Mobily has commissioned Nokia Networks for managing its network operations for a further five years. In addition, Nokia Networks will expand the operator’s 2G, 3G, and 4G (TD LTE, FDD LTE) mobile broadband networks, becoming the main radio network supplier for the operator. These projects will ensure further improved voice and data services for Mobily’s customers.

Nokia Networks has been a managed services partner to Mobily for the last three years. This second managed services contract also covers the central region that has been served by other vendors until now, expanding its managed services footprint in Mobily. With the network expansion deal, Nokia Networks also expands its radio footprint, providing TD-LTE radio technologies in the central region.

As part of the deal, Nokia’s managed services capabilities such as network optimisation, operations and maintenance services will be provided to Mobily.

Igor Leprince has been appointed to lead Global Services at Nokia Networks, effective November 4, 2014. Leprince will report to Nokia president and CEO, Rajeev Suri, and join the Nokia Networks Leadership Team. He will be executive VP Global Services, based in Espoo, Finland.

Leprince is currently the senior VP and Head of Middle East & Africa for Nokia Networks where he has been responsible for all sales and operations in the region. He will continue to lead Middle East & Africa until a successor is appointed. During his tenure, he has spearheaded the deployment of mobile broadband (3G/LTE) with the region’s leading telecommunication operators, developed and implemented the strategy that returned the region to profitability and revenue growth.

Leprince joined Nokia Networks in September 2007 as the Global Head of Network Planning and Optimisation (NPO), which became a key differentiator for the services business and for the company. He also served as head of the Global Services Care organisation prior to moving to Dubai. Before this, he held various management positions for operators and services companies. Leprince holds a Master’s degree in Telecommunications and Network Engineering from ENST, Paris, France.

The Global Services business unit provides mobile operators with a broad range of services, from network implementation to care services, managed services for network and service operations, network planning and optimisation and systems integration. The business has global and local services experts and centralised tools and architecture at two global delivery centres and five global service delivery hubs around the world.

Ashish Chowdhary has been appointed to lead Customer Operations at Nokia Networks, effective January 1, 2015. Chowdhary will report to Nokia president and CEO, Rajeev Suri, and remain on the Nokia Networks Leadership Team. He will be Chief Business Officer, based in Espoo, Finland.

Chowdhary is currently EVP Asia, Middle East & Africa (AMEA) for Nokia Networks where he has been responsible for all sales and operations in the region representing more than half of the revenue of Nokia Networks’ global business. He will continue to lead AMEA until the end of the year. During his tenure he has delivered consistently strong financial performance and overseen the transformation of the Networks business in the region.

In the past four years, Chowdhary has successfully led Customer Operations in the diverse regions of Asia Pacific, Japan, India, Greater China, and Middle East and Africa, representing over half of the Networks’ global business. Prior to this, Chowdhary headed the Global Services business.

As part of this change, René Svendsen-Tune, executive vice president Europe and Latin America, and Ricky Corker, executive vice president North America, will report to Chowdhary as of January 1, 2015. Svendsen-Tune plans to leave the company at the end of the first quarter 2015 after a smooth transition.

Zain Group has reported that for the third quarter of 2014, consolidated revenues came in at KD294 million (US$1.04 billion), down six per cent year-on-year. EBITDA for the quarter amounted to KD 123 million, down right per cent, while net income amounted to KD 46 million, reflecting a 13 per cent decrease.

Zain also reported the subscriber base as of 30 September at 43.7 million customers, down one per cent year-on-year. Part of this decline can be explained by a change in the definition of an active customer implemented by Iraq’s telecom regulator, seeing Zain Iraq’s customer base decrease nine per cent from 14.5 million at the end of the third quarter 2013 to 13.3 million customers at the end of the third quarter 2014.

The operator confirmed that as mandated by its mobile operating licence, Zain Bahrain completed an initial public offering of 15 per cent of its share capital on September 30. All new shareholders were allotted their shares on October 9, and the company expects shares to be traded on the Bahrain bourse during the course of this month.

The Nawras brand in Oman has transformed into Ooredoo this week, becoming the seventh market to take on the global brand of Ooredoo.

With the Ooredoo name present in Qatar, Algeria, Tunisia, Kuwait, the Maldives, Myanmar and now Oman, the company says customers have already seen significant benefits and changes to the customer experience accompanying the brand transformation. Ooredoo operates in heavily youth-oriented markets characterised by strong and rising demand for data services.

In Oman, a new post-paid promotion enables customers to use their local minutes when roaming overseas, while prepaid customers have received more international calls.

The company is also leveraging its global relationships with major device manufacturers to bring the latest technology to Oman, launching the iPhone 6 with a special post-paid bundle so that customers can receive the most out of the device.