Zain, a pioneer in mobile telecommunications in 8 markets across the Mena, has partnered with leading global ICT solutions provider Huawei to launch a commercial LTE 1800 MHz network in Kuwait.

The network is the largest of its kind in the region and marks a major step for the development of the region’s mobile broadband market, said a statement from Zain.

Zain and Huawei expanded their LTE partnership after the successful deployment of GSM and UMTS networks in Kuwait. On November 21, Zain launched LTE services under the banner of “Wiyana Connect LTE”.

The newly-built LTE network supports CSFB (circuit switched fallback) technology for voice over LTE (VoLTE) services. Download speeds in the field have now been shown to exceed 90 Mbps, said a statement from the Kuwaiti company.

The new LTE network enables a wide variety of high-performance mobile applications and multimedia including video conferencing, high-definition content transmissions, high-speed video downloads, and social networking platforms, it stated.

These seamless mobile services, made possible by both the existing GSM/UMTS and new LTE networks, provide Zain’s subscribers with an unparalleled mobile broadband experience, the statement added.

Zain has also partnered with Huawei to provide diversified LTE smart devices, including smart phones, routers, hotspot MiFi and dongles. The  partnership also includes agreements on various series of products, solutions, and services for terminal, radio access, core network operation and management.

Commenting on the launch, Zain Kuwait CEO Omar Al Omar said, "We are building a world class mobile network in Kuwait with GSM, UMTS, and LTE access to offer our customers an enormous coverage and speed improvement. We have selected Huawei as long-term strategic partner."

"We believe that Huawei's innovative solutions and rich commercial experience will enable our customers to enjoy an incomparable mobile broadband experience," he added.

Shi Yaohong, the president of Huawei Middle East, said: “Our successful wireless partnership with Zain for GSM, UMTS, and now LTE demonstrates the effectiveness of Huawei’s SingleRAN solution in helping operators manage the challenges of operating multiple networks and while meeting growing mobile broadband demands."

"We are committed to being the best business partner possible for our customers worldwide, and will remain focused on customer-centric innovation to do this," remarked Yaohong.

In addition to the current LTE agreement, the two companies have partnered on numerous occasions over the past several years including a 2011 agreement for Managed Services as Huawei contributes to cost improvements, efficiency and reliability of the operator’s network.-TradeArabia News Service