CITC Announces the Offering of the First High-Speed Wireless Broadband Projects for Remote Centers, Villages, and Hamlets

The Communications and Information Technology Commission announced the offering of the first high-speed wireless broadband projects for remote centers, villages, and hamlets for competition among companies qualified to provide telecom services, namely Saudi Telecom Company, Etihad Etisalat Company (Mobily), Saudi Telecom Mobile Company (Zain), Etihad Atheeb Telecom Company (GO), Integrated Telecom Company, and Bayanat Al-Oula for Network Services Company.

His Excellency Dr. Abdulaziz bin Salem Al-Ruwais, Governor of the Communications and Information Technology Commission, stated in a comment today that offering the high-speed wireless broadband project for remote centers, villages, and hamlets

comes as part of the plan to expand broadband service deployment in remote areas, which is one of the initiatives of the National Transformation Program 2020 for the telecom and information technology sector that has come into effect in fulfillment of Saudi Vision 2030, and includes providing high-speed broadband services to various regions of the Kingdom by stimulating investment in infrastructure and increasing wireless broadband network coverage to 70% of housing units in remote areas by the end of 2020.

The Governor of the Communications and Information Technology Commission said that the scope of the project's work targets providing service to more than 140,000 citizens and residents in (centers, villages, and hamlets) belonging to (13) governorates, including (Al-Majma'ah and Rumah) in Riyadh region, (Khafji, Hafr Al-Batin, and Qaryat Al-Ulya) in the Eastern Province, as well as (Al-Qurayyat, Dumat Al-Jandal, Sakaka, and Tabarjal) in Al-Jouf region, in addition to (Al-Uwayqilah, Rafha, Turaif, and Ar'ar) in the Northern Borders region.

This project is the first phase of the plan to expand broadband service deployment throughout the Kingdom, which is an extension of the universal service projects implemented by the Communications and Information Technology Commission through the Universal Service Fund.