Technology news and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Oman’s mobile market has surged in global rankings as regulatory reform, competition, and heavy 5G investment doubled median speeds and expanded coverage to 91%. With 6,671 5G sites and strong subsea redundancy, the country now outperforms many Gulf peers in speed and network resilience.
Zain Kuwait has achieved a regional first by reaching 31 Gbps in a real-world 5G-Advanced test. Using advanced spectrum and carrier aggregation, the milestone demonstrates readiness for ultra-high capacity, low latency, and next-generation digital services, positioning Kuwait at the forefront of future connectivity.
Zong has partnered with ZTE to introduce affordable 5G smartphones in Pakistan ahead of the February spectrum auction. The initiative includes entry-level and gaming devices, bundled plans, and BNPL schemes, aiming to boost readiness for 5G adoption as operators prepare for heavy investment and rollout obligations.
Omantel has completed Oman’s transition to a full 5G Standalone network, enabling ultra-low latency, network slicing, and advanced IoT services. The seamless upgrade unlocks new enterprise and consumer use cases, from private networks to smarter industry, positioning Oman to compete as a regional digital hub.
Pakistan’s telecom operators have warned that PTA’s 5G Information Memorandum imposes rollout obligations requiring $150–200 million in annual infrastructure investment per operator, excluding spectrum costs. In a low-ARPU market, executives say the framework is commercially unviable and must be revised to enable sustainable 5G deployment.
Pakistan’s telecom regulator has approved an MVNO framework and set the stage for a 5G spectrum auction in February. The reforms open the market to virtual operators, define phased rollout obligations, and significantly raise minimum broadband speed standards for both 4G and 5G nationwide.
Omantel has completed a major network upgrade enabling full 5G Standalone readiness without disrupting customers. The move unlocks advanced services such as Voice over 5G, ultra-low latency applications, and large-scale IoT, strengthening Oman’s digital foundation and positioning Omantel to support next-generation innovation across consumers and industries.
Ericsson and Zain Bahrain have expanded their 5G partnership by deploying Edge User Plane technology, enabling ultra-low latency connectivity to support Industry 4.0 applications, AI-driven operations, and large-scale digital transformation across Bahrain’s industrial and enterprise sectors.
du has partnered with Huawei to deploy the UAE’s first customised multi-band indoor 5G solution, integrating 3G, 4G, and 5G into a single unit. The initiative enhances indoor coverage, reduces power and space requirements, and supports du’s 5G-Advanced roadmap and sustainability goals.
TRAI’s November 2025 drive test in Baddi highlights significant disparities in voice and data performance across India’s major mobile operators. While Reliance Jio and Airtel lead in 5G and 4G data speeds, gaps remain in call quality, latency, and reliability, particularly for BSNL and Vodafone Idea, underscoring uneven network experience for users.