RIYADH, 5 December — As part of the Saudi Telecom Company’s efforts to improve the telecommunications network in the Kingdom, the company has selected Ericsson to supply a nationwide wireless broadband access network.
The agreement includes equipment and services to deploy rapidly the Local Mulitpoint Distribution Services (LMDS) in the 26 GHz spectrum. Ericsson will provide a full turnkey solution, based on its point-to-point microwave solution, MINI-LINK. Work on the project will start in Riyadh in August next year.
The LMDS network, which will strengthen STC’s position among the most advanced operators in the Middle East, will address business and residential customers with true broadband connections for bandwidth essential for high-speed Internet, Local Area Network (LAN) connections and multimedia applications. The proposed system will enable STC offer telecommunication services, including Internet Protocol (IP), at a speed of 37 megabits per second for both fixed telephone lines and mobiles.
“We selected Ericsson because of their proven ability in building fast and reliable access solutions,” said Ali Al-Khazim, STC project director.
“STC is a progressive telecom company that is using wireless broadband to expand quickly and effectively,” added Mikael Backstrom, vice president at Ericsson Microwave Systems. “MINI-LINK is the most advanced LMDS solution available and makes it possible for STC to exploit fully the market opportunities.”
