LIVE FROM MOBILE 360 MIDDLE EAST: Mobile operators can play a key role in digitising Saudi Arabia, according to STC chairman and managing director Abdulaziz Al-Sugair, who explained what his company is doing to address emerging trends.

Speaking in a keynote session, Al-Sugair said that while voice still makes up the majority of STC’s revenue, “clearly we know where it’s heading”, with data consumption becoming increasingly “aggressive”.

STC has taken note of trends in its home market and is positioning itself to serve these needs, according to Al-Sugair. “We are putting our money where our mouth is,” he noted.

The company is working with the Saudi government to put mobile-enabled health and education services in place and to help deliver the goal of creating jobs for citizens.

The STC chief said that changes to healthcare services in Saudi Arabia mean there is a shortage of medical professionals and facilities, meaning more efficient ways of providing healthcare, such as eHealth, need to be developed. “We have a huge challenge in healthcare,” he noted.

The company is also looking to develop remote learning services to enable teachers in the country’s urban hubs to teach children in rural villages in an interactive way.

The company now has 85 per cent LTE coverage in most cities in Saudi Arabia, and also provides the infrastructure to support the development of smart city projects.

“Smart cities are now something that is picking up. The approach we’re looking at is to get the best network we can, both geographically and technically,” Al-Sugair explained.