ETIHAD Etisalat (Mobily) has signed an agreement with Ericsson to introduce 4G/LTE 1800 in the Western region and to transform and expand its 2G, 3G network for improved coverage and speed with the delivery of end-to-end network features (radio, core and service layer charging). Further, the network expansion and enhanced capacity will allow Mobily to address the additional traffic expected on its network during the Haj season. Mobily Chief Operations Officer Nasser Al Nasser said "we are building a world class mobile network in Saudi Arabia with upgrade and enhancements to our 2G, 3G and 4G access which will offer our customers an enormous coverage and speed improvement. We have a long history of partnership with Ericsson and through our joint strategic collaboration; we have been able to provide seamless network performance.” Overall, with the latest network, charging /policy features and the capacity expansions (GSM/LTE) that Mobily has procured, they are now in a position to address the “explosive” mobile broadband market and provide an enhanced end user experience to their increasing revenue generating customer base. Mobily continues to address the highly lucrative mobile broadband (MBB) arena. “As the uptake of smartphones increases in the Kingdom, so does the demand on connectivity and advanced services, and it becomes increasingly important to ensure that the network performs well in order to maintain subscribers' loyalty,” said Ali Eid, President of Ericsson, Saudi Arabia. “Mobily's strategic business objectives have always ensured that the company deploys the most advanced technology available in order to maintain subscribers' satisfaction. Armed with Ericsson's scalable and innovative solutions, Mobily will not only be able to accommodate the additional pressure on the network expected during Haj, but will also be able to provide subscribers with an enhanced mobile experience throughout the year.” — SG
