Ooredoo is launching advanced sovereign AI cloud services in Qatar with support from digital infrastructure provider Syntys.

MVNX, a South African Mobile Virtual Network Enabler (MVNE), has extended its agreement with Cerillion to streamline its operations and simplify the process of onboarding new MVNOs.

Nokia said on Tuesday it has completed what it says is the first deployment of shared 5G Standalone (5G SA) indoor coverage in Saudi Arabia in a proof-of-concept pilot with Mobily, Zain KSA, neutral host specialist ACES NH and the Communications, Space & Technology Commission (CST).

Omantel and UAE-based du and  announced on Tuesday that they have activated the Oman Emirates Gateway (OEG), a 275-km fibre-optic subsea cable system that will boost connectivity between the UAE and Oman.

Saudi Arabia’s stc group announced on Monday it has launched a dedicated nationwide LTE network for the country’s mission-critical sectors, including government, healthcare, and oil and gas.

MTN South Sudan has launched service in Abuyong Payam in Lakes State courtesy of the government’s universal service and access fund (USAF), although state officials said the network's coverage is too limited and needs to be expanded soon.

Telecoms infrastructure provider Edotco Bangladesh said on Monday it has signed an MoU with clean mobility and energy firm Tiger New Energy to deploy sustainable power systems for both telecom towers and electric vehicles across Bangladesh.

Nigerian regulator the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Nigerian Rural Electrification Agency (REA) have launched a joint initiative to reduce the estimated US$350 million that telecom operators in Nigeria spend annually on diesel.

Kacific Broadband Satellites Group continued its blitz of deals to provide satellite broadband services to rural Pakistan last week via an MoU with public sector company Pak Datacom.

Vodacom Business says it has deployed a private mobile network for South African energy and chemical company Sasol at its synthetic fuel facility in Secunda, Mpumalanga as an alternative to Wi-Fi.

Technology giant Huawei and Saudi Arabian operator Zain KSA have announced the launch of the Riyadh Antenna Platform, which the partners describe as a groundbreaking innovation tailored to meet the unique needs of the Saudi telecommunications market.

Turkish service provider Turkcell, along with Beko, a leading home appliances company in Europe, and Ericsson, a global leader in information and communication technology, say they have successfully concluded the EU-supported VERGE project to develop next-generation communication technologies.

Satellite operator Sateliot, which says it is the first company to operate a constellation of 5G NB-IoT satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO), has announced a boost to its satellite deployment plans, along with preparations to launch its commercial service in Brazil.

Pakistan’s long-awaited 5G spectrum auction is facing delays due to Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL), which is allegedly withholding key documents related to its proposed acquisition of Telenor Pakistan, according to the country’s Minister for IT and Telecommunications.

Qatar and the UAE have new sovereign cloud services following separate launches this week from Ooredoo and du that promise a local alternative to international cloud service providers.

TurkNet and SOCAR Fiber announced on Thursday they have signed a strategic cooperation agreement to integrate their fibre optic networks along the TANAP natural gas pipeline to expand TurkNet's fibre business and fortify Turkey’s internet backbone.

It’s not unusual to hear of operators using renewable energy, but in Kenya Sistema.bio, a biogas and regenerative agriculture platform, and operator Safaricom appear to be donating it to farmers.

The saga of Brazilian telecommunications company Oi and its ongoing attempts at restructuring its operations and settling its debts continues this week with news that it is seeking court approval to amend its existing debt recovery plan.

Telecom Egypt and subsea supplier SubCom announced on Wednesday they have successfully completed two landings for the Southeast Asia-Middle East-Western Europe 6 (SEA-ME-WE-6) subsea cable system on each of Egypt’s two coasts.

Axian Telecom is reportedly in talks to strengthen its fintech division through the acquisition of African e-commerce giant Jumia Technologies, according to Bloomberg sources.

Safaricom Ethiopia hailed reaching 10 million 90-day active customers, just four years after launching commercial operations in the East African nation.

MTN Nigeria officially launched the first phase of its US$235 million data centre in Lagos on Tuesday, along with a cloud service to compete against the likes of Amazon Web Services, Microsoft and Google.

Arkan Solutions, a provider of cloud communication services and session border controller as a service (SBCaaS) across the Middle East and globally, has announced the successful go-live of its PSTN integration service for international express shipping service DHL Express in Kuwait, Qatar and Jordan, in collaboration with British Telecom (BT).

Ericsson has signed a three-year deal with e& UAE to upgrade the operator’s 5G network, marking the first commercial deployment of the vendor’s RedCap solution in the Middle East and Africa.

Vodafone Idea has announced it will deploy its 5G network in 23 additional cities across India, as the operator continues to compete with rivals for dominance in the 5G space.

Satellite operator Intelsat has partnered with actor Forest Whitaker’s non-profit organisation, Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative (WPDI), to deliver for the first time high-speed internet connectivity to WPDI’s Community Learning Centres in South Sudan and Uganda.

Contact Financial Holding, an Egyptian non-banking financial services provider, has announced a strategic partnership with noon Payments, an integrated online payment gateway powered by digital e-commerce platform noon.

Kenya’s competition watchdog has warned landlords against signing exclusive access deals with broadband providers, saying such practices restrict consumer choice and could lead to heavy fines.

Orange has promoted Hesham Mahran to CEO and managing director of its Egyptian operation, succeeding Yasser Shaker, who becomes chairman of Orange Egypt.

Telecoms tower company IHS South Africa announced on Thursday it has kicked off an initiative with non-profit organization Project Isizwe in KwaMashu, Durban to provide free, uncapped public Wi-Fi for local residents, students, job seekers and entrepreneurs.

iXAfrica Data Centres, which owns and operates East Africa’s first hyperscale, AI-ready data centre, in Kenya, and EdgeNext, a global leader in cloud infrastructure and edge computing services, say they have partnered to drive the next wave of digital infrastructure growth across the region.

I&M Group PLC, a leading regional financial services group in Africa, has announced a partnership with ThetaRay, a company that harnesses the power of cognitive AI for financial crime compliance, enabling financial institutions to precisely identify legitimate customers while flagging bad actors.