ITC starts Saudi WiMax delivery

November 07, 2005

Trials are beginning this month in Saudi Arabia for what will be the Kingdom’s largest wireless broadband network.

The multimillion-dollar project, which is being implemented by Integrated Telecom Company (ITC), will also be the first such network in Saudi Arabia to be based on WiMax technology.

The network will be installed using a turnkey solution from Intracom and IP solutions from Cisco, and will be based on WiMax technology from Redline Communications.

ITC, which was set up last year and is a sister company of Saudi’s Orbit media firm, will provide high-speed wireless, voice, video and data services on a countrywide scale.

The first phase of the deployment will cost US$22 million and will be completed in April. It will involve the setting up of an infrastructure to support the network, including the installation of base stations and access points.

In the second phase, which will be completed in 2007, ITC will focus on establishing the metro Ethernet, voice capability and voice solutions on the network.

A rival service provided by Mobily does provide broadband access in four cities — Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Khubar and Dahran — following the telco’s deployment of Aperto Networks’ PacketWave broadband wireless systems in September.