Page 12 - SAMENA Trends - May 2020

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

MEMBERS NEWS

The Kingdom's Infrastructure Investments Helped
It Contain the Repercussions of the Corona Crisis:
Nasser Al Nasser

of digital technology in enriching people's best time to invest in creative ideas for
lives and its effective role in combating innovative, unique technological solutions
disease. We have drones that take the while people are staying home as part
temperature of mall visitors and we offer of the precautionary measures taken to
remote healthcare services for patients." Al limit the spread of Coronavirus. Al Nasser
Nasser made this statement while taking called upon participants in the Hackathon
part in the launch of the workshops of to come up with digital innovations that
the Hope Hackathon workshop launched could help humanity and to apply the
by the Deputy Minister at the Ministry quality of life concept effectively and keep
Of Communications And Information abreast of the challenges facing us. Al
Technology, Dr. Ahmed Al Thenayan. Nasser said that stc has been a pioneer
At the end of last April, the Ministry in supporting entrepreneurs and start-
Of Communications And Information up owners through its InspireU program
Technology launched the Hope Hackathon that supported many successful projects
in a strategic cooperation with the Saudi which introduced education, health and
Federation for Electronic and Intellectual marketing applications. He added that
Sports and stc to create new innovative stc's latest partnerships in this field were
business models and come up with the fruit of its program to promote local
solutions to overcome the current crisis content "Rawafed". Al Nasser added:
Eng. Nasser Sulaiman Al Nasser, stc Group and face future ones. The Hackathon aims "Being the leading digital enabler in
CEO, said that he is proud of the Kingdom's to promote digital innovations and highlight the Kingdom, stc has a responsibility
infrastructure that helped it contain the the digital capabilities of youth worldwide to actively contribute to the Kingdom's
repercussions of the Corona crisis that to face the Coronavirus pandemic. Al digital economy. I hope that we will
affected economy all over the world. Al Nasser added: "Our partnership in the continue to support innovators and their
Nasser said that investing in the digital International Hope Hackathon for which projects and that this kind of event will
infrastructure a long time ago has enabled prizes will reach USD 1 million to develop help them achieve their dreams and turn
the telecom sector undertake its central creative ideas is a reflection of our them into reality. Indeed, creativity has no
role in this crisis. stc Group CEO said: "I approach. We have dedicated ourselves limits." Eng. Al Nasser congratulated all
am proud of our country's achievements to supporting creativity and creative Hackathon participants and commended
in facing these circumstances we are people around the world". He reiterated the their commitment to providing exceptional
living. This crisis never put our lives on Group's commitment to its strategy that solutions and innovations. He also thanked
hold; it enriched our creative ideas and supports innovation in the field of digital the Ministry of Communications and
we dedicated all kinds of technology to and smart solutions and to dedicating all Information Technology and the Quality of
the service of our Kingdom, citizens and its capabilities to bring such innovations Life Program as well as all those who lent
residents. We can all appreciate the role to life. He pointed out that this is the their support to this event.

stc Confirms Switching-Off Its 3G Network

stc has been at the forefront of the way people use telecom services to its deserving customers, stc is phasing
technological innovation in the kingdom. It and applications. Therefore, customers out its legacy 3G network to make way for
has always invested in future technologies continue to demand faster speeds and more advanced technologies such as 4G
to ensure that it meets the growing increased data volumes, which resulted and 5G. Work on the ‘3G Sunset Program’
needs of its customers. Over the last in a dramatic and exponentially grown in has already started and is expected to be
decade, wireless technology has changed data traffic. To address the future needs concluded in less than two years’ time.
dramatically and it has transformed and offer a much higher quality of service These plans are helped by a decreasing

12 MAY 2020