Zain Saudi Arabia delivers a superior experience during Hajj and Ramadan with Nokia software

• Nokia's EdenNet Self-Organizing Network (SON) software allows leading Saudi service provider to maximize network performance despite massive surge in data and voice traffic

• Enables Zain Saudi Arabia to continuously deliver best-in-class voice and data services by automatically identifying and resolving network issues

December 18, 2017

Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - Using Nokia's EdenNet SON software, Zain Saudi Arabia effectively managed the surge in data and voice traffic in Makkah and Medina during the Hajj and Ramadan, allowing pilgrims to remain connected and share their journey with loved ones.

Large public events or gatherings generate significant pressure on mobile networks, challenging service providers to provide best-in-class voice and data services. During the recent Hajj and Ramadan, Zain Saudi Arabia was able to eliminate service disruptions and network degradation by deploying Nokia's EdenNet SON software with Nokia Global Services expertise. By automatically identifying and resolving network issues, Zain Saudi Arabia was able to optimize the performance of its 3G and 4G networks.

Sultan Abdulaziz AlDeghaither , Chief Operations Officer, Zain Saudi Arabia, said:

"Hajj and Ramadan attract millions of people from around the world, and Nokia's EdenNet SON software provided an exceptional quality of service during these pilgrimages. We are confident that Nokia's solution will continue to help us ensure customer loyalty and differentiate ourselves by allowing us to consistently deliver high-quality services. Nokia understands our requirements perfectly and customized the solution to meet our specific needs. The team also worked exceptionally hard to integrate the solution with our live network."

Ali Jitawi, head of the Zain Saudi Arabia customer team at Nokia, said:

"SON is emerging as a technology of choice for network improvement and reliability, and it is especially useful in preparing the network for high-traffic events. EdenNet SON delivered improved performance in a number of areas, including reduced drop rates, and increased data connectivity and call success rates, among others. By providing a higher quality of service Zain was able to maximize network usage, which led to increased revenue."

Solutions used in the implementation:

• Nokia's EdenNet SON automates and optimizes the performance of Zain's multi-vendor, multi-layer 3G and 4G networks. Nokia EdenNet modules, including Capacity and Coverage Optimization (CCO), Cross Antenna Detection and Automated Neighbor Relations (ANR), help the service provider effectively address congestion and avoid service degradations.

• Nokia Care and Network Planning and Optimization (NPO) services helped to implement the new solution and maximize return on investment for Zain. Nokia provided technical support and best practice sharing to help Zain optimize network performance before, during and after the Hajj and Ramadan.