Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – Nokia today announced that it has signed an agreement with Zain KSA to expand the operator’s digital infrastructure and enhance its network capabilities covering all regions of the Kingdom. The agreement was signed during the LEAP global technology event in Riyadh and organized by the Saudi Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT).

The agreement will contribute to enhancing Zain KSA’s network coverage while empowering its customers by providing advanced digital services with high-bandwidth and low-latency technologies for the best broadband and communications experience. This agreement is in line with Zain KSA’s initiatives to position the Saudi telecom sector on a global scale and transform it into a major enabler to achieve the objectives of the Saudi Vision 2030 such as comprehensive digital transformation, transfer and localization of knowledge and technology and improving the quality of life.

The agreement covers a range of Nokia solutions, including AirScale Radio, Wavence Microwave, NetAct and EdenNet Self-Organizing Networks (SON), to improve coverage and network performance. Nokia is applying carrier aggregation and massive Multiple Input Multiple Output (mMIMO) technology approaches to help Zain KSA enhance network capacity while continuing to support better end user experience.

Eng. Abdulrahman bin Hamad Al-Mufadda, Chief Technology Officer at Zain KSA, said: “Innovation, empowerment and localization are the driving force behind our introduction of next generation technologies. We recognize the importance of strategic partnerships with major global companies such as Nokia. Through this partnership announced at LEAP, we will collaborate with Nokia to further develop technologies, use cases and multiple applications that will further contribute to the enhancement of the services our network provides. This will open up new horizons for the future of technology which will be based on cloud computing services, AI services, Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, smart cities, fintech and others.”

Eng. Mohammed Al-Keridy, Head of Zain KSA Customer Team at Nokia, said: “We are proud of our long-term relationship with Zain KSA and pleased to be part of its journey to support the Kingdom's transition to a comprehensive digital transformation for socio-economic development by empowering individuals, businesses and government agencies with Nokia’s latest, most reliable innovative technologies and products. We are confident that our solutions will help Zain KSA provide differentiated services and the best possible experience for its customers, strengthening the company’s presence in the country.”