Technology giant Huawei and Saudi Arabian operator Zain KSA have announced the launch of the Riyadh Antenna Platform, which the partners describe as a groundbreaking innovation tailored to meet the unique needs of the Saudi telecommunications market.
The Riyadh Antenna Platform, named after the country’s capital, is said to represent a significant departure from traditional panel antennas. For example, unlike legacy panel antennas that are flat and large, the Riyadh Antenna leverages a cylindrical structure, decreasing the effective projected area (EPA) by 30% to 60%. This design minimises wind resistance, reducing the physical stress on sites and allowing deployment in areas previously restricted by high wind load concerns. Lower EPA also directly translates to reduced structural reinforcement costs and faster, more flexible deployments.
In addition the Riyadh Antenna integrates multiple antenna arrays within a single, sleek design, enhancing network coverage without increasing the antenna footprint, crucial for urban environments where site space is limited, helping operators maximise site utility without compromising performance.
Compact and space-efficient deployment reduces site rental costs but also simplifies deployment in space-constrained locations. In addition, it offers integrated antenna information sensor unit (AISU) and remote azimuth steering (RAS) capabilities, allowing operators to remotely monitor antenna performance and adjust the azimuth in both vertical and horizontal dimensions.
This two-dimensional beam adjustment is described as a breakthrough compared to traditional antennas, which typically allow only vertical tilting. Remote calibration reduces the need for on-site visits, lowering opex and improving maintenance efficiency.
Zain explains that this innovation comes in the wake of the recent landmark spectrum auction by the Saudi Arabian Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST), in which Zain KSA secured 30MHz in the 600MHz frequency band.
The auction increased total licensed frequencies for mobile networks by 27% to 1,400 MHz and, says Zain, positions Saudi Arabia as the leading G20 country in spectrum allocation below 6GHz. These developments, it adds, have paved the way for Huawei to introduce the Riyadh Antenna.
