Members News

• Al Ali: The solution provides stc customers with a comprehensive range of payment options that best suit their diverse needs
• Khalili: We are proud to partner with stc to deliver advanced new payment services to their customers

Kuwait Telecommunications Company – stc, a world-class digital leader providing innovative services and platforms to customers, enabling the digital transformation in Kuwait, commemorated the one-year mark since the significant upgrade applied to its payment infrastructure through the successful launch of ProgressSoft’s Payments Hub Platform.

The collaboration between stc and the ProgressSoft’s Payments Hub Platform aimed to introduce a new range of services including managing all payment types from services, agents, and dealers, and supporting new channels and payment services. This is in addition to automated reconciliation, enhanced management over channels, payment methods and limits, and the introduction of new payments such as multiple contracts. The state-of-the-art payment gateway falls in line with stc’s digitization strategy and aims to provide customers with a cutting-edge payment gateway that meets their diverse needs. The integration of the payment gateway into stc’s existing products and services line ultimately enhanced the user experience through seamless transactions with minimal processing times.

To accelerate its vertical transformation and support the digital strategies of its diverse customer base, stc launched the advanced e-payment solution to offer flexible, automated, scalable, guaranteed, and reliable service solutions. The new payment gateway system is designed to fulfil a wide range of industry transformations and business model requirements, providing stc customers with a comprehensive range of payment options, including KFAST integration, multiple channels, payments and dealers management, and an automated reconciliation process with banks and IT systems.

The platform can handle all types of payments, including online payments, Apple Pay, and mobile payments, and is fully integrated with stc‘s existing infrastructure, enabling seamless and secure payments through various channels. This includes local and international card payment gateways, supporting all types of cards worldwide. Customers can enjoy simpler payment experiences using credit cards, K-fast, and scheduled payments. Moreover, it provides stc’s technical, finance, and customer care teams with faster reconciliation processes, enhanced user interface experiences, and easily configurable templates for customer interactions.

Overall, stc‘s advanced e-payment solution represents a significant step forward in supporting the digital strategies of its customers by providing a comprehensive, secure, and efficient payment infrastructure that meets the needs of a wide range of businesses and industries. The solution will also help enhance the customer experience by granting access to real-time monitoring and reporting, allowing the Company to track and manage all transactions efficiently.

Chief Technology Officer of stc, engineer Fahad Al Ali, said, “We are delighted to continue our strong partnership and collaboration with ProgressSoft, especially considering how the payment gateway has transformed the way our customers execute transactions. Designed to cater to various industries and business models, the solution provides stc customers with a comprehensive range of payment options that best suit their diverse needs and requirements.”

Al Ali added, “At stc, we believe in continuously enhancing our customers’ experience, and we recognize the crucial role that payment gateways play in achieving this goal. Our goal is to continuously upgrade the solutions offered to our customers with innovation remaining at the forefront of our approach. stc has been continuously evolving its capabilities through innovation and the use of new technologies, and we aim to maintain this momentum in line with Kuwait’s 2035 Vision .”

“We are proud with our strategic partnership with stc, the pioneering digital enabler in Kuwait, to develop new digital solutions and deliver advanced new payment services to their customers,” noted Tawfiq Khalili, ProgressSoft Kuwait’s Country Manager, “Our Payments Hub is designed to meet the growing demand for scalable and efficient financial transactions, and we are honored to have it contributing to stc’s outstanding services to its customers, allowing them to enable their digital transformation strategies in a more efficient way.”

It is worth mentioning that since early 2022, the solution has successfully processed a higher volume of transactions and transformed them into efficient processes. This has denoted it as a success story within stc that has shown substantial improvement for all stakeholders.

ESKADENIA Software, the leading Jordanian-based provider of software products & technologies attends the highly anticipated 9th International Aqaba Insurance Conference (Aqaba Conf 2023) as a delegate. The conference is organized in partnership between the Jordan Insurance Federation (JIF) and the General Arab Insurance Federation (GAIF). The event is scheduled to take place from the 15th to the 18th of May 2023 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Aqaba, Jordan.

