UAE telco Etisalat launches package for transit passengers

Last year, the UAE government announced that will grant free transit visas for 48 hours to passengers

Saudi telco Mobily appoints new CEO as part of Saudisation efforts

Salman Abdulaziz R. AlBadran replaces Ahmed Abou Doma, who has been in the role for two years

Etisalat will have UAE ‘ready for 5G’ this year

The telco is building 600 5G sites, and 300 5G towers, which will be ready before 5G handsets are rolled-out

UAE telecom operator du announces CFO resignation

Amer Kazim will remain with the company until the end of the first quarter of 2019

Power letters 2019: Saleh Abdullah Al Abdooli, Etisalat CEO

With its implementation, 5G will provide opportunities for economic growth and massive development

Saudi telecom operators agree annual royalty fees

The agreement will involve an annual royalty of 10 per cent of net revenue from telecommunications services starting from Jan 1, 2018

UAE telco Etisalat begins offering home insurance

The plan will be available to existing eLife customers for an additional fee

UAE’s Etisalat, du offer free wifi for National Day

The offer will be open to all UAE residents in major public places

Zain Saudi to sell tower infrastructure to IHS Holding for $647.7m

Zain will sell 8,100 towers and related passive infrastructure and lease them back for 15 years

Virgin Mobile launches eSIM services in the UAE

Etisalat launched eSIM services late last month in the UAE

UAE telco du Q3 net profit falls 7.4%

Revenue rose 6.4 per cent to Dhs3.3bn

Etisalat launches eSIM services for iPhones in the UAE

The telco first introduced the eSIM technology in May this year for the Apple Watch

UAE’s Etisalat Q3 profit falls on higher capital expenditure

Etisalat made a net profit of Dhs2.3bn ($626m) in the three months to September 30

China Mobile opens Dubai office, plans to boost investment

The office will support Chinese enterprises in the Middle East.

UAE telecoms operator du partners with Amazon Prime Video

Streaming service Amazon Prime Video launched in the UAE in December 2016

UAE telecom operator du to introduce eSIM services

The eSIM removes the requirement for a physical SIM card

Saudi telco Mobily says suspension on mobile services has been revoked

The company was suspended from offering mobile services to new customers for failing to hire the required number of Saudis in senior executive roles

Saudi telecoms firm Mobily suspended from offering some mobile services

The company has been penalised for failing to achieve the required Saudisation rate in executive roles

First smartphone-based MBA launched for students in Dubai

GCC mobile shipments decline in Q2 amid Dubai slump – IDC

Saudi was the only regional market to see shipments increase, with the UAE hit particularly hard

Kuwait’s Zain completes $700m loan refinancing

The funding will be used for general corporate purposes

Mobily, Ericsson conduct 5G demo in Jeddah mall

The first commercial 5G networks and devices based on the 3GPP standards are expected in 2018

UAE’s Du unblocks voice chat feature for some games

The UAE’s telecoms regulator is reportedly in talks to also lift bans on Skype and FaceTime

UAE’s Etisalat posts 12.3% rise in Q2 profit

The operator cut capital expenditure and added more subscribers

UAE telco du posts 1.3% rise in Q2 net profit

Net profit after royalties for the three months to June 30 rose to Dhs453m

Du to offer free wifi across the UAE for Eid

Higher speed free wifi will be available from June 12-18

UAE fixed telecoms subscribers down 30,000 to April

The reduction shows fewer families and businesses are paying for landline phone and broadband services

VAT, poor job security hit Gulf mobile phone market in Q1

IDC said the UAE and Saudi were hit particularly hard, with many traditional retailers struggling

UAE’s Etisalat claims first commercial 5G launch in MENA

The initial launch will focus on customer premises equipment devices rather than smartphones

Virgin Mobile Middle East raises $30m in pre-IPO financing

The deal is a rare addition to a market that is comprised mostly of sukuk originated by sovereigns and financial firms

UAE’s telecoms regulator in talks to lift Skype, FaceTime ban

Discussions are said to be underway following big investments by Apple and Microsoft in the UAE