Dec. 31–QTEL EXPANDS PASSPORT ROAMING SERVICE TO 35 COUNTRIES: Qtel has announced its roaming service, Qtel Passport, now connects travellers on 60 mobile networks in 35 countries, Gulf Times has reported. Qtel Passport is available to Qtel customers on mobile networks including the GCC, Middle East, Asia, Europe and the US.

BAHRAIN ANNOUNCES POST 3G LICENSING TIMELINE: Bahrain’s telecoms affairs ministry and the Telecoms Regulatory Authority (TRA) have announced the timeline for licensing Post 3G Services in the kingdom, Gulf Daily News has reported. Details of the timeline includes extending the deadline to January 10 for responses to the public consultation document entitled Award of Individual Licenses and associated Frequency Licences for the delivery of mobile telecoms services in the 900, 1800, 1900, 2100 and 2600MHz frequency bands in Bahrain. The proposed date for issuing the invitation to tender is January 24.

ITC SECURES KUWAIT CONTRACT: Kuwait’s communications ministry has signed a contract with the Saudi Integrated Telecom Co (ITC) to link the national fibre networks of the two countries, Kuna has reported. The deal is part of the ministry’s strategy to hook up with the fibre networks of neighbourly countries via land cables and improve the internet services within and outside Kuwait, said communications minister, Eng. Salem Al-Utheina. “Under the contract ITC will be awarded a license to link the networks of the two countries by land cable through a border crossing point which will put information and data sharing on a fast track,” Al-Utheina said.

APPLE DROPS PATENT CLAIM AGAINST SAMSUNG’S S3 MINI: Apple Inc. has agreed to withdraw patent infringement allegations against Samsung’s new Galaxy S3 Mini, in exchange for assurances that the South Korean electronics giant will not market the smartphone in the US, Cnet has reported. The iPhone maker requested last month that the new smartphone and other Samsung products be added to the ongoing patent dispute between the two companies. “Apple will agree to withdraw without prejudice its request to include the Galaxy S III Mini in this case given Samsung’s representation that it is not making, using, selling, offering to sell, or importing that product into the US,” Apple said in a filing with the US District Court for Northern California.