RIYADH — Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) Governor Dr. Mohammed Bin Saud Al-Tamimi inaugurated here Monday the annual Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Indicators Forum.

Assistant Minister of Communications and Information Technology Dr. Munir Al-Desouki; Director of National Information Center, Dr. Essam Al-Wagait; leaders of telecommunications and postal companies in the Kingdom; and specialists of the telecommunications, information technology and postal sector are participating.

The governor said that the progress in the communications and information technology sector embodies the wise leadership’s support for this vital sector, along with the follow-up of the Minister of Communications and Information Technology and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the CITC Eng. Abdullah Al-Sawaha, which resulted in the increase of digital infrastructure investments over the past three years to more than $15 billion in partnership with the private sector.

He added that the number of homes connected to the optical fiber network reached over 3.5 million and the 5th generation networks exceeded 12,000 towers in more than 51 cities and governorates in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, noting that Saudi Arabia became among the top ten countries in the world in mobile Internet speed.

Dr. Al-Tamimi described the telecommunications market in the Kingdom as the most developed and largest market in the Middle East and North Africa, where the size of the telecommunications market in the Kingdom was estimated at SR70 billion, information technology market at SR64 billion and the size of the postal market at SR6.4 billion, whereas the estimated market value of telecom companies reached SR246 billion.

He added that the communications and information technology sector, along with the postal sector, which has recently joined the commission’s regulatory responsibilities, contributes to the Kingdom's GDP by 5.5%. The governor presented the most prominent indicators of the communications and information technology sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during 2020.

In 2020, there was a 135.5% increase in the prevalence of mobile telecommunication services, 97.8% increase in the Internet use, and Internet services covered 99% of populated areas.

He noted that the number of homes connected to the optical fiber network which reached over 3.5 million along with the 12,000 towers in more than 51 to support the 5th generation technology represents an increase of 128% compared to 2019, adding that more than 60,000 free Wi-Fi points have been provided in public places around the Kingdom. — SPA