Huawei and Zain KSA Unveil Groundbreaking Riyadh Antenna for Vision 2030

Malaz Madani

Last updated 3-07-2025

3 min

Zain KSA and Huawei unveil the Riyadh Antenna Platform, a leap in Saudi telecoms infrastructure.

The sleek, compact antenna reduces wind load and installation hassle, fitting urban constraints perfectly.

Recent spectrum purchase boosts Saudi's sub-6 GHz allocation, leading the G20 group.

Remote adjustments via Antenna Information Sensor Unit and Remote Azimuth Steering reduce maintenance costs.

Aligned with Vision 2030, it enhances digital experiences and supports startup growth in telecoms.

Saudi telecom giant Zain KSA and Huawei have just pulled back the curtain on what they're calling the Riyadh Antenna Platform—and I reckon it's quite an impressive leap for Saudi Arabia's telecom infrastructure. It's all about embracing cutting-edge tech to align perfectly with the kingdom’s sweeping Vision 2030 ambitions.

Named after the bustling capital city, the Riyadh Antenna isn’t your typical telecom kit. Gone is the old-school bulky antenna panel, replaced instead by a sleek cylinder-shaped structure. This clever design choice significantly slashes wind load, shrinking the antenna’s Effective Projected Area by anywhere from 30 to 60 percent. That's quite a smart move—anyone who's tried (and failed!) to install tech equipment knows it can be a bit of a faff dealing with structural constraints in cramped urban spaces.

What's more, this compact model packs quite a punch in terms of power and capability, thanks to integrating multiple antenna arrays into a nifty 2-meter package. To put that into perspective, standard panels usually clock in at about 2.6 meters long. This smaller footprint means it’s spot on for urban installations, making it possible to roll out faster and at lower costs too.

Behind this clever tech is a timely spectrum purchase Zain KSA bagged recently—to the tune of 30 MHz on the 600 MHz band, following the Communications, Space and Technology Commission’s (CST) recent Spectrum Auction. It bumps Saudi's sub-6 GHz frequency allocation to the top among the G20 group. Pretty impressive, isn’t it?

There’s more: the Riyadh Antenna features an Antenna Information Sensor Unit (AISU) and Remote Azimuth Steering (RAS)—quite a fancy way of saying technicians can easily adjust the antenna remotely in both horizontal and vertical dimensions. Say goodbye to high maintenance costs and time-consuming manual tweaks—this remote capability will surely keep operational headaches at bay.

Zain KSA’s CTO, Eng. Mohammed Al Nujaidi, summed up neatly when he said the platform spotlights Saudi Arabia's innovative strength, lining up perfectly with Vision 2030 by delivering top-notch digital experiences for users. And Huawei’s Antenna Business Unit president, Andy Sun, echoed the sentiment, emphasising Huawei's dedication to working alongside Zain KSA on intelligent, energy-efficient, and conveniently deployed antenna solutions.

At Arageek, we’re chuffed to bits whenever we see groundbreaking ventures like this giving startups a boost—especially in telecoms, where clear, fast connectivity is basically lifeblood for entrepreneurs. Well... I mean, without reliable infrastructure, how would any region attract ambitious startups and entrepreneurs ready to shape the future?

Mind you, only time will tell if this newfangled Riyadh Antenna lives up to its promises. But as far as initial signs go, Saudi and Huawei seem to be onto a good thing.

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