REDtone IoT and Unified Inbox partner to integrate IoT devices with Social Media

1. teletimes INTERNATIONAL Issue 128 August 2016 The latest in telecoms, sat-comms & ICT sectors of the Middle East,Asia andAfrica TELETIMES MEDIA LLC. Zain enjoys phenomenal loyalty from its 45 million customers Scott Gegenheimer CEO - Zain Group Huawei pioneering security measures in the wake of IoT Redtone and Unified Inbox to integrate IoT devices with Social Media Ooredoo launches Algeria’s first 4G network August 2016 www.teletimesinternational.com

2. BETTER SOONER Accelerating ICT innovation to improve lives faster ITU Telecom World 2016 is the global platform to accelerate ICT innovations for social and economic development. It’s where policy makers and regulators meet industry experts, investors, SMEs, entrepreneurs and innovators to exhibit solutions, share knowledge and speed change. Our aim is to help ideas go further, faster to make the world better, sooner. Visit telecomworld.itu.int to register your interest. #ituworld telecomworld.itu.int

3. August 2016 11 08 11th year of publication teletimes INTERNATIONAL Managing Editor Nasreen Akhtar Assistant Editors Technology Writer Ken Herron info@teletimesinternational.com Haroon Rashid, Camilla Urdahl Farwa Al Khayal, Fakher Dawar Scan to download PDF version TELETIMES MEDIA LLC. P.O. Box 239031, Dubai - UAE TELETIMES MEDIA LLC. Bureaus • Qatar P.O. Box 20927, Doha Ph: (+974) 6678 0756, 3327 9600 • KSA P.O. Box 100598, Jeddah, 21311 Ph: (+966) 5098 35514 • Oman Building # 211, Street Al-Inshirah Madinat Al Sultan Qaboos, Muscat Ph: (+968) 2204 3911 • U.K. 235A, Old Brompton Road, London SW50 0EA Ph: (+44) 0783 1418 072 Asia Office • Islamabad Corporate Communication Service # 6, Street 39, G-6/2, Islamabad, 44000 Ph: (+92) 51 2874225, 2279830 Cell: (+92) 300 9559879 Legal Advisor - Hashmat Ali Habib Marketing Coordinator - Imran Rasheed • Karachi Kelash Kumar Cell: (+92) 314 2059928 A Teletimes Media LLC Publication Imarn Zakir Cell: (+92) 300 2233174 • Lahore Tahir Amin Malik Cell: (+92) 301 4423510

4. RE-IMAGINING REALITIES GITEX VERTICAL DAYS Retail, Healthcare, Government, Banking, Education and Energy leaders: here’s an agenda that speaks to your needs. Dedicated days at GITEX Tech Week for you to source solutions, network with industry peers, attend dedicated conferences, breakfast briefings and awards. Make sure you diarise the day most relevant for you. MARKETING MONDAY HEALTHCARE MONDAY FINANCE TUESDAY RETAIL WEDNESDAY EDUCATION WEDNESDAY ENERGY THURSDAY INTELLIGENT CITY TUESDAY Tony Carter, Co-Founder, Atom Factory, Global Head - Creator Services, Spotify Rafael Grossman, Healthcare Futurist, 1st Google VR Surgeon James Barrese, Ex-CTO, PayPal USA Phyllis Schneck, CCSO, US Department- Homeland Security Paul Clarke, CTO, Ocado Assine George, CIO, University of Western Australia Pascal Dauboin, R&D and Innovation Director, Total Russia Greg Cannon, VP of Marketing & All Things Digital, Caesars Entertainment Dr. Timothy Low, CEO, Farrer Park, Singapore Nicolas Cary, Co-founder, Blockchain Dr. Aisha Bin Bishr, Director General, Smart Dubai John Vary, Head of Innovation, John Lewis Stuart Smith, Chief of Digital Service Innovation & Design, National University of Singapore Keith Kaplan, CEO, Tesla Foundation REGISTER NOW AT www.gitex.com/register GITEX STARTUP MOVEMENT STARTUP L A B O L GMOST the MOVEMENT 400+ STARTUPS | 40+ COUNTRIES | 250+ INVESTORS Cyber Security Innovation Partner Strategic Partner Digital Transformation Partner Startup Incubation Partner Robotics Partner Official GITEX Green Partner App Hack Support Sponsor Official Vertical Interact Sponsor Banking Sector Student Lab Headline Sponsor VIP Majlis Sponsor BIOTECH Start Up Sponsor Start Up Incubation Sponsor Startup Support Sponsor Official Publication Organized by

5. Articles 08 IoT: Let’s not forget the consumer 10 Surviving the Century of Data Growth 38 5 Mobile Development Pitfalls – and How to Avoid Them 39 Increased internet penetration in the Arab World leads to exponential growth in GCC online ad spending STC cloud is more agile with Juniper Networks Contrail 19 Huawei pioneering security measures in the wake of IoT 21 TRA participates in 25th GCC Ministerial Committee for Post and Telecommunications 23 “Etisalat’s performance in the first half of 2016 maintains our record of solid performance” Eng. Saleh Al Abdooli, CEO – Etisalat Group Ooredoo launches Algeria’s first 4G network 31 09 Alfa and Nokia launch first 4G LTE-A network 37 25 Intelsat 33e prepares for launch on Ariane 5 SpeedCast appointed by energy services company to provide satellite communications services in China 26 27 SES partners with Singapore EDB’s Office for space technology and industry 28 Thaicom signs first Major deal for THAICOM 8 satellite with Thai TV Platform Operator IPM 16 GITEX Technology Week 2016 set to change the way we view the world 32 CTO releases report of 2016 ICT Ministers Forum 33 GSMA and CTIA partner to create new mobile industry event for the Americas “I have had 28 fantastic years at Ericsson” Hans Vestberg, Former President & CEO 35 ITU-PTA Asia-Pacific Regulators’ Roundtable 2016 41

6. 18361 Africa Com Advert_Layout 1 21/06/2016 14:09 Page 1 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL EMPOWERMENT THROUGH DIGITAL CONNECTIVITY https://tmt.knect365.com/africacom 15-17 November 2016, CTICC Cape Town, South Africa 350+ SPEAKERS 10,000 ATTENDEES 90+ HOURS OF CONTENT NEW FUN NETWORKING EXPERIENCES AROUND LIVE MUSIC AND SPORT A WEEK-LONG FESTIVAL OF THOUGHT-PROVOKING CONTENT & IMMERSIVE SATELLITE EVENTS NEW WORLD-CLASS, VISIONARY SPEAKERS A TRULY PAN-AFRICAN EVENT: 40+ AFRICAN COUNTRIES REPRESENTED For sponsorship and exhibition enquiries, please contact Becky Lyons, Head of Sales, on becky.lyons@informa.com T: +44 (0)20 701 74725. If you are interested in speaking opportunities this year, please contact Tom Cuthell on tom.cuthell@informa.com T: +44 (0)20 701 74806. STRENGTHENING THE NETWORKS & ICT OF DIGITAL NIGERIA https://tmt.knect365.com/nigeria-com 20-21 September 2016 Lagos Oriental Hotel Nigeria 90+ HOURS OF CONTENT 350+ SPEAKERS 54% OPERATOR ATTENDANCE 750 ATTENDEES CHECK OUT THE NEW SITE Capitalizing on the DSO through DTV and triple play services Rural telecoms: reaching the last mile & sustainable power solutions Understand the connectivity value-chain for m-health Exclusive Event Party: Join your peers at an exclusive gathering offsite to wind down and create new and cement existing relationships Internet of Things: how Nigerian operators can become effective enablers Winning global investment with Nigeria’s broadband potential To find out more about sponsorship and exhibition opportunities please contact Christian Larsmon, christian.larsmon@informa.com T: +44(0)20 701 76583 For speaking or moderating inquiries please reach out to Adam Thompson, adam.thompson@informa.com, T: +44(0)20 701 75610

7. Letter to Readers Dear Reader! with people and things. This will enable citizens everywhere to talk to their local and national governments on the communications channels they use every day – a solution with huge application potential all around the world. of technological innovation – leading the industry into the digital age of IoT. As our connectivity needs grow, so do the needs for cyber-security. The potential for cyber-crime is constantly increasing as we explore a world of IoT, and rightly addressing the issue, Huawei is pioneering security measures that will support the vision of a safe, connected environment. A detailed report is available in this edition for your interest. Welcome to the latest edition of Teletimes International. This edition of Teletimes features an exclusive interview with the Group CEO, of Zain, Mr. Scott Gegenheimer. Zain Group continues to play a key role in many of the markets that provide a highly complex and competitive environment in this region and as so, we are glad to publish this detailed interview of the leader who has championed Zain’s success over the years. In his interview, Scott talks about his experience and the current market dynamics – definitely a very informative read and highly recommended for all our readers. In other IoT related content, you will find an interesting article by Camilla Urdahl emphasizing on the important of customers who will define winners in the IoT world of endless potentials. As usual, you will find the latest updates and news on all upcoming events and major players as well. Continuing on the subject of IoT, REDtone IOT and Unified Inbox are collaborating to integrate REDtone IOT’s CitiSense Smart City IoT solution together with Unified Inbox’s UnificationEngine™ IoT Messaging capabilities to enable products and software to communicate Your feedback is welcome on info@teletimesinternational.com As a market leading telecommunications company, Huawei has been at the forefront Please enjoy reading this edition of Teletimes International! Scan to download PDF version Follow @TeletimesIntl on Twitter

8. ARTICLE IoT: Let’s not forget the consumer Camilla Urdahl IoT is set to revolutionize the world and the eye watering growth rates for IoT can’t help but impress. Astronomical growth is expected and new products are being announced every day and there is an endless number of applications that could be imagined. There is a whiff of gold rush in the air. But a gold rush always contains a touch of the fantastical. Not everyone that rushes in ends up wealthy. IoT’s endless potential So, are we going to realize a total revolution, where objects around us and all connected and integrated? And will it happen at the aggressive rate many are forecasting? If one has the look at the pure potential of good value proposition is not always enough. With energy, often IoT related, solutions pay for themselves and keep paying. It’s free money, but often the consumer still can’t be bothered. It’s easier just to pay the bill. is heading toward a state of being cheap and boundless, but analytical capacity is a restraint. Even as an energy efficiency engineer, I can’t be bothered keeping track of my own energy expenditure. Am I going to care about my clothes telling me what temperature I am? Or how many steps I took that day? Or even when my white ware recommends a service? Obviously, there are some that care, but I’m not going to be one of them, if I’m honest. Building it doesn’t necessarily ensure that they will come. Is a value proposition enough? Therefore, we must question what the consumer truly values, and if that value is worth making changes for. Sure, I might be able to control my lights from my smartphone, but can I be bothered? Am I happy to get up and switch it on the old-fashioned way? Sadly, the consumer don’t always embrace change, even if they could save exertion to switch lights from the couch. Value will determine winners Of course there are applications that will be extremely valuable. It would be compelling, even to me, to find missing dogs, bags, keys and kids. And there is definitely money to be made by running an optimally efficient household, let alone factory. IoT, it would seem endless, but are we forgetting the consumers in this process? It is, after all, the consumer who needs to adopt it, and they don’t always do what they’re told. The perfect conditions for IoT Integration issue will serve as a barrier to some adoption, where an aggregator for all devices make them manageable, but even so, we need to pay attention to the consumer. Building it doesn’t necessarily ensure that they will come. In the end, the consumers will decide who will win in this gold rush. The same worry applies to the multitude of sensors being celebrated. We could technically measure everything around us, but how many would we care to, and how many would we bothering doing the analysis on. Collecting is one thing, but then there is analysis. Data Part of the belief in IoT is that conditions are perfect. We have the devices, broadband, and decent prices, but do we have a value proposition that is compelling enough? Past experience in energy efficiency has taught me that even a 8 August 2016

9. NEWS teletimes INTERNATIONAL Etisalat Group announces impressive Q2 results Etisalat Group posted its Q2 consolidated financial statements on July 27 for the three months ending June 30, 2016. The company posted an impressive 51% increase in net profit compared to the same period last year, amounting to AED 2.3 billion, resulting in higher margin of 6 points to 17%. Etisalat’s earnings per share (EPS) amounted to AED 0.27 in the second quarter of 2016, representing a 51% increase from the same period last year. The Board of Directors has approved an interim dividend distribution for the six months period ended June 30, 2016 at the rate of 40 fils per share. In terms of profits, Etisalat’s consolidated revenue for Q2 2016 amounted to AED 13.3 billion with growth of 2% in comparison to the same period last year and 4% quarter over quarter. In the UAE, revenue in the second quarter increased year on year by 3% to AED 7.7 billion and 6% quarter over quarter. Eng. Saleh Al Abdooli, CEO – Etisalat Group Maroc Telecom, the main telecommunication company in Morocco, which Etisalat is a parent company of, reached a subscriber base of 53 million customers, representing a year over year growth of 4%. Meanwhile in Pakistan, subscriber base increased by 7% year over year to 23.6 million customers. In Pakistan EBITDA in the second quarter of 2016 amounted to AED 0.4 billion with EBITDA margin increasing by 2 points to 36%. Quarter over quarter EBITDA increased by 7% with EBITDA margin improving by 2 points. positive change. The re-structuring of the company, which was announced earlier this year, was finalised during the second quarter of 2016. It was designed to help the delivery of our strategic objectives and enhance overall performance.” “Etisalat’s performance in the first half of 2016 maintains our record of solid performance and consolidates our position as a leading operator in emerging markets,” said Eng. Saleh Al Abdooli, Chief Executive Officer of Etisalat Group. “Therefore, enabling us to continue to offer significant value for our shareholders, whilst being able to make the investment in innovative solutions that is vital to maintain our leading role in one of the world’s fastest evolving industries.” He continued, “Etisalat is already using its telecommunication infrastructure and digital technologies to deliver for our customers. We were the first company in the region to roll out 4G-LTE, with now around 95% of the UAE’s populated areas covered by faster speeds. Recently, we launched the UAE’s first Voice over LTE (VoLTE) service, providing customers with vastly improved quality for voice. In addition, Etisalat Group achieved a penetration rate of Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) of 89.4%, which is considered as one of the highest in the world.” Etisalat’s consolidated EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) totalled AED 6.8 billion, resulting in EBITDA margin of 51%. In the UAE, EBITDA in the second quarter of 2016 was AED 4.3 billion increasing year over year by 3% leading to an EBITDA margin of 56%. Maroc Telecom’s consolidated EBITDA for the second quarter of 2016 amounted to AED 1.6 billion, resulting in EBITDA margin of 51%. He continued, “While the industry is renowned for the speed of change, Etisalat Group is also under-going 9 August 2016

