TAWAL and Rakuten Symphony have launched what they describe as Saudi Arabia’s first multi-operator shared indoor network powered by Cloud RAN, deploying the Neutral Host infrastructure at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Jeddah.
The In-Building Solutions deployment allows multiple telecom operators to use common indoor infrastructure while retaining operational independence over their individual networks.
The companies have also completed integration with the core network of one telecom service provider and successfully conducted the first 5G New Radio and VoLTE voice calls over the platform.
Neutral Host model enables infrastructure sharing
TAWAL operates the infrastructure under a Neutral Host model, providing a common platform that can support services from multiple telecom operators within the same building environment.
Instead of each operator deploying separate infrastructure to provide indoor coverage, operators can use the shared platform while continuing to manage their own network services.
TAWAL said the architecture provides greater flexibility than traditional active-sharing arrangements because participating operators have multiple deployment options and can configure services around their individual network requirements.
The model is intended to improve utilisation of infrastructure while reducing duplication of equipment within buildings.
First 5G NR and VoLTE calls completed
As part of the initial implementation, the platform was integrated with the core network of one unnamed Saudi telecom service provider.
The partners subsequently completed the first voice calls using both 5G NR and VoLTE.
The milestone demonstrates that the infrastructure can connect with an operator core and support commercial telecommunications technologies within the indoor environment.
Additional operators have not yet been identified, and the companies did not disclose a timetable for bringing further service providers onto the platform.
Rakuten Symphony provides AI-enabled Cloud RAN
The network is powered by Rakuten Symphony’s AI-enabled Cloud RAN technology.
The cloud-native architecture is designed to provide a scalable RAN environment capable of supporting multiple operators over shared infrastructure.
Rakuten Symphony said the approach can help reduce both capital and operational expenditure by allowing operators to avoid duplicating infrastructure.
The platform has also been designed with future support for 5G Standalone networks, edge computing and AI-powered applications.
This could allow the shared infrastructure to evolve beyond conventional indoor mobile coverage as operators introduce more advanced 5G services.
KAUST provides environment for shared indoor connectivity
The deployment at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology provides an initial environment for testing the Neutral Host architecture in Saudi Arabia.
Large campuses can present complex indoor connectivity requirements because multiple operators need to provide reliable services across buildings while supporting growing data traffic and different generations of mobile technology.
A shared architecture can potentially simplify that infrastructure footprint while providing operators with access to common coverage systems.
TAWAL plans to continue expanding the Neutral Host model in collaboration with Rakuten Symphony and other project partners.
TAWAL expands beyond conventional tower infrastructure
The project also reflects TAWAL’s expansion beyond traditional telecommunications tower infrastructure.
The company is developing capabilities across site sharing, in-building coverage, telecommunications infrastructure and smart infrastructure solutions as network requirements become increasingly complex.
TAWAL CEO Mohammed Alhakbani said the platform is intended to help operators expand more efficiently while preparing indoor networks for emerging technologies and changing regulatory requirements.
Rakuten Symphony President Sharad Sriwastawa said the deployment demonstrates how cloud-native Open RAN can support multiple operators through a common infrastructure platform.
Why this matters
Indoor coverage is becoming an increasingly important part of 5G network strategy because buildings can limit the effectiveness of outdoor radio networks, particularly as operators use higher-frequency spectrum.
Deploying separate indoor infrastructure for every operator can also increase cost, equipment requirements and energy consumption.
A Neutral Host architecture addresses that problem by creating a shared infrastructure layer while allowing individual operators to retain control of their services.
The addition of Cloud RAN makes the Saudi deployment particularly notable because it introduces a more software-driven architecture that could be scaled and upgraded as network requirements evolve.
Editor’s note
The KAUST deployment could become an important reference case for Saudi Arabia if TAWAL successfully brings multiple commercial operators onto the same Cloud RAN infrastructure.
The first 5G NR and VoLTE calls demonstrate technical integration with one operator, but the more significant test will be genuine multi-operator operation at scale.
The next milestones to watch will be the onboarding of additional Saudi operators, expansion to other buildings and campuses, progression toward 5G Standalone, and evidence of lower deployment and operating costs compared with conventional indoor networks. If those benefits are demonstrated, the model could provide a blueprint for shared 5G coverage across malls, airports, universities, commercial developments and other large venues in the Kingdom.
