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Saudi Telecom Company (STC) and Nokia Siemens Networks have launched commercial 4G mobile services using TD-LTE. The 4G network was built by Nokia Siemens Networks for western region in Saudi Arabia. TD-LTE offers an enhanced mobile broadband experience with faster access to high quality video and more responsive data services.
The Middle East and Africa region will witness an increase of monthly mobile data traffic at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 129% over the next five years, the fastest of any region in the world. In Saudi Arabia, demand for increased mobile broadband penetration is being driven by young consumers and a large expatriate community.
The TD-LTE radio network is built on a cluster of sites in three cities in the western region. It uses Nokia Siemens Networks' single radio access network (RAN) including its Flexi Multiradio Base Stations and is integrated with the operator's existing core, transport and backhaul infrastructure. Nokia Siemens Networks' TD-LTE network and USB data dongles can provide maximum data speeds of close to 100Mbps as specified by 3GPP. In addition, it works seamlessly with STC's 3G network, and services that the company offers as an Internet Services Provider.
LTE, a fourth generation mobile broadband technology, allows STC to deliver high data throughputs. Nokia Siemens Networks' supports two LTE standards: time division duplex (TDD) for single spectrum bands or frequency division duplex (FDD) for paired spectrum bands. Each offer similar capacity, user experience and coverage. STC has deployed an unpaired TD LTE mobile broadband network.
“Nokia Siemens Networks capabilities and commitment to the overall LTE ecosystem have contributed to STC's leadership in providing innovative mobile broadband services,” said Dr. Zeyad Bin Thamer Al Otaibi, group CTO, Saudi Telecom Company. “The transformational capabilities of 4G will provide our customers with increased speeds and enhanced user experience.”
“Before launching the commercial service, we successfully tested applications such as video streaming, file download, gaming and web browsing services that fulfill the demanding needs of Saudi users”, said Soenke Peters, group head of the STC team at Nokia Siemens Networks.
He added, “The results show that TD-LTE enables excellent data speeds and highly responsive services such as innovative multimedia applications, allowing customers to enjoy a superior 'click-wow' experience rather than the earlier 'click-and-wait' one.”