Bahrain among first countries to have comprehensive 5G coverage
BNA | Manama
The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com
Transportation and Telecommunication Minister Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed said that 5G nationwide coverage is almost achieved, having reached 95%.
"This achievement is an important milestone towards enhancing readiness for next-generation ICT services such as the Internet of Things, Machine-to-Machine communications and other emerging technologies," the minister said.
The latest achievement is another accomplishment during the prosperous era of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and under the directives and follow-up of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, he added.
"This achievement also solidifies Bahrain's position as a country that enjoys a robust and widely accessible fixed and wireless telecommunications infrastructure. It is part of the efforts to consolidate the Kingdom's digital economy, the development of the digital transformation process in all sectors, and the development of new sectors such as artificial intelligence. This should enable the communication and information technology sector to better support growth in all sectors of the economy and boost its contribution to economic growth," the minister told Bahrain News Agency (BNA).
He highlighted the importance of strengthening smart communication infrastructure and adopting regulations that would encourage innovation and investment in the promising telecommunications sector, especially since Bahrain is today among the first countries to provide 5G services on a large local scale in the world.
The telecommunication companies today have a prominent role in developing the sector and preparing it for a new information world with broader and more comprehensive features. The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority follows up the implementation of the projects with companies and ensures their readiness while ensuring an appropriate regulatory environment for the availability of modern technologies in Bahrain.
"We are continually striving to ensure that the Kingdom of Bahrain maintains its position among global leaders in this crucial sector. This includes ensuring the availability of ubiquitous national high-speed broadband, deploying commercial 5G services and enhancing readiness for next-generation ICT services such as the Internet of Things and Machine-to-Machine communications," the minister said.
The achievement of nationwide 5G coverage is a reflection of the government’s efforts and vision to put at the forefront of its priorities the availability of a robust and widely accessible digital infrastructure in the Kingdom. It will support the growth of the digital economy and enhance Bahrain’s readiness to harness the power of ICT and innovation for a more promising future, he added.
"We trust that the ability to generate, use, and ultimately export innovation will be central to the ambitions to grow and diversify our economy towards high value-added sectors such as content development and Artificial Intelligence (AI)."
The International Telecommunication Union ICT Development Index (IDI) has ranked Bahrain as the leader in the Arab world and 31st globally, which reflects the significant progress Bahrain has achieved in this sector since the liberalization of the telecommunications sector.
The telecom sector in Bahrain attracted a total investment of BD 787 million (over $2 billion) between 2009 and 2019 and the telecom sector GDP contribution was 3% (2019).
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