The 9th Aqaba Conference brings together insurance experts and thought leaders from around the world to discuss the latest developments and trends in the insurance sector. With a focus on current concerns affecting global insurance markets, the conference provides a platform for attendees to exchange ideas and explore new opportunities for growth and innovation. This year, the conference will place special emphasis on the role of technology and automation in the insurance industry, Since the Insurance market sector is the key industry for ESKADENIA, and so from its belief in staying ahead of the curve, ESKADENIA attends Aqaba Conference in order to bring comprehensive software products to the Insurance industry, helping the companies to adapt to the rapidly changing insurance landscape and digital transformation 

ESKADENIA Software offers all-inclusive insurance management systems designed to meet the unique requirements of businesses in the insurance industry. These systems include General, Medical,  Life, Travel, Credit, Reinsurance, and Broker management. ESKA® Insures suite provides a seamless online customer experience with customizable features that offer exquisite user experience and reliable performance. Furthermore, this suite of advanced systems has multi-language, multi-company, multi-branch, and multi-currency options to help insurance companies streamline their operations and maximize profitability. ESKA Insures extends its capabilities through Takaful, Bancassurance, Notification, and Approval systems to help customers lighten and take off their workload without sacrificing control through easy-to-use automated tasks.

The first in Jordan and the fastest in the region

Orange Jordan continues to further consolidate its presence as the strongest and fastest internet provider to meet the needs of its subscribers, the company announced in a press conference offering unprecedented Fiber speeds, with 10,000 Mbps standing as the first in Jordan and the Middle East, in addition to launching 2,000 Mbps as another first in Jordan, in continuation of its efforts to provide more quality, reliability, speed, and best services to the subscribers.

The new speeds are an added achievement to Orange’s portfolio in providing high speeds, where it was the first to launch 1,000 Mbps for Fiber in 2018, in addition to leading the fiber market where it obtained a certificate for the fastest fiber internet in Jordan for the year 2022 from SpeedChecker.

Commenting on the importance of the new speeds, CEO of Orange Jordan, Philippe Mansour, said: “These fast speeds will create a leap in the broadband internet market, especially fiber in Jordan, as part of our continuous efforts to enhance the infrastructure and provide the latest and best solutions that enable our customers to enjoy unmatched experiences. Through our exerted efforts, we seek to offer technologies that meet everyone’s needs and aspirations, in addition to leading the Fiber market, 4G+ as the only providers, and getting ready for the 5G network”.

Mansour also affirmed the company’s commitment to providing next-generation technologies, accompanied by modern devices, strong networks, fast speeds, and innovative technology to enable users to unleash their potential in various fields, as these efforts enrich customers’ digital experiences, develop Jordan’s digital ecosystem and increase its investment attractiveness, in line with the economic modernization vision, and stemming from the company’s role as a responsible digital leader and the Kingdom’s partner in digital transformation.

Chief Consumer Market Officer, Naila Al Dawoud noted that there will be technical advancements to accompany these speeds, as it adopts “Wi-Fi 6”; the new generation of Wi-Fi technology, as it offers superior capabilities to enable users to have three times the speed, increased number of connected devices to Wi-Fi by 4 times, and lower response time by 75%.

Orange Fiber subscribers will benefit from the new speeds with devices that support these speeds, including e-game consoles and advanced smartphones.

In preparation for the launch of its 5G summit in June 2023, Arab Advisors Group released a new comprehensive analytical telecommunication report. The report focuses on countries across MENA with and without launched 5G services. Arab Advisors Group shed the light on 5G network expansions and coverages, as well as disclosed 5G-related indicators. As for countries without 5G launches, the report further examined the role of governmental bodies in facilitating successful 5G launches in the Middle East and North Africa, and 5G trials among telcos in preparation towards their launches.

Under the Patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan, Arab Advisors Group, a leading provider of research and analysis in the telecom and media industries, is proud to announce its upcoming 5G Summit (www.5gsummit.me) in Amman, Jordan, in June 6, 2023 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel.

