LIVE FROM GSMA MOBILE 360-MIDDLE EAST: STC’s deployment of LTE technology is enabling it to address some of the shortcomings with its 3G network, explained Sacha Dudler, Advisor Group CEO for the Saudi Arabian operator.

“3G has a little bit of an issue, I think all the operators are aware, that there is a challenge when it comes to achieving a substantial indoor coverage for 3G. So 4G at 1.8GHz helps us fill in these gaps quite nicely,” he said.

STC has deployed FDD-LTE in the 1.8GHz band, which has some technical benefits over the higher-frequency spectrum used for its 3G services – especially in terms of coverage.

And Dudler said that since its launch, supported by devices including smartphones from Apple and Samsung, “we’ve seen a very good uptake in data on LTE, so on the 1.8GHz side it’s already paying off nicely.”

STC also has a TD-LTE network using 2.3GHz frequencies, which is being used to provide fixed-line alternative services, following a launch two years ago.

“At that time we were a little bit concerned because this spectrum was not that popular, but we see now China, Russia, and India are also using this to some extent, which makes sure that handsets are available,” the executive said.

While noting that it is still early days, Dudler said that STC is comfortable with its position “for the next 18 to 24 months, where we feel we can manage within the given spectrum landscape, we can manage with the incredible uptake we see today, and not having fully optimised our network”.

However, he also said that “going forward has to be with a collaborative approach, with the vendors and also the governments, to make sure that the spectrum is there – spectrum itself is not the answer, but it helps”.