Nicosia, Aug 30: Ericsson, which is the worlds leading provider of services and technology to telecom operations, has been awarded a contract worth 85 million dollar to supply, build, integrate, operate and manage multi-play communications infrastructure for Saudi Arabia’s high-tech flagship city, the King Abdullah Economic city (KAEC).

When the project is completed, King Abdullah Economic City, near Jeddah, will be the world’s truly smart city.

An Ericsson press release says the turnkey agreement award “breaks new ground in Saudi Arabia as Ericsson’s first GPON-enabled IPTV contract, the first fiber optic contract and the first fixed-network IMS contract, where Ericsson provides systems integration and network rollout services. The network will provide innovative services using latest GPON fiber-to-the home technology, enabling advanced multimedia services for TV, PC and telephones. Services such as IP telephony, movies-on-demand, personalized TV, super fast internet and data services are being provided at competitive prices for King Abdullah Economic City’s 2 million residents.”

Bjorn Hemstad, Ericsson’s Chairman Central Europe, Middle East and Africa, said that Saudi Arabia is one of the key markets in the company’s expansion across the region.

“The partnership with King Abdullah Economic city, a pioneering development project, will help us to showcase our capabilities in smart city design, management and operation. With the agreement, Ericsson will bring residents and tenants of the city the world’s breakthrough innovations in ICT,” Hemstad said.

KAEC is being built on a privileged location on the Red Sea near Jeddah and will house some two million Saudis. It have a sea port, an industrial district, educational zone, central business district with commercial, mixed-use, retail outlets and financial island, resorts and residential area. (ANI)