STC Expands 5G Network for Hajj Season

Saudi operator STC has deployed its 5G network at 196 sites around the holy sites in Medina and Mecca in order to provide telecom services to pilgrims and local businesses. STC said it will be offering many services, technologies and digital solutions in the Hajj season (9–14 August).

The company also provided 230 vehicles for network technical support, along with 55 maintenance centers and 50 emergency technical teams, working around the clock to serve pilgrims and various sectors operating in the pilgrimage. STC has provided more than 190 service centers across airports, pilgrim accommodations and points of sale, which are equipped with electronic recharge technology, as well as 20 sales platforms.

We have written on several occasions about religiously-targeted promotions from mobile operators, including for the Muslim pilgrimage season of Hajj in Saudi Arabia. However, those have always been plan-based promotions involving free or discounted service packages for the duration of the Hajj, including roaming.

This one from STC represents something different, a major technological enhancement aimed at facilitating communication for masses of pilgrims from all over the world. The extreme density of the crowds at Mecca and Medina during this special event places a major demand on network infrastructure, so investing in building a support structure for it will benefit users while gaining positive feedback for the operator.

While many of the users will not be candidates to be STC subscribers after the Hajj is over, some will, and those could easily be added to the operator’s market share. Beyond that, though, simply advertising its expertise in the cutting-edge 5G technology will constitute an advantage for the operator.

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