10. ARTICLE Surviving the Century of Data Growth Dramatic business digital transformation, the Internet of Things (IoT), and everyday digital activities are driving immense data growth worldwide. Research shows that by 2020, the world will generate 44,000 Exabytes (EB) of data in one year alone - 37 times more the 1,200 EB generated in 2010. growth, you need to support your business with valuable insights. You need a strategic approach to data management. Scalability and availability are the two key pillars to developing this strategy. Planning the future capacity demands of your infrastructure and workloads will help you get ready for future growth. Choose platforms, solutions and hardware that allow you to easily scale. Capacity planning solutions featuring resource reservation and built-in simulation scenarios can be very helpful when estimating your future resource needs. Try to simplify your data centre management and add an orchestration layer into your existing environment. Hyper- converged solution stacks combined with a proven availability solution can dramatically minimize your total cost of ownership in terms of management overhead. At an individual company level, by 2020, industry experts expect to see at least 10 times more data in the average data centre. A company that had to manage and orchestrate 10 TB in 2010 needs to prepare to keep 100 Terabytes (TB) available in 2020. Keeping up can be overwhelming, and the need for continuous access to that data at any time has made us completely dependent on IT. Gregg Petersen, Regional Director - Veeam, ME and SAARC the exponential growth as well. As the data growth trend continues, getting the most relevant data at your fingertips, when you need it, is only going to get harder. Businesses provide their services 24.7.365 and they need all data online and available at all times. IT leaders are responding to this progressive data growth by shifting toward converged and hyper- converged IT infrastructures. Three years ago, IT started renewing data centers with more efficient flash and software-defined storage, taking data away from the traditional arrays and shifting the focus back to applications. It’s important to understand your IT environment, know which workloads are mission-critical and break down applications into availability tiers. Each application has its own level of importance for business operations, and therefore should have a specific SLA tier. While some workloads demand absolute, uninterrupted business continuity, you can tier others at more moderate RTOs and RPOs and easily put them into public cloud storage, for example. Enabling availability requires data centre modernization with the latest technologies and software solutions that support virtualization and storage across on-premise and cloud-based platforms. Huge volumes of unstructured data require a unique approach to storage. Storage systems should have enough flexibility to not only scale up, but also to scale out cost-effectively. On the hardware layer, you can achieve higher performance by implementing modern storage mechanisms, tiered storage and different types of media within the storage array, like flash and non-volatile devices. At the same time, traditional array features such as compression, deduplication and snapshotting are moving to the software layer, providing more flexibility for big data management. To keep up with data growth, IT needs to keep application performance, availability and scalability high, while minimizing storage costs per gigabyte. Software, along with cloud computing, will become crucial in meeting today`s business demands of both enterprises and end users. Data center modernization requires a combination of integrated solutions that allow you to meet all compliance and SLA requirements and respond to business and end- user demands. IT challenges of data growth When a company generates terabytes of data daily, it brings quite a few tough management challenges for IT. The sheer volume of unstructured data makes it difficult to gain valuable insights from it. At the same time, nothing can be deleted because it’s too difficult to sort out what’s unnecessary. In turn, storing and archiving all of that data fuels Only a strategy embracing virtualization, cloud technologies, modern storage and a reliable availability solution will help you fully address the challenges of a massive increase in data. If you’re not thinking of your strategy right now, in a couple of years you may simply be lost. The winning strategy To survive in the age of data 10 August 2016

11. Co-located with 4 5th Annual Small Cells Workshop 16th September 2016 Taj Vivanta - MG Road Bengaluru Co-Located with Security Workshop Startups Center Stage THE INDIA’S LARGEST AND MOST COMPREHENSIVE IOT EVENT Network with the entire India IoT Ecosystem Discover India specific innovative See brand new products, services & launches applications & usages Bigger & better than ever before Tailored & highly targeted attendance An unbeatable Senior Level Speaker Line Up Key exhibition displaying the latest on Co-Located events making it even more IoT in India & around the world value for money Power packed Networking opportunities Review market trends, dynamics & business strategies industry for IoT adoption in India EVENT HIGHLIGHTS 300 Attendees CXO Leadership Keynotes 20+ Exhibition Stands 1-TO-1 Meeting with Leadership 30 Speakers + + For more details please get in touch with: Rahul Sindhwani Rahul@konnectworldwide.com +91-9818879620 Aman Khanna aman@konnectworldwide.com +91-9891073544 Organiser Supported By Media Partners teletimes INTERNATIONAL TELETIMES MEDIA LLC. To know more, please visit: www.konnectworldwide.com/iot2016

12. INTERVIEW Zain enjoys phenomenal loyalty from its 45 million customers Group CEO, Scott Gegenheimer talks about his experience, industry trends and the future of mobile in the region during an exclusive interview with Teletimes International Interview - Khalid Athar Khalid Athar: Please share with us an overview of your experience at Zain. How has the company evolved and grown over the years? Scott Gegenheimer: My three and a half years at Zain have been fulfilling in many respects. That is not to say that there haven’t been challenges. There have been plenty, but what I appreciate is the sense of urgency and can-do attitude of my colleagues, and the shared determination to succeed whatever the odds. Zain is proudly an operator from the region, for the region, and we try to place the customer at the center of all our activities and initiatives. We believe offering the best service possible through state-of-the-art technologies and networks is one of our key differentiators, and in order to achieve this we strive to remain the region’s most innovative service provider from a technology standpoint as well as a product and service offering perspective. Zain Group continues to operate in the midst of highly complex and dynamic environment in a number of markets, and the company’s adaptability to rapid and often drastic changes in socio-political and economic conditions is what defines it as a successful, sustainable entity. Competition across our markets is squeezing traditional sources of revenue and margins, and thus we instituted a strategy to develop into a digital lifestyle provider, which is in a position to drive efficiencies 12 August 2016

13. teletimes INTERNATIONAL and leverage our network to great effect. We are sometimes frustrated by externalities beyond our control such as social unrest and currency impacts across several of our key markets that hamper our progress from time-to-time, but that is the cost of doing business. Nevertheless, we remain committed to our strategy that will take advantage of our competencies, including our people, brand, impressive customer experience, cutting edge innovations and geographic coverage. Overall, I would say my time at Zain has been progressive, and I look forward to driving more growth in areas such as smart city developments, enterprise mobility, and M2M in order to generate incremental revenues as well as driving efficiency and investing and developing our talents to be future leaders. The notion that service providers are in competition with OTTs is an outdated one. OTTs have something to bring to the table, content and applications that customers want, and we have the networks and the devices to deliver such to them. The industry needs to recognize that OTTs are service providers’ partners and needs to be innovative in service offerings KH: Which factors have played key in Zain’s success? SG: I touched on some of them in my opening remarks. I believe Zain enjoys phenomenal loyalty from its 45 million customers, who I think clearly appreciate our endeavors to offer them the best quality network and customer experience in every market in which we operate. We have a fantastic group of people working for us, who we refer to as Zainers, who stop at nothing to resolve issues and give customers what they want wherever they may be located. We have a tremendous distribution network and really do understand the dynamics in our markets and across the region, which has helped us maintain leadership positions across most of the markets in which we operate. to grow. This then translates to our customers often-time gaining access to applications that are being offered for the first time in the region, which helps maintain loyalty levels. content, and customer experience works as a virtuous circle. KH: Many operators see IP service based networks as the key to compete with OTTs? What is your opinion? Zain is the market leader in most of its markets, both in terms of value share and market share. Zain utilizes its business intelligence platforms to build a strong customer value management framework premised on well-defined customer segments in each of its markets. Data monetization is a key area for the company and numerous initiatives are underway to implement data centric pricing across our footprint. Thus our investment in innovation, SG: What is there to ‘compete’ over? The notion that service providers are in competition with OTTs is an outdated one. OTTs have something to bring to the table, content and applications that customers want, and we have the networks and the devices to deliver such to them. The industry needs to recognize that OTTs are service providers’ partners and needs to be innovative in service Our reputation as a service provider that really understands the region has resulted in us partnering with some of the largest digital applications players in the world, keen to have a strong strategic partner in the region with whom 13 August 2016

14. offerings. patterns. This is important from a billing perspective, as well as with respect to traffic management requirements and prioritizations. believe we ultimately fail. We established the Zain Digital Frontier and Innovation (ZDFI) business unit to thrust Zain into the digital space by identifying new business areas, value-adding strategic partnerships, accretive acquisition opportunities and synergistic corporate venturing investments. Collectively, these activities look to create new revenue streams to maximize the group’s high-speed 4G-LTE broadband networks, customer assets, network intelligence and payment and billing frameworks. ZDFI focuses on the areas of innovation; digital services; corporate venturing; and smart cities. Zain is very proud of the partnerships it shares with numerous leading content players, and we are pleased with the strategic and financial benefits these partnerships generate. These include Uber, Booking.com and Cut the Rope’s developer Zeptolab to name a few. KH: Please talk about Zain’s efforts and initiatives to deal with Cyber- crime and Grey-traffic. SG: Zain recognizes that as a mobile network operator, we are a critical national infrastructure in the countries we operate in. Consequently, fighting cybercrime is one the core priorities of Zain. Today, we are seeing highly complex cybercriminal networks bring together individuals from across the globe in real time to commit crimes on an unprecedented scale. As new trends in cybercrime are emerging all the time, we at Zain are continuously enhancing cyber capacity building. Zain treats the information of our customers, employees and partners confidentially. As awareness is a critical first step in safeguarding our information and assets, we continuously work with our employees and partners to inculcate the right culture of security in our daily operations, while enhancing our technical capabilities to serve our customers best. With Zain’s management providing strategic direction to address security challenges, we are constantly aligning our efforts to ensure that it is well targeted. Non-voice and digital services are the drivers of the modern mobile communications industry and we expect them to remain so going forward On ZDFI’s part, we have identified substantial incremental revenue opportunities from the investment in smart city deployments in the Gulf, as well as from M2M. For example, we invested into a strategic stake in neXgen Group, a Smart City advisory and solutions entity based in the UAE that we are very excited about and expanded our existing Partner Market Agreement with Vodafone, As with all partnerships, what is necessary is for there to first be an acknowledgment of what the various parties bring to the table, followed by the creation of a mutually beneficial, cooperative business model. Zain sees value in combining SDN and NFV, and this is to be expected given our networks are evolving to become all-IP KH: Some countries today are keeping a check on the type of data that is going through OTTs (Skype data etc.) Do you think such an approach towards Analytics is effective or actually an intervention into privacy of users? KH: What factors will play make or break for telecom operators within the region in the coming years? SG: Let us be clear, Zain is not a proponent of blocking OTT communication channels on our networks out-of-hand because they have not been developed by us. We approach the delivery of third- party services and applications that our customers want in the spirt of cooperation and mutual benefit. SG: Innovation. The ability to become what the customer wants us to be in order to continue being relevant, and not what we think we ought to be. Non-voice and digital services are the drivers of the modern mobile communications industry and we expect them to remain so going forward. Thus we believe it is incumbent upon us to continue to transform Zain into a digital services provider in order to align it with where we believe the value is migrating to in our industry. Those service providers that do not act similarly will be overtaken, and I in order to deliver M2M services to enterprise and government sectors across the region, with our operations in Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan and Saudi Arabia at the forefront of this initiative. We have also made strategic investments in several Venture Capital Funds (MEVP, Wamda and EarlyBird) that are focused on early-stage and growth-stage digital opportunities in Central and Eastern Europe, Turkey, the Middle East, and Africa that we aim to capitalize on by rolling out That being said, in the data-heavy mobile communications environment in which we currently exist, it is absolutely necessary to have an understanding of the type of data being transmitted over the network, together with traffic and usage 14 August 2016

15. teletimes INTERNATIONAL appealing and unique innovative services that arise within these funds. We also recently invested into a mobile solutions and consultancy entity, FOO, that we believe will help further drive our innovation efforts in the app development arena and deliver quality digital services to our customers. KH: Do you believe combining SDN and NFV is the answer to many of the challenges faced? SG: We believe that technology is important, but it is only as important as the need it is being deployed to solve. So indeed, Zain sees value in combining SDN and NFV, and this is to be expected given our networks are evolving to become all-IP. We face a very real challenge of network congestion and availability, and so technologies that allow us to manage these aspects better and more efficiently are of value. We believe that at the essence of smart city developments is connectivity, which is also the core business of the telco industry, and thus we believe we ought to be able to leverage our own vast experience in this area within the smart city environment KH: Please tell us about some of Zain’s initiatives in the e-governance and Smart City sector. SG: As I mentioned earlier, Zain sees tremendous potential for astute service providers within the smart city space and have gone as far as investing in NeXgen Group. The combination of our two companies’ efforts sees us advising governments and mega real estate developers on the deployment of smart city solutions across the region, initially focusing on smart city opportunities in key Zain operating markets. often sophisticated requirements of enterprise and government users. expansion. We have reviewed expansion opportunities in the past, and will likely continue to as they present themselves. For us to progress any such opportunity, it would need to meet a number of different criteria and ultimately make sense from a value added perspective. KH: Which issues from a policy and regulation perspective do you think need to be addressed at a priority in this region to foster an ecosystem for 5G and IoT? SG: Cyber security is a big regulatory issue in IoT specifically given the level of interconnectivity and the resultant cascading effect of any cyber breach. A framework to ensure cyber resilience of the digital networks, devices, and sensors on which IoT and smart city ecosystems are built is essential for the sustainability of such environments into the future. Going forward Zain Group and its operating entities are looking to remain vigilant and agile to market opportunities. We are all well aware that the telco industry is changing rapidly, and as one of the leading service providers in the region, we believe it is imperative for us to embrace these changes and be forward-looking in our approach to industry changes. These are exciting times for all stakeholders in the ICT value chain, traditional as well as new, and opportunities abound for the creation of significant value for all participants should they be agile enough to grasp them. We believe that at the essence of smart city developments is connectivity, which is also the core business of the telco industry, and thus we believe we ought to be able to leverage our own vast experience in this area within the smart city environment. With respect to e-governance, we approach this in much the same way as we do the enterprise segment. The two sectors’ profiles are broadly similar, and Zain is investing in adding capabilities to cater for the interconnected and KH: Do you have any plans to expand into new geographical markets in the coming years? SG: Zain continues to take a pragmatic approach to geographic 15 August 2016

