NEWS
Nokia and Batelco announce partnership offering 5G private wireless networks across Bahrain
Batelco will also leverage Nokia Digital Automation Cloud , Modular Private Wireless , and industrial devices to empower mission-critical digitalisation . Key benefits to industries include operational KPI improvements , diversification and enhancement of revenue streams , and more robust health and safety measures . said : “ As the market provider in 5G private wireless networks , we are proud to partner with Batelco to bring best-in-class solutions to support current and future use cases in Bahrain . This partnership will pave the way for mission-critical sectors to use industrial grade private networks as an enabler for digital transformation and progress towards performance goals .”
Nokia and Batelco announced the signing of a partnership agreement to deliver 5G private wireless networks across Bahrain . Batelco will leverage Nokia ’ s Private Wireless encompassing DAC , MPW , edge computing capabilities , value adding applications and ruggedised industrial devices to enable multiple use cases across different industries .
Organisations within this market will benefit from Nokia ’ s expertise in the private wireless space and knowledge of applications in mission critical industries globally . The 5G private wireless solutions will enable industries in Bahrain to unlock new revenue streams , improve their operational KPIs and seek higher standards for health and safety in their operational environment .
Mahmoud El-Banna , Head of Enterprise Campus Edge Business , MEA at Nokia ,
Maitham Abdulla , Chief Executive Officer at Batelco , said : “ Through this partnership , we have harnessed the full potential of our market expertise while leveraging Nokia ’ s unparalleled global experience . The result is the introduction of powerful private wireless networks to Bahrain ’ s mission-critical industries . The availability of high-performance connectivity solutions will initiate a new era of network usage , transforming worker safety outcomes , fostering innovation , and increasing revenue streams across diverse sectors .”
96 % GCC banks have published DMARC record , registering an improvement in adoption YoY
A majority of financial institutions listed in the GCC are proactively implementing measures to block fraudulent emails from reaching customers , according to the latest research by Proofpoint , a cyber security and compliance company . Proofpoint analysed the level of adoption of DMARC , Domain-based Message Authentication , Reporting and Conformance by banks across the UAE , Saudi Arabia , Oman , Qatar , Bahrain , and Kuwait to evaluate their email fraud prevention preparedness .
Emile Abou Saleh
DMARC is an email validation protocol designed to protect domain names from misuse by cybercriminals . It authenticates the sender ’ s identity before allowing the message to reach its intended designation . Reject is the strictest and recommended level of DMARC protection , a setting and policy that proactively blocks fraudulent emails from reaching their intended target .
In 2024 , 96 % of GCC banks have published a DMARC record , Domain-based Message Authentication , Reporting and Conformance , indicating almost all are preparing for the upcoming email authentication requirements . This means just 4 % are taking no steps to protect against misuse of their domain in email fraud .
Almost three-quarters , 71 % of GCC banks have implemented the strictest and recommended level of DMARC protection , reject . This means 29 % are still not proactively protecting customers against email impersonation and fraud .
The improvement in DMARC performance among GCC banks is critical as financial institutions are a prime target for cybercriminals due to the vast amounts of sensitive personal and financial data they store . With rapid digitalisation of the GCC banking sector , including increased usage of mobile banking by customers , it has become essential for banks to prioritise cybersecurity measures to safeguard against potential cyber threats .
“ Proofpoint ’ s research shows that the GCC banking sector is on the right track when it comes to email fraud preparedness by deploying simple yet effective email authentication best practices ,” says Emile Abou Saleh , Regional Director , Middle East , Turkey and Africa for Proofpoint . p
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