to strengthen cybersecurity services in Oman and selected regional markets. They will combine ODP's in-country infrastructure and its understanding of national regulatory and data residency requirements with the Zain Group subsidiary's integrated cybersecurity portfolio and regional expertise. Together, they aim to support government and enterprise customers in protecting critical data, systems and digital operations in what they call an increasingl

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