Volume 09, January, 2018 A SAMENA Telecommunications Council Newsletter www.samenacouncil.org SAMENA TRENDS EXCLUSIVELY FOR SAMENA TELECOMMUNICATIONS COUNCIL'S MEMBERS BUILDING DIGITAL ECONOMIES VIVA Bahrain Launches Region’s First Fully Integrated Customer Excellence Center 44 Nokia: Technology for the “Greater Good” 32 THIS MONTH DRIVING MOBILE INSPIRATION FOR DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION Datamena Print Ad H28x21.5cm-E.indd 1 11/26/17 10:14 AM VOLUME 09, JANUARY, 2018 Contributing Editors Subscriptions Izhar Ahmad [email protected] SAMENA Javaid Akhtar Malik Advertising TRENDS Contributing Members [email protected] Huawei Editor-in-Chief Nokia SAMENA TRENDS Bocar A. BA Viva Bahrain [email protected] Tel: +971.4.364.2700 Publisher SAMENA Telecommunications Council CONTENTS 04 EDITORIAL 05 Driving Mobile Inspiration from CEOs 09 REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES Members News Regional News 34 SATELLITE UPDATES Satellite News 46 WHOLESALE UPDATES The SAMENA TRENDS newsletter is Wholesale News wholly owned and operated by The SAMENA Telecommunications Council 52 (SAMENA Council). Information in the TECHNOLOGY UPDATES newsletter is not intended as professional Technology News services advice, and SAMENA Council disclaims any liability for use of specific 60 REGULATORY & POLICY information or results thereof. Articles and information contained in this UPDATES publication are the copyright of SAMENA Regulatory News Telecommunications Council, (unless otherwise noted, described or stated) and A Snapshot of Regulatory cannot be reproduced, copied or printed Activities in the SAMENA in any form without the express written permission of the publisher. Region The SAMENA Council does not necessari- Regulatory Activities ly endorse, support, sanction, encourage, Beyond the SAMENA verify or agree with the content, com- ments, opinions or statements made in Region The SAMENA TRENDS by any entity or entities. Information, products and ser- vices offered, sold or placed in the news- ARTICLES letter by other than The SAMENA Council belong to the respective entity or entities 32 Technology for the “Greater 50 The ICT Skill Competition: and are not representative of The SAME- Good” Developing Skills for NA Council. The SAMENA Council hereby Digitalization expressly disclaims any and all warranties, 44 VIVA Bahrain Launches Region’s expressed and implied, including but not First Fully Integrated Customer limited to any warranties of accuracy, re- liability, merchantability or fitness for a Excellence Center particular purpose by any entity or en- tities offering information, products and services in this newsletter. The user agrees that The SAMENA Council is not responsi- ble, and shall have no liability to such user, with respect to any information, product or service offered by any entity or entities in this newsletter. The SAMENA Coun- cil’s only liability in the event of errors shall be the correction or removal of the erroneous information after verification. CONTENTS© 2018 - All rights reserved. SAMENA TRENDS is a trademark of SAMENA Telecommunications Council. EDITORIAL SAMENA TRENDS Driving Mobile Inspiration for Digital Transformation This is a mobile-first world; the world For telecom operator CMOs and CIOs, in where digital transformation of society this context, creating mobile initiatives that and life, in general, is happening before our are aligned with emerging technologies eyes, impacting every facet and facade of is essential to executing enterprise-wide individuals’ lives. Nearly a third of the world’s digital transformation. The security of population is now using a smart phone. mobile data, apps and devices is essential, Combined with wearable bands, digital as organizations attempt to balance cyber- watches, and a plethora of other wearable security needs with the need for efficient devices and mobile hand-held devices, this functionality. Therefore, we are talking about smart connectedness is our next big reality an altogether new level of complex decision- and inspiration. making that has to be treaded through on a day-to-day basis as operators’ services Having understood that we, more or less, have and products undergo advanced marketing Bocar A. BA entered into the fifth-generation of mobility makeover, while they adopt the change in Chief Executive Officer and that technologies, policies, regulatory their long-term benefit and qualify further SAMENA Telecommunications measures and enablement processes -- all investment plans. Council of which could be collectively dubbed as “5G” -- and our business models, and interaction Having been focused on “digital trans- with the network now must be realized at formation” centric discussions and an utterly new plain, the industry is