stc Group, the kingdom’s leading digital enabler, recorded a 61% 5G network usage rate during Riyadh Season in 2024, marking one of the highest utilization rates in history. Using artificial intelligence and advanced infrastructure, stc Group’s 5G networks have provided record-breaking connectivity during Saudi Arabia’s largest entertainment festival.
stc Group has partnered with the kingdom’s General Entertainment Authority as a Riyadh Season sponsor for the last 5 seasons, which will continue for the next three years. As the platinum sponsor of this iconic annual festival, which features entertainment, cultural events, and global attractions, stc Group is powering the experience with innovative digital solutions, driving world-class connectivity for all attendees.
Over 12 million visitors from around the world have attended Riyadh Season events this year, making the festival a unique model for the integration of entertainment and technology. To accommodate the number of international roaming customers in the kingdom, which increased by 49% since 2023, stc Group expanded its network by over 12% across Boulevard City where Riyadh Season is hosted. This network expansion involved increasing 5G frequencies by 20%, providing more than 655 WiFi hotspots and boosting internal network integration by more than 10% from last year.
In order to maintain this extensive network, stc Group established 6 digital management solutions sites, which allow real-time responses to any network errors. As a result, Riyadh Boulevard has measured a 5G usage rate of 61%, breaking records as one of the highest 5G usage rates in the world. By harnessing Massive Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) antennas, which is a type of wireless telecommunications technology equipped for large antenna elements that improve energy efficiency, and AI-powered real-time analytics, stc Group optimized its system performance. This allowed visitors at Riyadh Season to document their moments and communicate with family, whether in the kingdom and internationally, with reliable connectivity and speed.
The use of modern VoLTE voice services increased to 86% this year, as stc Group invested in the infrastructure to develop one of the most important services contributing to providing high-quality entertainment and tourism experiences, reaffirming stc Group’s leadership in telecommunications.
With stc Group’s world-class connectivity speeds and advanced digital services operating in highly efficient and integrated operating systems, stc Group has continued to support the success and expansion of Riyadh Season year over year, driving Riyadh’s status as a capital of major events, entertainment, and tourism.
Source: Press Release