By Femi Oshiga,vice president of service providers of the Middle East and Africa, CommScope
Our internet habits over the past few months have changed completely. We’ve seen how important connectivity has been whether it be speaking to the outside world or remote education. Network operators across the Middle East and Africa are doing their best to maximize existing communications infrastructure investments while making critical decisions on how to build out 5G networks.
For some, testing will happen this year while for others, 5G is on the horizon. To prepare for a network which is 100 times faster than 4G, our customers are investing in innovation which increases capacity and offers spectral efficiency.
In Saudi, industry leaders like Saudi Telecom Company (stc) are pressing ahead with plans for wide-scale 5G services.
stc: Creating a modern world class 5G network
Stc and CommScope deployed 30-port antennas, one of the first deployments of such technology anywhere in the world. This enables the operator to bring innovation toward 5G across the Middle East and North Africa.
Stc works tirelessly to maintain its leading position in the adoption of emerging communications technologies. To keep pace with the demands of the modern society and expand into new markets, stc is demonstrating use cases for next generation wireless technologies. The deployment of CommScope’s new customized 30-port antenna enabled stc to support more technologies with less weight and wind-load on towers, solving the challenge of overburdened infrastructure and giving adequate room to deploy 5G equipment. As a result, the service provider is taking another step toward a modern world-class 5G network.
CommScope had long been a trusted international partner of stc following years of wide deployments of multiple antenna solutions, including a customized design for 16-port antennas to support increased densification of the 4G/LTE network.
Eng. Hisham A. Alabdaly, infrastructure design, general manager, stc, said, “In line with international developments, the Saudi market is being transformed by the advances of the fourth industrial revolution. Emerging technology breakthroughs like robotics, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things will be backed by 5G infrastructure. Looking toward Vision 2030, tourism, manufacturing and defense could reoccupy the center of economic stage in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. By any measure, it’s critical we implement new technologies that empower digital services to reach higher levels of efficiency and production.
Diversification in the KSA economy mandates the need for further investment in advanced digital technologies, to pave the way for a future of massive connectivity. Piloting 5G-ready technologies will enable stc to lead the advancement of a modern society while harnessing new and emerging technologies, delivering unlimited network capacities for video services and many other modern high-tech industries.”
CommScope and stc have worked together for many years to bring the latest communication advances to Saudi Arabia. These antennas will improve the mobile experience of stc customers where they live and work, and it will pave the way towards wide deployment of 5G services.
More details on the collaboration can be found by visiting: https://www.commscope.com/globalassets/digizuite/293369-stc-30-port-antenna-cs-113737-en.pdf
