Saudi Telecom Company (STC) has once again successfully handled the upsurge in mobile traffic during the holy Hajj pilgrimage, which in the western calendar took place this year between 3 to 9 November.

Nokia Siemens Networks, STC’s preferred mobile equipment and services supplier, ensured connectivity for thousands of STC subscribers and millions of pilgrims.

There was an average increase of 500%, and a peak increase of 760%, in STC’s 3G traffic during the pilgrimage. Despite this huge increase in traffic and capacity load, network performance remained high, providing an optimal service for pilgrims. Nokia Siemens Networks is the sole GSM and 3G radio supplier for STC’s network in Mecca, Medina, and other pilgrim areas, and has been providing Hajj service support for over a decade.

“The challenge this year was to handle the dramatic increase in data traffic driven by an increased uptake in the use of smartphones. Pilgrims were sharing their experiences by taking pictures, uploading those to social networking sites, sending MMSs and surfing the internet. We are happy to have served all our subscribers and roaming visitors, thanks to Nokia Siemens Networks’ extensive support services and expertise in handling events of this size” ,” said Bandar Algafari, vice president, Networks Sector at STC.