Daaij Al-Oud: Zain Kuwait accelerates toward 5.5G era with bold infrastructure investments

Kuwait Times

07-05-2025

By Tamer Abdulaziz
KUWAIT: By focusing on advanced infrastructure and enhancing digital experiences, Zain Kuwait plays an active role in supporting Kuwait Vision 2035 by accelerating digital transformation across key sectors. This has solidified its position as a trusted strategic partner, with continued investment in modern technologies reinforcing its leadership in digital innovation.
Since launching its 5G network six years ago, Zain Kuwait has maintained its lead in the technology race, being among the first in the GCC to commercially introduce the service. Today, the network covers most of the country's key areas with ultra-fast speeds.
To stay ahead, the company adopted a forward-looking strategy by being an early adopter of advanced technologies such as 5G-Advanced and Standalone 5G (5G-SA). These technologies pave the way for a new level of performance on Open RAN platforms, offering greater network efficiency and flexibility. Recent investments in Business Support Systems (BSS) solutions and AI aim to enhance network management, monitor performance, and proactively predict challenges - ensuring Zain remains at the forefront of innovation.
Zain has built a solid 5G customer base in Kuwait - thanks to early service launch, extensive coverage, and reliable performance. Data traffic on its 5G network is now three times greater than on 4G, driven by increased demand for streaming and gaming services. The company has received five global awards from Ookla - world leader in network intelligence and speed testing - recognizing Zain as Kuwait's Fastest and Best Network. According to Ookla, Zain's network outperformed in download speed, service quality, and 5G strength and efficiency. The network supports advanced use cases like IoT and virtual reality, and infrastructure upgrades continue to meet growing data demands and deliver innovative, customer-centric experiences.
With cybersecurity a top priority, Zain has developed advanced protection systems to secure customer data and ensure service continuity. Through partnerships with global tech leaders, the company offers advanced threat-monitoring solutions, and is also heavily investing in infrastructure modernization, including fiber-to-the-room (FTTR) deployments - being the first telecom company in Kuwait to introduce this cutting-edge technology.
Zain Kuwait CTO Daaij Al-Oud (right) makes a point during the interview with Aljarida newspaper's Tamer Abdulaziz.
Abdulaziz: The tech landscape is rapidly evolving – how does Zain adapt to these changes?
Daaij Al-Oud: Zain has long led the way in navigating the ever-evolving tech landscape. Since its inception, the company has achieved major milestones in adopting cutting-edge technologies and building advanced digital infrastructure aligned with successive tech revolutions. To maintain our leadership position locally and regionally as a comprehensive digital service provider, we continue to serve as a trusted partner for consumers and businesses alike. We also fulfill our national duty by contributing to Kuwait Vision 2035, which aims to position the country as a global financial and commercial hub.
Kuwait has witnessed major infrastructure advancements recently, especially in fiber optic network development across the GCC. Notably, Zain Kuwait operates one of the largest such networks, connecting its sites and data centers - this has significantly enhanced network efficiency, improved service quality, and positively impacted customer satisfaction.
Zain was a pioneer in rolling out 5G in Kuwait and continues its leadership with the deployment of 5G Advanced (5.5G), which at this stage covers a substantial portion of our network sites. This comes in alignment with the regulatory conditions set by the Communications and Information Technology Regulatory Authority (CITRA) for 5.5G operations. I also want to highlight the strong support we receive from government entities - our relationship with them is highly cooperative and productive, which reflects a shared commitment to fulfilling the nation's strategic goals.
Our strategic partnerships with global tech giants like Google, Apple, Microsoft, Oracle, Huawei, and Parallel Wireless, among others, have enabled us to advance our network capabilities, integrate AI and automation models, and enhance energy efficiency. Our objective remains clear: to place Zain's customers at the forefront of the tech revolution.
Abdulaziz: What major infrastructure developments are happening at Zain? What role should the government play, and what partnerships are in place?
Daaij Al-Oud: Zain has always been forward-looking - bringing the world's latest technologies to Kuwait. Since our founding over 40 years ago, we've launched ETACS and GSM systems, followed by 3G and 4G. We've consistently kept pace with global telecom trends and were among the first in the region to commercially launch 5G in 2019. This achievement places a greater responsibility on us to maintain that leading position and meet evolving customer expectations.
