عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Business

STC Agrees with Ericsson, Huawei, Nokia to Deploy 5G Network

STC CEO Nasser al-Nasser and KT(Korea Telecom) representative (STC)
STC CEO Nasser al-Nasser and KT(Korea Telecom) representative (STC)
TT
20
TT

STC Agrees with Ericsson, Huawei, Nokia to Deploy 5G Network

STC CEO Nasser al-Nasser and KT(Korea Telecom) representative (STC)
STC CEO Nasser al-Nasser and KT(Korea Telecom) representative (STC)

Saudi Telecom Company (STC) signed three major deals to deploy 5G network in Saudi Arabia and develop services with Nokia, Huawei, and Ericsson at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

Nokia's equipment, software and services will be used to set up a 5G network first in the western and southern part of Saudi Arabia as part of STC’s strategy in conjunction with Vision 2030 and National Transformation Plan (NTP) 2020. The rollout phase is already ongoing and is expected to be completed by end of 2020.

STC subscribers will have access to ultra-high bandwidth and low latency services, as well as new applications in areas such as virtual reality, augmented reality and artificial intelligence.

STC will modernize its existing LTE network through latest technologies such as PS (Packet Switch) core, Massive MIMO, 15-band antenna and multi-band technology.

STC CEO Nasser al-Nasser said: "We are excited to work with Nokia on the Aspiration project which will help us realize our dream to be the first one to launch 5G services in the region.”

He explained that once completed, the subscribers will be able to enjoy innovative high bandwidth consuming use cases, adding that the project underscores STC’s support and commitment to NTP 2020 and Vision 2030 to drive Saudi Arabia's digital transformation into a knowledge economy.

“The leadership of our longstanding partner, Nokia, in the development of 5G is crucial for our launch of 5G services.”

“The agreements will contribute to enhancing the company's products and services, and expanding its market share in the ICT market,” said Senior VP of Technology and Operations Unit Haitham al-Faraj.

Procurement and Support Services Sector VP Emad al-Aoudah also indicated that STC has signed multiple Rawafed Local Content agreements under its 5G Aspiration Project with strategic partners.

Earlier, STC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with KT (Korea Telecom) at the Mobile World Congress 2019 to collaborate on new technology areas.

As a leading telecommunication company in Korea, KT will cooperate with STC in various business areas and the two will generate and maximize the synergy effect by combining KT’s state-of-the-art ICT technologies such as 5G network, GiGA Wire, GiGAeyes, VR and STC’s Group business expertise and strong influence in MENA region.

Nasser said the collaboration is a great opportunity for STC and introduce KT’s field proven solutions to Saudi Arabia.

“I am hoping our successful cooperation models could expand to STC’s foreign subsidiaries and other MENA countries.”

Meanwhile, STC launched the first internal network for 5G at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), at the presence of the dean Dr. Sahl Abd al-Jawad.

The network, launched experimentally in the university at its headquarters in Dhahran, is the first of its kind in the Kingdom and the region. Infrastructure VP Khaled al-Darab said that 5G will help the university build a strategic partnership with the company to develop new services and innovations.

“The company has achieved high speeds of up to 1.3gb/s during site test trials, and the site will be operational in the second quarter of this year.”

Most Viewed

 
Business

Trump, EU Chief to Meet Sunday in Push for Trade Deal

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen speaks during a joint press conference with President of European Council Antonio Costa after the 25th EU-China summit in Beijing on July 24, 2025. (AFP)
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen speaks during a joint press conference with President of European Council Antonio Costa after the 25th EU-China summit in Beijing on July 24, 2025. (AFP)
TT
20
TT

Trump, EU Chief to Meet Sunday in Push for Trade Deal

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen speaks during a joint press conference with President of European Council Antonio Costa after the 25th EU-China summit in Beijing on July 24, 2025. (AFP)
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen speaks during a joint press conference with President of European Council Antonio Costa after the 25th EU-China summit in Beijing on July 24, 2025. (AFP)

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen and US President Donald Trump said Friday they would meet in Scotland this weekend in a decisive push to resolve a months-long transatlantic trade standoff.

In a drive to slash his country's trade deficits, Trump has vowed to hit dozens of countries with punitive tariff hikes if they do not hammer out a pact with Washington by August 1.

The EU -- which is facing an across-the-board levy of 30-percent -- has been pushing hard for a deal with Trump's administration, while also planning retaliation should talks fall short.

Von der Leyen first announced the meeting, writing on X: "Following a good call with POTUS, we have agreed to meet in Scotland on Sunday to discuss transatlantic trade relations, and how we can keep them strong."

Arriving on UK soil late Friday, Trump confirmed he would meet the head of the European Commission, which has been negotiating with Washington on behalf of the 27-nation bloc.

"I'll be meeting with the EU on Sunday, and we'll be working on a deal," he told reporters as he touched down at Prestwick Airport near Glasgow.

"Ursula will be here -- a highly respected woman. So we look forward to that," Trump said.

"We'll see if we make a deal," added the president -- who reiterated earlier comments saying the chance of a deal was "50-50", with sticking points remaining on "maybe 20 different things."

"But we're meeting ... with the European Union. And that would be, actually, the biggest deal of them all, if we make it," he said.

The high-level meeting follows months of negotiations between top EU and US trade officials, and days of signals suggesting the sides were moving towards an agreement.

According to multiple European diplomats, the agreement under consideration would involve a baseline 15-percent US levy on EU goods -- the same level secured by Japan this week -- and potential carve-outs for critical sectors.

Von der Leyen's spokesperson Paula Pinho said "intensive negotiations" had been taking place at technical and political level in the run up to Sunday's meeting.

"Leaders will now take stock and consider the scope for a balanced outcome that provides stability and predictability for businesses and consumers on both sides of the Atlantic," she said.

Hit by multiple waves of tariffs since Trump reclaimed the White House, the EU is currently subject to a 25-percent levy on cars, 50 percent on steel and aluminium, and an across-the-board tariff of 10 percent, which Washington threatens to hike to 30 percent in a no-deal scenario.

The EU wants to avoid sweeping tariffs inflicting further harm on the European economy -- already suffering from sluggish growth -- and damaging a trading relationship worth an annual 1.6 trillion euros ($1.9 trillion) in goods and services.

EU member states gave the European Commission a mandate to pursue a deal to avoid hefty US tariffs, with retaliation held out as a last resort if talks fail.

Seeking to keep up the pressure in the final stretch of talks, EU states on Thursday backed a package of retaliation on $109 billion (93 billion euros) of US goods including aircraft and cars -- to kick in in stages from August 7 if there is no deal.

Most states prefer a deal to no deal -- even with undesirable levies of 15 percent -- but exemptions are key, with aircraft, steel, lumber, pharmaceutical products and agricultural goods under discussion, diplomats said.

Concerning steel, diplomats say a compromise could allow a certain quota to enter the United States, with amounts beyond that taxed at 50 percent.

Since launching its tariffs campaign, Trump's administration has so far unveiled just five agreements, including with Britain, Japan and the Philippines.

While EU hopes have been rising for a deal, the approaching August 1 deadline also comes with a sense of deja-vu: earlier this month, EU officials also believed they were on the cusp of a deal, before Trump hiked his tariff threat to 30-percent.

"The final decision is in the hands of President Trump," an EU diplomat stressed this week.