The latest Mobile Economy Report for MENA launches at Mobile 360 Riyadh to show 5G momentum across the region
17 May 2022, Riyadh: Saudi Arabia is a regional leader in the rollout of 5G, according to the GSMA's Mobile Economy Report for the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) 2022, launching today at Mobile 360 Riyadh. The two-day conference hosted by the GSMA is the first in-person gathering of the telecoms industry in the MENA region since before the pandemic.
Mobile 360 Riyadh is being hosted at the Hilton Riyadh Hotel in partnership with stc, a Saudi digital enabler in the region, bringing together policymakers, regulatory authorities and leaders from the connectivity industry to discuss the future of the region's digital transformation.
A varied agenda and speaker line-up explores the rapid digital investment plans in Saudi Arabia under the guidance of Vision 2030, the kingdom's strategic framework designed to diversify its economy and develop sectors such as health, education, infrastructure, recreation, and tourism.
With the MENA region set to unleash the power of digital connectivity and become a leading centre for business, innovation, and entertainment - Mobile 360 Riyadh has arrived at the perfect time. The event will explore how technology will shape the future, create a sustainable industry, and examine what is next for mobile connectivity.
Saudi Arabia becomes the region's digital hub
The Mobile Economy Report for MENA sits at the heart of this year's event, encapsulating how mobile networks have been critical in supporting recovery from the pandemic; how mobile technologies continue to make a significant contribution to MENA's economy; and how sustainability and security are priorities for network transformation.
The report also explores how Saudi Arabia has evolved into a digital hub and a leader in the regional transition to 5G, a position enabled by positive regulation, government funding and projects such as stc's MENA HUB - a $1 billion investment in regional connectivity and infrastructure that will support Saudi Arabia's rapidly expanding digital and cloud sector.
The report's findings show:
4G dominates but is expected to peak in 2023 as consumers transition to 5G.
There are now more than 15 million 5G connections in the MENA region across eight countries.
By 2025, 5G will account for nearly a fifth of total mobile connections in MENA.
The number of mobile internet users in MENA exceeded 300 million in 2021.
In Saudi Arabia, 60 of the 136 governates were covered by 5G services as of mid-2021, up from 30 just one year earlier.
In addition, stc and Zain have deployed commercial 5G Stand Alone (SA) networks in Saudi Arabia - stc has also launched 5G SA in Kuwait - giving the ability to address demanding enterprise use cases and scale solutions more effectively.
Since the emergence of Covid-19, mobile networks have been instrumental in providing the connectivity needed to sustain social and economic activity. Now, a priority for governments in MENA is to drive economic recovery and promote sustainable development, said Mats Granryd, Director General, GSMA. The attendees of Mobile 360 Riyadh will gain first-hand insights into the rapid digital investment and plans taking place in Saudi Arabia, under the guidance of Vision 2030. They will also see how digital services and technologies will be crucial to realising this vision, by stimulating economic growth, mobilising the workforce, and enabling industrial efficiencies.
Attendees will hear how innovation and vision will ensure the power of 5G is fully exploited and how the growth of use cases and services across a range of industries needs to be supported by robust connectivity. These topics will be explored across the conference's key themes: Expanding the Boundaries of Technology; Urban Innovation in Action; and Digital Policies for a Digital Future. Additional debates include a discussion on What Next for the Mobile Sector and dedicated sessions on FinTech, Smart Cities, Spectrum and Sustainability.
Mobile 360 Riyadh is supported by a valued network of partners and sponsors including host sponsor stc; platinum sponsor Neom; gold sponsors Cisco and Ericsson; silver sponsors Evina and Huawei; and bronze sponsors Digis Squared, Ookla, Protei, PXS, SES, Syniverse, Technotree and Viavi.
For more information visit www.mobile360series.com/riyadh. You can also follow developments on Twitter @GSMA using the hashtag #Mobile360 or www.facebook.com/Mobile360Series.
-ENDS-
About GSMA
The GSMA is a global organisation unifying the mobile ecosystem to discover, develop and deliver innovation foundational to positive business environments and societal change. Our vision is to unlock the full power of connectivity so that people, industry, and society thrive. Representing mobile operators and organisations across the mobile ecosystem and adjacent industries, the GSMA delivers for its members across three broad pillars: Connectivity for Good, Industry Services and Solutions, and Outreach. This activity includes advancing policy, tackling today's biggest societal challenges, underpinning the technology and interoperability that make mobile work, and providing the world's largest platform to convene the mobile ecosystem at the MWC and M360 series of events.
We invite you to find out more at gsma.com
Media Contacts
GSMA Press Office
pressoffice@gsma.com
Like what you read? Share.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
09/10/2026
September 10 2026, 06:00 (PDT) Dolby Expands Dolby OptiView Platform with New Capabilities at IBC 2026
New Sports Intelligence helps providers better unders...
