Petroleum and natural gas firm, Aramco, has collaborated with Qualcomm Technologies in order to enhance connectivity, artificial intelligence and advanced computing technologies for industrial use cases in Saudi Arabia.
This collaboration aims to speed the development of the industrial 4G/5G and non-terrestrial networks (NTN) ecosystem, which includes 450MHz cellular technologies. It will also focus on designing hardware, software, and services to accelerate the adoption of end-to-end IoT solutions for industrial and enterprise use cases.
Nakul Duggal, group GM of automotive, industrial and embedded IoT, and cloud computing at Qualcomm Technologies, said: “Through our collaboration with Aramco, we aim to develop advanced end-to-end IoT solutions that address the unique needs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and pave the way to showcase what state-of-the-art and sustainable digital transformation in the industrial space can look like. With our broad technology portfolio, we are in a unique position and look forward to being a key partner to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as they accelerate their industrial digital transformation.”
Nabil A. Al-Nuaim, SVP of digital and information technology at Aramco, emphasised the importance of this partnership, stating that Aramco is eager to advance its collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies to drive digital transformation on a global scale. The two businesses hope to establish benchmarks in industrial IoT applications and AI, improving operational efficiencies and supporting long-term growth across a variety of industries around the world.
Al-Nuaim further highlighted Aramco’s commitment to developing innovative, cutting-edge solutions through initiatives like the Saudi Accelerated Innovation Lab (SAIL), saying, “Through initiatives like SAIL, we are committed to developing innovative, cutting-edge solutions that establish new standards for industrial innovation worldwide, thereby driving technological advancement.”
Durga Malladi, SVP and GM, technology planning and edge solutions at Qualcomm Technologies, emphasised the power of cellular technology, high-performance computing and AI in elevating industrial IoT solutions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This plan includes the use of the 450MHz spectrum to provide ubiquitous and resilient coverage necessary to connect the millions of intelligent edge devices poised to come online.
As stated earlier, Aramco has been actively pursuing partnerships this year to accelerate their digital transformation ambitions. In January, Aramco Digital and Intel announced plans to create Saudi Arabia’s first Open RAN (O-RAN) development centre. This collaboration intends to speed the development and implementation of O-RAN technologies, demonstrating Saudi Arabia’s commitment to building a strong communications infrastructure that will promote digital transformation across a variety of vertical industries.
Under the agreement, Aramco Digital will provide in-depth knowledge of the Kingdom’s development needs and ambitions. They will also offer opportunities for the application of O-RAN technology and insights into the Kingdom’s economic landscape. Intel, on the other hand, will contribute its expertise in O-RAN technologies. The new O-RAN development centre is scheduled to start operations this year.
Then, in April, Aramco and chip maker GCT Semiconductor inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen the country’s 4G and 5G ecosystems by developing mission-critical and public safety networks. While the financial terms and duration of the MoU were not disclosed, GCT stated that the collaboration will centre on designing and co-developing chipsets and modules for LTE, 5G, and NTN spectrum to “support the localisation of wireless end-user devices and IoT manufacturing.”
John Schlaefer, CEO of GCT Semiconductor, highlighted that the partnership focuses on “future-focused, AI-driven modem features”. This aligns with the company’s recent appointment of Nelson C. Chan to its Board of Directors in March, citing his “deep understanding” of 5G and AI technologies, demonstrating GCT Semiconductor’s dedication to improving its AI capabilities.
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