CITC Governor Opens Workshop on the Evolution of International Mobile Telecommunications, Related Policies, and Spectrum Valuation and Auctions

His Excellency Dr. Abdulaziz bin Salem Al-Ruwais, Governor of the Communications and Information Technology Commission, opened today at the Commission's headquarters a workshop to promote the development of international mobile telecommunications, policies, spectrum valuation, and auctions, attended by more than 20 experts from various organizations and research bodies, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), in cooperation with the United Nations agency concerned with telecommunications (the International Telecommunication Union).

His Excellency Dr. Al-Ruwais said that the frequency spectrum is one of the fundamental bases and essential resources for the establishment and continuation of the Fourth Industrial Revolution we are witnessing today, and represents a cornerstone for communications and information technology services, as well as one of the most important axes of this technological development the world is witnessing, affirming that providing it wisely and using it effectively contributes to opening the way for further progress and development for the whole world.

His Excellency the CITC Governor noted the Kingdom's adoption of regulations for managing the frequency bands designated for international mobile telecommunications systems during the past period, to achieve optimal use of this limited national resource, create a suitable climate for fair and effective competition and encourage it, and use the frequencies designated for international mobile telecommunications systems effectively and without interference between them.

His Excellency Dr. Al-Ruwais noted that the Kingdom is working to provide more frequency spectrum to enable 5G, and increase mobile internet speed in the Kingdom, pointing to an increase in download speed of more than three times within a single year.

It is noted that the workshop "Evolution of International Mobile Telecommunications and Related Policies, and Spectrum Valuation and Auctions" includes several discussion panels highlighting developments in international mobile telecommunications for providing broadband services, and the frequency spectrum needed for the development and deployment of services and 5G, and countries' experiences and best practices in this regard, in addition to the mechanism for designing frequency spectrum auctions and methods for offering it for allocation.