SAMENA Telecommunications Council

Nokia has published recast comparative financial information for Nokia Group and its reportable segments for Q1 2026 and Q1-Q4 2025, reflecting the reclassification of its Fixed Wireless Access CPE and Enterprise Campus Edge businesses as discontinued operations following agreements to divest these units. The recast data provides a like-for-like basis for comparison as Nokia executes on its strategy to focus on its two primary operating segments — Network Infrastructure and Mobile Infrastructure — alongside Portfolio Businesses. On a recast comparable basis, Nokia Group delivered H1 2026 net sales of EUR 9.25 billion, comparable gross margin of 46.0%, and comparable operating profit of EUR 735 million at a 7.9% operating margin. Network Infrastructure contributed EUR 3.87 billion in H1 2026 net sales at an operating margin of 7.4%, while Mobile Infrastructure delivered EUR 5.18 billion in net sales at a 10.3% operating margin. The full recast financial tables are available in the accompanying Excel attachment to the stock exchange release and in Nokia's Report for Q2 and Half Year 2026, including detailed segment information and notes on discontinued operations. #Nokia #FinancialResults #H12026 #Recast #NetworkInfrastructure #MobileInfrastructure #InvestorRelations #DiscontinuedOperations #FWA #StrategyExecution #Telecom #FinancialReporting

Zain Group has confirmed a USD 10 million contribution to the Kuwait Emergency Response Fund, a strategic national initiative launched by the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development to strengthen national preparedness and enhance Kuwait's ability to address exceptional circumstances. Bader Nasser Al-Kharafi, Zain Vice Chairman and Group CEO, described the contribution as a national duty, saying that under exceptional circumstances, strengthening the country's ability to address challenges and safeguard its socio-economic wellbeing is a shared responsibility requiring the combined efforts of all sectors and institutions. He praised the KFAED-led initiative as a model of national partnership that reflects the State's vision for building an institutional framework capable of responding swiftly to crises, mobilizing national resources, and maintaining stability during emergencies. Al-Kharafi extended appreciation to H.E. Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of KFAED, for leading the initiative with the highest standards of national responsibility and proactive institutional action. Zain affirmed that its responsibility extends beyond delivering connectivity to supporting the foundations of stability and strengthening the resilience of the critical infrastructure on which economic, development, and public service sectors depend — a commitment grounded in more than four decades of partnership with Kuwait's national development journey. #ZainGroup #Kuwait #KFAED #NationalSolidarity #EmergencyFund #KuwaitEmergencyResponseFund #CorporateResponsibility #BaderAlKharafi #NationalDuty #PrivateSector #Resilience #Kuwait

stc Group has launched the dedicated stc EWC channel on its stc tv platform to deliver comprehensive digital broadcasting coverage of the Esports World Cup in Paris, reaffirming its position as a Founding and Elite Partner of the tournament. The stc EWC channel provides live match broadcasts, live analysis, exclusive clips, and on-site reporting from competition venues, serving as the premier digital destination for esports fans worldwide. stc tv's advanced technical infrastructure allows viewers to replay live broadcasts for up to 14 days, complemented by a digital library of 20,000 entertainment titles and more than 130 live channels. The initiative builds on stc Group's broader leadership in fostering esports growth, leveraging its advanced technical resources to deliver a premium viewing experience throughout the tournament. #stcGroup #EsportsWorldCup #EWC2026 #stctv #Esports #Gaming #DigitalBroadcasting #Paris #LiveStreaming #DigitalEntertainment #SaudiArabia #DigitalEnabler #Vision2030

AT&T Business has introduced enhancements to its Unlimited Your Way for Business portfolio, including the launch of AT&T Business Unlimited Ultimate 3.0, its most advanced wireless plan designed for today's multi-device workforce. Unlimited Ultimate 3.0 includes prioritized data and connectivity for one tablet and one wearable with every voice line at no additional cost, alongside unlimited hotspot data, AT&T Turbo for Business for prioritized performance on both on-device and hotspot data, AT&T ActiveArmor mobile security with spam alerts and automatic fraud call blocking, up to 4K UHD video streaming, up to 10 days of International Day Pass per billing cycle, and roaming across 20 Latin American countries at no additional cost. Businesses can now also include up to 50 lines within a group, with a $15 per line discount for online orders. Viraj Parekh, VP of Converged Networking at AT&T Business, said the way businesses use wireless has evolved beyond the smartphone, with employees relying on tablets, wearables, and connected devices just as much as mobile phones to stay productive. He described Unlimited Ultimate 3.0 as delivering a wireless experience built for today's multi-device workforce, combining prioritized performance, built-in security, global connectivity, and included device connectivity in a single plan. Unlimited Your Way for Business plans, including Unlimited Ultimate 3.0, are available now for new and existing business customers across the United States. #ATT #ATTBusiness #UnlimitedUltimate #5G #BusinessWireless #MultiDevice #Wearables #EnterpriseConnectivity #MobileSecurity #ATTurbo #ActiveArmor #DigitalWorkforce #BusinessMobility #Connectivity

