Saudi Arabia's 5G construction is developing rapidly

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have been pioneers in 5G network deployment and were among the first markets in the world to launch the new technology. Governments and regulators in these countries were quick to grant spectrum rights, allowing mobile operators to move quickly.

Especially in Saudi Arabia, according to relevant reports, as of the fourth quarter of 2020, the country's average 5G download speed reached an astonishing 315.55 Mbps.

This thriving ecosystem stems from a progressive regulatory and spectrum allocation strategy under the leadership of CITC. CITC’s mission is to unlock the potential of radio communications in Saudi Arabia to create a smarter and more secure future. It is a holistic vision that outlines the potential of radio spectrum to transform Saudi Arabia into a digital society by enabling a range of industries and sectors. This is in line with the country’s Saudi Arabia Vision 2030, which aims to ensure the availability of radio spectrum that meets the needs of spectrum licensees and end users and supports the interests of the country as a whole.

However, the CITC is already looking to the future by encouraging the process of allocating more spectrum for 5G. This is a notable accolade that will make Saudi Arabia the country with the most spectrum allocated for mobile use in the world in the Sub-GHz, Sub-6GHz, and Sub-30GHz frequency ranges. Specifically, they will allocate the 600MHz band and the 3.8–4GHz band for mobile use, and support ancillary mobile uses in the 28GHz band. This is an important and decisive move that will ensure timely access to sufficient spectrum to meet current and future needs. Overall, a total of 23GHz of spectrum will be available to all technologies and CSPs, following these key guidelines:

• Service and technology neutrality ensure a fair balance between complementary and competing technologies.
• Sufficient spectrum to meet the deployment requirements of 5G and related innovations.
• Openness to broad use, including permissive, permissionless, and lightly licensed approaches.
• Innovation is enabled by making various spectrum bands available for new concepts in a variety of different ways, from trial licenses to sharing and short-term access.
• Monitor developments and best practices to grant spectrum in a timely, consistent and compliant manner in accordance with international and regional standards and ecosystems.

This newly available additional 5G spectrum will support Saudi Arabia’s digital transformation and help it further accelerate development. Each frequency band has specific benefits:

• 600 MHz (617-652 / 663-698 MHz): This low-band spectrum will allow operators to provide wider coverage and stronger indoor wireless signal penetration. This band will also benefit from the growing 5G ecosystem and allow operators to serve thousands of customers across hundreds of square kilometers with just a few towers.
• 3800-4000 MHz: This additional spectrum within the C-band range is considered ideal for 5G because it can not only carry large amounts of data, but also transmit over long distances.
• 28GHz (millimeter wave spectrum): mmWave spectrum can deliver speeds of 1 to 3 Gbps or even higher. This ultra-high capacity can be used for hotspots and industrial vertical 5G use cases.