stc Group and Huawei have announced what they describe as the world’s first commercial deployment of a Multi-Band Multi-Beam (MB²) microwave solution in Saudi Arabia, aimed at increasing network capacity and simplifying the expansion of 5G infrastructure.
The deployment comes as Saudi Arabia continues to expand its 5G network, driving higher base station density and increased mobile data traffic. According to the companies, the MB² solution enables a single antenna to operate across eight microwave frequency bands, from 13 GHz to 38 GHz, while supporting up to 10 transmission directions from the same antenna.
By replacing multiple conventional antennas with a single unit, the solution can reduce antenna numbers by up to 90 percent, helping operators save tower space, reduce structural load and lower site rental costs. It is also designed to simplify site deployment and reduce the total cost of ownership.
The initial commercial deployment connected three transmission directions. After the first link was established, the second and third links were completed in approximately 20 minutes each, compared with around three hours per link using conventional microwave systems. The companies said the links continued operating under temperatures of up to 50°C and strong wind conditions.
The system also allows additional transmission directions, up to a total of 10, to be activated without installing new antennas, providing additional capacity as network demand grows.
According to stc Group and Huawei, the deployment strengthens their long-standing partnership and supports continued upgrades to Saudi Arabia’s telecommunications infrastructure. The companies said the technology is intended to help operators address the increasing backhaul requirements created by the continued rollout of 5G services across the Kingdom.
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