16. REPORT GITEX Technology Week 2016 set to change the way we view the world From 3D printing to virtual reality, GITEX Technology 2016 set to put visitors in the driver seat of the over USD 200 billion Middle East IT economy The Middle East has emerged as a leader in the USD 3.8 trillion global digital economy. The UAE is driving this world of technology with game- changing initiatives such as the first fully 3D printed office building and the Dubai Future Endowment Fund, which dedicates AED 1 billion to support innovative projects in the Emirate. Technology Reimagined Under the theme “Reimagining Realities”, GITEX 2016, from 16-20 October 2016, will redefine how technology can transform businesses through cutting-edge showcases, international keynotes and dignitaries from around the globe in attendance. With cutting-edge technology at the heart of this global city, Dubai has inarguably become the world’s gateway for tech transformation. As we enter a future that sees six billion devices connected by 2018, the globe will look to the exhibitors, entrepreneurs and experts attending GITEX Technology Week to lead the way to a more networked world. The region’s ICT spend is growing and 40 per cent of that growth comes from enterprise corporations. With nearly 22,000 CXOs from top corporations attending the show, GITEX is a leader in strengthening the global digital economy. “GITEX provides a gateway to the fast-growth Middle East, Africa, and South Asia markets, and a global platform for sharing knowledge and innovations from students to startups,” said Mohammed Areff, Vice President of META at Avaya. The company exhibited at last year’s event, which saw over 146,000 visitors from 144 countries, and 4,200 sponsors and exhibitors from 130 countries. Trixie LohMirmand reach USD 212.9 billion in 2016, a 37 per cent increase from the previous year, which puts GITEX at the centre of a thriving global ICT economy. “GITEX is at the global nexus of trade and technology innovation, with the UAE government a leader in using technology to transform daily lives and businesses. GITEX is the single most powerful and influential sourcing platform for tech solutions and innovations in the region,” said Trixie LohMirmand, Senior Vice- President, Exhibitions and Events Management, DWTC. New at GITEX GITEX will change the way visitors view the world with its interactive Immersive Tech section. The Virtual Reality The Middle East IT spend itself is set to 16 August 2016

17. teletimes INTERNATIONAL gaming industry alone is expected to rise to USD 4.4 billion by 2022 - this technology is set to be the GCC’s next billion dollar industry. From VR headsets, to AR tools used in live surgery, GITEX is set to demonstrate how a new view of reality can change lives and businesses. Dubai is at the top of its class when it comes to ICT business model creation, standing in the 30th percentile globally. The new GITEX Startup Movement is set to be the most global event of its kind, connecting over 400 startups from 35 countries, and 1,000 entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, angel investors, government buyers, and mentors. GITEX 2016. “As the interconnected Internet of Things era rises, robotics and automated solutions will be essential for organisations to overcome the world’s most pressing challenges. From high-risk activities such as welding, to driverless cars and robotic cafes, the next generation of automated services being demoed at GITEX will drive Smart City innovation in the Middle East and around the world,” said Bilal Al Hattab, Managing Director at DigiRobotics Technologies, a Keith Kaplan, CEO of think tank Tesla Foundation. Scheduled to speak at GITEX, Robert Scoble, a San Francisco- based technology expert, brings his thoughts on the digital economy. “Emerging technologies such as Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality are set to completely transform daily lives and business, with a shift in the social experience as massive as the launch of the personal computer. Governments, Startup or enterprise, each business has industry-specific needs. GITEX Vertical Days will act as a platform for IT leaders to address industry issues and learn from international thought-leaders. A world-class line up of speakers from around the globe including Greg Cannon; VP of Marketing & All Things Digital, Caesars Entertainment and Andres Wolberg-Stok, Global Head, Emerging Platforms and Services, Citi will address Vertical Day conference attendees to share their expertise. Industries across the board have a growing appetite for 3D printing technology. The 3D print spend in the MEA region alone is set to reach USD 1.3 billion by 2019, presenting clear market opportunities. The world’s first fully 3D printed office building was unveiled by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai earlier this month. The regional market for 3D printing is in high demand with the upcoming International Centre for 3D Printing. 3D printing technology exhibited at GITEX will demonstrate how an array of printers and makers creating everything from medical supplies and automobile parts shape the vision of 3D printing technology. Dubai-based robotics manufacturer showcasing at GITEX Technology Week 2016. businesses, and startups that are early adopters and innovators in technology will be able to leapfrog competitors, reimagine their businesses, and drive the world’s digital economy.” GITEX will open with Keynote speeches from Dr. Phyllis Schneck, the chief cybersecurity official at the United States Department of Homeland Security and James Barrese, former CTO at New Money company PayPal. Other speakers include Aseem Puri, CMO at Unilever; Paul Clarke, CTO at Ocado, the world’s largest online grocer; Dr. Rafael Grossmann, the first doctor to use Google Glass in live surgery; “GITEX Technology Week 2016 is the voice and venue for technology innovation. Technology is no longer limited to the IT department – every industry needs to understand how digital transformation can drive competitiveness, from cloud-based mobile apps, to robots, drones, and 3D printing,” added LohMirmand. To further demonstrate how the supply chain is evolving, robotics and drones will be buzzing in the halls of 17 August 2016

18. NEWS Redtone IoT and Unified Inbox partner to integrate IoT devices with Social Media REDtone IOT Sdn Bhd (REDtone IOT) and Unified Inbox Pte Ltd (Unified Inbox) are collaborating to integrate REDtone IOT’s CitiSense Smart City IoT solution together with Unified Inbox’s UnificationEngine™ IoT Messaging capabilities to enable products and software to communicate with people and things. website content management systems, outdoor screens and projectors and more. “REDtone IOT is Asia’s leader in smart city IoT technologies, and a valuable Unified Inbox partner. Integrating REDtone IOT’s IoT platform with Unified Inbox’s IoT Messaging platform will enable citizens everywhere to talk to their local and national governments on the communications channels they use every day, just as they would any other contact in their smartphone’s address book,” said Ruckert. According to REDtone IOT Chief Executive Officer Dr Mazlan Abbas, the partnership is set to enhance its CitiSense platform with new smart city/smart nation Internet of Things (IoT) capabilities which will increase cities’ safety, efficiency and resiliency. He added, “SHOUT meets the safety and security needs of public institutions who require the capability to transmit emergency multi-channel broadcast communications on demand. Target users include federal and municipal government agencies, transportation authorities and schools and universities. We also see private institutions such as hotels and resorts, amusement and theme parks, conference and event centers and large corporate campuses using SHOUT to give them the capabilities for mission-critical communications.” “The most exciting area of innovation being driven by IoT right now is smart cities and governments. Some of the innovative uses of IoT Messaging for governments here in Asia include UnificationEngine- powered technology for jobs requiring execution, service level and completion alerts, and Unified Inbox’s SHOUT emergency broadcast platform for mission-critical communications. Toby Ruckert CEO - Unified Inbox partnership making cities everywhere more secure. “This integration will increase cities’ safety, efficiency, and resiliency, both across Asia and around the world. Citizens and visitors alike will now be able to communicate with all of their different connected devices on the communications channels they use most including email, SMS, social media, chat/messaging apps, “These are great examples of how Unified Inbox and REDtone IOT’s collaboration will help make cities safer and more enjoyable for citizens and visitors alike,” said Dr Mazlan in a statement to the media. REDtone IOT connects things and aggregates their data to the cloud, transforming businesses and governments by delivering actionable insights. The company, a subsidiary of REDtone International Bhd, recently won the 2016 Frost & Sullivan Malaysia Innovative Smart City Solution Provider of the Year award. Unified Inbox Chief Executive Officer Toby Ruckert echoed Dr Mazlan’s remarks on the IoT Messaging solutions resulting from the 18 August 2016

19. NEWS teletimes INTERNATIONAL Saudi Telecom Company cloud is more agile with Juniper Networks Contrail Juniper Networks has announced that Saudi Telecom Company (STC), has deployed Juniper Networks® Contrail Networking to create automated, best-in-class cloud services for its customers. STC is pioneering the use of Network Function Virtualization (NFV) in the region, enabling it to offer customers accessible, dynamic online services and applications rapidly. This approach is also expected to increase STC’s business agility and revenue growth. With dedicated cloud services powered by Contrail Networking, STC now has a fully scalable, flexible resource to sell to subscribers and customers on-demand as their IT requirements evolve and change. Contrail Networking enables full automation, better scalability, security and flexibility for STC’s NFV- based cloud computing services. Dr. Tarig M. Enaya, SVP enterprise - STC At STC, we have a ‘customer-first’ approach. We aim to earn our customers’ trust and enrich society with comprehensive, innovative services and solutions. The network, underpinned by advanced NFV and automation capabilities, can deliver substantial value to our customers by providing the agility, speed and simplicity that today’s businesses require Juniper Networks Contrail Networking is a simple, open and agile SDN solution that automates and orchestrates the creation of highly scalable virtual networks. It interoperates with an OpenStack cloud orchestration platform, enabling the agile creation and dynamic scaling of service instances with high availability and reliability. Contrail has been recognized as the most widely used commercially available SDN Controller in OpenStack deployments for the third consecutive year by OpenStack Users Survey. STC is expecting increased international growth opportunities with the simplified roll-out of new virtualized services. cloud-based offerings,” said Dr. Tarig M. Enaya, senior vice president for enterprise at Saudi Telecom Company. “At STC, we have a ‘customer-first’ approach. We aim to earn our customers’ trust and enrich society with comprehensive, innovative services and solutions. The network, underpinned by advanced NFV and automation capabilities, can deliver substantial value to our customers by providing the agility, speed and simplicity that today’s businesses require. Juniper is an ideal partner with the same customer- centric approach, providing us with state-of-the-art technology for our “Using virtualization technologies to build a programmable NFV platform that creates agility and automation can provide the competitive edge for service providers operating in an increasingly competitive market. Juniper Networks is committed to supporting STC at the forefront of the telecom industry in the Middle East by helping to create a differentiated customer experience,” said Adrian Pickering, Vice President, Middle East and Africa at Juniper Networks. STC’s new Contrail Networking-based service platform reduces time-to- market for new customized services, applications and functions by connecting virtual resources located across private and public clouds. Contrail Networking creates and orchestrates easy-to-manage virtual overlay networks that integrate seamlessly with STC’s physical systems. 19 August 2016

20. NEWS Huawei enables Lebara Mobile KSA to launch first Mobile Virtual Network Enabler in the region Global ICT solutions provider Huawei and Lebara Mobile KSA have announced the commercial launch of Lebara Mobile’s first Mobile Virtual Network Enabler in the region. Lebara Mobile leverages Mobily’s advanced telecom network in the Kingdom to deliver cost-effective voice and data service to Saudi customers. advanced mobile virtual network which is based on Mobily’s superior mobile infrastructure, we are able to serve regional telecom business by meeting their communications needs and delivering value-added services that accelerate their growth.” to collaborating with customers and industry partners to achieve this. Lebara Mobile KSA’s network is proof of the effectiveness of embracing this ecosystem and delivers digital services seamlessly anytime, anywhere, and on any device,” he added. Huawei was able to help design and then deploy the Lebara Mobile network in less than 30 weeks, putting in place the tools to migrate to the new network without any loss of critical data or functionality. Huawei believes that telecom providers must be able to deliver the ROADS experience to stay competitive, encompassing five fundamental characteristics of the ultimate user experience in a fully connected world - Real-time, On- demand, All-online, DIY, and Social. The launch of Lebara Mobile KSA ushers in the next evolution of mobile connectivity in the region with the creation of the Kingdom’s first Mobile Virtual Network Enabler (MVNE). MVNEs provide turn-key communications infrastructure and related services to other MVNOs and businesses who, in turn, can offer hosted mobile services to their customers while leveraging the MVNE’s hosted network, services, billing and CRM systems. Huawei provided support in planning and implementation of the core network elements while deploying the full range of Business Support Services to provide end-to-end telecommunication services, as well as a range of value-added services to Lebara Mobile. Today, Lebara Mobile delivers on these five key characteristics based on Huawei’s ROADS vision, and will foster an open industry ecosystem that will enable innovation and accelerate the region’s digital transformation. “Huawei is particularly proud of its partnership with Lebara Mobile KSA, as this network represents a first-of- its-kind in the region and a new era in digital communications services for the Middle East as a whole,” said Chen Jianhan, COO of Huawei KSA. “Lebara Mobile KSA is the first MVNE host in KSA and the Middle East, and will serve as the enabler of many new businesses in the mobile industry while accelerating the digital transformation of the region,” said Fadi Kawar, CEO Lebara Mobile KSA. “Advanced, cost-effective mobile services are critical to businesses today and through our Through Lebara telecom platform supported by Huawei, Lebara Mobile will begin to offer high-quality MVNO services to regional players in the coming months. Huawei will continue to collaborate with Lebara Mobile on building win-win scenarios as it continues to expand its services in the region. “The telecom industry needs to move rapidly towards an open digital ecosystem, and Huawei is committed 20 August 2016

