The Jordanian region of Saraya Aqaba is the first in the country to get Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) connectivity. The luxury mixed-use tourism and leisure destination located on the shores of the Red Sea in the Gulf of Aqaba in Jordan was fitted with the infrastructure by R&M, A Swiss producer of products and systems for communication and data networks.

Read more: Jordan gets first Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) roll out

Etisalat is launching a new youth-targeted SIM in the UAE called Swyp in an apparent effort to compete with the launch of the Virgin Mobile brand by du's parent company EITC. The Swyp prepaid mobile service hasn't officially launched yet, but the brand's website is up and running and the apps have been uploaded to the app stores.

Read more: Etisalat to launch youth SIM in response to Virgin Mobile UAE

The Virgin Mobile brand was officially launched by Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (EITC) on September 5 in the UAE, bringing the first fully digital mobile service to the country. Virgin Mobile offers simple and transparent technology and a unique consumer experience through its innovative app-based service.

Read more: Virgin Mobile brand officially launches in UAE

Dr. Khaled H. Biyari, STC Group CEO, announced that STC customers will be able to make voice calls inside and outside the network free of charge for two days on the occasion of the Saudi National Team qualification to World Cup 2018 in Russia.

Read more: STC offers two days of free calls inside and outside the network

Saudi Telecom Company (STC) said it increased Wi-Fi coverage in Makkah and Holy Sites to prepare for pilgrims traveling to Saudi Arabia for the annual Hajj. The coverage includes tunnels, bridges, and a number of public utilities in Mina which received pilgrims to start their Tarwiah day on August 30.

Read more: STC increases Wi-Fi coverage 206% for Hajj pilgrims

Oman has postponed its third mobile license offering due to complications regarding Zain Group's acquisition of a 9.84 stake in partially state-owned Oman Telecommunications (Omantel), according to UAE newspaper The National. The winner for the license bid was initially going to be announced on September 4.

Read more: Oman’s third mobile license postponed

Nasser S. Alnasser, Acting STC Group CEO, emphasized that hajj season this year coincides with transforming 92% of copper Network in Makkah to FTTH. This 92% of Makkah's Network is Supported by FTTH. This will contribute in increasing the movement of Data and Information transmission with high speed and large capacities. This came after executing 163 km of civil works, and 173 km of Fiber works during this year 1438H.

Read more: Alnasser: 92% of Makkah’s Network is Supported by FTTH

Internet of Things (IoT) will generate estimated US$1.8 trillion revenue for mobile network operators by 2026, driven by the early deployment of commercial Power Wide Area Networks in licensed spectrum, according to GSMA, which highlighted new figures in the IoT Forecast Database Research published by analyst house Machina Research.

Read more: IoT to generate $1.8 trillion in revenue for mobile operators

Zain Iraq, a subsidiary of Kuwait's Zain Group, has selected Ericsson to upgrade its existing network using the Swedish telecom equipment vendor's virtual Evolved Packet Core (vEPC) offering to meet the growing data demands of its customers in the region.

Read more: Zain Iraq upgrading network to meet growing data demands

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