FTTH broadband subscriptions doubled compared to pre-COVID-19 period: CITC

The number of fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) broadband subscriptions in Saudi Arabia increased by two-fold compared to the pre-COVID-19 period, SPA reported, citing the Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC).

This was driven by the FTTH high-speed internet packages, more options and high-quality services, in line with the healthcare, business and education applications.

Saudi Arabia reported a jump in fixed broadband services exceeding 69.86 Mbps, due to the increasing demand for FTTH during the pandemic outbreak.

The delivery of the fiber-optic infrastructure services to more than 3.5 million homes helped increase demand for higher internet speed and broadband packages, in line with the Saudi Vision 2030, and with the private sector contribution of SAR 15 billion.

This will in turn help accelerate the digital transformation process in the Kingdom and build a new digital community.

In July, the Saudi telecom regulator said that the open access agreement between the Kingdom's six telecom service providers entered into force. CITC clarified that the agreement will provide fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) broadband services through any subscriber-selected service provider, independent of infrastructure ownership, Argaam reported.