Organized by CITC: Regional Standardization Forum Discusses the Internet of Things and Future Trends

His Excellency Dr. Abdulaziz bin Salem Al-Ruwais, Governor of the Communications and Information Technology Commission, opened today the Regional Standardization Forum organized by the Commission in cooperation with the International Telecommunication Union, attended by His Excellency Sheikh Nasser bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, Acting Director General of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of the Kingdom of Bahrain, and with the participation of the Director of the Standardization Bureau at the International Telecommunication Union, and experts from various countries around the world. The forum reviewed innovations in the world of communications and information technology "internet of things and artificial intelligence," joint cooperation on internet of things standardization, and internet of things and future trends, in addition to regulatory aspects related to internet of things standards.

His Excellency Dr. Al-Ruwais affirmed - in his opening speech - that the Saudi communications and information technology market is one of the largest communications and information technology markets in the Middle East; spending on communications and information technology services reached about ($35) billion during 2016, with a growth rate estimated at about 8% over 2015, anticipating growth in spending on communications and information technology services to ($36.8) billion by the end of 2017. His Excellency the Governor of the Communications and Information Technology Commission noted that the Kingdom is among the highest countries in the world in the growth rate of mobile phone usage penetration relative to population, reaching (151%) in 2016, adding that the level of broadband service penetration via mobile communications networks reached (75%), and that the increase in international internet connectivity capacity rate reached 114% for 2016. Also, the contribution of the communications and information technology sector to "GDP" reached about (6%).