The Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST) held the “ICT Indicators Forum 2023” in Saudi Arabia under the patronage of Eng. Abdullah Al-Sawaha, Minister of Communications and Information Technology and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the CST. During the forum, the CST announced that the value of the ICT market in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia reached SAR154 billion in 2022, making it the largest and fastest-growing digital economy in the MENA region.
Dr. Mohammed Al-Tamimi, Governor of the CST, revealed that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s total capital investment in digital infrastructure exceeded SAR93 billion over the past six years, which has led to a significant improvement in the quality of services. Dr. Al-Tamimi said, “Mobile internet speeds have doubled to 181 Mbps, 11 times the previous speeds and double the global average, making the Kingdom one of the top 10 countries for mobile internet speed”.
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Dr. Al-Tamimi also mentioned that the CST launched high-speed internet service in 21,000 villages and immigration areas in various regions of the Kingdom, ensuring the continuity of communication services for more than 5 million people and confirming the development of the communications and technology system in the Kingdom. He also stated that 5G coverage in the Kingdom has increased to 53%, while in Riyadh, it has exceeded 94%. Fibre optics coverage has reached 3.7 million Saudi homes.
Moreover, Dr. Al-Tamimi emphasized that the subscription rate for mobile communications in Saudi Arabia has reached 172% of the population and the average daily mobile internet data consumption per individual in the Kingdom has reached over 1200MB, three times the global average.
The CST has also collaborated with the Transport General Authority and the National Regulations Committee to issue 12 approvals for 26 brands that provide connected vehicle services. The CST has launched the experimental regulatory environment for emerging technologies to support entrepreneurs and innovators, creating a flexible environment that balances innovation and regulation.
