Zain Kuwait this week issued a press release announcing the deployment of ‘the first integrated 5G technology on its network’. Zain said it has invited customers ‘to experience 5G technology during the month and enjoy the high speeds that will be available in several prominent locations’, adding that it will ‘continue developing and expanding the 5G network gradually across Kuwait until [commercial] devices are available, expected during the course of 2019’. Zain Kuwait’s CTO Nawaf Al Gharabally said: ‘The fifth-generation services will provide a comprehensive change in the use of the Internet and will help introduce and deliver unique products and services in the business, smart cities, and internet sectors. The technology solutions will also meet the growing demand for data services.’
Also this week, rival Ooredoo Kuwait was reported to have deployed 5G network technology at its head office in Kuwait City. Ooredoo Kuwait CTO Shaimaa Al-Najdi disclosed that the operator has deployed equipment to deliver ‘up to 10Gbps’ data speeds in test sites, although adding that usage of the technology will depend on user device availability.