Saudi Arabia's leading mobile operator, Etihad Etisalat Company (Mobily), and Huawei, a leading global ICT solutions provider, announced the successful completion of testing the region's first LTE M-MIMO (Long Term Evolution Massive-Multiple Input and Multiple Output) network in KSA and Middle East region. With data speed reaching 600Mbps, the new LTE TDD 2.6GHz network will be rolled out across the Kingdom over the next three years. Mobily's customers will enjoy unmatched mobile broadband speeds, enabling them to access various services that require high-speed internet access such as video on demand and cloud gaming. "We are proud to launch the first LTE M-MIMO network in the region. Our strategic partnership with Huawei has enabled us to offer our customers unparalleled products and services that exceed users' expectations," said Eng. Maziad Alharbi, Chief Technology Officer at Mobily. "LTE M-MIMO network will present Mobily users with ultra-fast speeds of up to 600Mbps, allowing them to enjoy services and products, such as virtual reality and mobile TV". "LTE M-MIMO is a step closer towards fulfilling Huawei's vision of a better connected world which we continually strive to achieve with our partner operators. The Massive-MIMO technology enables devices to transmit and receive data through multiple paths, which translates to a more robust link between devices while increasing the data link capacity," said Ramadan Ding, Chief Executive Officer of Huawei Tech Investment Saudi Arabia Company. "This new technology will not only enhance Mobily customers' experience, it will also pave the way for the introduction of new smart services in the Kingdom and speed up the pace of the Internet of Things (IoT) development in Saudi Arabia." Mobily and Huawei have continued to expand their strategic relationship in recent years with several landmark projects in the region. In 2012, the two companies launched the world's first deployed LTE TDD network covering all regions in the Kingdom. — SG
