Ericsson will return to LEAP 2026 in Riyadh for a fifth consecutive year, showcasing 5G Standalone, 5G Advanced, artificial intelligence and programmable network technologies designed to support Saudi Arabia’s next phase of digital transformation.
The company will participate in the technology event from 31 August to 3 September at the Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Center in Malham, presenting live demonstrations and technical sessions focused on advanced connectivity and network automation.
Under the theme “Enter New Horizons”, Ericsson will demonstrate how communications service providers, enterprises and public-sector organisations can use more programmable and intelligent networks to launch new services and digitalise operations.
5G Standalone and programmable networks take centre stage
Ericsson will place particular emphasis on 5G Standalone and network programmability.
Unlike deployments that rely partly on earlier-generation network infrastructure, 5G Standalone provides a dedicated 5G core capable of supporting more advanced functions, including differentiated connectivity and specialised enterprise services.
Programmable networks can enable operators to expose network capabilities to applications and enterprises, creating opportunities for services that require specific levels of performance, latency or reliability.
The company is positioning these capabilities as part of the infrastructure needed to support more sophisticated digital services across Saudi Arabia.
5G Advanced demonstrations target new enterprise use cases
Ericsson’s LEAP presence will also include demonstrations around 5G Advanced, the next stage in the evolution of commercial 5G networks.
Visitors will be able to explore use cases including augmented reality, differentiated connectivity and mission-critical communications.
These applications illustrate how mobile networks are evolving beyond general-purpose connectivity toward platforms capable of supporting different service requirements for consumers, businesses and public-sector users.
For industries, that could enable more reliable automation, real-time applications and digitally connected operational environments.
AI moves deeper into network operations
Artificial intelligence will form another major part of Ericsson’s showcase.
The company will demonstrate how AI-driven automation can be applied to network operations to improve efficiency and support increasingly complex infrastructure.
As telecom networks become more software-driven and support larger numbers of services and devices, operators are increasingly using AI to automate optimisation, detect network issues and improve resource allocation.
AI-enabled applications are also creating new demands on the networks themselves, increasing the importance of capacity, programmability and consistent performance.
Mission-critical connectivity included in showcase
Ericsson will also demonstrate mission-critical network scenarios.
These technologies are designed for environments where communications availability, reliability and performance are particularly important.
Such capabilities can be relevant to public safety, transportation, utilities, industrial operations and other sectors where conventional best-effort connectivity may not provide sufficient guarantees.
The inclusion of mission-critical demonstrations reflects the wider expansion of 5G into enterprise and public-sector infrastructure.
Ericsson links technology roadmap to Saudi Vision 2030
Håkan Cervell, president of Ericsson Saudi Arabia, said LEAP provides a platform for demonstrating how 5G, AI and programmable networks can support the Kingdom’s digital transformation.
“Through advancements in 5G, AI and programmable networks, we are enabling service providers and enterprises to strengthen digital infrastructure, unlock new opportunities and support the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 ambitions and long-term digital future,” Cervell said.
Ericsson said it continues to work with communications service providers, enterprises and government stakeholders to develop advanced connectivity and support new digital services in Saudi Arabia.
Nearly five decades of operations in Saudi Arabia
Ericsson is also using LEAP 2026 to highlight its longstanding presence in the Kingdom as the company marks 150 years since its foundation.
Its relationship with Saudi Arabia spans almost five decades, covering the development of earlier telecommunications infrastructure through to 5G and more advanced digital services.
That history places the company among the established network technology suppliers participating in Saudi Arabia’s ongoing telecom modernisation.
Why this matters
Ericsson’s LEAP showcase reflects how Saudi Arabia’s telecom agenda is shifting from basic 5G deployment toward more advanced network capabilities.
5G Standalone, 5G Advanced and programmable networks create the foundation for differentiated services, enterprise applications and more automated network operations.
For Saudi operators, the next competitive phase will increasingly involve how effectively they can turn network capabilities into new services rather than focusing solely on coverage and headline speeds.
Editor’s note
The most important part of Ericsson’s LEAP 2026 proposition is the move toward programmability.
Saudi Arabia already has advanced mobile infrastructure, so the strategic question is increasingly how that infrastructure can be exposed and used by enterprises, developers and public-sector organisations.
5G Advanced and AI-driven automation can improve network performance, but programmable capabilities could have the larger commercial impact if operators are able to package network quality, latency and reliability into services that businesses can consume on demand.
