Page 14 - SAMENA Trends - February-March 2021

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Ericsson will deploy its latest Artificial networks, covering technology domains are confident that this partnership with
Intelligence (AI) powered software suite from the core to access, including 5G. Ericsson will strengthen stc’s operational
and machine learning tools and capabilities Bader Abdullah Allhieb, Operations Vice capabilities to improve our people’s
to provide an automated end-to-end President at stc, said: ‘We are committed to quality of life and contributing to the
managed operations service. The Ericsson providing a futuristic network that enables economic and social development of Saudi
Operation Engine will support activities world-class experience for our customers Arabia in line with Saudi Vision 2030.’
in Network Operation, IT Operations and in Saudi Arabia and this agreement shows
Field Support and Maintenance for stc’s our commitment in this direction. We

stc Launches the Largest Digital Operations Control Center in the MENA

stc has inaugurated the digital operations company to become a regional center localization systems, making stc's
control center, which is considered the offering a system of digital services in network one of the most active networks
largest integrated operating center in the the Middle East and North Africa. This in the world in terms of internet provision,
region with an area of more than 42,000 would help to achieve the objectives of the especially when it comes to some social
square meters that can accommodate second phase of stc's strategy "DARE", in media platforms. The center also operates
about 2,300 employees. The ceremony took order to enable digital transformation in and monitors the largest and latest long-
place in the presence of His Royal Highness various fields, benefit from the Kingdom's range correspondence networks in the
Prince Mohammed bin Khaled Al-Abdullah strategic location at the crossroads of region, which exceed 155,000 kilometers
Al-Faisal, the Chairman of stc's Board of three continents. It promotes investments of fiber optics. These networks will boost
Directors, and the Vice Minister - Ministry in international connectivity services and connectivity between the East and the
of Communications & IT, Eng. Haitham data centers to extract the value from West through the continental marine
Al-Ouhali. The CEO of stc group, Eng. the group's numerous assets and its stations located in a number of coastal
Nasser bin Sulaiman Al-Nasser confirmed advanced services and technologies. The cities in the Arabian Gulf, such as the city
that the digital operations control center center operates the biggest international of Al-Khobar and the cities of Jeddah and
includes a system made out of advanced gateways in the Middle East and North Yanbu on the Red Sea Coast. Two more
digital processes in several areas, such Africa, which have the capacity of more stations are expected to be added in the
as simulation, digital infrastructure than 8.4 terabits per second, and are cities of Duba and Haql in order to provide
management, digital crises management connected to more than 4 submarine intelligent connectivity systems for all of
and reinvention within a range of digital cables. They consist of the latest the world's marine cable systems. These
solutions. It is a comprehensive and protection and distribution systems in the systems cover more than 100 stations
complete technical space abiding by high world, used for the first time in the region across continents with the length of the
security standards. He also noted that the to generally secure the company's service continental marine cables exceeding
center will enhance Saudi Arabia's position system and the data transmission and 35,000 kilometers. In order to protect this
as a leading regional business center or voice circuits system for all customers. technical system from cyber threats, the
a" HUB". It will lay the foundation for the In addition, there are many global content Centre has been equipped with the largest
and newest cybersecurity operations
centre in the region (SOC). This center is
managed by highly skilled cybersecurity
experts in accordance with the best
international practices and standards to
develop a secure national network. stc has
also worked on developing a plan to deploy
the 5G network in more than 47 cities
throughout the Kingdom. This came within
the scope of a plan aimed at strengthening
the group’s leadership in terms of reliable
mobile coverage and deploying the largest
advanced 5G network in the Middle East.
Over the course of the next phase, we
will expand the scope of deployment of
the 5G network in Saudi Arabia to cover
more than 71 cities across the Kingdom.

14 FEB-MAR 2021