It’s been a strong week for 5G in the Middle East, with Omantel launching commercial 5G mobile services and Saudi Arabia announcing that its coverage total has increased to 51 cities.
Mobile customers of the state-owned incumbent Omantel (Oman Telecommunications Company) can now access 5G services at no additional cost on both post- and pre-paid tariffs, although the operator has specified that customers must have both a 5G-capable device and be within its 5G coverage area to avail themselves of the service.
The operator stated that its 5G mobile network provides “higher speeds and reduced latency, resulting in faster downloads, quicker website browsing, and a better streaming experience.” It has offered 5G services for residential broadband customers since December 2019.
As reported by TeleGeography, the network is available in several regions of the Sultanate, including Al Buraimi, the Al Batinah coastline, Ash Dakhliyah, Ibri, Musandam, Muscat, and Rustaq.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) has confirmed in its quarterly Megyas Report that Q4 2020 saw 5G services extended to an additional seven cities and provinces, bringing the total to 51 across the country’s various regions.
Among the Kingdom’s operators, Zain’s coverage is the most extensive, reaching 44 cities and provinces. STC delivers 5G in 22 areas while Mobily is just behind it with 21, and STC can claim the fastest average 5G download speed (up to 342.35Mbps).