ZainTECH the digital solutions arm of Zain Group, has announced a partnership with Nile to bring its Secure Network-as-a-Service offering to enterprises across the region, addressing the limitations of legacy network architecture holding back AI-led digital transformation. Founded by former Cisco leaders John Chambers and Pankaj Patel, Nile delivers a radically simplified campus networking architecture purpose-built for the AI era. Its Secure NaaS offering converges zero-trust security, cloud services, and autonomous operations, eliminating 99% of tickets, lowering costs by 60%, and reducing breaches by 60 to 100% compared to traditional architectures. The model also shifts infrastructure from a capital burden to a strategic enabler under a unified managed service. The offering targets multi-site organizations across healthcare, hospitality, education, banking, manufacturing, and the mid-market — sectors where operational continuity, compliance, and distributed connectivity are critical but IT resources are often constrained. Andrew Hanna, CEO of ZainTECH, said enterprise networking has not kept pace with the rapid evolution of cloud, AI, automation, and distributed business environments, adding that the partnership with Nile enables organizations to simplify operations, strengthen resilience, and adopt a modern networking model that supports long-term business growth. Mike Weston, President of International Sales at Nile, said organizations distracted by the daily challenges of legacy networks need an environment that is simpler, more secure, and more adaptive, describing the ZainTECH partnership as enabling the network to become a strategic business enabler with a highly affordable cost structure. #ZainTECH #Nile #NaaS #NetworkAsAService #ZeroTrust #AI #EnterpriseNetworking #CloudNetworking #DigitalTransformation #ManagedServices #Cybersecurity #MiddleEast #ZainGroup #CampusNetworking #Innovation

stc pay Bahrain has announced the expansion of its digital wallet services to Saudi nationals visiting the Kingdom of Bahrain, marking the first step in the company's planned regional expansion across the GCC. Saudi visitors can now create an stc pay Bahrain account using their valid Saudi National ID, giving them immediate access to secure digital payment solutions across a wide network of merchants and service providers in Bahrain. Eng. Khalid Al Osaimi, Chairman of stc pay Bahrain and CEO of stc Bahrain, said the initiative is designed to enhance the experience of Saudi visitors in the Kingdom by providing access to the secure and seamless payment solutions the platform is known for, describing it as the first step in the company's vision to extend its services across the region. #stcpayBahrain #DigitalPayments #Fintech #Bahrain #SaudiArabia #GCC #DigitalWallet #RegionalExpansion #DigitalEconomy #MobilePayments #Innovation #DigitalFinance

Etihad Etisalat (Mobily) has reported strong financial results for the first half of 2026, with revenue reaching SAR 10,120 million, up 5.3% year-on-year, driven by an expanding customer base and increased revenue across multiple segments. Gross profit grew 9.5% to SAR 5,669 million, operating profit climbed 12.9% to SAR 1,966 million, and net profit attributable to shareholders rose 11.5% to SAR 1,781 million. Earnings per share increased to SAR 2.32 from SAR 2.07 in H1 2025. Total equity rose to SAR 20,871 million, while capital expenditure declined to SAR 1,287 million from SAR 2,697 million in the same period last year. For Q2 2026 specifically, revenue reached SAR 5,080 million, up 5.2% year-on-year, with net profit growing 8.6% to SAR 901 million. Mobily attributed the positive performance to improved revenue, higher operating profits, disciplined expense management, and operational efficiency, with continued focus on developing services and expanding its user base in line with the transformation of the Saudi telecom sector and growing demand for digital solutions. #Mobily #EtihadEtisalat #H12026 #Q22026 #FinancialResults #SaudiArabia #Telecom #DigitalTransformation #InvestorRelations #Vision2030 #Earnings #RevenueGrowth