21. NEWS teletimes INTERNATIONAL Huawei pioneering security measures in the wake of IoT Huawei has announced that it is making major leaps in the Internet of Things (IoT) security landscape, with the advent of mechanisms that identify and prevent new age threats born from the rise of connected things. individual organizations – to drive demonstrable progress in reducing cyber security risk,” said Ken Hu, Deputy Chairman of the Board and Chairman of the Global Cyber Security and User Privacy Committee of Huawei. As the development of IoT products continues to gain pace, and the market expands, a new era of security and privacy challenges rises. “With this in mind, Huawei is committed to working with a network that is recognized through earned trust and validation in its endeavor to construct a set of laws and principles the industry can follow,” he added. To counteract this concern, Huawei has focused its energies on adaptive learning techniques that acquire sophistication from existing attacking mode databases, and snuff out new dangers. In order to understand these threats, Huawei has also made a war cry for businesses to work together in the education space. Ken Hu, Deputy Chairman - Huawei The whitepaper “The Global Cyber Security Challenge -- It is time for real progress in addressing supply chain risks” discusses such a network that shares global best practices, and encourages information flow between businesses. Research and Advisory Firm, Gartner recently highlighted how IoT will impact business from a logistics point of view. The way businesses access information, manage flow, and communicate throughout the supply chain will significantly change as more and more devices, machines, and people become connected. At a recent ACM Asia Conference held in China, two Huawei security Huawei is dedicated to this mission and is always open to collaboration IoT will impact business from a logistics point of view. The way businesses access information, manage flow, and communicate throughout the supply chain will significantly change as more and more devices, machines, and people become connected. experts shared insights on the new threat environment, shedding light on existing security defense technologies no longer capable of resisting IoT-led attacks. with all parties interested in this subject area. Huawei Drives Openness, Collaboration, and Shared Success to Enable Digital Transformation and Build a Better Connected World. With this in mind, Huawei recently published “The Global Cyber Security Challenge – it is time for real progress in addressing supply chain risks” – a whitepaper that focuses specifically on threats that arise through the manipulation and evolution of the supply chain – another core area that IoT will heavily affect Today, with IoT adoption growing, businesses are suddenly faced with the challenge of securing anything that can send and receive data – and that’s basically anything that can have a sensor or chip put in it – which is essentially everything. Recently launched the Open ROADS to a Better Connected World as part of its commitment to meeting user demands for a “ROADS” experience (Real-time, On-demand, All-online, DIY, and Social) in the digital era, the company strives to enable agile innovation, build an open ecosystem, expand business partnerships, and help carriers succeed in their digital transformation. “While there is still no simple answer or solution to the cyber security challenge, it is increasingly apparent that there are steps the global community can take – as well as With greater efforts needed to study and specify international IoT security standards which are more secure and easier to implement, 21 August 2016

22. UAE heads the Arab Spectrum Management Group The UAE, represented by the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), headed the 21st Arab Spectrum Management Group meeting, which concluded recently in Cairo, Egypt, as part of the preparatory meetings for the World Radiocommunication Conference 2019 (WRC-2019). Eng. Tariq Al Awadhi, Executive Director for Spectrum Management at the TRA, said that the meeting, which brought together an elite group of decision makers and experts in spectrum management in the Arab World, highlights the value of cooperation and participation in planning and management of radio spectrum, especially in Arab regions, and is an effective means to iron out problems and issues that hinders the development in the telecommunications sector. Management Group. Eng. Tariq Al Awadhi has been working in the frequency spectrum field for about 20 years and has successfully represented the UAE several times during his participations in various international conferences. He also held leading positions in the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the Arab League as well as the Committees of Gulf Cooperation Council and the World Radiocommunication Conference 2012 (WRC-12). Al Awadhi has been heading the Technical Committee of the GCC Technical Office at the GCC General Secretariat since 2003 and the Arab Spectrum Management Group since 2008. During the meeting, the Arab Spectrum Management Group discussed the results of the World Radiocommunication Conference 2015 (WRC-15), the most significant and latest services and developments in radio communications, as well as their economic, technological and social impacts on Arab countries. The Arab group also discussed restructuring and chairing the ASMG until 2020, where Eng. Tariq Al Awadhi was elected for the third time to head the Arab Spectrum UAE ranks 8th globally and 1st regionally in UN’s 2016 e-Smart Services Index The UAE has moved up by four ranks in its position in the e-smart services index of the E-Government Development Index (EGDI) issued by the United Nations Department of Economics and Social Affairs (UNDESA)--ranking 8th (0.8913) globally with the Republic of Estonia. The EGDI is an important component in the overall index used to determine growth in e-government development. the government. The overall index is composed of three indexes; e-services, human capital, and communications infrastructure. The report has listed the UAE and the Kingdom of Bahrain as among the global leaders in e-government development index, where the UK came first, followed by Australia and South Korea. H.E. Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Director General, TRA, said, “We are very thankful for the positive results that the UAE has achieved in this report, particularly the achievement of being ranked third in the smart e-Service Index. We are coming close to our goal is to be number one in the world.” UAE and the Kingdom of Bahrain are ranked number 1 in the Arab World and are also tied at the 32nd place globally. The current ranking consolidates the UAE’s regional leadership in the e-services index--ranking 1st place in the Gulf, the Arab World and the West Asian region. The UAE is also ranked 3rd in Asia and 8th globally. For the e-participation index, the The report indicates that the UAE has achieved full marks in the second level of the services provided by 22 August 2016

23. NEWS teletimes INTERNATIONAL TRA participates in 25th GCC Ministerial Committee for Post and Telecommunications TRA initiates suggested project to unify telecommunications devices in GCC The TRA has participated in the recently concluded 25th GCC Ministerial Committee for Post and Telecommunications, chaired by Dr. Mohamed Bin Ibrahim Al-Swail, Minister of Communications and Information Technology of Saudi Arabia, held in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The meeting focused on the recommendations raised by the GCC Committee for Undersecretaries of Post and Telecommunications during its meeting held in May this year. GCC countries and companies providing applications on how to respond to these concerns. suggested during the meeting a project which aims to unify all the telecommunications devices in GCC to further strengthen the level of coordination between Arab Gulf countries. The project will ensure that documents related to the devices distributed in the GCC are uniform to protect the market from counterfeit products and documents which pose risks on users’ safety. The project presents an innovative solution to limit fraud by forming a quality review team within the GCC which will help unify laboratory standards following global standards and establish a database within a joint electronic system for the project. Members also raised the plans to create a strategy which aims to reduce the price of mobile roaming within GCC and review current procedures for the benefit of consumers. Other concerns were also raised such as the review of the tasks of the regulation and legislation committee, regulatory and operational issues, present partnership with international organisations and regional and multinational companies, and other ways to promote information and communications technology (ICT) in the region. It also discussed the recommendations by the Secretariat General regarding the outcomes of the 31st GCC Posts Chiefs and Undersecretaries Meeting, Mobile Roaming Team, recommendations from the GCC Technical Committee for Telecommunications Bureau and the legislation and regulation of application services provided through the Internet. Supporting the joint initiative between Jordan and GCC in formulating a plan for collaboration and integration within telecommunications have also been discussed, in addition to several issues such as ways to limit blackmails, impersonation, and other types of spam emails. The meeting also noted the need for collaboration among H.E. Al Mansoori said: “Our participation in this meeting is in line with TRA’s efforts to promote collaboration and coordination with the GCC in telecommunications and information technology sector (ICT) in order to face the challenges brought about by the sector’s rapid growth in the region and the world. The UAE is keen to take leadership in adopting advanced technologies and systems to meet the demands of the sector and enable other organizations and national entities to acquire a solid IT infrastructure and meet the people’s needs, happiness and comfort.” H.E. Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Director General of the TRA, led the UAE delegation, which composed of Engr. Tariq Al Awadhi, Executive Director for Spectrum Management; Engr. Mohamed Al Zarooni, Director for Policies and Programs; Engr. Nasser Bin Hammad, Senior Manager for International Affairs; Hasan Al Ahbabi, Regulatory Economist; and Sultan Al Madfaa from Emirates Post Group. Engr. Mohamed Al Zarooni has 23 August 2016

24. NEWS M-net, ABOX42 and Zattoo got overwhelming response after the first German IPTV breakfast at ANGA COM Julian Clover Thomas Bichlmeir Gernot Jaeger How can regional network operators and city carriers attract more customers and increase sales with IPTV? All without the costs and hassle own development projects would create? That was the headline of the well attended event in Cologne. “We tackled this project together with Zattoo because the Zattoo platform makes it possible to offer the TV service under our own brand, without having to invest in complex and expensive IPTV technologies. We were able, thanks to a very professional project management, to bring our own state-of-the-art TV product to the market within a few months. The first outcome is very promising.” said Thomas Bichlmeir. TV product from us as a turnkey solution.” The set-top-box for the TV service of M-net is provided by ABOX42, a leading provider of innovative set-top-box solutions for TV projects of network operators worldwide. The company supplies the set-top- box including the interfaces for the integration of the Zattoo TV application. During a breakfast event participants had the chance to meet and exchange experiences. The panel discussion featured Thomas Bichlmeir, TV Product Management / Head of IPTV of the Southern Germany network operator M-net, Oliver Soellner, management board of the German set-top-box platform provider ABOX42 located in Karlsruhe, and Gernot Jaeger, chief officer B2B TV Solutions IPTV of platform operator Zattoo. The host was Julian Clover from Broadband TV News. Demanded by the audience, Gernot Jaeger of Zattoo explained that there is a general trend in Europe towards hosted TV services, especially for regional and national network operators. “The more devices a TV service must cover, the narrower linear and non-linear content is interlinked, the shorter development cycles get, the harder it is for regional and national network operators to handle this development in- house. Large, mandate enabled TV platforms are the only alternative. “It is obvious that a modern and comprehensive multi-screen IPTV product with innovative features is essential for national and regional network operators in order to survive along the multinational competitors. With the complete solution offered by Zattoo and ABOX42 we provide the ideal product. With the combination of modern set-top-box hardware, a comprehensive set- top-box middleware, an integrated lifecycle management concept for hardware and software as well as the compatibility to OTT services (such as HbbTV and On Demand services) we provide a complete First Screen product. “said Oliver Soellner The picture was quite clear after the debate: Yes, IPTV is a great opportunity for network operators, but it is important to find the right partner. As a pioneering approach M-net presented their own multi-screen IPTV solution, which is a white label service fully hosted and managed by Zattoo. That way, the network operator is still in the foreground with his brand, he continues to hold the customer relationship but purchases the actual 24 August 2016

25. NEWS teletimes INTERNATIONAL Intelsat 33e arrives in French Guiana amid preparations for launch on Ariane 5 Intelsat has announced that Intelsat 33e, the second of the Intelsat EpicNG series of high throughput satellites (“HTS”), arrived at the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana, where it will undergo final preparations before its scheduled launch on an Ariane 5 rocket on the 24th of August, 2016. Manufactured by Boeing and equipped with the most advanced digital payload on a commercial spacecraft, Intelsat 33e will extend Intelsat’s high throughput capacity in both C- and Ku-band from the Americas to include Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean regions. Intelsat EpicNG features an exceptionally flexible HTS payload design that is backward compatible with already deployed user networks globally. The higher performance, better economics and simplified access of the Intelsat EpicNG design are built to address an expected $3.2 billion incremental revenue opportunity related to new demand for satellite-based infrastructure in the enterprise, wireless infrastructure, aeronautical and maritime mobility, government and Internet of Things sectors by the year 2021. The amount of global data traffic is expected to surge at a compound annual growth rate of 53 percent from 2015 through year-end 2020. With increasing broadband requirements and a growing number of smartphone users, the flexible and open architecture of Intelsat 29e, Intelsat 33e and future Intelsat EpicNG satellites will enable fixed and mobile network operators to cost-effectively extend their networks and meet the surges in broadband demand across the continents. Safarifone and Africell RDC SPRL.; Russian network service providers Romantis and RuSat LLC; and media customers including TV & Radio Broadcasting (formerly Television and Radio Broadcasting of Armenia), and MultiChoice of South Africa. Intelsat 33e will also deliver enterprise- grade, broadband services to aeronautical and maritime mobility service providers and users. The satellite combines wide and high performing spot beams facilitating combined live television and broadband applications within the same network. Select customers have already committed to take advantage of Intelsat 33e, some of which include Pakistani Internet service provider SuperNet Limited, African telecommunications providers such as Telkom South Africa, Orange, IP Planet, Vodacom, Dijoubti Telecom, AsiaSat and Digital Magic join hands to create original UHD content for ‘4K-SAT’ AsiaSat is collaborating with Digital Magic, an industry-leading provider of advanced imaging solutions to co- produce UltraHD (UHD) content for AsiaSat’s UHD channel ‘4K-SAT’, on AsiaSat 4 at 122°E. original content is the first step of our collaboration with Digital Magic. Digital Magic is an industry renowned content producer in UHD and VR. We look forward to developing more together for our audience in Asia,” said Sabrina Cubbon, Vice President, Marketing and Global Accounts of AsiaSat. The co-production includes a knowledge-based UHD mini-series on satellite communications to provide an easy-to-understand introduction to topics such as how a satellite works, how it serves people and how it is used in broadcasting high quality content. AsiaSat’s ‘4K-SAT’ channel is currently broadcasting a variety of full UHD content. Major TV operators in the Asia-Pacific have access to it via AsiaSat 4. Sabrina Cubbon “Compelling content is the key to drive UHD viewership. Creating 25 August 2016

