stc group, the engine of digital transformation in the region, has completed its technical, human, and logistic preparedness to serve the pilgrims in Makkah, Al Madina and the Holy Sites as part of the group's provisions for this year's Hajj season (1444). During the visit to the Hajj Operations Center and the Technical Support Center in Makkah region, Eng. Abdullah bin Amer Al-Swaha, the Minister of Communications and Information Technology and the Chairman of the Board Directors of the Saudi Space Commission, was escorted by Eng Olayan Alwetaid, stc Group CEO, c-suite executives, and officials from the group, to inspect and ensure preparedness. The delegation acknowledged the stc's network, digital solutions and services brought to Makkah and the holy sites to serve pilgrims. The stc group had enhanced its network by adding 108 sites supporting the 5G network, reaching 1,084 spots. It also allocated 248 sites for the 5G mobile network, expanded the Integrated Broadcast Services to more than 300 sites, and deployed 1,964 Wi-Fi access points across 177 sites. Besides, 70 mobile vehicles were secured to support capacities and coverage, allocating 140 sites for the Critical Communications network (TETRA) that serves the vital sectors. Moreover, stc fully converted the international traffic to IP with a 100% capacity to international gateways, simultaneously allowing 150,000 actual calls. Furthermore, the group allocated over 1,000 human resources from various sectors and 50 technical teams to intervene in case of emergencies. stc also equipped 34 distributed maintenance centres in the holy sites and Makkah, adding around 200 vehicles and motorcycles to ensure fast access to malfunctioning networks. The visit conveys stc's concern towards its early preparations, ensuring that pilgrims are served with the best digital solutions and a unique experience. Additionally, it aims to guarantee the provisioning of pilgrims with distinctive communication services.
