The Middle East ICT

One of the most significant telecommunications growth drivers in Bahrain in recent years has been the launch of fourth-generation long-term evolution (4G LTE) services. The kingdom’s three main operators – Batelco, Zain Bahrain and VIVA Bahrain – had been working to roll out 4G LTE services for nearly five years, although limited access to new...

What are the factors impacting pricing strategies for 4G long-term evolution (LTE) services in Bahrain? What are the advantages and disadvantages of volume-based 4G LTE pricing versus unlimited, flat-rate 4G LTE pricing?

As the country’s population continues to grow, the government is increasingly focused on fostering entrepreneurship as a strategy to reduce unemployment. The nation’s open, diversified and advanced ICT sector has created a supportive environment for new start-ups, despite ongoing challenges presented by regional political instability,...

Development of a digital economy is a critical part of Bahrain’s Vision 2030 economic development plan, and the kingdom has been at the forefront of regional IT advances. The past 12 months have seen the government take major steps forward on its ambitious goal of creating a National Broadband Network (NBN), as highlighted in its third National...

A key pillar of Vision 2020, Oman’s long-term development programme, the telecommunications and IT sector in the sultanate has seen major investment in recent years, both from government and the private sector alike. The industry stands on the cusp of a new era in its development, with fresh programmes and plans set to unfold in the months ahead. Under a new five-year...

A key part of the strategy outlined in Vision 2020, the sultanate’s long-term development programme, is the widening and deepening of the country’s IT sector. This is seen by the government as very much part of the effort to diversify the economy away from oil and gas dependency, offering future generations of Omanis the chance to participate in a high value-added,...