Zain will be able to offer the latest smartphones earlier and cheaper than its Middle East rivals if a deal with Vodafone goes through, analysts say.
The Kuwaiti firm stands to gain an edge over its competitors through a proposed partnership with Vodafone under which the two operators would lower roaming fees and share the cost of purchasing phones.
Andre Popov, a partner at the consultancy Peppers & Rogers Group in Dubai, said a pact with Vodafone on mobile handsets would give Zain an advantage over its rivals.
"Vodafone and Zain could potentially increase their bargaining power with handset vendors such as Apple, Nokia or Samsung.
"They might be able to secure new handsets earlier than their competitors. Getting them a few weeks earlier... could allow a company to lure higher-value customers away from the competition," Mr Popov said.
"It could also improve the prices at which Vodafone and Zain purchase handsets, lowering subscriber acquisition costs."
He said both operators could benefit from "more favourable roaming rates" through the deal.
Vodafone is the world's second-largest mobile operator but its presence in the Middle East is currently limited to stakes in operators in Egypt and Qatar.
A planned deal with Zain would allow Vodafone to offer its customers favourable roaming fees in markets such as Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Bahrain, according to media reports.
A Vodafone spokesman declined to comment on a possible deal with Zain.
Zain did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
"Vodafone [would get] even better coverage because Zain networks are often the leaders in their respective markets," said Petr Molik, the head of the research division at Mena Corp.
"Zain is going to get the roaming revenues [and] even cheaper handsets," he said.
Ibrahim Masood, a senior investment officer for asset management at Mashreq, said a deal with Zain made sense because it would boost Vodafone's presence in the Middle East.
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Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
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TERMINAL HIGH ALTITUDE AREA DEFENCE (THAAD)
What is THAAD?
It is considered to be the US's most superior missile defence system.
Production:
It was created in 2008.
Speed:
THAAD missiles can travel at over Mach 8, so fast that it is hypersonic.
Abilities:
THAAD is designed to take out ballistic missiles as they are on their downward trajectory towards their target, otherwise known as the "terminal phase".
Purpose:
To protect high-value strategic sites, such as airfields or population centres.
Range:
THAAD can target projectiles inside and outside the Earth's atmosphere, at an altitude of 150 kilometres above the Earth's surface.
Creators:
Lockheed Martin was originally granted the contract to develop the system in 1992. Defence company Raytheon sub-contracts to develop other major parts of the system, such as ground-based radar.
UAE and THAAD:
In 2011, the UAE became the first country outside of the US to buy two THAAD missile defence systems. It then stationed them in 2016, becoming the first Gulf country to do so.
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The specs
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The Disaster Artist
Director: James Franco
Starring: James Franco, Dave Franco, Seth Rogan
Four stars
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Jigra
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On Women's Day
Shelina Janmohamed: Why shouldn't a spouse be compensated fairly for housework?
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HOW TO WATCH
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Sri Lanka squad for tri-nation series
Angelo Mathews (c), Upul Tharanga, Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Kusal Janith Perera, Thisara Perera, Asela Gunaratne, Niroshan Dickwella, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep, Dushmantha Chameera, Shehan Madushanka, Akila Dananjaya, Lakshan Sandakan and Wanidu Hasaranga
RESULTS
6.30pm: Handicap (TB) $68,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
Winner: Hypothetical, Mickael Barzalona (jockey), Salem bin Ghadayer (trainer)
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Winner: Al Tariq, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
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Sustainable Development Goals
1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation
10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its effects
14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50