26. NEWS SpeedCast appointed by energy services company to provide satellite communications services in China and business requirements into consideration. The Customer will be able to drive global network consistency and gain efficiencies as additional countries come under a common global managed service. The Customer is now able to better manage resources and streamline operational processes by working with us across various countries and three continents.” said Keith Johnson, Senior Vice President, Energy of SpeedCast. “This is our first service implementation for an Energy Customer in China” PJ Beylier, CEO of SpeedCast, emphasized. “It is therefore an important milestone that opens the door to more developments in China. Even more importantly, it validates our vision to establish SpeedCast as a leading global service provider, able to serve blue chip energy customers on a global basis, and as thus to win market share versus long established competitors in that sector.” he added. Keith Johnson, SVP - SpeedCast PJ Beylier, CEO - SpeedCast SpeedCast International has announced that it has been awarded a new sizeable multi- year service agreement to provide managed satellite communications services by a leading global energy service company (“the Customer”). managed VSAT network services to 18 wellsite locations throughout China. “This is the third major services agreement awarded to SpeedCast by the Customer in the past 12 months. Working side-by-side with the Customer, we proposed a solution which has taken their operational Under the service agreement, SpeedCast will provide fully MBRSC captures HD images of the Moon with DubaiSat-2 marking the 47th anniversary of Apollo 11 DubaiSat-2, the second Earth observation satellite owned and operated by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), has captured clear, high-resolution image of the Moon in its crescent phase to mark the 47th anniversary of the first manned mission to land on the lunar surface. projects and studies related to space science, in line with the approach of the United Arab Emirates, in its quest to develop the sector and build national academic skills through it. technical projects assigned to stakeholders. Also, the Centre provides space imaging and earth station services and support to other satellite services. Among the most prominent tasks entrusted to the Centre are the design, implementation, and supervision of all phases of launching the “Hope Probe” to explore Mars. The Centre is also responsible for all projects related to satellite technology and applications and specialized projects, and advanced In 2009, MBRSC launched “DubaiSat-1” into space, the first Emarti remote sensing satellite. In 2013, the second satellite “DubaiSat-2” was launched, while work is underway to launch the third satellite “KhalifaSat”, which is being built purely by Emirati engineering and expertise in the UAE. MBRSC is a Dubai Government entity which aims to promote scientific innovation and technology advancement in Dubai and the UAE. The Centre works on research 26 August 2016

27. NEWS teletimes INTERNATIONAL SES partners with Singapore EDB’s Office for space technology and industry SES has inked an agreement with the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), marking its inaugural cooperation with EDB’s Office for Space Technology and Industry (OSTIn) to explore greater development and innovation in satellite technologies, hardware and software tools for satellite networks of the future. SES and EDB will work with Singapore research institutes and industry partners in the design, prototyping and production of technologies for mobility applications in the aeronautical, automotive and maritime sectors. Other potential areas of collaboration with EDB include the development of software to manage next generation satellite networks, as well as producing innovative, compact components for Internet of Things (IoT) applications, which will continue to advance Singapore in realising its vision of a Smart Nation. “Singapore has been home to SES in Asia for the past 15 years and is an important centre for our business. The country has rapidly risen into a world-class R&D and innovation hub, and in partnering with EDB and collaborating with local industry and research partners, we are excited to play a role in further developing the emerging local space and satellite sector and realising Singapore’s space aspirations,” said Deepak Mathur, SVP Commercial, Asia- Pacific and the Middle East at SES. Beh Kian Teik, Executive Director at EDB’s OSTIn, said, “We are pleased to be working with SES to explore innovation opportunities in space technology and communications. SES is a leading operator in the satellite communications market and will further boost the maturity of R&D in Singapore’s space sector. This partnership also validates the growing capabilities of our space industry and the growing strength of our research institutions.” The partnership will also pave the way for collaboration between Singapore and Luxembourg universities and research institutions to develop state-of-the-art satellite and radio communications technologies. 27 August 2016

28. NEWS Thaicom signs first major deal for THAICOM 8 satellite with Thai TV Platform Operator IPM Thaicom has announced that the THAICOM 8 satellite at the 78.5°E prime orbital position has been chosen to provide satellite transponder services to IPM Company Limited, a leading DTH provider in Thailand. The contract is a major milestone for THAICOM 8 which was launched in May 2016. IPM is the first customer on the new THAICOM 8 platform. service quality and flexibility needed to grow their business further. The Thai TV market is one of the most dynamic and competitive markets in Asia. We are particularly proud of the fact that IPM moved from a global top 3 satellite operator to Thaicom, which is testament to the trust in us and the tangible benefits that we bring to our customers.” THAICOM 8 represents a total solution for broadcast and data clients in Asia and Africa with excellent Ku-band coverage. The satellite supports the high demand for capacity of the broadcasting industry as it transitions from standard definition to high definition and ultra-high definition. THAICOM 8 has a total of 24 Ku-band transponders which cover Thailand, South Asia, and Africa. Co-located with THAICOM 5 and THAICOM 6 at 78.5°E longitude, THAICOM 8 entered service in July 2016. The rich video channel neighborhood at the 78.5 E orbital slot is one of the leading in Asia for a variety of programming. Orbital ATK manufactured the satellite and SpaceX was responsible for the launch. THAICOM 8 is designed to operate for more than 15 years. The satellite capacity will enable IPM to move their existing 4 million satellite dishes to Thaicom’s 78.5°E position. The agreement is in line with Thaicom’s business plan of providing the satellite capacity needed to fuel the fast growth of the broadcast and media industries in Asia. IPM is Thailand’s leading satellite dish provider on the Ku-band with over 4 million subscribers Paiboon Panuwattanawong CEO - Thaicom service in the not-so-distant future. We believe Thaicom offers superior satellite performance and customer service over other operators, which is another reason why IPM decided to be on THAICOM 8. IPM has gone from strength to strength with local content channels as part of our strategy to strengthen the IPM satellite TV platform. Thaicom plays an important part in this strategy.” Manop Tokarnka, CEO of IPM Company Limited commented, “We are pleased to enter into the partnership with Thaicom through this deal. With THAICOM 8, we will able to utilize Thaicom’s leading video channel neighborhood and broadcast platform at 78.5°E for the cost-effective expansion of our business including High Definition TV Paiboon Panuwattanawong, CEO of Thaicom, commented, “I would like to thank IPM for their trust in Thaicom and the opportunity to providing the Richard Alwani joins North Telecom as Senior Sales Director APAC North Telecom has appointed Richard Alwani as Senior Sales Director for APAC. Consultant for the customers in the Oil & Gas industries, supplying them with VSAT communications, below deck network equipment and entertainment packages. Richard has over 20 years sales experience in Information & Technology and over 16 years in the Satellite field. In his previous roles, he has opened up new markets for the companies that he has worked for and has strengthen his network to all parts of the world in this field. He has worked in companies such as ABS, SpeedCast, iDirect and C2SAT and recently was a Senior 28 August 2016

29. NEWS teletimes INTERNATIONAL First telemedicine expedition to K2, created by Thuraya, WiCis and OCENS technology The first telemedicine expedition to K2 is underway, after successful trials in the Himalayas in March. The WiCis-Sports app, running on Thuraya SatSleeve+, will monitor every step of the #K2Adventure16 Madison Mountaineering trip, taking pioneering technology onto one of the world’s most challenging peaks. The expedition will demonstrate how telemedicine can provide instant access to medical expertise around the globe. OCENS is providing continuous pinpoint weather data and forecasts via their patented WeatherNet software through the WiCis-Sports app. The #K2Adventure16 project began on 12 June and is set to reach the summit in mid-August. Led by Garrett Madison, the team of ten is accompanied by porters from Pakistan and Sherpas from Nepal. One of the most remote places on Earth, with only 46 permits issued in 2016, K2 is the second highest and arguably the world’s most intimidating mountain. Commercial Officer, said: “We share a desire to save and improve lives with WiCis, and we’re delighted to work together on something we feel will be standard expedition kit within five years. Thuraya-connected wearables will help adventurers push their boundaries farther and safer.” Two successful trial expeditions were undertaken earlier this year in the Himalayas. Montejo, a team leader in the first of the two, tested the Thuraya SatSleeve+ and WiCis-Sports App. Three expedition members were forced to withdraw through illness; one acute mountain sickness case was so serious that a rescue helicopter was called for, using Thuraya SatSleeve+. Select adventurers will wear lightweight, breathable, Bluetooth- enabled garments featuring embedded or integrated sensors, under normal climbing gear. The sensors continuously monitor heart rate, oxygen saturation, skin temperature, geo-location, altitude, speed and bearing. have a doctor at base camp, and will allow more expeditions access to remote medical support in real time. WiCis-Sports is also combining and analyzing vital sign data to provide a snapshot of the climbers overall health status. Should a medical or other emergency arise, rescue teams will have immediate access to the data needed to assess the climbers’ condition and the exact location. Data will be streamed to the WiCis- Sports internet platform using Thuraya Sat-Sleeve+, and will be available within one to two seconds on any internet-enabled device on the planet. Dr Leo Montejo, CEO of WiCis, will keep track of the party’s progress from California. The data will also be streamed online in real time on a public dashboard. Montejo said: “The time we spent testing the equipment meant we could make improvements to the system. Thuraya SatSleeve+ is reliable and blends nicely with the WiCis- Sports App. Now we’re ready for K2, our ultimate challenge. Basically, if it works there, it will work anywhere. If we can offer you support through technology, there is no reason to be totally alone.” Remote monitoring will reduce costs for adventure climbers who do not Bilal El Hamoui, Thuraya Chief 29 August 2016

30. NEWS Ooredoo signs agreement with Mobimedia International Ooredoo has announced a group strategic agreement with digital consumer technology company Mobimedia International to launch a full suite of mobile consumer services across its footprint in the Middle East, North Africa and Southeast Asia. The agreement follows the two companies’ successful collaboration in launching the mJams Music Streaming app in Myanmar earlier this year. Waleed Al Sayed Deputy CEO - Ooredoo Group enhance our digital customer experience and this partnership with Mobimedia International will add a wide range of consumer services and apps to our portfolio. The mJams Music Streaming app generated a fantastic response in Myanmar. We anticipate similarly positive responses to some of the other upcoming services.” The mJams app provides a convenient and high-quality way for customers to enjoy the latest local and international music directly from their handset. With just a smartphone, customers can access any song from mJams’ library of music and playlists and, by deploying the service over Ooredoo’s world-class mobile data networks, the mJams app delivers an incredible listening experience. Waleed Al Sayed, Deputy CEO, Ooredoo Group, said: “We are constantly looking for ways to Ooredoo Oman Revenue up by 8.9% in first half of 2016 Ooredoo Oman has announced unaudited financial results for the six months ended 30 June 2016: customer base for Q2 2016 increased by 2.4% to 2,548,828 compared to 2,488,704 for the year 2015. CEO of Ooredoo Oman, Greg Young, said:“We are pleased with our revenue growth in this first half of the year and this is confirmation of our continued focus on customer needs. Our growth is largely driven by a continued rise in data demand in the mobile and fixed markets, as well as a significant increase in fixed customer numbers.” Revenues for the first half of 2016 grew by 8.9% to OMR 132.8 million compared with OMR 121.9 million in 2015. The growth is driven by increases in both mobile and fixed data revenue. EBITDA for the first half of the year stood at OMR 73.4 million compared to OMR 68.4 million for the first six months of 2015. EBITDA growth for the year is driven by higher revenue. Greg Young, CEO - Ooredoo Oman “The growth is also a result of our continued network investment, both to modernise and increase coverage. On the back of this, we have developed a number of inspiring products, promotions and services, such as our Superfast Fibre Home Broadband packages, our popular daily Ooredoo Surprises and attractive Shahry Business Pack offers, to meet the changing needs of customers and businesses in all sectors across the Sultanate.” of the first half of 2016 compared to 2,753,140 for the same period of 2015. Net profit for the first half of 2016 was OMR 24.9 million compared with OMR 22.2 million in the same period of 2015. Increase in net profit for the year is driven by higher EBITDA partially offset by higher depreciation cost due to investment in network modernisation. The fixed service customer base increased by 28.7% to 80,292 customers in Q2 2016 compared to 62,410 in same period 2015. The mobile post-paid customer base grew by 5.1% to 212,352 customers compared with 202,026 customers in Q2 2015. The mobile pre-paid Total number of customers grew by 3.2%, to be 2,841,472 at the end 30 August 2016

31. NEWS teletimes INTERNATIONAL Ooredoo launches Algeria’s first 4G network As part of its network leadership strategy, Ooredoo successfully completed the pre-launch phase for 4G mobile in Algeria, becoming the first operator in the country to provide the superfast Internet service. downloads and clearer, buffer-free streaming, made possible by the latest network technology.” With the commercial launch, customers will be able to access 4G speeds for the same price as Ooredoo Algeria’s 3G services. Customers will benefit from faster streaming and upload speeds, entertainment services delivered via their mobile devices, and crystal clear calls. With the launch in Algeria, Ooredoo now offers 4G services in eight markets in the Middle East, North Africa and Southeast Asia, positioning the company as one of the leading 4G providers. This significant network investment reflects Ooredoo’s commitment to deliver a better data experience for its customers across its global footprint. The network upgrade will also support Ooredoo Algeria’s efforts to offer e-commerce, m- payments, m-banking, m-health, and m-education services. Sheikh Saud Bin Nasser Al Thani, CEO - Ooredoo Group Algeria Regulatory Authority for Post and Telecommunications. It will now move forward with the full commercial launch. During the trial process, which was conducted with Nokia and in presence of representatives from the Regulatory Authority, Ooredoo Algeria realised speeds of up to 75 Mbps on its 4G network – the fastest yet recorded in Algeria. The launch was conducted in Tlemcen in north-western Algeria, which is one of three provinces (along with Tizi Ouzou and Bechar) that will be first to have access to 4G mobile services. Ooredoo Algeria has plans in place to roll-out 4G across all 48 provinces in the coming months. Ooredoo’s successful launch in Algeria follows the launch of 4G services in Myanmar in May 2016, where Ooredoo was again the first operator in the country to offer 4G. Coverage started in Yangon, Mandalay and Naypyitaw, and is continuing to roll-out across the country. During the launch event in Tlemcen, Ooredoo Algeria showcased its range of new 4G handsets and laptops, as well as innovative services such as app downloads. Sheikh Saud Bin Nasser Al Thani, Group CEO, Ooredoo, said: “Our launch of 4G in Algeria demonstrates Ooredoo’s commitment to investing in superfast networks across all our markets. We continue to offer our customers a better data experience, enabling them to enjoy faster Ooredoo’s other 4G markets include Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Maldives and Indonesia, and the company continues to deliver on-going network upgrades to ensure its customers benefit from faster Internet services across the Ooredoo footprint. Ooredoo Algeria has successfully conducted a trial phase to demonstrate the speed and capacity of 4G services, using a preliminary licence from the 31 August 2016

