In partnership with Huawei, Zain KSA has unveiled the Riyadh Antenna Platform—an innovative telecommunications solution tailored to meet Saudi Arabia’s unique market needs and support the country’s Vision 2030 digital transformation goals.
Named after the Saudi capital, the Riyadh Antenna is designed to leverage recent advances following the Communications, Space and Technology Commission’s (CST) landmark Spectrum Auction. Zain KSA secured 30 MHz in the 600 MHz band, expanding licensed spectrum by 27% and positioning Saudi Arabia as the leading G20 nation in sub-6 GHz frequency allocation.
The Riyadh Antenna departs from traditional flat panel antennas through its compact cylindrical design, which reduces the Effective Projected Area (EPA) by 30% to 60%, minimizing wind load and enabling deployment in locations previously limited by structural constraints. This also lowers reinforcement costs and accelerates network rollouts.
By integrating multiple antenna arrays into a sleek 2.0-meter form factor—smaller than conventional 2.6-meter panels—the platform maximizes coverage and capacity without increasing the physical footprint, ideal for urban, space-constrained environments.
Enhanced with Antenna Information Sensor Unit (AISU) and Remote Azimuth Steering (RAS), operators can remotely adjust antenna orientation in both vertical and horizontal dimensions, a significant upgrade over traditional antennas allowing only vertical tilting. This capability reduces maintenance costs and boosts operational efficiency.
Eng. Mohammed Al Nujaidi, CTO at Zain KSA, stated, “The Riyadh Antenna Platform highlights Saudi Arabia’s leadership in telecom innovation and supports Vision 2030 by delivering exceptional digital experiences for our customers.”
Andy Sun, President of Huawei’s Antenna Business Unit, added, “Huawei is committed to collaborating with Zain KSA to drive intelligent network evolution through energy-efficient, digitally capable, and easy-to-deploy antenna solutions.”
The Riyadh Antenna exemplifies the shared vision of Zain KSA and Huawei to deploy advanced, sustainable telecom infrastructure that accelerates Saudi Arabia’s digital future.
