Zain Group and Ericsson Create Roadmap to 5G

Press release

Published February 28th, 2018 - 08:46 GMT

The new partnership will accelerate digitalization in the region, enabling rapid deployment of innovative services in the Internet of Things (IoT) in the coming years.

Zain Group and Ericsson have announced they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly develop and test selected 5G and Internet of Things (IoT) cases. The MoU, signed during Mobile World Congress 2018 in Barcelona, demonstrates the commitment of both companies to bringing next-generation connectivity and its accompanying benefits to the Middle East and Africa.

The new partnership will accelerate digitalization in the region, enabling rapid deployment of innovative services in the Internet of Things (IoT) in the coming years. The agreement covers technical demonstrations and strengthens technical cooperation between the two companies and will ensure smooth 4G to 5G evolution across Zain’s networks.

Bader Al Kharafi, Zain Vice Chairman and Group CEO says: “Zain is committed to bringing the latest technology and cutting-edge services to its customers. 5G will open the door for new applications that will transform consumer behavior and industries. By introducing these new technologies, we will enrich the digital lifestyles of individuals and support the growth and development of businesses we serve by creating new opportunities for them to grow.”

Rafiah Ibrahim, Head of Ericsson Middle East and Africa, says: “We believe next generation technology and its applications will provide tangible benefits in the real-world. Ericsson have enjoyed a long and successful history of collaboration with Zain and this new agreement demonstrates our ongoing support in transforming their networks to enable these benefits for users around the Middle East and Africa region.”

5G technology will enable massive connectivity and open up new markets to (IoT). Consumers and enterprises will be able to take advantage of a seamless experience on their connected devices; they will be able to adopt and invest in new applications such as smart transportation, connected cars and appliances, remote health care and remote control of machinery.

Background Information

Zain

Zain is the pioneer of mobile telecommunications in the Middle East. We began life in 1983 in Kuwait as the region’s first mobile operator, and since the initiation of our expansion strategy in 2003, we have expanded rapidly. Today, we are a leading mobile voice and data services operator with a commercial footprint in 8 Middle Eastern and Africa countries with a workforce of over 6,000 providing a comprehensive range of mobile voice and data services to over 50 million active individual and business customers as of March 31, 2019.

Company Profile

Ericsson

Ericsson is one of the leading providers of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to service providers, with about 40% of the world’s mobile traffic carried through our networks. We enable the full value of connectivity by creating game-changing technology and services that are easy to use, adopt and scale, making our customers successful in a fully connected world. For more than 140 years, our ideas, technology and people have changed the world: real turning points that have transformed lives, industries and society as a whole.