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Mobily rolls out first four Saudi WiMAX cities
First prepaid broadband wireless and 2 Mbps performance now available in the Kingdom.
Saudi Arabia's Mobily, the official brand name of Etihad Etisalat, announced the
launch of WiMAX services in four cities. Mobily's acquisition of data
communications operator Bayanat was granted in March. The WiMAX launch is
the company's first announcement since the purchase. The first phase of
WiMAX service occurs in the four cities of Dammam, Jeddah, Khobar and Riyadh.
Mobily plans to eventually cover the entire Kingdom in broadband wireless.
Mobily's "broadband @ home" service is the Kingdom's first and only prepaid
WiMAX offering. Residential users looking for broadband had limited
options before. Lengthy delays from order to installation created
frustration. The broadband @ home service utilizes wireless technology to
transmit high-speed Internet content without the hassle of cables and
underground wires. Based on plug-and-play features, the WiMAX modem can be
setup by the user and moved from place to place as needed without involving
technicians or telephone support. During the holy month of Ramadan, Mobily
is offering several incentives for new subscribers - no setup charges, no
service fee for the month and a free modem.
While traveling as a United Nations panel on technology chairman in April, Intel
chairman Craig Barrett visited Riyadh and signed an agreement with Saudi telecom
operator STC and Knowledge Economic City (KEC) of Medina to establish a WiMAX
network by 2011.
The telecommunications provider owns 66% (approximately 12,000km) of Saudi
Arabia's fiber optics network, giving it access to the high-speed backbone and
now the end-user connections. The company expects to offer a broader
portfolio of products and services soon.
By Jeff Orr, ORR Technology, LLC
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