Tunisie Telecom (TT) has successfully completed a series of lab and field trials of G.fast technology with Adtran.

Facebook has launched its Messenger Lite app, aimed at “markets with slower than average internet speeds and a prevalence of basic Android smartphones”.

The GSMA has called for a renewed dialogue between the Egyptian authorities and the country’s mobile industry after the offering of 4G licences failed to attract any bids from Egypt’s three mobile operators.

ICFLIX, the Middle East and North Africa’s leading internet streaming service, has partnered with SLA Digital to bring Direct Operator Billing to more customers in the Middle East.

After all three Egyptian operators chose not to acquire a 4G licence due finding the terms unfavourable, the government is debating whether to auction them internationally.

Israeli market leader Cellcom has reached “advanced stages of negotiations” over a network sharing and hosting arrangement with a group of investors considering an acquisition of Golan Telecom.

Turkcell has announced the launching of its mobile application “Merhaba Umut” – “Hello Hope” to facilitate the integration of Syrian refugees living in Turkey.

Research and Markets has released its latest status report on the telecoms sector in Libya.

Jordanian operator Umniah is implementing Astellia’s 3G service assurance solution to augment its data services.

Zain Iraq and Ericsson have signed a three-year extension of their network and IT operation and optimisation managed services agreement.

Iraqi mobile payments company Iraq Wallet has expanded its ZainCash service by introducing an online payment solution, ‘Pay with ZainCash’.

Telegram, which positions itself a secure messaging app, has experienced its most extensive hack to date in Iran.

Vodafone Egypt may not acquire a 4G licence in the market, according to reports.

Israeli market leader Cellcom has begun legal proceedings against Golan Telecom after the smaller firm abandoned discussion concerning a network-sharing agreement to partner with Hot Mobile.

Batelco has selected Aptilo Networks to enable carrier Wi-Fi for Bahrain Wi-Fi, a nationwide Wi-Fi network throughout the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Tecnotree has completed the deployment of its Agility Convergent Billing Solution (CBS) for Mobile GSM services for Omantel. 

ABS has successfully launched its ABS-2A satellite aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 full thrust rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

Israeli operator Cellcom is demanding ILS900 million ($233 million) from smaller competitor Golan Telecom as compensation after it pulled out of merger talks to work with another company.

Zain Kuwait is deploying new marketing solutions from Show.me across Kuwait.

STC (Saudi Telecommunication Company) has expanded its relationship with Intelsat and entered into a new contract for satellite services on Intelsat 15 located at 85.15° East.

Zain Iraq has launched carrier billing with global digital services firm SLA Digital.

UAE-based bank Rakbank has selected Gemalto to support its migration to contactless EMV payments to benefit from this system's speed, convenience and security.

Ericsson will manage and operate UAE-based du's IT infrastructure under a new long-term agreement.

Zain KSA and Nokia have partnered to deploy LTE-Advanced three component carrier aggregation technology that will boost the operator’s data speeds to 187.5 Mbps across its network.

A new subsea cable collaboration will connect Muscat in Oman to Karachi in Pakistan.

NTT Communications and Omantel have agreed to collaborate on wholesale IP services at several locations worldwide.

TAQNIA Space, Skyware Technologies and Crescent have signed a joint venture agreement in Saudi Arabia with KACST as the technology partner.

Ericsson has partnered mobile financial services company Trriple to provide mobile wallet services for consumers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as well its banking and smart city sectors.

Mobile network operator Zain Group has become the first to launch a high-speed 4G-LTE network in Sudan, the sixth market in total where it has launched the technology.

Zain Group, which operates in eight markets across the Middle East and Africa, announced consolidated revenues of KD277 million (US$919 million) for the first quarter of 2016.