Etisalat and Orange have come together to establish an IPX peering point at Etisalat’s SmartHub point of presence (PoP) in UAE, improving its international wholesale arm’s reach across partners in the region and meeting the increasing demand for 4G and 5G connectivity.

Wholesale and Capacity
NTRA approves regulatory framework to establish data centers in Egypt
The National Telecom Regulatory Authority of Egypt (NTRA) approved a regulatory framework to establish data centers as well as provide cloud computing services in the country.
Egypt's Aswan governorate to get 81 mobile towers through ‘Decent Life’ initiative
Egypt’s Aswan governorate will receive a number of projects, including the construction of 81 mobile towers to support the communications service, and the connection of fiber-optic cables to 110,000 homes, in addition to developing 44 post offices.
New branches added to 2Africa subsea cable system
The 2Africa consortium, comprised of China Mobile International, Facebook, MTN GlobalConnect, Orange, stc, Telecom Egypt, Vodafone, and WIOCC, announced the addition of four new branches to the 2Africa subsea cable system.
Sparkle strengthens Panama’s position for data connectivity
Sparkle and Trans Ocean Network, a Panamanian telecommunications company, have agreed to form a strategic joint venture in Panama for the construction of an open landing and connectivity center that would become the digital hub for all Central America, the Andean region, and the Caribbean.
Hyperscalers touched 100% CAGR in global bandwidth deployments across Middle East in 4 years
The share of the Middle East’s international bandwidth deployed by hyperscalers rose to 7% by the end of 2020—a 100% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) since 2016, according to TeleGeography, a global telecommunications market research and consulting firm.
Airtel Niger invests 3.2 bln at Zinder’s fiber optic infrastructure
Heading for the digital revolution, Airtel Niger launched its fiber-optic construction work at Zinder in line with its commitment to always deliver high-quality voice and internet services to its subscribers.
GBI ramps up connectivity via new Oman data centre hub
Gulf Bridge International (GBI), a global cloud, connectivity and content enabler, and Equinix, the world’s digital infrastructure company are collaborating and establishing a new deployment for GBI at the Equinix data center in Oman.
Teraco completes latest Isando Campus data center expansion
Teraco Data Environments Proprietary Limited, Africa’s largest vendor-neutral data center and interconnection services provider, has completed the JB3 data center facility, located within the Isando Campus in Ekurhuleni, east of Johannesburg, South Africa.
CRA approves wholesale charges for telecom networks from 2021-2023
The Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) issued an order to direct Ooredoo Qatar and Vodafone Qatar to implement specific wholesale charges for 2021, 2022, and 2023; aiming to maintain a competitive, fair, and developing telecom sector in Qatar.