32. NEWS CTO releases report of 2016 ICT Ministers Forum Shola Taylor Secretary General - CTO David Williams David Francis, European Cybersecurity Officer - Huawei CEO - Avanti Communications to transform our global economy to a digital economy. The Internet of Things will see 20 billion devices connected, possibly by the end of the decade. The report of recent Commonwealth ICT Ministers Forum in London shows public and private sectors coming together to help accelerate ICT development in Commonwealth countries. Companies that took part in the Open Forum ranged from service providers and manufacturers, such as Avanti and Huawei, to carriers and operators. International organisations and leading associations such as the ITU, ITSO and GSMA also took part. • Market liberalisation, independent regulators, encouragement of new technologies, new financing models, making broadband access a legal right, are several key factors that can help reduce the urban/rural digital divide. The ministers issued a Declaration at the end of a closed-door meeting that endorsed the CTO’s strategy for supporting member countries over the next four years. Key issues addressed in the Declaration included broadband, cybersecurity, applications and Commonwealth coordination. David Williams, Chief Executive Officer of Avanti Communications, a UK-based Ka-band satellite operator and CTO sector member said: “Data- hungry consumers, businesses and government organisations across the Commonwealth require reliable, flexible broadband infrastructure to bridge the digital divide. Avanti’s HYLAS satellite fleet is helping to achieve this today, as it covers a significant number of CTO member states. Many more will be included when our latest high-throughput satellite, HYLAS-4 is launched early next year.” • Giving young people access to broadband technology is a key factor in driving forward the economic development of countries. “Contributions from the private sector at this year’s event were very constructive, and from the various comments I’ve heard during and since the event, the addition of the Open Forum has been a success,” said Shola Taylor, Secretary-General of the CTO. • Due to its decreasing cost of service, high performance, high reliability and capability to provide universal coverage, satellite technology is a very viable option for delivering both fixed and mobile broadband services to rural and remote areas of a country. “We live in an age of global connectivity that is delivering social, health, education and economic benefits to mankind. This connectivity is equally important to developing and developed economies. However, we face a universal threat from cyber attacks, which puts at risk the benefits achieved to date and future opportunities for local and global economies,” said David Francis, European Cybersecurity Officer at Huawei Technologies. Key outcomes of the two-day open conference were as follows: • 5G technology will require large blocks of spectrum within the frequency bands identified by ITU WRC-2015 for study for accommodation of 5G; In addition, the C band, the Ka band and the Ku band will need to be protected due to the large investments that satellite companies have made in satellite systems in these frequency bands. • Competition is an important factor that must be allowed to flourish in order to drive innovation and creativity, especially when we take into consideration the rollout of new fibre networks and the mobile network transition from 3G, 4G to 5G. • Bridging the digital divide is profoundly important if we want 32 August 2016

33. NEWS teletimes INTERNATIONAL GSMA and CTIA partner to create new mobile industry event for the Americas John Hoffman, Chief Executive Officer - GSMA Meredith Attwell Baker, President & CEO - CTIA The GSMA and CTIA® has announced a partnership through which the two organisations will create a new mobile industry event in the United States. “GSMA Mobile World Congress Americas, in partnership with CTIA” will debut September 12-14, 2017 in San Francisco. CTIA and the GSMA are equal partners in the joint event, with the GSMA leading the event’s production and management. CTIA will host its Super Mobility event showcasing the U.S. wireless industry in Las Vegas on September 7-9, 2016. Beginning in 2017, the new joint Mobile World Congress Americas will continue to serve CTIA Super Mobility attendees, exhibitors and sponsors and will also attract new audiences from across the growing communications ecosystem. “We are very excited to be partnering with CTIA to create our first large-scale event in the United States,” said John Hoffman, CEO, GSMA Ltd. “The North American mobile industry has been the strongest performing of any developed region globally, leading innovation in hardware, access technologies, operating systems and new apps and services that are scaling rapidly and changing how individuals live and work. Mobile World Congress Americas will put a spotlight on this innovation and will support the continued growth of the mobile ecosystem in the region.” “By combining the show resources of the two preeminent wireless organizations – CTIA and the GSMA – we will have the first truly global wireless event in the United States and the Americas. Each fall, this unique collaboration will bring the world’s attention to mobile innovation and opportunities from 5G to the Internet of Things and beyond,” said Meredith Attwell Baker, President and CEO, CTIA. “At the new event, CTIA looks forward to continuing to develop its policy-focused educational sessions and collaborate on the keynote program. Our joint event will provide the ideal platform to highlight the U.S. mobile industry and the impact it has for billions of people around the world.” Mobile World Congress Americas will include a conference program featuring C-level speakers and leading industry experts; an exhibition showing the latest mobile technologies, products and services; a regulatory and public policy program; partner events; free seminars and many other activities. Across these elements, Mobile World Congress Americas will emphasize core mobile technologies, consumer and industrial applications in the Internet of Things and the intersection of mobile with entertainment, content and media. It is expected that the inaugural Mobile World Congress Americas will attract 30,000 attendees and 1,000 exhibitors. 33 August 2016

34. NEWS Cisco partners with Saudi Arabia to accelerate the digitization of the Kingdom Following a meeting between Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Cisco Executive Chairman John Chambers, Cisco Chief Executive Officer Chuck Robbins and Cisco Saudi Arabia Managing Director Abdullah Al-Swaha, Cisco signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Saudi Ministry of Commerce and Investment that sets a roadmap for an accelerated pace of digital transformation in the Kingdom. The MoU serves as a partnership framework and underlines Cisco’s strategic commitment in support of Saudi Arabia’s efforts to drive digital transformation at a country- wide level. Digitization will play an important role as the Kingdom Chairman. “The government and leadership have shown great appreciation of the importance of digitization as a pathway to prosperity and to the achievement of their vision. This lays a strong foundation for Kingdom’s success and we are honored to collaborate closely with them to realize the immense benefits that Saudi Arabia’s accelerated digital journey will deliver.” economy is a key pillar of our economic diversification plan and collaborating with global technology leaders is essential to bring expertise and know-how to our program of development.” The memorandum outlines a multipronged approach through which Cisco will help accelerate Saudi Arabia’s digital agenda and position the country for long-term prosperity in the digital age. Through their partnering, Saudi Arabia and Cisco will identify a number of collaborative opportunities in areas that include developing national IT infrastructure, accelerating business innovation, stimulating startups and enhancing research and education. Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi, Minister of Commerce - KSA Cisco recently conducted a Saudi Arabia ‘Digital Value at Stake’ analysis, based on detailed use cases across the Public and Private sector, which revealed a $124.1 billion value opportunity over the next 10 years for Saudi Arabia – representing over 0.27 percent additional GDP growth. It also highlighted the areas of digitization, IP connectivity, security, Smart Cities and the Internet of Things (IoT) as having the potential to create sustainable and positive impact across the Kingdom. focuses on diversifying its economy and achieving its ambitious “Vision 2030” agenda, launched last April. “This partnership reflects the Saudi government’s priority focus on embracing digital transformation and capturing the many opportunities presented by country digitization,” said Dr. Majid bin Abdullah Al- Qasabi, Minister of Commerce and Investment for Saudi Arabia. “Developing a vibrant digital “Saudi Arabia has a bold plan for fostering an innovation, talent and entrepreneurship ecosystem that will shift the economy towards greater private sector participation and a more market-based approach,” said John Chambers, Cisco’s Executive 34 August 2016

35. REPORT teletimes INTERNATIONAL ITU-PTA Asia-Pacific Regulators’ Roundtable 2016 Collaborating Regulations for Smart Digital Society Teletimes Report Dr. Syed Ismail Shah, Chairman - PTA Anusha Rahman, Minister of State Houlin Zhao, Secretary General - ITU ITU-PTA Asia-Pacific Regulators’ Roundtable” and the “International Training Program (ITP) 2016” held in Islamabad under the aegis of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and International Telecommunication Union (ITU). In these events representatives from more than 20 countries from Asia Pacific participated. The Chief Guests of the inaugural ceremony of this event were Ms. Anusha Rahman Khan, Minister of State for Information Technology and Telecommunication and Mr. Houlin Zhao, Secretary-General, ITU. ITU like IT advanced, IT 2020 most popularly known as 3G/4G and 5G technologies by providing meaningful input into all other areas. I am sure that every regulator of the region is playing its crucial role for the provision of better telecom services to the consumers. However, we the regulators need to re-imagine our regulatory approach in the wake of new trends and challenges, Chairman PTA added. greatly honored by the presence of high level regulatory and policy decision makers from more than 20 countries from the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. Mr. Zhao further said, this Regulators’ Roundtable for Asia-Pacific 2016 is of particular importance as it is the first Symposium in this region since the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), otherwise referred to as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. He said that ICTs are the foundation upon which economic and social development can grow. ICTs have incredible potential to improve development outcomes in both the developing and the developed world. All three pillars of sustainable development- Members of PTA, Members of Ministry of IT, regulatory heads of different countries, representatives from telecom mobile operators, internet service providers, academic institutions, banks, ICT entrepreneurs, and commercial companies attended the event. Chairman PTA Dr. Syed Ismail Shah in his welcome speech enlightened the theme of the conference “collaborating regulations for smart digital society”. He said that our vision is vibrant telecom market with affordable access to services for consumers of all strata, Which is fully aligned with the vision of ITU. We all have benefited from the principles and standards of Houlin Zhao, Secretary General ITU expressed his great pleasure and a privilege to be at the Asia-Pacific Regulator’s Roundtable jointly organized by the PTA and the ITU with support from the Department of Communications and the Arts, Government of Australia. He said, at this esteemed Roundtable, we are 35 August 2016

36. economic development, social inclusion and environmental protection-need ICTs as key catalysts, and ICTs will be absolutely crucial for achieving the SDGs. The Asia-Pacific Region took its own initiative to organize this annual roundtable to provide telecommunication/ICT regulators in the region with a platform that fosters dynamic and strategic discussions, as well as sharing of information, relevant experiences and practices and to conclusively debate on possible solutions and opportunities for potential collaboration to address emerging regulatory issues and challenges. He said that ITU will also like to contribute to Pakistan telecom sector and would sponsor more ITU training programs in future in Pakistan to further develop the capacity of telecom sector, he added. On this occasion, Ms. Anusha Rahman Khan extended her gratitude to the Secretary General of ITU, Houlin Zhao. Appreciating the role of PTA, Minister said, the traditional regulatory rules have diminished and the telecom regulators are now emerging in the new digital era. Pakistan is passing through telecom revolution and this revolution is witnessed every day when telecom companies get more and more subscribers in the 3G/4G segment. ICTs have become a way of life for Pakistan. She said that potential of ICTs is to be used for innovation and technological advancements. For this we need to review the policies all the time and we need to look at regulatory paradigms that control the frame works. She further said that the government of Pakistan fully realizes the potential of ICTs which is to be used to spur socio economic growth and now the time has come the digital Pakistan is the only way forward. She said that Pakistanis to have complete broadband technology by the end of 2018. In this regard, the Minister informed the audience that Pakistan to have 5G Technology by 2020, and soon will become the first country to adopt Over-the-Top frame work for its IT. ITU, Asia-Pacific in his address thanked Pakistan and PTA for organizing these events in Islamabad. He emphasized that ICTs will be critical for achieving development goals in our countries and the importance of ICTs has increased many fold. Participating in the training program, Chairman TRA of India, Mr. R.S Sharma said that all of us face similar problems in the region. While technology is changing very fast, particularly in the field of ICTs, quantum jump is witnessed. He said today’s democracy is “digital democracy” and because of Information Highways everybody has equal information. However, we are also faced with challenges such as cyber security and net neutrality. Mr. Sharma further said, digital foot prints are traceable which is creating huge trail of human being’s activity. Since we do not own this data, who is going to look after this data is a big question. Data is going to be new currency. He said ICT sector is moving very fast and there are regulatory, legal, technological and standard issues which need to be addressed. He said as regulators we have to maintain balance between regulation and over regulation. ITU-PTA International Training Program Meanwhile, three days International Training Programme was held in conjuncture with Roundtable Conference. Chairman PTA, Dr. Syed Ismail Shah shared his views on how the ICT sector is being developed, encouraged and regulated in Pakistan. He said that in 2015 technology companies represented 60 percent of the value of the top ten companies of the world. He said smart devices are enabling greater access to services and information while new markets and economic opportunities are being created. Mr. Ioane Koroivuki, Regional Director It is worth mentioning that, ITU-PTA Asia-Pacific Regulators’ Roundtable” and the “International Training Program 2016” were held for the first time in Pakistan. 36 August 2016

37. NEWS teletimes INTERNATIONAL Alfa and Nokia launch first 4G LTE-A network Alfa, the first Lebanese mobile operator managed by Orascom Telecom, and Nokia have launched the country’s first 4G LTE-Advanced network, as part of an agreement signed between the two companies. The network enables Alfa to offer its subscribers significantly higher download speeds of up to 262.5 Mbits/sec for accessing high- definition video and other data- intensive applications. explore possibilities for the Alfa network and pave the way for Alfa to install its first 5G site in Lebanon in 2018. These agreements are part of the Lebanese Ministry of Telecommunications’ National 2020 Digital Telecom Vision to upgrade the country’s Internet infrastructure and deploy 4G LTE-A across the Lebanese territory. Alfa Chairman and CEO Marwan Hayek says: “With the unprecedented surge in data traffic over the Alfa network to 15,000 terabytes per year, the deployment of 4G LTE-A across Lebanon will not only advance the quality of our 4G network but will also help us quickly move toward next-generation technologies like 5G, which is a top priority for us to maintain our technology innovation leadership. We are extremely satisfied with Nokia’s efficient implementation of the project.” The 4G LTE-A network implementation is enabled by carrier aggregation technology, which combines two frequencies in order to significantly improve throughput and spectral efficiency.For Alfa, Nokia combined 20 MHz on the 1800 MHz frequency band with 15 MHz on the 800 MHz band. Marwan Hayek, Chairman & CEO - Alfa aggregation technology will allow the operator to offer innovative and high-definition services. This deployment is a crucial step that will also help Alfa take advantage of opportunities emerging from 5G and IoT technology. The two companies earlier signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 5G to With data subscribers exceeding 74% of Alfa’s subscriber base, the deployment of Nokia’s carrier IBM bolsters investments in the Middle East through second Innovation Center in the UAE IBM has announced the further expansion of its operations in the Middle East and Pakistan with the launch of a new Industry and Innovation Center. Located in Dubai, the center will foster innovation in the region by providing an enhanced customer experience, connecting clients with high technical skills and expertise. The new center will also offer IBM clients access to advanced technologies in cloud and cognitive and to IBM’s research centers. “At the Dubai Industry and Innovation Center we have created an environment in which we put our clients first,” said Amr Refaat, IBM General Manager, Middle East and Pakistan. “Innovation is the key driver for growth in Middle East and Pakistan, and we are connecting our customers with the latest technologies. They arrive with business challenges and leave with solutions”. The IBM Industry and Innovation Center Dubai is the latest in the MEA footprint which includes other centers in Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa and Turkey. The center joins a worldwide network of Innovation Centers in 33 countries. Amr Refaat, GM - IBM ME&Pakistan The center is connected to a full configuration of Hybrid Cloud infrastructure based at the Abu Dhabi center. The solutions will show IBM’s Cloud Orchestrator capabilities as a comprehensive open cloud management platform that automates the delivery of cloud services and provides customers with advanced cloud capabilities for automating the management of virtual environments and building dynamic service delivery models. 37 August 2016

