Kuwaiti mobile telecommunication company Zain has announced that it has launched the first 5G roaming services in the Middle East and North African region. The services are now available in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
Zain launched its 5G services in Kuwait in the month of May, whereas in Saudi Arabia, the services were launched in the month of October. To date, Zain’s 5G deployment remains the largest network deployment in the region.
Bader Al Kharafi, Vice Chairman of Zain Saudi Arabia told the local media, “This momentous stride taken on our 5G journey reinforces our global position at the forefront of the implementation of this exciting technology. It is through the vision and support of the country’s leadership in markets such as Kuwait and Saudi Arabia that we can make such rapid progress in this nascent area, and in turn, expedite our 5G rollout in support of both the New Kuwait 2035 Vision and Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.”
He added, “We are transforming into a digital lifestyle provider and are confident that our early investment in 5G will help us consolidate this position and drive us to even greater heights.”
Zain currently provides its 5G services in 27 cities across Saudi Arabia. The telco recently added Ahad Rufaidah and Wadi Al Dawasir to the list. It also operates in eight markets across the Middle East and Africa.
Earlier this month, Zain also announced that it has decided to collaborate with Ericsson to develop its 5G network in Bahrain. The company is expected to launch 5G services in the country by the end of the year.