Zain Selects Nokia to bring 5G Services to Saudi Arabia

Zain Saudi Arabia, one of the world's first 5G network operators, is bringing unprecedented change to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with the roll out of its 5G network using Nokia's end-to-end portfolio.

Under a three-year deal, thousands of 5G sites are being deployed bringing faster speeds and higher quality across its networks to support a renaissance in services for both the industrial sector and consumers.

As well as enhancing mobile broadband services in the Kingdom, the ultra-high bandwidth and low-latency 5G network will enable new applications and services for advanced industrial automation, improved education, healthcare, entertainment, and more.

Eng. Sultan Abdulaziz AlDeghaither, CEO of Zain KSA, said: "Zain Saudi is a pioneer in introducing next-gen telecoms services and with this 5G deployment we continue that tradition as we will launch a wide range of new applications and services for our customers. We are confident that our long-term partner Nokia's technologies and professional services will build a reliable and highly secure 5G network to revolutionize the way people live and work."

Amr K. El Leithy, head of the Middle East and Africa market at Nokia, said: "We are committed to transforming the service experience for Zain's customers and enhancing industrial productivity by enabling extreme broadband services.This contract, which includes 5G RAN, backhaul, security and services, demonstrates the breadth of our full-portfolio strengths and depth of global expertise in deploying these next-generation projects."

The deal introduces 5G using 2.6 GHz and 3.5 GHz, along with massive Multiple Input Multiple Output (mMIMO) to deliver enhanced network capacity, coverage, and improved downlink and uplink speeds. In addition, the deal will introduce E-Band microwave in certain areas to allow for ultra-high-capacity backhaul networks.

Nokia currently has 43 commercial 5G deals with operators around the world and is involved in more than 100 5G-related customer engagements.

As with Zain KSA, many of Nokia's commercial deals involve radio access technology as well as additional technology from Nokia's end-to-end portfolio - a sign that operators are recognizing Nokia's unique position and capability as the right choice for networks with long-term evolution in mind.