The Saudi Telecom Co. (STC), the main telecommunications carrier in Saudi Arabia, has tasked Alcatel-Lucent to conduct an end-to-end Long Term Evolution (LTE) trial, to begin in the second half of 2010. This trial will enable STC to test the performance of LTE-based services and assess the related business models.
Alcatel-Lucent will be leveraging its industry-leading LTE expertise to provide an end-to-end integrated solution including LTE base stations (eNodeBs), the Evolved Packet Core (EPC), IP service routing network elements as well as operation, administration and maintenance (OAM) systems. The company will also provide a range of professional services including project management, planning, installation, integration and commissioning, and testing.
"As a major operator, STC is committed to providing its customers superior service. It is clear to us that LTE has evolved to being more than just a promising technology," said Zeyad Al-Otaibi, STC's Vice President Networks. "As STC and Alcatel-Lucent are both on the edge of innovation, we are confident that this trial will help us fulfil our customers' needs for innovative mobile broadband services."
Amr El Leithy, head of Alcatel-Lucent's activities in Africa and the Middle East, commented, "This trial is a major step in the adoption of LTE technology in the Middle East. STC can count on our technical leadership and transformation expertise to unleash LTE's full business potential."