08/10/2026
Modern venues have come a long way since the tinny, echoing audio of the mid 20t...
08/10/2026
ESPN's first Super Bowl production will stream in English and Spanish on Disney+, while the ESPN App carries the full slate of game, ManningCast, studio, an...
08/10/2026
From high-school videoboards to War Eagle Productions, the Opelika native is learning how to lead shows and capture big moments
The future of live sports produ...
08/10/2026
The Television Academy and Prime Video have announced a six-year agreement making Prime Video the exclusive global home of the Emmy Awards beginning with the 20...
08/10/2026
Techex will exhibit at NAB Show New York 2026 (Booth 623, Javits Center, October...
08/10/2026
X Games has announced the appointment of Steve Rogers as Chief Operating Officer. Rogers previously served as COO of World Supercross and spent nearly a decade ...
08/10/2026
Fonn Group has appointed Trevor Spielmann as Sales Director for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Spielmann joins from EVS, where he held sales and business de...
08/10/2026
The flagship program will originate from major PG events with a four-camera production, live distribution across PGTV, social platforms
Perfect Game is bringin...
08/10/2026
Innovation rarely happens in a vacuum. More often, it happens at the point of collision: when worlds that have run on separate tracks begin to converge. That is...
08/10/2026
For decades, the production and broadcast services business has run on a familia...
08/10/2026
Uplynk, Zixi, BroadView Software, and Grass Valley have published The IP Converg...
08/10/2026
The NFL has announced the return of the Big Data Bowl, the league's analytics competition, now in its ninth year and again powered by AWS. Registration is o...
08/10/2026
Eutelsat has renewed its partnership with T l diffusion d'Alg rie (TDA), Algeria's national broadcasting network operator, for continued distribution of...
08/10/2026
Disney will livestream Super Bowl LXI on February 14, 2027, alongside the game's broadcast on ESPN and ABC. All Disney subscribers in the United States wi...
08/10/2026
RHStv and Red House Streaming have announced an expansion of their partnership w...
08/10/2026
Gray Media has announced a distribution agreement with TEGNA and DAZN to simulca...
08/10/2026
SVG readers can save 10% on registration and receive a complimentary Solutions H...
08/10/2026
PROTON Camera Innovations GmbH has been named a recipient of a 2026 Technology a...
08/10/2026
Industry leaders discuss real-world cloud workflows for live game production, pl...
08/10/2026
The next-gen audio technology joins Dolby Vision as part of Apple TV's immersive F1 experience...
08/10/2026
David France, Jesse Short Bull, Mato Wayuhi, N. Bird Runningwater, Jodi Archambau, Jhane Myers, Paul McGuire, Amber Morning Star Byars, Holly Macarro, Nick Tils...
08/10/2026
Dynamic panning plug-ins get an upgrade
Sound Particles have just announced major updates for two of their popular dynamic panning plug-ins. Energy Panner 2...
08/10/2026
New expandable instrument boasts full DMNO engine
UDO Audio have just announced the upcoming release of a new, expandable synth that packs the power of the ...
08/10/2026
Two new subwoofers added to monitoring line-up
ADAM Audio's monitoring range has just been expanded with two new DSP-equipped subwoofers, the Sub8 PRO a...
08/10/2026
eds3_5_jq(document).ready(function($) { $(#eds_sliderM519).chameleonSlider_2_1({ content_source:......
08/10/2026
Calrec gives broadcasters freedom of choice at NAB Show New York We're looking forward to meeting up with you all at NAB New York on 21st-22nd October.
Cal...
08/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/10/2026
Globecast, a leading provider of broadcast, media and entertainment managed services, will showcase its next generation of media orchestration services at NAB S...
08/10/2026
Clear-Com played a critical role in the production communications infrastructure for Rock in Rio 2026, one of the world's largest and most recognized music...
08/10/2026
Sohonet Launches ClearView Rush: A Leap Forward in Studio Review, Built for Crea...
08/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/10/2026
Ikegami announces a major expansion to its range of broadcast-quality live production cameras. Scheduled for introduction on Ikegami booth 708 at NAB New York, ...
08/10/2026
Calrec will be located at Booth 444.
Freedom to choose
The media landscape is evolving quickly, and the broadcasters best placed for what comes next will be...
08/10/2026
LiveU has announced that CRD Audiovisuel relied on LiveUs LU900Q intelligent production unit, with built-in native LiveU IQ (LIQ ) connectivity, to deliver live...
08/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/10/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/10/2026
Marshall Electronics, a globally recognized provider of high-performance video solutions for broadcast, streaming, AV and professional production, will exhibit ...
08/10/2026
14-hour package also includes A Remarkable Place to Die season 2 as well as libr...
The latest Mobile Economy Report for MENA launches at Mobile 360 Riyadh to show 5G momentum across the region
