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Saudi Arabia’s stc Group Boosts Network Capacity in Madinah to Serve Pilgrims

stc significantly expanded its data network capacity in Madinah, exceeding last year's capacity by over 35%. (SPA)
stc significantly expanded its data network capacity in Madinah, exceeding last year's capacity by over 35%. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia’s stc Group Boosts Network Capacity in Madinah to Serve Pilgrims

stc significantly expanded its data network capacity in Madinah, exceeding last year's capacity by over 35%. (SPA)
stc significantly expanded its data network capacity in Madinah, exceeding last year's capacity by over 35%. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia’s stc Group has deployed its technical expertise and digital services to support the thousands of pilgrims visiting Madinah following the Hajj, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Saturday

stc significantly expanded its data network capacity in Madinah, exceeding last year's capacity by over 35%.

This enhancement ensured smooth operation of 5G services, keeping pace with the surging demand for high-speed data. As a result, data traffic volume surged by more than 60% compared to the previous year, building upon the success achieved in Makkah city and the holy sites.

Committed to serving pilgrims, stc played a vital role in facilitating their digital experience. The group meticulously planned for the Hajj season by studying call and data usage patterns in Madinah. It analyzed performance indicators to proactively activate and optimize phone and data services before and during the season.

The comprehensive plan encompassed a thorough inspection of network elements, preventive maintenance, and performance testing to verify network stability. stc analyzed call traffic and data flow patterns to develop contingency plans and ensure network resilience.

stc further expanded its service offerings to enrich the spiritual experience of visitors in Madinah. The group strategically enhanced Wi-Fi access points and implemented internal solutions, aiming to facilitate communication between pilgrims and their families.

This commitment aligns with the Pilgrim Experience Program, a key initiative within Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, ensuring the highest service quality for all pilgrims.

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AI Chatbot Startup Character.AI Launches New Calls Feature

Figurines with computers and smartphones are seen in front of the words "Artificial Intelligence AI" in this illustration taken, February 19, 2024. (Reuters)
Figurines with computers and smartphones are seen in front of the words "Artificial Intelligence AI" in this illustration taken, February 19, 2024. (Reuters)
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AI Chatbot Startup Character.AI Launches New Calls Feature

Figurines with computers and smartphones are seen in front of the words "Artificial Intelligence AI" in this illustration taken, February 19, 2024. (Reuters)
Figurines with computers and smartphones are seen in front of the words "Artificial Intelligence AI" in this illustration taken, February 19, 2024. (Reuters)

Artificial Intelligence chatbot startup Character.AI said on Thursday it has launched a calls feature that allows users to have voice conversations with their AI characters, ratcheting up efforts to compete with rivals including OpenAI.

AI-boom has prompted startups to release new features to their chatbots as competitors such as Microsoft-backed OpenAI, Google and Amazon.com-backed Anthropic are looking to gain market share by engaging new users.

The availability of free two-way voice calls on Character.AI's app has come following OpenAI's announcement on Tuesday that the ChatGPT maker's rollout of the advanced voice mode of its latest model GPT-4o is delayed by one month.

Character.AI, co-founded by Noam Shazeer, who helped invent "transformer" AI architecture while at Google that underpins systems like Gemini and ChatGPT, enables users to create customized AI companions with specific personalities and values.

The Menlo Park, California-based startup said the new calls feature prompted more than 20 million calls from over 3 million unique users in its early rollout, suggesting a strong engagement.

Character.AI launched Character Voice, a suite of features that allows users to hear characters speaking to them in one-on-one chats, for all users in March.

Alphabet's Google was in talks to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in Character.AI last year, two sources briefed on the matter had told Reuters.