Nokia and stc Group have successfully concluded the first-ever 1 Tbps (terabit-per-second) long haul field trial in the Middle East and Africa region. Leveraging stc Group’s live dense wavelength division multiplexing terrestrial network, this innovative trial highlights the unique potential of Nokia’s sixth generation of super-coherent photonic service engine technology in delivering high-capacity, efficient, and scalable connectivity for data centers.

With the ability to significantly increase the capacity of the digital network, stc Group and Nokia are enabling faster and more efficient data transmission over long distances. With this advanced optical infrastructure, stc Group is well-positioned to meet future market demands and continue its supply of rapid and reliable connectivity while aligning with Saudi Vision 2030’s digital transformation goals.

The field trial transported 6 x 100GE and 1 x 400GE high-speed services over 1 Tbps single wavelength across 850 km, demonstrating the trusted performance and seamless integration of Nokia’s Data Center Interconnect DWDM solution into stc Group’s data center environments. Designed to seamlessly fit into the data center with advanced energy efficiency, the solution addresses the dynamic needs of AI/cloud services transport and will offer consumers across the Kingdom improved network efficiency and performance.

Nokia and stc Group’s collaboration sets a new benchmark for data center interconnectivity across the MEA region, in line with the Kingdom’s wider digital transformation journey. With ambitions to enhance Saudi Arabia’s digital infrastructure, expand 5G coverage, and promote cloud computing adoption among other Vision 2030 goals, this collaboration is laying the groundwork for future-ready network infrastructure.

Abdullateef Alsenan, infrastructure design general manager at stc Group, said: “stc Group’s partnership with Nokia demonstrates our advancements in building a future-ready network. This milestone reflects our ability to securely support massive traffic volumes, addressing the demands of cloud services and AI applications, ultimately supporting the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 objectives. These infrastructure advancements are positioning the Kingdom as a global leader in digital innovation and sustainability.”

Carlo Corti, head of optical networks, Middle East and Africa at Nokia, said: “By pushing the boundaries of optical technology, Nokia is committed to trusted performance and proud to partner with stc Group in achieving this record-breaking milestone. Our Data Center Interconnect solution provides scalable, energy-efficient, resilient, and secure infrastructure to support Saudi Arabia’s ambitious digital transformation journey.”

The Saudi Coffee Company, wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund, has launched its second annual Saudi Sip of Excellence Competition, where Saudi coffee farmers will compete for a grand total prize pool of SR240,000 ($63,910).

Held in partnership with the global nonprofit Alliance for Coffee Excellence, the competition is designed to educate, empower, and reward coffee farmers from Saudi Arabia’s southern region. This year, entrants from Jazan, Baha, Muhayil Asir and Rijal Almaa will get a platform to showcase their finest green coffee and brews, to a panel of international judges from Alliance for Coffee Excellence, whose experts hail from leading markets like Brazil, Nicaragua, the UK and US, Canada, Belgium, Australia, and Japan.

Through careful inspection and evaluation of a 25-kg sample from each contender over a one-month period, the jury will select 12 winners from the participating cities. The prizes for the top three positions in each city are: SR25,000 for first place, SR15,000 for second place and SR10,000 for third place. The competition will also award cash prizes to the fourth- and fifth-place winners from each city, encouraging meaningful widespread participation.

In addition to monetary rewards, the competition connects winners with larger markets through new networks to importers, exporters, auctions, showcases, and outlets.

“This year marks a significant expansion for the competition,” said Khalid N. Abu Theeb, CEO of Saudi Coffee Company. “With the involvement of more cities, more farmers, and a greater focus on every aspect of production, we hope events like this will help elevate quality Saudi coffee on the global stage while empowering our local farmers.”

By helping Saudi farmers reach global industry standards for high quality coffee, the competition supports Saudi Coffee Company’s efforts to empower the wider sector. 

After careful examination of their crop, farmers can engage with industry experts to receive constructive feedback on factors such as soil and water quality, implementing the right fertilizer, picking and pruning practices, securing tools and infrastructure, obtaining commercial records and licenses, and building out their websites, marketing, packaging, and branding.

With its focus on improving the quality of Arabica green coffee in the southern region, the competition is keen to identify the next great specialty Saudi coffees. Farmers wishing to participate should submit entry forms and 1-kg coffee samples — the last date of submission being Jan. 9. Selected farmers will be asked to submit a 25-kg sample by Jan. 18. 

The initial round of phase 2 inspection and evaluation of 40 selected contestants will be completed by Jan. 25. A second round of 20 samples will be further inspected on Jan. 29, and a final round of 12 samples on Jan. 30. Winners will be announced during the International Coffee Festival.