Telecoms & IT
From The Report: Saudi Arabia 2015
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Competition in Saudi Arabia’s telecoms sector continues to grow, with companies continually seeking to invest in the infrastructure that will connect customers to a broader range of communications services. As the number of mobile internet users continues to rise, the Kingdom’s operators are seeing demand for traditional voice and text services become gradually displaced by data services and mobile broadband. Meanwhile, and in line with the country’s economic diversification targets, IT firms are increasingly viewed by the government as essential to sustainable development, with the Kingdom’s latest five-year plan committed to enhancing the country’s IT infrastructure. Spending on cloud services is rising rapidly and is expected to reach $31.3m in 2015.

This chapter contains interviews with Khaled Biyari, Group CEO, Saudi Telecom Company (STC).

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Finding their calling: Companies are innovating in a challenging market
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With two new players entering the market, a major mobile operator dealing with fallout from systematically overstating revenues while understating costs, and the third mobile licence operator continuing to operate at a loss since its launch seven years ago, the Saudi telecoms sector is experiencing interesting times. The challenge to mobile voice and text revenues posed by free over-the-top (OTT) apps, such as WhatsApp and Skype, as well as increased use of YouTube and social media apps like Twitter…

Interview

Innovative approaches: OBG talks to Khaled Biyari, Group CEO, Saudi Telecom Company (STC)
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Interview: Khaled Biyari With fixed-line telecoms declining and mobile penetration at the saturation point, what are telecoms firms doing to develop new revenue streams? KHALED BIYARI: Globally, telecoms operators’ revenues are stagnating, while the over-the-top providers (OTTPs), video, audio and other services that piggyback free on telecoms systems are gaining in number and popularity, making the traditional operators’ task much more difficult. As a result, telecoms providers have begun…

Analysis

Breaking boundaries: Businesses are beginning to merge IT and telecoms provision
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With the arrival of mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) targeting those with less to spend on telephony, the Kingdom’s larger operators are hoping to garner profits from contracts with more lucrative segments of the population including businesses and corporate clients. Their strategy is driven in part by the Saudi government’s expansive budgetary stance and its continued spending on major infrastructure projects, which create the need for additional and improved telecoms and ICT networks.…

Overview

Special services: Large players and small start-ups alike compete for business
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Spending on smart cities, smart hospitals and smart schools looks set to continue in 2015, with the Kingdom’s budget showing the government is committed to major upgrades to infrastructure and services despite the fall in oil revenues. According to research and analysis firm Interactive Development Company, spending on ICT products in the Kingdom will exceed $36bn in 2015 as consumers acquire the latest generation of smartphones and government bodies and businesses invest in third platform technologies…

Analysis

Cloud atlas: Storing data off site is set to get easier
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Cloud computing could be one of the keys that will help create a smarter and more efficient Saudi Arabia. However, the authorities recognise that any plans for cloud technology need to be balanced with national security concerns. When the Ministry of Interior chaired a meeting to discuss the implications of the cloud in November 2014, it invited the Ministry of National Guard, the Ministry of Defence and Aviation, the Presidency of the Royal Guard and the General Intelligence Presidency, as well…