STC and Ericsson have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore sustainable initiatives to power the operator’s network infrastructure with intelligent and renewable energy.

Qatari multinational telecommunications company Ooredoo has selected Ericsson for deploying its Business Support Systems (BSS) solutions under a five-year frame agreement for several operating companies across the Middle East, North Africa, and Southeast Asia.

Two Saudi companies have been given a green light to develop data centres in one of Saudi Arabia’s newest – and possibly smartest – cities.

SICO  Technology, described as Egypt’s first smartphone maker, plans to get into the African electronics market assembling handsets for other companies, according to recent news reports.

Satellite broadband is coming to rural and unserved areas in Egypt after the announcement of a new deal involving a major name in networking technologies and services.

Zain Saudi Arabia has selected Netcracker’s cloud-based digital BSS and customer engagement solutions for its digital transformation programme.

Turkey Wealth Fund (TWF), the sovereign wealth fund (SWF) of the country, is considering a majority takeover of fixed and mobile operator Turk Telekom or Turk Telekomunikasyon (TT), according to a report by Bloomberg.

Vodafone Oman (Oman Future Telecommunications) has tapped Ericsson for its 4G and 5G core networks along with a greenfield radio access network (RAN).

Africa and the Middle East (AME) telecom operators to add 7.58 million 5G subscribers in 2021 due to expanding coverage of 5G networks, said a study.

Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund (SWF), the Public Investment Fund (PIF) is considering selling part of its 70% stake in Saudi Telecom Co (STC) while retaining majority ownership, the state fund said a report in Reuters.

Ooredoo Oman has signed a new ICT and managed services agreement with Huawei which will come into effect on 1st January 2022.

It may come as a surprise to some readers that a major operator in Bahrain still runs a 2G network. Well, it won’t be doing so for much longer. Operator Batelco is phasing out its 2G network to make way for what it calls transformation towards advanced mobile development.

Moro Hub (Data Hub Integrated Solutions), a subsidiary of UAE-based Digital DEWA, signed a Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP) agreement with Nozomi Networks, provider of Operational Technology (OT) and Internet of Things (IoT) security.

The National Telecom Regulatory Authority (NTRA) has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Egyptian Competition Authority (ECA) to form a permanent joint committee to develop the system for regulating free competition in the Egyptian telecom market.

Saudi Telecom Company (STC) has completed the initial public offering (IPO) of Arabian Internet and Communications Services Co, which trades as Solutions by stc.

From March 2022, there will be no Internet Service Provider (ISP) infrastructure breakdown in Israel’s Internet market, and Bezeq Israel Telecommunications Company will be able to sell full Internet packages including both the infrastructure and connectivity options.

Schneider Electric and the University of Birmingham Dubai build green, energy-efficient data centre on-site at the new campus, and implemented by system integrator CDW.

US-based open RAN software company Parallel Wireless has announced plans to continue growing its footprint across the globe with the expansion of its open RAN research and development work in a number of countries that include Israel and India as well as the US and UK.

Jordan-based telecom and contact centre services provider Globitel has been awarded a contract to supply its USSD Gateway product to Telecommunications Company Suriname (Telesur).

The newly-formed Vodafone Oman has selected Netcracker’s Digital BSS solutions as it prepares to launch its network in the Sultanate of Oman.

Dr. Amr Talaat, Egypt’s Minister of Communications and Information Technology, has announced plans to provide more than 60 million people in rural areas with high-speed internet under an ambitious drive to unlock new pathways for economic growth.

UAE-headquartered satellite solutions provider Al Yah Satellite (Yahsat) has selected Cobham SATCOM, a provider of satellite communications solutions to the land, aeronautical and maritime industries, to deliver a comprehensive mobile broadband system, including ground infrastructure and products, to operate as part of its next-generation Thuraya 4-NGS system.

The principal telecommunications company in Bahrain Batelco has announced the expansion of its mobile network, to cover major housing developments currently being built by the Ministry of Housing and the private sector across Bahrain.

The Public Investment Fund, Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, has submitted an offer to buy a 60% stake in the mobile phone towers unit of the kingdom’s second-largest telecom company, Zain KSA.

Saudi Telecom Company (STC), the provider of telecommunications services in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, said that its internet-services unit Arabian Internet and Communications Services Company is seeking to raise as much as 3.62 billion riyals (USD 966 million) from an initial public offering (IPO) in Riyadh.

The UAE has a strong mobile market, dominated by Etisalat and du. Both are majority-owned by the government. In a bid to attract additional foreign investment, it was resolved in early 2021 that the stake held by foreigners in the two companies could be increased.

Jordan’s government has focussed on the use of ICT in a range of sectors, aimed at transforming the relatively small economy through the use of digital services.

Iraq continues to face a number of political and economic challenges, though increasing civil stability has made it easier for mobile and fixed-line operators to rebuild telecom services and infrastructure damaged during the last few years.

Digital infrastructure products provider Vertiv announced a distribution agreement with the US IT services company Ingram Micro covering the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) distribution markets.

The Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) in Saudi Arabia announced the launch of the local roaming service, which aims mainly to maintain network service in villages and deserts covered by telecom services in all regions of the Kingdom.

Iran’s incoming Minister of ICT Isa Zarepour has indicated that the country’s long-delayed National Information Network (NIN) project should be completed by 2025.