Technology news and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Technology News and insights in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa
Saudi Arabia’s telecom sector generated $28.9 billion in revenue in 2025, up 3.8 percent year-on-year. While profits declined due to high comparison effects and rising costs, demand for data, 5G, cloud, and fintech services continues to support long-term growth and digital transformation under Vision 2030.
Mobily has launched the Ever Closer brand platform to mark its 20th anniversary, repositioning itself as a human-centric TMT brand. Developed with FP7McCann Riyadh, the platform emphasizes emotional connection, shared experiences, and customer relationships as Mobily enters its next phase of digital transformation.
STC Group has signed a five-year Master Frame Agreement with Ericsson to accelerate 5G expansion and advanced digital infrastructure deployment in Saudi Arabia. The partnership covers 5G technologies, cloud-native platforms, and managed services, supporting enterprise innovation, digital inclusion, and the Kingdom’s broader digital transformation goals.
Salam Telecom’s #YestoPossible campaign marks a strategic pivot toward Gen Z by transforming telecom services into a lifestyle-driven digital ecosystem. The initiative positions connectivity as a platform for creativity, gaming, content, and social interaction rather than basic communication. By tapping into youth culture and digital-first behavior, Salam is redefining how telecom brands engage younger audiences in Saudi Arabia. The campaign also aligns with national digital transformation goals, reinforcing Salam’s role in shaping the future of youth-centric digital experiences across the Kingdom.
IBM and stc Group have deepened their partnership to strengthen Saudi Arabia’s readiness for the post-quantum cybersecurity era. By adopting IBM’s quantum-safe cybersecurity solutions, stc is reinforcing its encryption, data protection, and cryptographic systems against future quantum-based threats. The collaboration has produced a new quantum-safe security framework aligned with NIST standards to proactively detect vulnerabilities. This initiative enhances national cybersecurity resilience, supports Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 objectives, and positions stc as a regional leader in future-ready, secure telecommunications infrastructure.
IBM and stc group have introduced a quantum-safe cybersecurity framework to protect Saudi Arabia’s telecom infrastructure from future quantum-enabled threats. The partnership strengthens encryption, aligns with NIST standards, and supports Vision 2030 goals, positioning stc as a regional leader in secure, future-ready telecommunications as quantum technologies rapidly advance.
Zain KSA has secured SAR 5.5 billion ($1.47bn) in Islamic financing from five banks to refinance existing loans maturing in 2025 and fund future operations. The facility, with a five-year term and one-year grace period, matures in 2030 and supports the telco’s growth strategy.
Saudi Arabia’s telecom sector is evolving from price and infrastructure competition to a customer experience-driven model. A New Metrics survey reveals STC’s strong market lead, but also highlights service quality, fair pricing, and trust as the key loyalty drivers. Digital adoption is strong, yet branches remain vital, underscoring the need for seamless hybrid experiences.
Saudi Arabia’s telecom providers are shifting their focus from infrastructure and pricing to customer experience. A New Metrics survey shows service quality, reliability, and trust as key loyalty drivers, while poor coverage and pricing trigger churn. Seamless integration of digital and physical channels will define future market leadership.
Mobily’s significant capex increase in early 2025 supports major infrastructure projects including 5G expansion and a new Saudi-Egypt submarine cable, contributing to rising profits and revenue growth.