keenly stakeholder engagement activities looking into testing its level of creativity. And throughout last year, we can safely say creativity is always inspired by something. As that it is a concept most easy to discuss an example, end-user welfare all around the but extremely difficult to define, as there world, including telecom operators’ potential are aspects of it that are not even physical. role in addressing the wealth imbalance However, the concept of mobile, which is all around the world, could serve as a great synonymous with the concept of digital, is “something” to create new possibilities for much more easily to imagine and implement, businesses and users alike. as it is about creating digital experience based on what already exists. Building viable new business cases requires much more than just speed and low-latency. This year, SAMENA Council will continue In fact, it actually requires thinking mobile not deep-diving into the digital transformational as “devices” but as “choices” and “freedom” aspects of the telecom business and of -- the ability to do whatever and whenever. the digital economies that concern the This concept of mobile in relation to human interest and aspirations of all stakeholders. abilities and choices is essential for achieving Collectively, we would have to work in utterly true digital transformation -- whether different and new collaborative modes, which that transformation means unification of the public and the private sectors may not infrastructure at the operator end, improved have seen yet. It is time for a new a paradigm regulatory processes, or new digital to emerge that makes use of the public- services that allow for seamless, integrated private-people partnerships to create new communication and connectivity services to possibilities in the use of mobility en route to be rendered on advanced platforms for end- digital transformation. users. Mobile, or mobility, goes hand in hand with digital transformation. Lack of former will impede the latter. 4 JANUARY 2018 DRIVING MOBILE INSPIRATION FROM CEOs SAMENA TRENDS Driving Mobile Inspiration from CEOs Talal Said Marhoon Al Mamari CEO Oman Telecommunications Company “Oman is going through a period of rapid digital trans- formation, driven by increased mobility in the Sultanate. Customers are constantly consuming content and interacting with brands, and businesses are recognising the benefits of being connected all the time. But despite Oman having one of the highest mobile penetration rates in the Gulf, people are yet to fully tap government services, mobile banking and online shopping, among other e-commerce facilities. As a result, the mobile commerce market is at a very nascent stage, but still showcases tremendous potential to be the driving force of the digital movement. At Omantel, we constantly strive to harness this potential by offer- ing a range of valuable services to our diverse customer base so that we can together move towards a digitally empowered Oman.” Osman Sultan CEO Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (du) “All over the world, mobile technology is driving profound changes in the ways we live, work, and communicate. We are in the midst of a digital transformation that has the potential to improve our lives from every angle: whether it’s enhanced connectivity and communication on an individual basis, new value propositions and revenue streams in business and industry, or increased efficiency and adaptability for governments and entire nations. This transformation is happening on an immense scale, which means the opportunities it presents will be vast and multifaceted. Particularly in mobile, which offers a large degree of versatility and accessibility by nature, there are opportunities for innovation that will affect communities and individuals in tangible ways. As next-generation technologies continue to permeate cities and countries across the region, customers’ needs will evolve, and operators will have to come up with the best services and solutions to fulfill them. In the digital era, this region is quickly becoming a technology hub – and that is a position that will enable us to put our best foot forward in leading the global technological transformation.” 5 JANUARY 2018 DRIVING MOBILE INSPIRATION FROM CEOs SAMENA TRENDS Jérôme Hénique CEO Orange Jordan “Mobile Telecommunications and the internet is reshaping the world we are living in today, and this is reflected in our communities, businesses and the manner of our interaction with each other and the world. Telecommunications has really transformed our world into one global village, leveraging social interactions, thanks to communication that is instantaneous and available 24 hours and 7 days a week. In Jordan and the MENA region and most of Asia, access