Page 67 - SAMENA Trends - April-May 2021

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

E-Performance Index adjusted all scores to indicator. Regionally, the UAE scored 85.55 and 71.73 (EGDI). For Bahrain, it scored
follow a unified scale of 0 to 100, allowing on the GCC E-Performance Index’s EGDI 65.40 (GCI); 57.59 (NRI); 54.75 (GAR);
for ease of comparison. This methodology indicator and 75 on the GCI indicator. Its 28.37 (GII); and 82.13 (EGDI). Kuwait’s
was adopted given that not all indicators scores under NRI, GAR, GII were 64.42, ratings were as follows: 65.10 (GCI); 52.27
utilize the same scale. The countries were 72.40 and 41.79, respectively. Saudi (NRI); 50.61 (GAR); 28.40 (GII); and 79.13
then sorted according to the calculated Arabia’s average ratings were 70 (GCI); (EGDI). Finally, Oman’s scores were 63.60
average, beginning with the highest value. 57.97 (NRI); 56.23 (GAR); 30.94 (GII); and (GCI); 55.33 (NRI); 52.10 (GAR); 26.50 (GII);
The report presented both the regional and 79.91 (EGDI). Qatar’s scores were 72.90 and 77.49 (EGDI).
global rankings of each member state per (GCI); 60.26 (NRI); 56.78 (GAR); 30.81 (GII);

Saudi Arabia Among Top 10 For Mobile Internet Speeds

Saudi Arabia has been ranked among the commercial use by mobile communication in the radio infrastructure by up to SR40
top 10 countries in the world in terms of service providers to increase capacities billion ($10.6 billion) over the past three
the Internet speed on mobile networks of radio networks and improve the quality years. Due to the importance of this limited
and second among G20 countries in of services. The Commission, during the resource and efforts to increase its national
providing frequency spectrum to offer period between 2017 and 2019, held four utilization, Saudi Arabia is planning to
mobile telecommunication services. public auctions for frequency spectrum, publish a roadmap for an innovative
The Communications and Information that resulted in increasing the frequencies and commercial use of the frequency
Technology Commission recently launched allocated for mobile communication spectrum (2021-2023). This roadmap
an initiative to reallocate the frequency networks from 260 megahertz to 1,110 includes providing more than 22 gigahertz
spectrum, which is one of the limited megahertz, which resulted in increasing for innovative and smart radio usages for
natural resources owned by the Kingdom the average of Internet download speed the frequency spectrum with the aim of
of Saudi Arabia and is used in industries over mobile networks to more than supporting the adoption of 5G technologies
of modern radio technologies, mainly tenfold (from 7 megabits per second in of mobile communication and 6G of Wi-Fi,
in radio communications, in addition to mid-2017 to more than 97 megabits per high-speed wireless networks, broadband
surveillance, control, sensors and radio second by the end of 2020), where Saudi satellite systems, the Internet of Things
systems, among others, reported Saudi Arabia has become among the top 10 and the artificial intelligence and what it
Press Agency (SPA). To achieve this goal, countries in terms of Internet speed on offers of smart services and options that
the Commission coordinated with public mobile networks and second among G20 can be utilized in applications for houses,
and private authorities, with the support countries in terms of providing frequency smart gauges, connected vehicles and
of the National Transformation Program, spectrum to offer mobile communication fleet management (vehicles and robots)
to provide more than 800 megahertz of services. Reallocating frequency spectrum among other applications. It also aims to
frequency spectrum of outdated usages for mobile services in Saudi Arabia has provide multiple frequency ranges for the
and reallocate them to be available for contributed to stimulating investments purpose of experimenting and developing
emerging and advanced radio systems
and technologies, such as high-altitude
platforms and smart wireless transport
systems, as well as providing sufficient
frequency ranges to enhance the digital
radio transmission in Saudi Arabia. This
roadmap includes providing more than 22
gigahertz for innovative and smart radio
usages for the frequency spectrum with
the aim of supporting the adoption of 5G
technologies of mobile communication and
6G of wi-fi, high-speed wireless networks,
broadband satellite systems, the Internet
of Things and the artificial intelligence
and what it offers of smart services and
options that can be utilized in applications
for houses, smart gauges, connected
vehicles and fleet management (vehicles
and robots) among other applications.

67 APRIL-MAY 2021