The Small Cells World Summit (SCWS) – Saudi Arabia 2024, held in Riyadh as part of the Connected World conference, showcased how small cell infrastructure is driving digital transformation across the Middle East. With the region pursuing ambitious smart city, industrial, and connectivity projects, the event highlighted the critical role of small cells in delivering scalable, energy-efficient, and future-ready networks.
Giga-Projects Fuelling Small Cell Growth
Across the Middle East, giga-projects are redefining the telecom landscape. From Saudi Arabia’s NEOM and Red Sea Project to UAE’s smart city initiatives, these mega-initiatives are driving advanced small cell deployments and private networks. The region’s focus on newly built cities and large-scale residential and leisure complexes is creating opportunities for pervasive indoor and outdoor connectivity powered by small cells.
Neutral Hosts and Venue Connectivity on the Rise
While the neutral host model is still in its early stages in the region, the summit revealed growing interest in shared infrastructure. With major events like the 2034 FIFA World Cup on the horizon, stadium connectivity was a key topic. The need for densified outdoor and venue networks to enhance visitor experiences is driving investment in small cells and Open RAN solutions.
Energy-Efficient and Sustainable Networks
The Middle East is making significant strides in sustainable telecom infrastructure. The Red Sea Global project in Saudi Arabia unveiled the world’s first carbon-neutral 5G network, powered by a 1.3GWh lithium microgrid. Meanwhile, hybrid solar-powered telecom towers are gaining momentum across the region, helping to reduce reliance on diesel-powered off-grid towers and promote green connectivity.
Data Centres and Edge Expansion
The summit also highlighted the growing role of data centres and edge infrastructure in the region’s digital strategy. With low-latency connectivity (as low as 30ms) and a rising demand for cloud and hyperscale services, the Middle East is becoming increasingly attractive to global and regional players. The combination of renewable energy and hyperscale data centres is expected to drive energy-efficient, resilient connectivity.
Conclusion
SCWS Saudi Arabia 2024 demonstrated that small cell infrastructure is at the heart of the Middle East’s digital transformation. From giga-projects and neutral hosts to green networks and edge expansion, small cells are enabling the region’s ambitious connectivity, sustainability, and smart city goals.
You can download the presentations from SCF's SCWS Saudi Arabia site here.
