About 65 percent homes in different villages and hamlets across the Kingdom gained access to the wireless broadband 4G coverage by the end of April, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) has said.
The expanded coverage area was beyond expectations and is an "achievement" within the Kingdom's Vision 2030, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) quoted the ministry as saying Monday.
The ministry is also continuing its efforts to enhance the digital infrastructure by deploying 5G networks via the construction of about 7,500 new towers so far, to include 11 regions of the Kingdom.
This comes within the efforts to raise the standard of telecommunications and internet services in the Kingdom’s various regions.
The ministry said its efforts to expand the coverage area of wireless broadband 4G to more remote villages and hamlets continue in partnership with the private sector.
The existing coverage includes over 508,000 homes in more than 3,200 villages in the Kingdom’s governorates, benefiting about 3 million citizens and residents, the ministry said. With private sector's partnership, the ministry aims to reach 70 percent of non-urban areas (villages and hamlets) by the end of 2020.
By the end of the year, the ministry aims to enhance the digital infrastructure by deploying 5G networks and reach a 40 percent coverage of the five major cities Riyadh, Jeddah, Makkah, Madinah and Dammam.
The MCIT pointed out that investment in modern digital infrastructure is part of the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.