Nokia and Saudi Telecom Company (STC) have signed a deal to deploy a 5G network with Nokia’s end-to-end 5G solutions. Nokia’s equipment, software and services will be used to set up a 5G network first in the western and southern part of Saudi Arabia, including the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah. The rollout phase is already ongoing and is expected to be completed by end of 2020.

Nokia’s full 5G portfolio will provide STC subscribers with ultra-high bandwidth and low latency services, as well as new applications in areas such as virtual reality, augmented reality and artificial intelligence.

Enterprises will benefit from various IoT vertical use cases enabled by 5G, such as energy, healthcare, education, transport and entertainment; these will not only enhance operational efficiencies and user experiences but provide new revenue opportunities.

The deal involves multiple firsts in STC’s network, including the introduction of cloud RAN and AirScale, as well as the deployment of the Wavence platform in the microwave and the AirScale indoor radio.