speed launch Engr. Saud Al-Daweesh, STC Group CEO (right), and Saad Bin Dhafer Al-Qahtani, STC Vice President for Residential Sector Services, at a press conference in Riyadh, Tuesday to announce the launch of “Invision” which will provide integrated high-speed multimedia services for Saudi households. (Courtesy photo by K.N. Wasif) RIYADH: Saudi Telecom (STC) has launched multimedia services called Fiber to the Home (FTTH), a high-speed Internet connection targeting households in the Kingdom with a 100 percent parental control feature. Introduced for the first time in Saudi Arabia, FTTH is said to revolutionize the Internet services offered to the households in the Kingdom. The service will be offered at two different speeds: 40 mb and 100 mb. Engr. Saud Al-Daweesh, STC Group CEO, launched the Internet service with the brand name ‘‘Invision” at a press conference in Riyadh, Tuesday. Saad Bin Dhafer Al-Qahtani, STC Vice-President for Residential Sector Services, was also present. The new Invision Internet service represents a quantum leap in telecommunications in the Kingdom, offering customers a new experience of television viewing, telecommunications and Internet browsing “all in a new and modern approach that will drastically change television viewing in the Saudi home”, Al-Daweesh said. He added that the fiber optic service will also target commercial establishments and business organizations under the brand name of Verve. “The launch of high-speed Internet services in the Kingdom, truly reflects STC's commitment of offering real and integrated Internet services to its customers,” said Al-Darweesh. STC has achieved a quantum leap in both quality and expansion of broadband services in the Kingdom, he said. It is the first time in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) that a 100 mb package with FTTH service has been launched. Al-Qahtani told reporters that Invision offers integrated multimedia Internet services allowing families to watch satellite television channels, and engage in web browsing, e-learning, video conferencing, online shopping, medical assistance and a whole range of other services. He said considering the selective nature of Saudi society, the new Internet service is fully manageable catering to the needs of each member of the family. “We designed Invision based on Saudi culture and society,” he said. Al-Qahtani said Invision acts as a key for parents to select what channels their children should watch. He said depending on their interests, each member in the family can create a profile of the channels they want to watch. He said there is parental control on Invision, a multimedia service and parental control for the Internet so that timing and content can be specifically selected for children. STC has over six million Internet users connected through its network. STC has 80 percent of the market share that includes 1.6 million fixed line users and an equal number of wireless users, Al-Qahtani said. “We (STC) are the only telecom operator in the Kingdom offering Internet connection to homes,” he added. Saudi and expatriate families can enjoy reliable Internet service through the STC network that includes FTTH and DSL, he said. “Our target is to connect all newly constructed neighborhoods, houses and residential areas with the fiber optic network,” he said. However, the existing population living in old houses will be dealt with case by case, he added. Al-Qahtani said the Invision service will also serve as a platform for online shopping for families. The trend for online shopping is increasing in the Kingdom, with people ordering fast food and other items delivered to their doorsteps, he said. “This service links customers at home with the modern and highly advanced FTTH network at very high speeds and at the same time offers high quality and efficient Internet services which are the best in the world,” he said.
