Technology news and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Yahsat awarded a $1.1 billion contract to Airbus to build geostationary satellites Al Yah 4 and Al Yah 5, launching in 2027 and 2028. These satellites will enhance UAE’s satellite communications and support digital transformation. Airbus will design, manufacture, and provide ground control components.
Tunisia plans to launch 5G by November 2024, leveraging South Korea’s expertise. This initiative aims to accelerate digital transformation across sectors like agriculture, education, and transport, aligning with Tunisia’s National Digital Transformation Strategy 2025. The launch will facilitate smart technologies and enhance digital services.
Telecommunications subscriptions in the UAE rose to 27.09 million by March’s end, with mobile subscriptions at 78.1%, active mobile users at 21.15 million, and broadband internet and fixed-line services also seeing significant growth.
Bangladesh will install a fourth underwater cable by 2028 and a fifth by 2033 to meet growing bandwidth needs. Internet users have surged to 12.9 million, with internet density at 75.12%. Reduced internet costs have boosted IT sector employment and web-based business opportunities.
Liquid Intelligent Technologies and MEDI TELECOM have partnered to expand network coverage in Morocco, enhancing connectivity and services. This collaboration supports the Digital Morocco Plan 2021-2025 and benefits international businesses with improved connectivity options and innovative services.
Cloudflare has expanded its Regional Services to Saudi Arabia and 18 new regions, enabling customers to localize data processing for compliance and security, while maintaining high performance and flexibility through software-defined regionalization.
BNET has launched a project to transition all copper internet networks in Bahrain to ultra-high-speed fiber networks. This initiative aims to migrate all copper customers to fiber, enhancing internet speeds and reliability for individuals and businesses, and aligning with Bahrain’s Sixth National Telecommunications Plan (NTP6).
Huawei Cloud has launched its first African cloud region in Cairo, enhancing Egypt’s digital transformation. The initiative supports Vision 2030, offering cloud services, localized AI models, and creating job opportunities. A strategic partnership with Telecom Egypt underpins this development, positioning Egypt as a regional digital hub.
Microsoft Africa and Zindi have partnered to enhance AI skills across the continent, aiming to equip young Africans for future workforce demands. Additionally, Zimbabwe focuses on lithium battery refineries for clean energy, while China invests in Algeria’s infrastructure with the completion of the Bejaia highway project.
Bahrain’s mobile phone market grew significantly in Q1 2024, with 34,000 new subscriptions, increasing the total to 2.44 million, a 13.8% rise from Q1 2023. The mobile phone penetration rate rose from 136% to 155%, driven by the widespread use of smartphones. Prepaid subscriptions grew by 7.7%, reaching 1.55 million.