عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Technology

Makkah's Grand Mosque Gets Improved Connectivity, AI Applications through High-Tech Upgrade

A view of the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
A view of the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
TT
TT

Makkah's Grand Mosque Gets Improved Connectivity, AI Applications through High-Tech Upgrade

A view of the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
A view of the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) and the Royal Commission for Makkah City and Holy Sites (RCMC) announced that Makkah's Grand Mosque has undergone a significant technology upgrade to better serve worshippers.

The project, carried out in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, the General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, and national technology and digital companies, aims to improve the worshippers’ experience through advanced infrastructure, AI applications, and the innovative neutral host model.

The project leverages 5G capabilities and AI to facilitate crowd and vehicle management, improve asset management, and implement smart waste disposal systems.

The upgraded infrastructure opens the door to the provision of virtual medical clinic services at the Grand Mosque.

Utilizing the Internet of Things (IoT), the project enables real-time monitoring of the Zamzam well's water level and production.

Download speeds within the Grand Mosque have tripled, reaching over 1 gigabit per second, thanks to network upgrades on the ground floor of the third Saudi expansion building.

The project utilizes the neutral host model, a crucial element to providing advanced technical infrastructure based on 5G, data, and AI. The model enables multiple mobile network operators, including STC, Mobily, and Zain, to share the physical infrastructure within the Grand Mosque, ensuring that all visitors have access to the highest level of communication services.

This project, implemented by the Advanced Communications & Electronic Systems Company (ACES), is an example of a collaborative effort to achieve the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.

Deputy Minister for Telecom and Infrastructure at MCIT Eng. Bassam Al-Bassam said: "There is nothing more honorable than serving visitors of the Grand Mosque. We are continuously working with our partners to provide the latest technologies and improve the visitor experience."

RCMC CEO Eng. Saleh Al-Rasheed highlighted the project's contribution to "providing an advanced digital infrastructure in the Grand Mosque" and "raising the level of communication services" for all visitors.

This technology upgrade is proof of a commitment to utilize cutting-edge solutions for a more efficient and connected Grand Mosque, ultimately serving millions of worshippers throughout the year.

Most Viewed

 
 
Technology

Apple and Google Face UK Investigation into Mobile Browser Dominance

The logo of Google LLC is shown at an entrance to one of their buildings in San Diego, California, US, October 9, 2024. REUTERS/Mike Blake
The logo of Google LLC is shown at an entrance to one of their buildings in San Diego, California, US, October 9, 2024. REUTERS/Mike Blake
TT
TT

Apple and Google Face UK Investigation into Mobile Browser Dominance

The logo of Google LLC is shown at an entrance to one of their buildings in San Diego, California, US, October 9, 2024. REUTERS/Mike Blake
The logo of Google LLC is shown at an entrance to one of their buildings in San Diego, California, US, October 9, 2024. REUTERS/Mike Blake

Apple and Google aren't giving consumers a genuine choice of mobile web browsers, a British watchdog said Friday in a report that recommends they face an investigation under new UK digital rules taking effect next year.

The Competition and Markets Authority took aim at Apple, saying the iPhone maker's tactics hold back innovation by stopping rivals from giving users new features like faster webpage loading. Apple does this by restricting progressive web apps, which don't need to be downloaded from an app store and aren't subject to app store commissions, the report said, The AP reported.

“This technology is not able to fully take off on iOS devices,” the watchdog said in a provisional report on its investigation into mobile browsers that it opened after an initial study concluded that Apple and Google effectively have a chokehold on “mobile ecosystems.”

The CMA's report also found that Apple and Google manipulate the choices given to mobile phone users to make their own browsers “the clearest or easiest option.”

And it said that the a revenue-sharing deal between the two US Big Tech companies “significantly reduces their financial incentives” to compete in mobile browsers on Apple's iOS operating system for iPhones.

Both companies said they will “engage constructively” with the CMA.

Apple said it disagreed with the findings and said it was concerned that the recommendations would undermine user privacy and security.

Google said the openness of its Android mobile operating system “has helped to expand choice, reduce prices and democratize access to smartphones and apps" and that it's “committed to open platforms that empower consumers.”

It's the latest move by regulators on both sides of the Atlantic to crack down on the dominance of Big Tech companies. US federal prosecutors this week unveiled their proposals to force Google to sell off its Chrome browser as they target its monopoly in online search.

The CMA's final report is due by March. The watchdog indicated it would recommend using the UK's new digital competition rulebook set to take effect next year, which includes new powers to rein in tech companies, to prioritize further investigation into Apple’s and Google’s “activities in mobile ecosystems."