Regarding infrastructure, Zain continues to enhance and expand its network. We're currently working on large-scale projects such as the upcoming commercial launch of 5.5G, which will offer faster speeds and greater capacity. In phase one of this rollout, we've already covered a significant portion of our total network sites. Our 5G data traffic has tripled compared to 4G, a clear indicator of our network's strength and quality.
Of course, sustaining such infrastructure leadership comes with financial and administrative demands. We must acknowledge the ongoing support from CITRA, under Minister of State for Communications Affairs Omar Al-Omar and the CITRA executive team. Their continuous cooperation has been vital in overcoming challenges and enabling Zain to play its strategic role in realizing Kuwait's economic vision.
Abdulaziz: Tell us about Zain's new 4WARD strategy and its vision.
Daaij Al-Oud: Under the 4WARD strategy, which we launched late last year, Zain aims to reinforce its regional leadership by reshaping the digital ecosystem and building the largest 'tech conglomerate' in the region. We are advancing this vision under the leadership of Zain Group's Vice Chairman and Group CEO, Bader Al-Kharafi, to achieve our goals amid a highly dynamic technological and operational environment.
Under the title 'Progress With Purpose', the strategy focuses on four pillars: Customer Delight, Digital Zain, Purpose and Action, and Collaborative Growth. These pillars shape everything we do as we pursue our purpose: 'Better Lives. Lasting Connections.' The strategy also offers a roadmap for business expansion, with an emphasis on diversification across multiple sectors, synergy programs and collaborative initiatives. It represents a crucial step toward building on past successes and generating long-term, sustainable growth.
Abdulaziz: What are the main challenges in meeting customer demands? Is Kuwait's digital infrastructure ready?
Daaij Al-Oud: Government agencies have made real progress in removing barriers for telecom companies and facilitating digital transformation - especially CITRA, which has led major digital services reforms since the COVID-19 pandemic. At Zain, we work closely and continuously with public institutions and are always eager to support development projects.
That said, one of the key challenges is the need to modernize licensing regulations so telecoms can provide services that match the fast pace of global telecom innovation - especially considering the high costs involved. Fortunately, we're seeing positive signs from the government in this regard. We experienced strong cooperation during the recent Khaleeji Zain 26 tournament hosted in Kuwait, which was a great success across multiple fronts.
Another pressing issue is the rising operational costs of telecom networks and how this impacts infrastructure investments. We're currently coordinating with CITRA on this matter and are optimistic about the outcomes. As for combating cyber fraud, we've found the government, represented by CITRA, to be highly cooperative. There's also continuous coordination with other telecom operators to stay ahead of evolving fraud tactics and enhance cybersecurity in Kuwait.
Abdulaziz: As a leading telecom operator, what can Zain offer government sectors?
Daaij Al-Oud: We're currently working on digitizing our Business Support Systems (BSS) to enhance customer management, billing, usage tracking and subscription handling. These systems are now faster and more integrated with modern applications. Our goal is to provide personalized offers through added flexibility and AI-powered service enhancement.
We're also expanding our data center footprint and strengthening strategic partnerships with global vendors to boost infrastructure efficiency, radio station performance, digital solutions, and value-added services.
Importantly, we implement sustainable energy strategies across most of our sites - this directly contributes to enhancing Kuwait's national infrastructure. We must also mention our exceptional role during the COVID-19 pandemic, where we supported various state agencies in providing telecom and Internet services to all customers, helping them stay connected through the crisis.
Abdulaziz: Is there a conflict between sustainability and rapid digital growth? How does Zain balance the two?
Daaij Al-Oud: Thanks to partnerships with leading tech players, we've implemented multiple energy-saving solutions. Our network sites across residential areas, commercial centers, ministries, and government offices now operate using power-saving modes - without compromising network performance. We've already achieved around 30 percent reduction in energy consumption, and we aim to reach 50 percent soon through the 5.5G network and Open RAN.
