Saudi Arabia’s telecom industry is making strides in 5G technology with the introduction of its first live Cloud Radio Access Network site. This milestone, achieved through collaboration between Nokia and Zain KSA, demonstrated impressive 5G speeds, reaching up to 1.5 gigabits per second.
The successful trial, which ran from late December to late January, is part of the Kingdom’s push for digital transformation. Leaders in the sector see Cloud RAN as a flexible solution that can adapt to changing customer needs and support new business applications across industries.
As the country works toward Vision 2030, the 5G market is expected to grow substantially, with projections suggesting a rise from $2.1 billion in 2023 to $13.41 billion by 2029. Zain KSA’s chief technology officer emphasized the company’s commitment to delivering innovative digital experiences and responding swiftly to market demands through this technology.
Nokia highlighted that their cloud-native approach not only matches traditional network performance but also sets the stage for future advancements such as AI-powered networks, Open RAN, and potential 6G developments. The partnership aims to enhance network efficiency, reduce costs, and accelerate the rollout of new services for both consumers and businesses.
This deployment follows a recent initiative by Nokia and Zain KSA to introduce advanced 4G/5G Femtocell solutions, further improving mobile coverage and connectivity for enterprise clients in Saudi Arabia and the wider region.