Riyadh - Sharikat Mubasher: Saudi Arabia is rapidly building a world-class digital infrastructure, encompassing high-speed internet and advanced 5G networks, to establish itself as a global technology leader and achieve Vision 2030's economic diversification and digital transformation goals.  

Broadband connectivity, or high-speed internet, plays a pivotal role in boosting Saudi Arabia’s national economy and fostering comprehensive development for both large companies and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), Mohamad Khawaja, Founding Partner of Fikr Ventures, stated in an interview with Asharq Business.

Khawaja highlighted that statistics from the World Bank and other global entities indicate that cities with high-speed internet can achieve 1.1x higher gross domestic product (GDP) than those with low-speed internet, while SMEs' income can increase by 20%. He further urged investors and startups to prioritize advancing broadband connectivity in Saudi Arabia.

It is worth mentioning that Saudi Arabia is the first country in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), or the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Region 1, to assign capacity in the 600 MHz band. The 600 MHz is widely used in North America and is partly responsible for the high 5G availability in the region.