Technology news and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
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.
IBM has completed an energy-efficient data center for Telecom Egypt, the largest fixed-line telecom provider in the Middle East. The project, part of IBM’s “Big Green” initiative, aims to enhance Telecom Egypt’s capacity while improving energy efficiency and server performance, supporting Egypt’s growing telecommunications demands.
Sparkle and Tunisie Telecom have partnered to provide International IP Transit services from Sicily to Milan. This agreement enhances Tunisia’s connectivity to Europe with a high-performance, low-latency route, meeting the growing demand for advanced internet services and digital content, and strengthening the historical partnership between the two companies.
Saudi Arabia will invest SR4.2 billion ($1.2 billion) to enhance its digital content industry through the newly established Digital Content Council. The council will fund 36 initiatives to develop skills and create jobs in video gaming, video production, and digital advertising, promoting the Kingdom’s growing digital content sector.
Qatar topped Ookla’s Speedtest Global Index for mobile broadband speeds in February, March, and April, with Samsung S24 models reaching 971 Mbps. Al Rayyan was the fastest mobile city globally. Ooredoo’s investments in technology and infrastructure have solidified Qatar’s leadership in mobile internet speeds, supporting Qatar’s National Vision 2030.