Intelligent CIO Middle East Issue 58 | Page 12

NEWS Tata Communications secures local telecom licence in KSA Tata Communications, a digital ecosystem enabler, has announced that it has secured a Type B telecom licence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The licence entitles Tata Communications to provide Internet Service Provider (ISP) and related telecom services to enterprises in a defined capacity, along with local currency billing for end-customers in KSA. This will enable the company to make the shift from offering services as a foreign carrier in the Middle East to a local licensed service provider. Through this licence, Tata Communications will now become a carrier-neutral service provider to the OTTs, large enterprises and MNCs in the region. Furthermore, the company will be able to offer network transformation services in KSA and address Internet, network security, private cloud and SDWAN requirements across the region. “A strong digital backbone has become essential for businesses to address the changes in the industry landscape,” said Vaneet Mehta, Associate Vice President and Region Head, Middle East, Central Asia and Africa, Tata Communications. “By securing this telecom license in KSA, we will be able to seamlessly bring carrier-neutral services like Internet connectivity, public/private cloud, cybersecurity, borderless mobility and more such services to the region. This will help simplify the digital experience for our customers and aid them in transforming their businesses in the new normal.” Saudi Arabia becomes the fifth fastest mobile Internet network worldwide already announced that KSA-based telecoms provider stc has won the award for the fastest 5G mobile network during Q2 2020. stc has also won, for the fourth consecutive year, the award for the fastest mobile network speed and accolade for the best mobile coverage provided by a telecommunication company in the Kingdom. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has jumped five places globally in terms of mobile Internet speed, ranking fifth worldwide with a speed of 71.73 MB/s as announced by the Speedtest website, which specialises in measuring Internet speeds around the world. The Ookla company, owner of the Speedtest website, has Winning these awards, which are offered by the top platform for measuring Internet speeds in the world, is a testament of stc’s commitment to offer the best services to its customers in the Kingdom, elevate community services in the country and offer a perfect customer experience, as well as its commitment to its central role in enabling Digital Transformation in accordance with Saudi Vision 2030. 12 INTELLIGENTCIO www.intelligentcio.com