Kuwait: Chairman and CEO of the Communication and Information Technology Regulatory Authority (CITRA) Salem Al Othaina has announced the completion of the pilot operation of the fifth-generation networks of telecommunication companies, in coordination with the Authority, and therefore announces the readiness of launching the fifth generation commercially by mid-June.

"This service comes in line with the Authority's efforts to develop the telecommunications sector in Kuwait to keep abreast of the modern technological development of telecommunications," Al Othaina said in a press statement on Tuesday.

It also comes in line with the recommendations of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and international organizations specialized in the development of technical standards and recommendations for this technology, which have been adopted for more than two years, as well as in coordination with telecommunications companies operating the mobile telecommunications service in the country and allow them to conduct experiments on this technology, he added.

Al Othaina has confirmed that the initiation and activation of this service comes in line with his previous announcement on that the organization of the radio frequency bands for the service 3.5 GHz band in Kuwait, allowing the telecommunication companies to perform experiments on their networks for the launch of the fifth-generation service.

This will make Kuwait one of the first countries in the world to organize and operate this new technology that will return in benefit to the telecommunication service, the CITRA chief noted.

The application of this service will be a great leap for the telecommunications world where speed of internet connection will reach great lengths, enabling a large range of data to be unlimitedly grasped to support the Internet of Things (IOT), Artificial intelligence (AI) and smart cities, which will be an added value to the industrial, commercial and financial sectors as well as individuals, he concluded.