In a recent report, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) praised the remarkable and rapid development of the communications and information technology sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and considered the Communications and Information Technology Commission in the Kingdom as a regulator of the sector, a pioneering model in the shift towards classifying the regulators of the telecommunications and information technology sector within the more mature category (fifth generation 3), noting its success in facing and overcoming challenges at the highest levels of organizational maturity globally through the development of an ambitious strategy for the transformation towards a "digital regulator" that is in line with global trends in this field and contributes to supporting innovation and adopting emerging technologies, in addition to developing strategic axes to stimulate the digital economy .

The report also revealed that the Saudi Communications Authority worked cooperatively during the Corona pandemic, quickly and effectively with service providers to meet the increase in demand for access to data via the Internet with the increase in speed and capacities, and to provide operators with additional bands for the spectrum, pointing out that this rapid response has played a role. Important in enabling remote work, business continuity, and support for delivery applications, e-government services, education and telehealth throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

In its report, the Union stated that the global trend is centered around the global expansion of communications and information technology regulators, which focus on communications, to include neighboring sectors, noting in this context that the Saudi Communications Authority is among the advanced regulators by targeting neighboring sectors with the greatest potential that could be Affected by rapidly expanding technology developments, such as mobility, healthcare, manufacturing, energy, education, finance and retail trade.

It is noteworthy that the International Telecommunication Union ranks the level of maturity of the regulators of the telecommunications and information technology sector around the world, based on many criteria, starting with adherence to the policies of partial liberalization and privatization in the telecommunications and information technology sector, and the empowerment of investment and innovation, before reaching the highest ranks of the "fifth generation" classification, which Organizers bring together the owners of integrated organizations that work to foresee and keep pace with the accelerating digital future.

The report pointed out that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia gives priority to the rapid growth of its communications and information technology sector and seeks sustainable economic diversification as part of its 2030 vision. It pointed out that the adoption of the vision in one of its axes for the strategy of a "thriving digital economy" has contributed to strengthening the efforts of the sector regulator. To protect the beneficiaries by providing reliable services, while ensuring fair competition and striking a balance between the diverse needs of multiple stakeholders.

The report pointed out that the past two years have witnessed a qualitative development at the level of powers of the sector regulator in the Kingdom, describing this as being able to keep pace with the rapid changes in the global sector.

The report revealed that the telecommunications and information technology sector in the Kingdom, as in the rest of the world, faced challenges at the level of the regulatory environment, but it faced a series of qualitative initiatives, including encouraging investment and developing infrastructure while ensuring access to high-quality services, as 15 billion US dollars were invested in Digital infrastructure, including achieving key deployment stages of network infrastructure and quality, adding that mobile broadband download speeds reached 77.55 Mbps in August 2020, and mobile phone coverage increased to 99% of the population for the third generation and 94% for the generation the fourth.