Mobily and Huawei launch new technology to boost mobile broadband speeds

Maziad Alharbi

Saudi Arabia’s major mobile operator Etihad Etisalat Company (Mobily) and Huawei, a leading global ICT solutions provider, have announced the completion of testing the region’s first long-term evolution massive-multiple input and multiple output (LTE M-MIMO) network in Saudi Arabia and Middle East region.
With data speed reaching 600 Mbps, the new LTE TDD 2.6 GHz network will be rolled out across the Kingdom over the next three years.
Mobily’s customers will enjoy “unmatched mobile broadband speeds,” enabling them to access various services that require high-speed Internet access such as video on demand and cloud gaming.
“We are proud to launch the first LTE M-MIMO network in the region. Our strategic partnership with Huawei has enabled us to offer our customers unparalleled products and services that exceed users’ expectations,” said Maziad Alharbi, chief technology officer at Mobily.
“LTE M-MIMO network will present Mobily users with ultra-fast speeds of up to 600 Mbps, allowing them to enjoy services and products, such as virtual reality and mobile TV,” he added.
“LTE M-MIMO is a step closer toward fulfilling Huawei’s vision of a better connected world, which we continually strive to achieve with our partner operators. The Massive-MIMO technology enables devices to transmit and receive data through multiple paths, which translates to a more robust link between devices while increasing the data link capacity,” said Ramadan Ding, CEO, Huawei Tech Investment Saudi Arabia Company.
“This new technology will not only enhance Mobily customers’ experience, but also pave the way for the introduction of new smart services in the Kingdom and speed up the pace of the Internet of Things (IoT) development in Saudi Arabia.”
Mobily and Huawei have continued to expand their strategic relationship in recent years with several landmark projects in the region.
In 2012, the two companies launched the "world’s first" deployed LTE TDD network.