The SAMENA Telecommunications Council has announced a new series of high-level leadership gatherings across the Middle East during the second half of 2026, bringing together ministers, regulators, CEOs, infrastructure leaders, investors, and international organizations to advance regional and global dialogue on digital development. The first two gatherings are being developed in the UAE and Oman, each focused on a distinct but connected set of priorities. In the UAE, the Digital Continuity Forum 2026 under the patronage of Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority will focus on trusted and resilient connectivity for the intelligence-led era and the 6G ecosystem roadmap, convening leaders around critical ICT infrastructure protection, mission-critical networks, private 5G, future wireless systems, standards, and talent. In Oman, AXIS 2026 under the patronage of Telecommunications Regulatory Authority Oman and leadership of Omantel will focus on integrated digital infrastructure and investment, bringing together policymakers, operators, hyperscalers, investors, data center and cloud leaders, satellite and submarine connectivity players, and AI infrastructure stakeholders around Oman's growing role as a regional digital hub. Bocar Ba, CEO of the SAMENA Council, said the Middle East is entering a new phase of digital leadership, investing at a scale that will accelerate digital transformation across connectivity, AI, cloud, data centers, sovereign compute, cybersecurity, and future networks. He described the series as a sequence of high-level engagements designed to bring regional perspectives into the international dialogue on digital development, reflecting a region that is helping to define the digital future rather than simply responding to it. Key topics across the series include critical connectivity, infrastructure protection, autonomous future networks and 6G, sovereign AI and compute, terrestrial and satellite integration, data centers, infrastructure investment, and international cooperation. #SAMENACouncil #DigitalContinuityForum #AXIS2026 #UAE #Oman #6G #SovereignAI #DigitalInfrastructure #Connectivity #MiddleEast #DigitalLeadership #TDRA #TRAOman #Omantel #Investment

AT&T is taking over Javits Center at Fanatics Fest NYC from July 16 to 19, creating immersive fan experiences, exclusive customer benefits, and connectivity that keeps every moment shareable in real time. At the center of the on-site experience is the AT&T Connection Cup, a live fan competition hosted by Emmy Award-winning studio host-analyst Nate Burleson, where fans compete alongside 14 athlete and celebrity captains including Alex Morgan, Candace Parker, Noah Lyles, Jordan Chiles, and others across sports trivia, memorabilia challenges, and physical competitions. Eligible AT&T customers receive priority access to participate. As presenting partner of the Fanatics Collect Card Combine, AT&T is also helping bring the card-collecting hobby to life with hands-on experiences covering pack opening, trading, grading, and the stories behind iconic collectibles. Eligible AT&T customers will receive elevated card packs during the First Pack moment. AT&T customers can also access the dedicated AT&T Customer Lounge for charging stations, custom giveaways, limited-edition merch, complimentary Screen Skinz, and live sneaker cleaning. In the coming months, eligible AT&T customers will be able to jump straight to Fanatics ONE Member Pro status with no points required. Behind the scenes, AT&T engineers will be on site monitoring enhanced 5G coverage and capacity throughout Javits Center to support hundreds of thousands of expected fans capturing and sharing the action. Kellyn Smith Kenny, Chief Marketing and Growth Officer at AT&T, said Fanatics Fest is where the biggest personalities, stories, and viral moments in sports come to life, and AT&T is proud to keep fans connected to the moments everyone is talking about as they happen. #ATT #FanaticsFest #NYC #FanExperience #5G #Sports #Fanatics #ATTConnectionCup #CardCollecting #SportsCulture #FanaticsONE #Connectivity #NYC2026 #KellynSmithKenny

Huawei's OceanProtect data protection products have been recognized in the DCIG 2026-27 TOP 5 Cyber Resilient PBBAs report, with the OceanProtect X9000 ranking first in the All-Flash Edition category for recovery performance and the OceanProtect X6000 ranking first in the 3PB+ Logical Global Edition category for cost-effectiveness. The report, which evaluated more than 250 features across 35 mainstream backup appliances worldwide, identified backup system resilience against attacks and fault recovery efficiency as core criteria, adding two new evaluation dimensions — all-flash storage hardware deployment and AI threat analysis — to reflect the growing ransomware threat. Over 80% of enterprises surveyed experienced ransomware attacks in the past year. OceanProtect's recognition is underpinned by five core capabilities. Air Gap physical isolation with secure snapshot and WORM anti-tampering technology cuts off lateral ransomware movement and protects backup copies from encryption or deletion. Storage-network collaboration with ransomware signature identification and I/O behavior anomaly detection achieves a ransomware identification accuracy of up to 99.99%. An all-flash high-performance architecture with 16-node scale-out clusters delivers backup throughput of 200 TB/hour and recovery bandwidth of 100 TB/hour for minute-level service recovery. A four-layer data reduction process achieves a maximum data reduction ratio of up to 90:1. Active-active HA architecture with fully shared controller load ensures 24/7 uninterrupted data protection even during single controller failure or maintenance. #Huawei #OceanProtect #DataProtection #Ransomware #CyberResilience #Backup #DCIG #AllFlash #DataSecurity #EnterpriseIT #DigitalResilience #CloudStorage #Cybersecurity #Innovation #DataInfrastructure