In parallel, we're working to reduce carbon emissions and aim to become a net-zero company by 2050, in line with our long-term corporate sustainability goals. We also use AI-driven systems in our data centers to optimize energy usage and automate tasks without human intervention. This approach saves time, reduces errors, lowers costs, and improves speed and efficiency. We're also expanding solar-powered radio sites and cloud storage stations using specialized cooling systems to minimize server counts and energy use.
Abdulaziz: Zain is the first and only operator in Kuwait to win 5 global Ookla Speedtest awards. Tell us more.
Daaij Al-Oud: Ookla, a global leader in Internet speed testing and network analysis, uses a rigorous, widely trusted methodology to measure download/upload speeds, latency, and more. Zain made history by winning five awards from Ookla in a single year - becoming the first mobile operator in Kuwait to achieve this.
These included Fastest Network and Fastest 5G Network, which reflect our superior data performance and reaffirm our leadership in enabling seamless browsing, application use and high-speed content access. We also received awards for Best 5G Video Experience and Best 5G Gaming Experience, proving our ability to deliver smooth, high-quality video streaming and outstanding online gaming services.
Ookla's awards are based on millions of real-world tests conducted by users on Speedtest.net, making them a globally reliable benchmark of network performance. Winning these five awards confirms Zain's ongoing investment in infrastructure - especially 5G - and our unwavering commitment to excellence.
Notably, Zain has a long history of quality testing, starting with Umlaut (P3) - a global network benchmarking firm operating in over 120 countries - where we ranked among the world's top 10 telecom operators. This success was followed by one Ookla award, three in 2023, and five in 2024.
Zain has also taken gaming to the next level - covering gameplay, development, streaming, competition, and innovation. Winning the Best 5G Gaming Experience award from Ookla Speedtest underscores our commitment to gamers in Kuwait. Today, Zain stands as the go-to provider for gaming enthusiasts in the country, as confirmed by the gaming community itself.
Abdulaziz: Tell us about your new trial with Parallel Wireless for Standalone 5G SA.
Daaij Al-Oud: Yes, Zain Kuwait recently announced a series of strategic partnerships with global tech companies - including Parallel Wireless - to boost infrastructure and services. Through this partnership, we deployed a Standalone 5G (5G SA) over Open RAN trial, achieving download speeds exceeding 1.3 Gbps while cutting energy use by over 35 percent. More collaborations in this space are currently in development.
Abdulaziz: How is Zain keeping up with the rapid pace of AI and network intelligence?
Daaij Al-Oud: We've been exploring AI for energy efficiency for some time now. We're also testing AI-based customer service tools that can communicate in various languages and dialects, and we're currently refining those models. We also have a strategic AI partner helping us automate operations at network stations and within our data centers.
Abdulaziz: Cyber fraud is on the rise. What's Zain's approach to cybersecurity?
Daaij Al-Oud: Yes, cyber fraud has recently surged, prompting us to make significant investments in cybersecurity. We partnered with a specialized firm to combat fraud and continue to collaborate with CITRA, which plays a major role in addressing evolving fraud tactics. Despite the growing sophistication of global fraud methods, we respond swiftly and effectively. Additionally, Zain actively participates in awareness campaigns as part of its corporate social responsibility.
About Daaij Al-Oud
Daaij Al-Oud, Chief Technology Officer at Zain Kuwait, is known for his ambition and dedication in electronic engineering. A holder of a Bachelor's degree in Electronic Engineering, he began his journey at Zain in 1994 as a Radio Technical Officer. His career took a key turn in 2005 when he was promoted to Radio Manager, leading a team of engineers with exceptional leadership.
He later served at Zain Group as Radio Manager, showcasing his strategic and organizational expertise. In 2011, he returned to Zain Kuwait as Access Department Manager. His leadership qualities earned him the role of Executive Director of Technical Quality, where he ensured excellence in performance standards. In 2012, he became Executive Director of Network Engineering, overseeing core network operations. In 2015, he completed the 'Executing Strategy for Results' program at London Business School, further strengthening his strategic acumen. His career is defined by diverse accomplishments and a strong contribution to driving Zain's innovation agenda and operational growth.