Huawei Helps Zain KSA Launch First 5G LAN in MENA Region
During the MWC22 conference in Barcelona, Zain KSA and Huawei jointly announced the first and unique 5G LAN network in the Middle East and North Africa.
5G LAN or Local Area Network is one of the most promising technologies, being able to face the three types of needs regarding enterprise network communication such as flexible interoperability, convenient management, and reliable communication.
This development means that Zain KSA is capable of commercial deployment and large-scale duplication of private 5G networks; therefore, it can bring more diverse digital services to the local 5G to B-market.
It is worth noting that the fifth-generation technology became an essential part of the global Information and Communications Technology (ICT) infrastructure, which accelerates the digital transformation of industries and creates specific challenges.
For example, industrial terminals convey at Layer 2 via a LAN in industrial networks, while Augmented Reality (AR) is needed for network protocol conversion and interconnection to implement wireless communication.
It is worth mentioning that layer 2 frames are decoded and encoded into bits ready to put onto the Physical Layer, the physical wire.
This establishes a network architecture that is more complex, and increases maintenance costs and operation.
In addition, this means Zain KSA is capable of commercial deployment and large-scale replication of 5G private networks to bring more diversified digital services to the local 5GtoB market, said the Chinese multinational technology corporation in a press statement.
The two companies swapped ideas on promoting the maturity of 5G LAN and MEC technologies and developing replicable scenario-based solutions to bring a high-quality experience and innovative services to enterprises.
Zain KSA’s CTO Abdulrahman bin Hamad AlMufadda said: “We will focus on exploring the new technology capability, such as 5G LAN, backed by our partnerships with the tech leader Huawei, on achieving our objectives in promoting economic growth and sustainable development, in line with Saudi Vision 2030.”
ARs are needed for network protocol conversion and interconnection in order to implement wireless communication.
This process will make the network architecture more complex, and increase Operation and Maintenance (O&M) costs, whilst the ways to simplify the network architecture are challenging the industry, the release said.
Huawei and Zain will continue to explore the MEC field and promote the deep integration of 5G and industry technologies. The two parties will work with local partners to energize the 5G MEC ecosystem, helping businesses transform, upgrade, and boost the digital economy.