STC (Saudi Telecom Company), the main telecommunications carrier in Saudi Arabia has planned to conduct an end-to-end Long Term Evolution (LTE) trial in the second half of 2010. This trial will enable STC to test the performance of LTE-based services and assess the related business models.

This pre-commercial LTE network is expected to complete its roll out by the end of 2010, covering major metropolitan areas such as Riyadh and Dammam. The network has been tailored to improve user experience, decrease cost per bit and increase spectrum efficiency.

“As a major operator, STC is committed to providing its customers superior service. It is clear to us that LTE has evolved to being more than just a promising technology,” said Dr. Zeyad Al-Otaibi, STC’s vice president Networks, in March. "We are glad to start the deployment of the 4G/LTE technology so that all our customers will be the first in the Middle East and North Africa to benefit from the new chain of high speed broadband services." said Dr. Ziad Al-Otaibi earlier.

In the last few years, STC has gone beyond its local borders to the international markets, forming a network of businesses and investments in a number of GCC countries, Asia & Africa. The company has now foot print in Kuwait, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Turky and South Africa which has enabled STC to serve a greater number of its customers which the company seeks to increase internationally through studying and evaluation of potential investment opportunities in the future in line with FORWARD Strategy.

Speed test of 4G service of Saudi Telecom LTE at GITEX 2010 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, speed sometimes reaching about 100 MB