38. ARTICLE 5 Mobile Development Pitfalls – and How to Avoid Them The mobile web is going through an exciting growth phase as consumers and businesses shift their interests toward the “second screen.” Even the media is taking notice of the trend: Forbes declared 2015 the “Year of the Mobile Web.” If your business is not yet treating mobile web and app development as a priority, now is the time to start. But do not get swept away by the excitement: Your business should not build an app just for the sake of having one. Avoid these five mobile development pitfalls to get the most out of your online presence: 1) Neglecting the Mobile Site and navigation should be designed in a way that makes it easy for users to finger-tap their way around the app without accidentally selecting the wrong links. Your development team needs to consider how the typical user will be interacting with those links, and whether those links are spaced far enough apart for comfortable use. 4) Insufficient Testing While the app may seem to work on the surface, there can be major underlying problems that cause crashes and lead to scathing reviews on your app pages. Your business can avoid this pitfall by allocating sufficient time for testing, using a wide variety of devices to identify problems. Automated testing helps cut down on the busy work, while load testing can help prevent problems with data server overload. 5) Overdoing It Sven Hammar, CEO - Apica Don’t forget about your mobile website. While apps make up most of the interaction time with users on mobile devices, many users opt to view your content through the mobile web. According to comScore, as of an app that performs well technically will not be successful on its own. According to InformationWeek, the majority of negative reviews apps receive stem from performance If your business is not yet treating mobile web and app development as a priority, now is the time to start. But do not get swept away by the excitement: Your business should not build an app just for the sake of having one While businesses are often drawn to the idea of adding new functionality to existing products, the narrow scope of app development often leans more toward the notion of “less is more.” Your developers should be focused on making sure the core features of your app are working and easy to use. Overcrowding an app can make it more difficult for users to find the features they actually want to use—and count against overall engagement. Cloud-based Load Testing for Mobile Apps Monitor mobile performance and user experience with load tests for mobile devices by a professional supplier. Conduct complete online load tests regularly. That will ensure top quality customer experience and may shave seconds off mobile response times for maximum profit margins. mid-2014 mobile devices made up 60 percent of all web interaction, with mobile apps accounting for around 85 percent of that time. Apps boast higher interactivity—but they aren’t always the best way to expand your audience, because they need to be installed on the device prior to viewing content. Making sure your content is also on the mobile website helps expand your audience by allowing new visitors to stumble upon it. 2) Laser-Focus on Functionality Over Content and crash issues—so it is very easy for developers to fall into the trap of only addressing those issues at the expense of providing quality content and a smooth user experience. Stay focused on the big picture with the app, and do not get distracted by limited-scope negative reviews. 3) Not Considering User Flow It is essential that your team considers how the typical person is going to use your app and cater the design and functionality to that process. Mashable recommends interpreting the user flow and designing the user interface before actually starting to work on the app’s programming. Links While a solid user experience is necessary to the success of any app, 38 August 2016

39. ARTICLE teletimes INTERNATIONAL Increased internet penetration in the Arab World leads to exponential growth in GCC online ad spending Increased internet penetration in the Arab World has led to a jump in the GCC region’s online ad spending for this year with internet ads in the GCC set to grow 20 per cent in 2017, according to a market research report recently launched by Orient Planet Research, an Orient Planet Group venture. The report, entitled, ‘GCC Online Advertising Market’, shares that the region’s ad spending is poised to grow faster than the world average in the next five years and is set to register a growth of 25 per cent this year. According to the study, which outlines key trends in online advertising and e-commerce within the Arab region, Internet advertising expenditure is forecasted to grow globally at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 11.9 percent till 2020. Global ad spending in 2015 alone has been recorded at USD 531 billion, with online ads making up 27 per cent of the total amount. Internet users in the Arab world are expected to reach 197 million by 2017, this exponential growth complements the study which shows that internet advertising expenditure is expected to grow globally at the fastest rate of any medium. Abdul Kader Al Kamli, Research Consultant, Orient Planet Research, said: “Organizations are slowly realizing the importance of cultivating their online presence, which is no longer a luxury, but a necessity in today’s increasingly more technological society. The shift towards a more knowledge based society has also driven growth in the market, and the rise of innovative programs has shown organizations how their company can greatly benefit from using online advertising to promote their products and services The Middle East has been experiencing exponential growth in online advertising spend, over the past few years, which is set to continue in the next few years. This is largely a result of the increased internet penetration in the Arab World, with recent studies noting that the number of Internet users in the Arab region is expected to increase to about 197 million by 2017. capitalize on significant number of internet users to promote their products and services in an efficient yet cost-effective manner. The valuable insight within this report will allow organizations and key decision makers to have an overview of trends within online advertising which could help in their strategic development and provide strong competitive advantage,” concluded Al-Kamli The report also noted the positive movement of Ad spending within the Gulf region, greatly facilitated by the increasing use of premiere marketing tools and popular social media platforms. The scope of the report includes countries in the Gulf Cooperation Council namely Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. It also outlines trends affecting the advertising sector in the GCC, which is supported by statistics, and presents insight on the size and growth of this marketing tool in the region. The internet continues to provide companies with an ideal and cost effective platform to reach a wider network of prospective customers. As one of the most inexpensive marketing tools available today, businesses have found online advertising to be essential to their operations. As internet penetration continues to rise, and technology becomes a more integrated aspect of everyday life, online advertising proves itself to be more effective than traditional media channels. Organizations’ have learned to 39 August 2016

40. NEWS du’s Yasir Albehzad flies the UAE flag at the peak of Europe and Russia’s highest summit du employee, Yasir Albehzad, scaled Mount Elbrus – the highest summit in Europe and Russia – to fly the flag of his beloved UAE in a demonstration of national pride. Yasir, a Senior Director in the Network Development department at du, had the support of his entire team and company during his climb, which was an achievement of his personal dream, one he considers a great success towards the ultimate goal of climbing the 7 summits of each continent. Sending a message during his descent from a climb riddled with massive storms, Yasir shared an inspirational thought, “Life requires a lot of planning, adaptation, risks, operations and commitments. The workplace is the same and mountains are a great example of these points, but harder physically and mentally. Summiting mountains gives me a great energy to understand problems, plan, face challenges and fix them. This is what I have learnt from the mountains that has helped me throughout my career in du.” represented at the summit of one of the world’s highest peaks,” said Ibrahim Nassir, Chief Human Capital and Administration Officer, du. “Our aim at du is to inspire our employees to be the best that they can be. High employee engagement leads to a dedicated workforce, which in turn leads to better customer service levels, and better business acuity.” “We believe in nurturing our employees and inspiring them to achieve personal goals in tandem with career ones. I can say with pride that everyone at du was behind Yasir every step of the way, and we were honoured to have been du prepaid customer becomes an instant millionaire du prepaid customer, Atif Nizam Chaudhary, became an instant millionaire after purchasing a du prepaid bundle during Ramadan. In a ceremony held on July 20 at du’s flagship store in Media City, Fahad Al Hassawi, Chief Commercial Officer at du, handed over a cheque for AED1 million to Atif Nizam Chaudhary. much we appreciate their loyalty with offers and promotions that can really change their lives. We would like to extend our congratulations to Atif Nizam Chaudhary, who walks away with more than just a million dirhams, he walks away with a dream fulfilled and a prospect of a brighter future for him and his family,” said Al Hassawi. Throughout the Holy month, du customers who purchased one of the new prepaid bundle offers were automatically entered into the draw to win daily prizes of AED 1000 credit or a the grand prize of AED 1 million in cash. “I am truly grateful to du for giving me this cash award,” said Chaudhary. “I feel really lucky right now, this can change everything for me and my family. It shows how much du cares for their customers and is always finding ways to give back.” “At du, we are always finding new ways to show our customers how 40 August 2016

41. NEWS teletimes INTERNATIONAL Hans Vestberg steps down as Ericsson’s CEO Ericsson’s Board of Directors has announced that Hans Vestberg steps down as President and CEO and member of the Board of Directors of Ericsson with immediate effect. Jan Frykhammar, Executive Vice President and CFO, will assume the CEO position until a new CEO is in office. plans. In addition, the Board supports the company business strategy and new company structure,” Johansson continued. Jan Frykhammar, Executive Vice President and CFO, steps into the position as President and CEO until the search for new ceo is concluded. Chairman of the Board Leif Johansson says: “Hans Vestberg has led the company for seven years through significant industry and company transformation. Hans has been instrumental in building strong relationships with key customers around the world and his leadership and energy have been an inspiration to employees and leaders across Ericsson. However, in the current environment and as the company accelerates its strategy execution, the Board of Directors has decided that the time is right for a new leader to drive the next phase in Ericsson’s development.” Jan Frykhammar joined Ericsson 1991, and has held various positions in finance and business control. In 2009, Frykhammar became Executive Vice President, CFO and Head of Group Function Finance, and before that he was Head of Business Unit Global Services. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and Economics from the University of Uppsala, Sweden. Hans Vestberg Hans Vestberg says: “I have had 28 fantastic years at Ericsson, the last seven as CEO. As the industry enters a next phase, driven by 5G, IoT and Cloud, it is time for a new CEO to step in and continue the work to ensure Ericsson’s industry leadership.” Hans Vestberg will be available to support the Board and management during his term of notice of six months. “As stated in the report the Board fully supports the cost reduction ZTE launches Project CSX to crowdsource the Next Big Idea in Mobile ZTE USA has announced the launch of Project CSX, a crowdsourced mobile device the company will release in 2017. ZTE’s member-led forum, Z-Community, will serve as the platform for ideation and feedback throughout the entire development process. vote for their favorite ideas. Submissions are held to three rules: it must be a mobile product, the technology must be realistically possible by 2017, and the final product must be affordable for the general population. “This is the first time a phone manufacturer is stepping out and crowdsourcing something entirely new, from start to finish,” said Lixin Cheng, chairman and CEO of ZTE USA. “It’s a bold approach for the industry that demonstrates how ZTE keeps consumers at the heart of everything we imagine, design and deliver. Project CSX is taking our core value to the next level.” Winning ideas and popular submissions will be awarded with small cash prizes throughout the process and the chance to win a trip to the Consumer Electronics show in Las Vegas. Participants will have the opportunity to say they helped create an innovative mobile device that friends, family, and acquaintances will be able to purchase. In addition, participants registered on Z-Community will have early access to the final product. Lixin Cheng developing products that engages directly with consumers at every step of the development process, from conception to what is finally delivered to consumers. The project will be broken into two key development stages where users can submit and Project CSX is a new method for 41 August 2016

42. NEWS Anusha Rehman Nominated as Broadband Commissioner Aftab Raza Khan State Minister of IT and Telecom Anusha Rahman is Nominated as Broadband Commissioner. This announcement is made in “ICT Indicators Symposium” at PTA Headquarter. Reporting“. Anusha Rahman is a Pakistani politician and lawyer. She currently serves as the Minister of State of Information Technology and Telecommunication and a Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan. She is member of the Central Executive Committee of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League as well. Recently PTA, ITU and MoIT organized this event. The theme of the event was “Multi stakeholders engagement to highlight the need of ICT data VimpelCom to invest $1b in Pakisan over five years Global telecoms group VimpelCom has announced plans to invest $1 billion in its Pakistani operations over the next five years. start of July, 2016. At a press conference announcing the investment plans VimpelCom CEO, Jean-Yves Charlier said with the merger 38 million Mobilink customers will be provided with 4G while 12 million Warid customers will be provided with 3G. With the new systems the company aims to ensure faster rollout of new products and services, particularly in areas including mobile entertainment, communications, the IoT and mobile financial services. He also said around 1,500 joint Mobilink-Warid franchise shops will be opened nationwide. The operator has also made a commitment to the government to roll out services to remote areas. Jean-Yves Charlier, CEO - VimpelCom Mobilink recently completed a merger with Warid to create Pakistan’s largest mobile operator with over 50 million customers. The merger was announced in November last year, won regulatory approval in May and closed at the Mobilink outsources its contact centers to Ibex Global and Mindbridge In a strategic decision, Mobilink has outsourced its contact centers in Islamabad and Karachi to Ibex Global, a wholly owned subsidiary of ‘The Resource Group’ (TRG) International and Mindbridge. The deal will see Ibex Global retain Mobilink’s current contact center staff on similar financial remunerations, and Mobilink has ensured that there will be no loss of jobs. operational efficiency and improved customer experiences. of customer experience.” “We are very excited about our partnership with Mobilink”, said Nadeem Elahi, CEO of IBEX Global Pakistan. “IBEX is not only amongst Pakistan’s largest exporter of IT- enabled services but a leader in providing Business Process Outsourcing Solutions to renowned brands across the globe. With Mobilink, IBEX is proud to work with 4 out of the 5 mobile telecom operators in the country which is a testament to our industry experience and service quality.” Nauman Fakhar, Head of Call Centers said, “This strategic decision has been made while ensuring the employee welfare. This outsourcing has been an unprecedented exercise where we have made sure that the interests of all our employees are safeguarded. I am confident that our outsourced employees will greatly benefit from this transaction and will have fulfilling careers at our outsource partners while our customers will get the highest quality The move follows an industry-wide practice to outsource portions of customer care services for better 42 August 2016

