Zain KSA and Huawei sign MoU to build a global 5.5G pioneer network "5.5G City"

During MWC23 in Barcelona, Huawei and leading Saudi Arabian telecommunications operator Zain KSA signed a strategic cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for "5.5G City" joint innovation project. The MoU was signed during MWC23 held in Barcelona from February 27 to March 2.

Under the MoU, both parties will work together to promote technological innovation for 5.5G evolution and expand scalable offerings to individual, enterprise, and government customers. Additionally, they will strengthen the digital infrastructure and build a global 5.5G evolution pioneer network, providing a strong engine to achieve the national digitalization goals outlined in Saudi Vision 2030.

Zain KSA and Huawei will collaborate to enhance technological innovation, improve user experience, and develop new use cases. The collaboration will involve providing a seamless gigabit experience in both indoor and outdoor scenarios through the large-scale deployment of MetaAAU and 5G carrier aggregation, as well as LampSite digital indoor solutions. Additionally, initiatives will be taken to enhance the performance of Massive MIMO networks and to develop end-to-end autonomous network operation and optimization capabilities. Both parties will also work together to develop new use cases for the Internet of Things (IoT) and private network solutions. Finally, the partnership will explore innovative cooperation in areas such as ultra-compact site and green energy solutions, among others.

Zain KSA's Chief Technology Officer, Eng. Abdulrahman Al-Mufadda, commented: "Our commitment to driving digital transformation in the Kingdom has been made possible by combining innovative technology investments with pioneering digital solutions across multiple fields, including cloud computing, fintech, business support, and drone technologies. Zain KSA is on a mission to empower a digital society and support the transition towards a digital economy, in line with Saudi Vision 2030 and the Kingdom's digital transformation strategy. By partnering with global ICT leaders, including Huawei, we are committed to enhancing Zain KSA's end-to-end network through our joint innovation on 5G-Advanced technology and by incubating a range of vertical services for industry digitalization."

Ritchie Peng, President of Huawei's 5G Product Line, said, "We are committed to providing leading products and solutions for operators and helping them build high-quality mobile networks through continuous technical innovations. We are excited to work with Zain KSA on this 5.5G City project and hope that this cooperation will allow our innovative products and solutions to create business and social value. Our vision is to help Zain KSA build better 5G networks and more importantly, leading digital infrastructure."

MWC Barcelona 2023 ran from February 27 to March 2 in Barcelona, Spain. Huawei showcased its products and solutions at stand 1H50 in Fira Gran Via Hall 1. Together with global operators, industry professionals, and opinion leaders, Huawei delved into topics such as 5G business success, 5.5G opportunities, green development, digital transformation, and our vision of using the GUIDE business blueprint to lay the foundation for 5.5G and build on the success of 5G for even greater prosperity.