Saudi’s Diriyah seals wireless telecom networking deal with Salam, Tawal

Saudi’s Diriyah seals wireless telecom networking deal with Salam, Tawal

Saudi-based Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) said it has signed an agreement with Integrated Telecom Company (Salam) and Telecommunications Towers Company (Tawal) to provide telecoms services for the first phase of the Diriyah project, home to Unesco World Heritage Site.

The 15-year design, build and operate contract covers open-access services for visitors, tenants, and residents of Diriyah and fiber-optic connectivity for 2,000 plots in addition to key services in the Wadi Hanifah and Wadi Safar areas, said a statement from DGDA.

Work began on the construction of temporary towers last year in bid to provide telecommunications services during the construction phase, it stated.

One of the project’s most notable sustainability features is the shared use of each tower among all three primary Saudi mobile operators - STC, Mobily, and Zain - to minimize the number of towers required for coverage and their impact on the urban silhouette and landscape.

According to DGDA, the camouflaged towers will be used to blend in with the surrounding heritage and architectural design. The project will also include high-speed fiber optics, 4G and 5G wireless services, as well as a range of indoor solutions, it added.

As per the deal, more than 80 telecommunication towers are expected to be erected