Technology & IT | Friday 20 March, 2015 1:04 pm |

First of its kind small cell network to improve indoor network coverage and add further capacity for multimedia services
Riyadh, KSA – March 19, 2015: Zain KSA together with Huawei—a leading global ICT solutions provider—have announced the joint deployment of a world-first telecom network technology within the Kingdom that will improve mobile users’ experience through faster and more reliable service coverage. The project utilizes Huawei’s cutting-edge LampSite solution to create the industry’s first in-building small cell commercial network that is compatible with multiple radio access technologies including LTE, UMTS, and Wi-Fi.
Industry estimates state that about 90% of mobile data traffic is generated indoors, especially in "hot spot" environments like office buildings and shopping malls where there are many users simultaneously on the network. Ensuring that all users have indoor network coverage and high-bandwidth capacity can prove a complex challenge in such environments, with operators today seeking new ways to offer customers uninterrupted, high-performance mobile services wherever they are.
Zain KSA has continued to implement innovative technologies on its mobile network in order to satisfy the public’s demands for a ubiquitous high-speed mobile experience. As an important part of Zain KSA’s Reload project, the latest LampSite deployment with Huawei is an important move in providing higher spectrum efficiency and a seamless user experience in both indoor and outdoor environments.

The first phase of the new deployment will include five “hot spot” locations across Riyadh such as the City Center, Zain KSA headquarters, ZAIN Network Operation Center (NOC) and Kingdom Tower. In trial tests of the technology during a busy afternoon period of 1pm, the trial showed that the new system can stably provide user speeds of up to 60Mbps at peak rate.
The Huawei LampSite solution is itself the industry’s first multi-mode, easy-to-install deep indoor coverage solution that provides telecom operators with flexible capacity expansions. The latest project marks an important milestone for significantly accelerating large-scale LampSite deployments in Saudi Arabia.

Zhou Yuefeng, President of Small Cells Product Line at Huawei, said: “We appreciate Zain's longstanding trust in Huawei technology and are confident that the latest LampSite solutions will help Zain to achieve an even greater return on investment of its high-speed mobile broadband network. This partnership will also serve to help Zain implement their shift to traffic-centered business operations, providing various value-added services and delivering an excellent service experience to Zain subscribers.”

As the industry’s first centralized baseband small cell solution, Huawei’s LampSite was recognized with the Best Mobile Infrastructure Award at the recently held Mobile World Congress 2015. It can greatly reduce the cost of construction and maintenance of indoor coverage, continuing to enhance the mobile broadband experience.

In recent years Zain and Huawei have continued to strengthen their technology partnership across the Middle East. In 2014, this included the signing of a Reload Contract agreement in which Huawei will work closely with Zain KSA to improve its technologies and extend its customer service offering for its Saudi users. The contract includes Zain’s network expansion, modernization and managed services. It also includes the provisions of all related products and services for Zain’s network in Saudi Arabia.

About Huawei
Huawei is a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider. Through the dedication to customer-centric innovation and strong partnerships, Huawei has established end-to-end advantages in telecom networks, devices and cloud computing. Huawei is committed to creating maximum value for telecom operators, enterprises and consumers by providing competitive solutions and services. Its products and solutions have been deployed in over 170 countries, serving more than one third of the world’s population.
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