Technology news and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology news and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Algeria is undergoing scheduled maintenance on the critical SMW4 submarine cable on March 10-11, 2026. Aimed at the power supply system, the work may cause temporary internet disruptions between Annaba and Palermo. Authorities have activated alternative routes to ensure service continuity and emphasize the intervention’s role in long-term network reliability.
VEON’s Jazz secured 190 MHz in Pakistan’s 5G auction, the largest share among bidders, for approximately $239.5 million. The auction tripled the nation’s available spectrum, enabling Jazz to enhance 4G quality and launch 5G services in major cities by late 2026, supporting a transition to AI-driven digital services for 100 million users.
LTT and ZTE signed a landmark MoU at MWC26 to modernize Libya’s telecommunications and expand 4G/5G coverage. The partnership targets digital financial services, e-commerce, and high-performance hardware like FWA to bridge the digital divide. This strategic move aims to underpin Libya’s economic reconstruction through enhanced connectivity and a diversified digital ecosystem.
Pakistan raised $507 million in its inaugural 5G auction, with Jazz, Ufone, and Zong acquiring 480 MHz of spectrum. The move doubles national capacity, heralding faster 4G within months and 5G rollouts by late 2026. Notably, Pakistan also became the first Asian nation to eliminate right-of-way charges for fiber.
China’s GeeSpace is expanding its satellite footprint in Africa through partnerships with Algeria and Morocco. The agreements focus on satellite IoT services, LEO satellite manufacturing, and commercial satellite connectivity, supporting digital transformation, infrastructure monitoring, and industrial applications across North Africa’s emerging space and connectivity ecosystem.
Bahrain reviews telecom sector preparedness as government and operators strengthen network resilience, emergency response systems and digital infrastructure coordination amid evolving regional developments.
Axian Telecom partners with AST SpaceMobile to deploy direct-to-device satellite connectivity across multiple African markets, enabling mobile services in underserved and remote regions without specialised devices.
Turkcell partners with Ericsson and Mavenir to advance 5G Advanced deployment, initiate 6G research and integrate AI-powered capabilities into its mobile core network infrastructure.
AXIAN Telecom and AST SpaceMobile have partnered to launch Africa’s first direct-to-device satellite mobile broadband network. Using BlueBird satellites, the service will deliver 4G and 5G connectivity directly to standard smartphones across remote regions, supporting consumers, enterprises, IoT services and emergency communications.
Kuwait’s telecommunications sector is currently under high-level scrutiny to ensure national stability during a period of heightened regional tension. While some brief service interruptions occurred in early March, the Communication & IT Regulatory Authority (CITRA) and the Prime Minister have confirmed that the nation’s digital backbone remains resilient and fully operational.