The Kingdom plans to sell three mobile virtual network operator licences as part of a plan to liberalise its telecom market.
The smartphone manufacturer will launch the device in Europe and China in June, with other markets following shortly.
Bahrain’s biggest telecom group has now reported a fall in profit in 11 quarters out of 12 and has seen its market share eroded by rivals.
Omantel made a net profit of $75.6 million in the three months to March 31.
The deal is being channelled through Qatar Foundation Endowment.
The telco made a net profit of Dhs467.9 million ($127.38 million) in the three months to March 31, up from Dhs333.13 million in the year-earlier period.
The telecoms group made a net profit of 808 million riyals ($222 million) in the three months to March 31, up from 711 million in the year-earlier period.
The company said increased depreciation arising from network modernisation had impacted its net profit.
A statement from Etisalat on Friday could reinforce speculation among some investors that it will also buy the state’s holding.
Wataniya made a net profit of 19.5 million dinars ($68.4 million) in the three months to March 31, down from 28.3 million dinars in the year-earlier period.
The UAE-based telecoms operator made a net profit of Dhs1.83 billion in the first quarter, up 1.1 per cent from Q1 2012.
The firm posted a net profit of SAR1.55 billion, attributing the profit drop to charges relating to an Indian affiliate.
Mobily’s revenue for the three months to March 31 was 5.63 billion riyals, up from 5.01 billion riyals from the prior-year period.
The UAE telecoms operator has already secured the backing of 12 banks and up to four more could join.
Kyle Whitehill will replace outgoing chief executive Richard Daly from June.
The affiliate of Kuwait’s Zain, made a net loss of 398 million riyals ($106.13 million) in the three months to March 31.
Zain Bahrain has been instructed to sell 15 per cent of its shares in the IPO and list on Bahrain’s bourse.
Telecomes operators are surging ahead with plans to build greater data storage and boost internet speed in the GCC.
Kuwaiti telecoms operator Zain holds a 56.3 per cent stake in Zain Bahrain.
The UAE telecoms operator had been blocking Skype, the free internet-to-internet phone calls site, for several years.
French media group Vivendi aims to offload its 53 per cent holding in Moroccan firm Maroc.
The operator, which has yet to make a quarterly profit since launching services in 2008, last week extended a $2.4 billion Islamic loan to April 30.
The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority was due to auction 12 lots of spectrum primarily for 4G networks from March 31.
The order did not state how long telcos would be given to comply with the new regulations.
Abdulaziz Fakhroo replaces Bassam Hannoun becoming the telco’s third chief executive in less than a year.
Abdulaziz al-Sugair will take the helm following the imminent departure of CEO Khaled al-Ghoneim.
Fahd bin Ibrahim al-Dughaither has been named the new head of the struggling telecoms operator.
Lebanon wants to become a digital hub for the Middle East, selling excess bandwidth to other countries.
Etisalat is keen on winning the contract to run state-owned Libyan Post, Telecommunication and Information Technology Co.
Ghoneim, who was appointed CEO in June 2012 is the latest STC senior management executive to quit.