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44. NEWS TP-LINK MEA, appoints business development manager for mobile device TP-LINK has appointed Manoj Mordani as the new Business Development Manager for Mobile Devices in the UAE. In this new role, Mordani will be responsible for driving, developing and growing TP-LINK’s entire mobile devices business in the UAE channel, providing support to the traditional dealer channels, independent mobile devices retailers and power retailers. Mordani’s appointment as the new Business Development Manager for Mobile Devices will help TP-LINK to cement its footprint and business in the reseller and retail segments in the country. Lucas Jiang Manoj Mordani UAE shows the commitment the company has for this business,” he said. “I am thrilled that we have managed to secure the services of Manoj who will help us to develop and grow our market share in the mobile devices space like we have done in the SOHO space with our networking and wireless products.” He pointed out that with Manoj on board, TP-LINK will work closely with power retailers, independent mobile devices retailers and the traditional reseller channel to develop the market and establish TP-LINK as a trusted brand in the mobile devices segment. “Having had the opportunity to work in a distribution environment, Manoj brings a wealth of knowledge and channel market and partner management expertise something that will benefit the team and the partners we serve,” he said. Lucas Jiang, Assistant General Manager, TP-LINK Middle East and Africa (MEA), said the company is pleased to have Manoj Mordani join the team to develop the mobile devices business, which is part of the company’s smart home product offerings. Mordani added that: “I am delighted to join the TP-LINK team and look forward to growing this business and cementing the company’s status in the mobile devices segment in the UAE channel.” “To have Manoj join TP-LINK to develop our mobile business in the SONY Mathew joins TP-Link as channel manager SMB TP-LINK Technologies Co has named Sony Mathew as its new Channel Manager SMB in the UAE. the new Channel Manager SMB will help TP-LINK to accelerate the roll out of its SMB strategy in the UAE. The latest appointment sees Mathew join TP-LINK from the vendor’s distribution partner Asbis Middle East. Mathew said he is humble and honoured to have been given this opportunity to guide TP-LINK channel partners in the SMB segment. “As TP-LINK is the number one networking brand in the SOHO space worldwide, I will be looking to replicate that success here in the UAE,” he said. “I am excited about the prospects that lie ahead and I look forward to reinforcing TP-LINK to be a force to be reckoned with in the SMB networking segment.” Mathew will drive the company’s SMB business in the systems integration space to ensure small businesses are properly served and supported in this segment. including Wireless solution, ADSL, Routers, Switches, IP Cameras, Powerline Adapters, Print Servers, Media Converters and Network Adapters, Mathew’s appointment as According to the vendor which supplies a broad range of products to consumers, SOHO and SMBs, 44 August 2016

45. NEWS teletimes INTERNATIONAL Consulting expertise in Dubai and New York: goetzpartners extends its international presence Markus Schmid Dr Stephan Goetz Managing Partner – goetzpartners Erik Almqvist Managing Director – goetzpartners Managing Director – goetzpartners The advisory firm goetzpartners is opening offices in Dubai and New York to extend its international presence. This means that goetzpartners is now directly represented in the USA and the Middle East and can provide companies with local advisory expertise. Companies the world over are facing the challenge of how to implement innovative business models quickly and sustainably. consulting, six years as a partner at Arthur D. Little, four years as partner at Analysys Mason and seven as the leader of his own consulting company. Initially, goetzpartners will be providing consulting services in the high-growth sectors of telecommunications and smart energy, and education and public administration. The local team – a well-balanced mix of young consultants and proven region and industry experts – will be providing clients from the region with support on issues concerning strategy and transformation in particular. development on two counts: on the one hand, our consultants will be able to provide customers from the USA with a more direct form of support when developing business models; on the other, goetzpartners will be able to satisfy increasing demand among its European customers for a global range of consulting services. With the addition of its two new offices, goetzpartners will have 14 offices in 11 countries. With its unique combination of corporate finance and management consulting, goetzpartners is addressing precisely this demand. In the current business environment, profitable growth calls for a transformation-oriented strategy together with an appropriate portfolio of investments and holdings. With its expanded international presence, goetzpartners can better satisfy demand for global strategies, while identifying local growth opportunities more selectively. Dr Stephan Goetz, Managing Partner and co-founder of goetzpartners, says: “With new offices opening in Dubai and New York, 2016 is set to be an important year in the international development of goetzpartners. We’re not only expanding our network of offices to 11 countries in all, we’re also establishing a local presence for many of our customers in two of the most strategically important and fastest-growing regions of the globe. Because digital transformation doesn’t stop at international borders, we can provide customers with an even better consulting service for the strategic alignment of their core business, and in matters affecting their portfolios.” At the same time, the first office in the United States is being opened in New York under the leadership of Markus Schmid, Managing Director at goetzpartners. He has extensive experience in Management Board and general manager positions gained at such companies as SKY, TeleColumbus, PrimaCom as well as a company founder. In a consulting career spanning many years at goetzpartners, he has specialised in helping national and international companies to develop and implement transformation and innovation programmes. The new US location is important for goetzpartners’ international In Dubai, managing director Erik Almqvist and his team of consultants will be looking after the needs of existing customers and expanding goetzpartners’ business interests in the region. Erik Almqvist has almost 25 years’ experience in management 45 August 2016

46. NEWS Telecoms giant, Verizon buys Yahoo’s search and advertising operations for $4.8bn US telecoms giant, Verizon Communications, has bought Yahoo’s search and advertising operations for a deal of around $4.8bn. Verizon said the deal for Yahoo’s core internet business, which has more than a billion active users a month, would make it a global mobile media company. Commenting on this news, Juan Jose Rio, partner at advisory and investment group, Delta Partners, which specialises in the telecoms, media and digital space, said: verticals where Verizon has been focusing the most in the recent past, with efforts such as its own mobile video service for millennials, named go90. Through Yahoo, Verizon is harnessing a significant number of assets, including new advertising capabilities, but most relevant is its fixed and mobile advertising properties in the search, communication and digital content space. This will expand the audience of Verizon advertisers by one billion viewers and help reach a single- digit share of the digital advertising market. Juan Jose Rio The acquisition of Yahoo by US telecoms giant, Verizon has created a new digital powerhouse overnight. Forget the nostalgia of Yahoo being a pioneer for the first dot-com boom, this move now signals a new chapter for the company - and for Verizon they have become the cat that got the cream. assets such as the Huffington Post, Techcrunch, Engadget and other news sites), Verizon is progressing its transformation to become a cross- screen advertising and media group. This is a process that arguably started with the creation of Precision Market Insights back in 2012. In addition to this, and maybe the cherry on top of the pie, let’s not forget that Verizon also gets consumer and SMB services, with significant traction across online and mobile, such as fantasy sports, leading media verticals, such as automotive and finance, and communication tools (email, messaging and blogging). With this deal, Verizon specifically solidifies its position in the mobile and video space, two of the highest growing verticals in digital advertising, and also two of the With AOL already under its belt from a prior acquisition (giving it ownership of advertising technologies, as well as publishing goetzpartners joins SAMENA Council SAMENA Council has announced that goetzpartners, an independent advisory firm joins SAMENA Council as a member. membership, goetzpartners will also help to develop synergies that can positively impact ICT development in our region. SAMENA Council is always on the lookout for pushing the ICT agenda of sustainable growth among stakeholders who share the vision for empowered, digitally-led economic development.” Erik Almqvist, Managing Director Middle East at goetzpartners, says: “Digital transformation, innovation and agility are the very heart of our DNA. Having served some of the world’s largest corporations in Strategy, M&A and Transformation, we are thrilled to serve the Middle East with SAMENA Council as a key strategic partner.” goetzpartners is well placed to benefit from SAMENA Council’s pan-regional reach and stakeholder engagement, focused on enabling fruitful dialogs in the ICT industry, and to leverage the breadth of opportunities to network with decision-makers representing both operators and regulators. Bocar BA welcome goetzpartners to SAMENA Council. We congratulate the firm on building synergies across industries on a global and regional scale, and hope that with SAMENA Council Bocar BA, CEO of SAMENA Council congratulated goetzpartners and remarked, “I am pleased to 46 August 2016

48. 21 prestigious universities participates in IEEE COMSOC Summer Program 2016 Al-Khawarizmi Institute of Computer Science (KICS), IEEE COMSOC Lahore Section in collaboration with IEEE UET Lahore and IEEE Punjab University organized four days “IEEE COMSOC Summer School Program 2016 Pakistan”. This COMSOC Summer School is 2nd such global event after Trento, Italy. COMSOC Summer School was designed for fresh graduates and students doing MS/PhD in the fields of IT and Communication, and students from 21 prestigious universities were a part of this. honorable guests and appreciated the efforts of IEEE COMSOC Lahore Section, Punjab University and KICS UET for conducting such a great event. Director KICS Prof. Dr. Waqar Mahmood, Principal CEET PU Prof. Dr. Rafique Ahmad, Director FAST University Prof. Dr. Amjad Hussain, Kashif Bashir (Chair IEEE COMSOC Lahore Section), delivered opening speeches on first day IEEE COMSOC Summer School Program 2016. A 6-member delegation of the US State Department was invited on 2nd day of the Event. Miss Karol Hines, Liby Parker & Mindy Mclaughlin talked on Entrepreneurship, Leadership & Project Management. Prof. Dr. Waqar Mahmood presented the overview of all activities during Summer School. The chief guests while speaking on the occasion said that these kinds of events help to established collaborations among different universities to promote R&D and more of these types of events should held in future. Technical Visit was also arranged on 3rd day of the summer school. During technical visit Huawei officials Charles Wang & Usman Khan gave talks on Cloud Computing & Networking. Participants visited Huawei UET Telecom & IT Center. A poster competition was also held on the second day of the summer school, in which the participants of the summer school presented their projects in front of the US Delegation, VC UET Lahore Prof. Dr. Fazal Ahmad Khalid & Director KICS Dr. Waqar Mehmood. The projects presented were acknowledged by all the judges. Best Poster was won by Rizwan Naqvi. VC LCWU Dr. Uzma Qureshi, MD Pakistan Railways, CEO Siemens Enterprises, Dean CS & IT superior University, Dean EE HITEC Taxila, Director FAST, Chair IEEE COMSOC Lahore Section and many other distinguished guests were also present. Certificates and shields were presented to the participants, Organizers and the Speakers of the Summer School. Social Dinner & closing ceremony was held in UET Lahore. Dr. Naveed A. Malik, VC Virtual University was the chief guest of the ceremony. Vice Chancellor UET Prof. Dr. Fazal Ahmad Khalid thanked the 48 August 2016

49. teletimes INTERNATIONAL GLOBAL ICT & TELECOM EVENTS 2016 August 2016 Mobile Milsatcom Communic Indonesia 2016 30 - 31 August 31 Aug - 03 Sep London, UK Jakarta, Indonesia September 2016 China Telematics Summit IBC Turkmentel 2016 IoT Innovation Conclave Mobile 360 Series Latin America Nigeria com China Insurance Telematics Summit Iran Telecom Innovations Lte Asia Telecom World Middle East ITCN Asia Middle East Com Telco Summit China Commercial Telematics Summit 01 - 02 September 08 - 13 September 14 - 15 September 16 September 20 - 22 September 20- 21 September 22 - 23 September 25 - 28 September 26 - 28 September 27 - 28 September 27 - 29 September 29 - 30 September 29 - 30 September Shanghai, China Amsterdam, Netherlands Ashgabat, Turkmenistan Bangalore, India Mexico, America Lagos, Nigeria Beijing, China Tehran, Iran Singapore Dubai, UAE Karachi, Pakistan Dubai, UAE Chongqing, China October 2016 APSCC The Digital Marketing Show Lte Voice Summit Cloud Expo Asia Cebit Bilisim Eurasia GITEX Technology Week 2016 GSMA Mobile 360 ME Submarine Networks World Broadband World Forum Broadband Awards 04 - 06 October 05 - 06 October 10 - 12 October 12 - 13 October 13 - 15 October 16 - 20 October 17 - 18 October 17 - 19 October 18 - 20 October 19 October Kuala Lampur, Malaysia Singapore London, UK Singapore Istanbul, Turkey Dubai, UAE Dubai, UAE Singapore London, UK London, UK 49 August 2016

50. GLOBAL ICT & TELECOM EVENTS 2016 November - December 2016 Casbaa Convention Facilities Innovation Forum Qatar Global Milsatcom ITU Telecom World LPWA European Utility Week AfricaCom (19th Annual) Lte Africa Smartcon 2016 Cloud Asia Forum Bakutel CeBIT India 07 - 10 November 08 - 10 November 08 - 10 November 14 - 17 November 15 - 16 November 15 - 17 November 15 - 17 November 16 - 17 November 24 - 25 November 29 Nov - 02 Dec 08 - 10 December Macau Doha, Qatar London, UK Bangkok, Thailand Barcelona, Spain Cape Town, South Africa Cape Town, South Africa Dubai, UAE Hong Kong Baku Azerbaijan Bengaluru, India GLOBAL ICT & TELECOM EVENTS 2017 PTC Customer Experience Management ICT Bahrain, (Bitex) Convergence India GSMA Mobile World Congress Satellite Seamless Africa Capacity Middle East Carriers World Asia CeBIT Germany CABSAT MEFTECH Seamless Asia GISEC GEMEC 15 - 18 January 23 - 26 January 07 - 09 February 08 - 10 February 27 Feb - 02 March 06 - 09 March 07 - 08 March 07 - 09 March 14 - 15 March 20 - 24 March 21 - 23 March 28 - 29 March 19 - 20 April 21 - 23 May 21 - 23 May Honolulu, USA London, UK Manama, Bahrain New Delhi, India Barcelona, Spain Maryland, US Johannesburg, South Africa Dubai, UAE Bangkok, Thiland Hannover, Germany Dubai, UAE Abu Dhabi, UAE Singapore Dubai, UAE Dubai UAE 50 August 2016