5G technology promises to bring a massive enhancement for businesses and people, with a significant paradigm shift in communications and technology. However, the 5G promise is yet to be delivered. In its 17th summit this year, Arab Advisors Group will bring together thought leaders, stakeholders, C-Level executives, and directors from across the MENA region to share their expertise and thoughts about the true promises and the challenges of a viable 5G launch.

Governmental bodies play vital roles in facilitating and catalyzing successful 5G launches – setting clear 5G roadmaps and strategies, and publicly disclosing adequate and timely indicators to name a few. Roadmaps and strategies present governments’ expectations for digitized and well-developed ICT sectors, and highlight telecom operators’ part in supporting their governments’ visions. The advancement of any ecosystem is also strongly tied to publicly disclosed key performance indicators (“KPIs”). Sources of similar indicators vary across the telecom industry; nevertheless, the most credible and expected source of indicators is governmental bodies.

Governmental bodies are not the sole contributors towards successful 5G launches. Telecom operators play imperative part in pushing towards 5G launches through network upgrades, expansions, and 5G trials. In alignment with its summit launch, Arab Advisors Group released a new analytical report which tackles prerequisite measures by telecom operators and regulators to ensure successful 5G network launches across the MENA region. Arab Advisors Group further discusses 5G network coverages for MENA-based telecom operators, highlighting a wide range of achievements in the GCC. Lastly, we present 5G-related KPIs released by telecom regulators and operators in the Gulf.

As part of its continuous reliable primary research-based analysis, Arab Advisors Group released this report which answers the following questions:

• How are MENA governmental bodies catalyzing smooth and successful 5G launches?
• Do MENA’s telecom markets have adequate and timely disclosed 5G-related indicators?
• What preparation measures are telecom operators in the Arab World taking towards their 5G launches?
• How intense are 5G trials in Arab countries without commercial 5G services?
• How did the GCC’s 5G markets differ during a span of 4 years in terms of coverages and expansions? 

“According to our findings, about 30% of the telecom operators in Arab countries without commercial 5G services announced 5G trials. The intensity of these trials is considered low, with Tunisia being the only country with sufficient 5G trial announcements between June 2019 and February 2023.” Ms. Hiba Rabadi, Arab Advisors Group’s Deputy General Manager noted. “The lack of announcements may not indicate a lack of trials but rather a lack of public disclosure. Overall, the modest number of trials and their low intensity suggest that more work is needed for operators to select suitable solutions and understand network behavior in real-life situations.” Added Rabadi.

“One noticeable advancement in the GCC’s 5G networks is the transition towards standalone 5G (“5G SA”). A few telecom operators across Kuwait, KSA, and the UAE announced transitioning from non-standalone 5G networks to 5G SA ones, while others announced testing their 5G SA networks.” noted Rabadi.

Arab Advisors Group will be releasing a new report series with a focus on each GCC country. The series will overview 5G services on an operator level, frequency bands utilized, and collaborations with telecom vendors to launch 5G. Additionally, Arab Advisors Group will examine 5G monetization by telecom operators, alongside disclosed benefits of 5G. Lastly, the series will shed the light on governmental support in each country towards successful launches.

Arab Advisors Group published four individual reports pertaining to each region (The GCC and Yemen, The Maghreb, The Levant, and Egypt and Sudan) with separate data sheets detailing all OTT offerings per region.

Please contact Arab Advisors Group for more details or to get a copy of the reports’ Table of Contents.

The reports were released to Arab Advisors Group’s subscribers and can be purchased for a fee of US$ 7,000.

Arab Advisors Group’s team of analysts in the region produced over 5,800 reports on the Arab World’s communications, media and financial markets. The reports can be purchased individually or received through an annual subscription to Arab Advisors Group’s (www.arabadvisors.com) Strategic Research Services (Media and Telecom).

To date, Arab Advisors Group serves over 965 global and regional companies by providing reliable research analysis and forecasts of Arab communications markets to these clients. Some of our clients can be viewed on https://arabadvisors.com/client-list