• The achievement underscores Nokia’s and stc’s commitment to developing the Cloud RAN market in the region.
• It paves the way for future mobile networks that are intelligent, programmable and autonomous. 
• The deployment is powered by Nokia’s market-leading Cloud RAN solution with Dell and Red Hat technologies.

📅 14 October 2025
📍 Makkah, BETH

💠 A Milestone for Regional Innovation

Nokia, in collaboration with stc, has achieved a regional first with the successful commercial deployment of 5G Non-Standalone (NSA) Cloud RAN in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
This achievement marks a significant milestone in stc’s journey to integrate Cloud RAN into its commercial network — paving the way toward future technologies such as 6G.

By leveraging Nokia’s Cloud RAN capabilities, stc aims to unlock the full potential of RAN cloudification, enabling network automation, programmability, and architectural flexibility while opening new possibilities for innovative services and use cases.

 Technology in Depth

The deployment utilizes Nokia’s advanced Cloud RAN solution, built on an Edge Cloud topology designed for scalability and agility.
Through Nokia’s anyRAN partner ecosystem, the solution integrates:

Dell PowerEdge XR8000 servers

Red Hat OpenShift platform

Nokia 7250 IXR switches

This configuration delivers superior scalability, flexibility, and operational efficiency, ensuring seamless interoperability between Cloud RAN and purpose-built RAN, supporting stc’s hybrid and future-proof network strategy.

Within the commercial cluster, Massive MIMO radios operating on the n78 band were connected to Nokia’s virtual Distributed Units (vDU) and virtual Centralized Units (vCU) — strategically placed across edge and far-edge data centers to minimize latency by bringing processing closer to end users.

Performance validation confirmed parity with Nokia’s industry-leading purpose-built RAN, demonstrating the maturity and commercial readiness of Cloud RAN.

 Executive Insights

Haitham AlFaraj, Group Chief Technology Officer, stc, stated:

“This deployment underscores stc's strategic vision to lead the evolution of Cloud RAN technologies — forming the foundation for digital transformation across the region. By prioritizing flexibility and scalability, stc is paving the way for AI-driven, adaptive, and intelligent networks.”

Mikko Lavanti, Senior Vice President, MEA Mobile Networks, Nokia, said:

“This milestone strengthens stc’s role as a driver of innovation and reinforces Saudi Arabia’s position as a key technological hub in the Middle East. Nokia’s anyRAN approach enables operators and enterprises to unlock the full potential of advanced, cloud-based, and open network topologies.”

Tibor Fabry-Asztalos, Senior Vice President, Telecom Systems Business, Dell Technologies, added:

“stc’s cloud network transformation, supported by Nokia and Red Hat, lays the foundation for the Middle East and Africa’s first 5G NSA Cloud RAN deployment — accelerating digital opportunities for businesses across the region.”

🌐 Strategic Significance

This deployment highlights Saudi Arabia’s growing role as a leader in digital infrastructure, aligning with the Kingdom’s broader Vision 2030 objectives to become a hub for innovation and technology in the Middle East.
By combining AI, edge computing, and cloud-native architectures, this initiative positions stc and Nokia at the forefront of the next evolution of network intelligence — where connectivity, automation, and data converge.

🔗 Additional Resources

Web Page: Nokia Cloud RAN

Solution Brief: Shaping the Future of Radio Networks

Solution Brief: Services for Commercial Delivery

 BETH Insight

This milestone is more than a technical leap — it is a structural shift in how networks will think, learn, and evolve.
By integrating AI-driven intelligence into the very fabric of telecom infrastructure, Saudi Arabia is not merely keeping pace with global innovation — it is helping define the next chapter of digital transformation in the region and beyond.