Under the patronage of the Minister of Communications and Information Technology Eng. AbdullahBbin Amer Al-Swaha, Zain KSA celebrated the finalization of the first phase of Middle East's largest 5G network in a special event last Sunday at Hilton Riyadh. The ceremony was attended by Zain KSA Chairman Prince Nayef Bin Sultan Bin Muhammed Bin Saud Al-Kabeer, the Governor of the Communications and Information Technology Commission Dr. Muhammed Bin Saud Al-Tamimi, the Deputy Minister of Communications and Information Technology Eng. Haitham Bin Abdulrahman Al-Ohali, and Zain KSA CEO Eng. Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Al-Deghaither, along with dignitaries in the ICT sector. The ceremony witnessed a wide participation of an elite group of media and influential figures. On this occasion, Zain KSA's Chairman Prince Nayef expressed the company's pride in this achievement, which represents one of the major milestones in the transformation the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is ongoing under the guidance of its wise leadership. He said: "Zain KSA's achievement accompanies the speedy development and innovative services of the digital revolution that the world around us is witnessing. This achievement is significant in its timing, as it coincides with the rapid rise of the Kingdom's ranking in several prestigious international reports, specifically in the ICT sector. Another aspect that makes this achievement noteworthy is its size, as it offers the broadest coverage of the 5G network, which has positioned the Kingdom as the first in the Middle East, Europe and Africa." Prince Nayef pointed out the concurrence of Zain KSA's accomplishment with the Kingdom's growing pivotal role at the global economic level, and in becoming the first Arab country to preside over the G20 summit. He affirmed Zain's commitment to keep pace with the Kingdom's economic ambitions in line with its pioneering position in employing young national talent. He indicated that the Saudization rate in the company has reached around 86 %, with young Saudi talents assuming 92 % of leadership positions. On his part, Zain KSA's CEO Al-Deghaither said through its completion of the first phase of the 5G network, Zain KSA confirms its commitment to becoming a key player in the ICT sector. "Zain KSA has made several significant achievements since its inception. Today, we proudly announce that the company has the widest 5G network coverage in the Kingdom and the region." Al-Deghaither added that the 5G technology will lead the Kingdom towards a new world with its substantial technologies and capabilities, which will be evident in various sectors through the Internet of Things and the business sector, in addition to other daily functions that will make customer experience easier and more effective." Al-Deghaither pointed out that this step comes at a time when Zain KSA is witnessing its best operational performance by reaching the highest profit over the past two years, with SR380 million during the first nine months of 2019, and a total of SR332 million for 2018. With the completion of the first phase of the 5G network, Zain KSA now offers distinctive packages of 5G services for individuals and businesses at competitive prices through a network of 2,600 towers distributed across 27 cities. — SG
