Zain has 2000 5G towers, more than Deutsche Telecom and about as many as British Telecom. Vodafone and Telefonica are probably lower but they don’t release figures. The plan is for 2600 towers by the end of 2019.
Zain, Etisalat, STC, Batelco, and several other carriers are working to make the Gulf the most advanced 5G market outside of China and Korea.
Vendors tell me the Gulf countries are buying a great deal of equipment. The press releases keep coming but this is one of the first with firm numbers. All data very welcome.
Zain KSA Launches 5G Network in Partnership with Huawei
Oct 15, 2019
[Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, October 15, 2019] Zain KSA, one of the leading telecom groups in the Middle East region and a prominent player in Saudi Arabia’s telecom space, has further strengthened its leading position in bringing innovative solutions to the Kingdom by launching 5G services across the country via its Huawei-powered 5G network. Bilateral work by Zain and Huawei will further develop 5G and bring more digital services to the market.
5G, or the fifth-generation telecom services, is the latest innovation in the telecom sector. It offers ultrafast wireless connectivity, and enables seamless deployment of rich digital services. The launch of Zain’s 5G network places the telecom at the forefront of KSA’s digital economy.
Initially, Zain 5G services are available to 5G customer-premises equipment (CPE) subscribers, allowing users to access enhanced connectivity over Next-Gen network. User who opt for the 349 SAR/month subscription can experience 5G services, and can get one 5G CPE for free by signing a 24 months use agreement.
The first phase of rollout of Zain’s extensive 5G network covers 20+ cities in Saudi Arabia and is supported by 2,000 5G towers, making it the largest 5G network in region. The network will expand by the end of 2019 to cover more cities with 2,600 5G towers. Coverage map is available online for everyone, making it convenient for users to check 5G availability in their locations.
Eng. Abdulrahman Al-Mufadda , Chief Technology Officer at Zain KSA, said, “There has been a strongly positive response from our customers since day one of our 5G network launch. Subscribers are keenly adopting 5G to experience faster speeds and greater reliability. This great response is enabling us to strengthen our position in Saudi Arabia’s 5G market.”