Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — NEOM company announced its first step toward developing the world’s leading cognitive cities that rely on leading technology for digital services after signing a contract with the STC group to establish a 5G network infrastructure that will accelerate NEOM’s digital ambitions.

In addition to the one-year contract to develop the network, the partnership also includes the development of an innovation center in NEOM to explore new 5G opportunities.

NEOM’s next-generation cognitive cities will support its cutting-edge urban environments, improving the lives of residents and businesses far beyond the capabilities of today’s smart cities.

NEOM will use one of the most advanced 5G technologies in the world to enable the proactive exchange and analysis of data between NEOM residents and city infrastructure.

STC will build a wireless 5G network enabling present and future 5G applications across NEOM. With speed and capacity 10 times higher than standard 4G networks, 5G in NEOM will enable numerous segments such as the Internet of Things (IoT), data analytics, virtual reality, augmented reality, smart homes, and autonomous vehicles. It will also provide the public safety network for NEOM security services.

Commenting on the agreement, NEOM CEO Nadhmi Al Nasr said: “We are glad to form this partnership with a leading national digital enabler such as STC to support our ambition and goal to be an accelerator of human progress and to create the world’s leading digitally sustainable, cognitive cities.

“NEOM’s infrastructure will utilize AI, robotics, and human-machine fusion to deliver greater predictive intelligence and enable faster decision making across all NEOM sectors. The procurement and deployment of a future-proof wireless network are a critical first for NEOM in realizing our goal of driving innovation in the future digital economy.”

The CEO of STC Group, Eng. Nasser bin Sulaiman Al Nasser, said: “This agreement reflects STC's commitment to enabling digital transformation and providing digital solutions across the Kingdom. We are proud to have been chosen to build the infrastructure for the 5G network and an innovation center in NEOM — the land of the future and a model for sustainability, innovation, development, and prosperity.

This agreement comes in line with STC’s vision as a digital enabler to develop infrastructure and provide the latest technologies that will enrich the experience of societies and foster innovation, which in turn will contribute to improving the customer experience and moving the digital transformation forward.

NEOM will also trial and test 5G solutions that will allow it to lead in fast-growing, future-focused sectors such as robotics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and human-machine interface technologies. Leveraging such technology will open up the enormous potential of NEOM as a new economic driver across a range of industry sectors for the Kingdom.