Utilizing Ericsson’s leading end-to-end LTE solution, STC will be able to provide customers with an enhanced experience, enabling true high-speed Internet, rich multi-media applications such as High Definition (HD) video streaming and chatting, cloud services and conferencing and high definition applications.
With 4G/LTE technology, STC customers will enjoy an unparalleled mobile-broadband experience providing ultra-high data speeds across 65 of the Kingdom, by the end of 2012 and then up to 95 percent by the end of 2014.
According to the STC statement, 4G/LTE is designed to transfer even larger amounts of data efficiently, and considered to be the most advanced ICT technology available to operators today and will allow STC to satisfy its customers’ growing demand for new and innovative mobile broadband services.
Zeyad Al-Etaibi, CTO of STC Group, said: “The ICT market in Saudi Arabia has witnessed tremendous growth in the last few years and the Saudi consumer in specific was and is still eager to have the latest and fastest technology, adding, together with Ericsson, we will introduce the most advanced telecom innovation in Saudi Arabia, 4G/LTE, to enable Saudi consumers to benefit from this technology in all aspects of their lives from business, education, health and many others ”
For his part, Bandar Al-Qafari, vice-president for the network sector at STC, said: “Our commitment to our customers makes it our duty to deploy the latest and most advanced technology available within the telecommunication industry, and with Ericsson’s help we will be able to meet the demands of our customers and enhance their mobile experiences.”
Ali Eid, president of Ericsson in Saudi Arabia, said: “Mobile penetration in Saudi Arabia is constantly rising, as is the demand for higher speeds and better connectivity, and we are extremely proud to be expanding our partnership with STC in the Kingdom in order to help the company bring the latest in ICT to Saudi Arabia.”
He said LTE technology will empower STC and help them exceed their customer’s expectations by providing them with new high speed, data rich services.
Ericsson will also manage the new STC LTE network. It will optimize, manage, operate and continuously improve STC’s 2G, 3G and now 4G networks.
Ericsson will also introduce a new subscriber data model that will facilitate management and access to data, launch of new services, connecting to the cloud and independent scalability of storage and processing capacity.
Ericsson will introduce an Evolved Packet Core (EPC) with STC that will act as a common core network solution supporting 2G, 3G and 4G/LTE technologies providing additional capacity and speeds.
