King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah has entrusted Saudi Telecom Company (STC) to deploy state-of-the-art wireless network infrastructure from Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company.
STC now offers Wi-Fi services to spectators in King Abdullah International Stadium that has the capacity to reach up to 62,000 spectators.
Nasser S. Al-Nasser, SVP, technology and operations, STC, said: “As per Saudi Vision 2030, we are very pleased to offer world-class services to our customers enjoying sport events. Since its opening two years ago, King Abdullah International Stadium has been widely acclaimed and praised for its elegance, supported by STC’s 3G and 4G (LTE) networks. However, the popular demand for much faster Internet connectivity, prompted us to take the decision to deploy a high performance Wi-Fi network in order to offer high-speed Internet access to spectators.”
Al-Nasser added: “After evaluating the leading vendors, STC decided to opt for Aruba’s technology, due to its market leading capabilities based on 802.11ac product line, and due to the implementation partner, BMC, a local leader in the field.
The results of this deployment have been very positive. Spectators now use Wi-Fi to connect to the Internet rather than 3G/LTE networks. This offloads data traffic to Wi-Fi, while 3G/LTE capacity is spared for voice and other services, reducing network congestion. We have already received excellent comments and feedback from spectators as well as stadium officials about the high performance of the network”.
Alain Carpentier, EMEA VP, Aruba says: “We are thrilled to have won this prestigious project, continuing the close and strategic business association we have with STC. The 802.11ac Wi-Fi technology embedded into our high density access points and operated by our feature-rich software will enable spectators at the stadium to connect to a smart, secure, stable wireless network that will give them a world-class Wi-Fi experience.”
STC offers free Wi-Fi to King Abdullah Sports City Stadium spectators
STC offers free Wi-Fi to King Abdullah Sports City Stadium spectators
LuLu marks Founding Day with ‘Made in Saudi’ campaign
The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources honored LuLu Hypermarket in recognition of its pivotal role as the exclusive retail partner of the “Najoud Bikhairna 2026” initiative, commending its continued efforts in supporting and empowering national industries while showcasing the quality and competitiveness of locally manufactured products.
The initiative, led by the ministry in partnership with the Saudi Export Development Authority, represented by the Made in Saudi program, stands as a pioneering model of public-private sector collaboration in activating community-driven initiatives with sustainable impact. Through this program, more than 280,000 Saudi-made products were distributed to 10,000 families across various regions of the Kingdom during the holy month of Ramadan, reinforcing the presence of national products and strengthening the values of social solidarity among individuals and institutions alike.
The ministry’s recognition of LuLu Hypermarket coincided with the official launch of its Saudi Founding Day celebrations at the Dharat Laban branch in Riyadh, marked by the unveiling of a comprehensive promotional campaign dedicated to Saudi-made products. On this occasion, a wide range of special offers was introduced on local products, available across all LuLu Hypermarket branches throughout the Kingdom.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Mohammed bin Dayel, general supervisor of the Made in Saudi program at the Saudi Export Development Authority, and Mohamed Haris, director of LuLu Saudi Arabia, alongside members of LuLu’s executive management team. The event featured a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open the specially designed Founding Day gateway.
Following the inauguration, guests toured several dedicated zones and exhibitions highlighting national products. The tour commenced at the grocery and “Made in Saudi” consumer goods sections, showcasing the diversity and quality of local brands. It also included the “Made in Saudi” dates pavilion, presenting a premium selection of the finest locally sourced dates in celebration of one of the Kingdom’s most iconic national symbols.
The visit continued to the fruits and vegetables section under the theme “From Our Land,” featuring an exceptional assortment of Saudi agricultural products, reflecting the richness and excellence of the local agricultural sector. Guests also explored the LuLu private label corner, which features products exclusively manufactured within the Kingdom for LuLu, reaffirming the company’s commitment to supporting local manufacturing.
The tour concluded with a presentation of “Made in Saudi” products within the chilled and frozen categories, underscoring the rapid growth and qualitative advancement of the Kingdom’s food manufacturing sector, and further reinforcing the strong market position and competitiveness of Saudi products.
