Technology news and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Nokia, e& UAE, and MediaTek demonstrated the Middle East’s first six-component carrier aggregation on 5G Standalone networks, achieving 5.8 Gbps speeds across multiple mid-band spectrum bands. This breakthrough advances 5G performance in the UAE, enabling ultra-fast connectivity and supporting the region’s digital transformation.
Saudi Arabia’s government ICT contracts grew 18.75% to SR38 billion in 2024, driven by health, military, and infrastructure sectors. Investments focus on AI, cloud, and emerging tech, supporting Vision 2030. The Kingdom leads globally in digital government rankings and ICT spending share.
Pakistan’s IT Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja spotlighted satellite internet’s role in bridging the digital divide, praised key organizations expanding connectivity, and called for unified investor strategies and digital literacy to advance Pakistan’s digital future.
Hesham Mahran will take over as CEO of Orange Egypt on August 1, succeeding Yasser Shaker, who moves to lead Orange’s Middle East and Africa division. This change aligns with the group’s broader strategy on digital transformation and leadership development.
Tecno’s Spark Go 2, launched in Bangladesh and now in India, offers enhanced durability, AI features, a brighter 120Hz display, and solid hardware at an affordable price. The device is expected to enter the Pakistani market soon at a similar price around PKR 23,000.
iXAfrica and EdgeNext have partnered to expand East Africa’s digital infrastructure, combining hyperscale AI-ready data centers with a global edge platform. The collaboration aims to provide low-latency, secure, and scalable solutions to enterprises in finance, media, telecom, and cloud sectors across the region.
Space42 has launched the Thuraya Mobile Broadband Hotspot, a rugged and secure satellite terminal providing reliable broadband connectivity for remote land and maritime users across multiple regions. Compatible with the Thuraya satellite network and upcoming Thuraya-4, the terminal supports mission-critical communications for government and commercial sectors.
SLASSCOM’s Women Technopreneurs Forum concluded Hack Like a Girl 2.0 and Fast Forward 4.0, empowering female tech founders in Sri Lanka. Five startups won Fast Forward’s accelerator support, while university teams presented innovative hackathon projects addressing social challenges. Supported by key partners, these initiatives boost female-led innovation in Sri Lanka’s tech ecosystem.
ST Engineering iDirect and solutions by stc have partnered to upgrade satellite communication networks across Saudi Arabia. The collaboration will enhance scalable, reliable connectivity for government, enterprise, and telecom sectors, supporting the Kingdom’s fast-growing digital economy and infrastructure goals.
Eutelsat and Orange have signed a multi-year deal to expand Orange’s LEO satellite connectivity using Eutelsat’s OneWeb constellation, enhancing digital inclusion and connectivity resilience worldwide. This builds on their existing partnerships in consumer and enterprise satellite broadband services.