Page 12 - SAMENA Trends - November-December 2021

FEATURED SAMENA TRENDS

stc Leads on the Gaming Front

stc set to Play Major Role in MENA’s Gaming Industry as Users Adopt New
5G Technologies

The fifth generation of mobile technology (5G) allows for
super-fast data transfer and connectivity at speeds far
superior to any previous mobile technology. 5G can range
anywhere from 20 to 100 times faster than current 4G
networks and will serve an array of industries around the
world using digital infrastructure to advance goods and
services.

For stc, 5G is enabling the

company to expand its operation
into other new areas such as in
fintech, which it did so with its

launch of stc Pay towards the end
of 2020. Less than two years later
the company is valued at over $1
billion.

It’s estimated that over a billion people will be using 5G
networks by 2025 and industries that adopt emerging
technologies will be drastically changed by the tech’s
capabilities. Companies around the world are already
starting to use 5G to enhance their digital offering and
individuals are already reaping the rewards of connecting
to 5G.

One such industry which is expanding at a rapid rate,
and one that is set to boom even more as 5G is rolled
out further, is e-gaming. Currently, the world’s gaming
industry is valued at a staggering $174 billion and in
just five years time that figure is expected to grow to a
whopping $314 billion as 5G enables gaming to be taken
to the next level. Capitalizing on this growth is Saudi Eng. Olayan M. Alwetaid
Arabia’s leading telecommunications company stc, which Group CEO
in March 2021, launched its exclusive online gaming hub
stc Play. Users can compete in esports tournaments and stc
find gaming-related content in one place and it’s thanks
to the company’s 5G technology, which has enabled stc
Play to make an instant impact in the market. For gamers
one of the most noticeable differences when playing
on a 5G network is the low latency, which for those
that take gaming seriously, or even make a living from
e-gaming, the difference is remarkable. It can prove to
be the difference between winning and losing, and in the

12 NOV-DEC 2021