Riyadh – Mubasher: The giant Saudi Telecom Company (stc) group stated that it successfully delivered one of the world’s most demanding digital and operational performances on the Day of Arafah, which occurred on 26 May 2026.
The Saudi telecom operator noted it accommodated “a historic growth in demand for digital services,” according to an official statement.
It further managed to maintain the highest levels of network stability and operational capacity amid dynamic crowd movements and peak data usage.
Performance in Numbers
The intelligent solutions by stc reflected notable operational results this year compared to the previous Hajj season. This included a 42% increase in total data traffic, with 5G accounting for more than 51% of total usage on Arafah Day, showcasing a 16% annual growth in 5G adoption.
The average download speed increases by 13%, as latency was reduced by 50%. This directly enhanced the quality of digital services used by pilgrims, including mobile applications, live streaming, video calling, and other data-intensive services.
On the reliability front, stc achieved a call completion success rate of 99.83%, while successful VoLTE calls rose by 11%.
Furthermore, the overall operational availability reached 99.9% throughout Arafah Day, alongside a 13% reduction in service quality-related tickets.
stc group accommodated an 8% growth in simultaneous users compared to last year’s Hajj season, with improved network resource efficiency by 8%, as AI systems managed more than 99.9% in automated analytics and network decisions during peak hours.
Cutting-edge Innovations
The listed telecom operator stc group deployed advanced innovations built to withstand the operational challenges during Hajj. This consisted of three capabilities that enhance network efficiency and upgrade the digital experience for pilgrims.
The company introduced Dynamic Crowd-Aware Optimization, which analyzed crowd density and user movement in real time, while reallocating network resources to the most congested locations, ensuring consistent service quality as gathering points shift throughout the day.
The second tool is an AI-Powered Predictive Traffic Steering, which predicted network pressure waves and proactively rerouted traffic to reduce bottlenecks and enhance performance during peak hours.
The third and last one is an Autonomous Energy and Capacity Optimization for real-time power and capacity tuning based on actual usage patterns, maximizing resource utilization while preserving service stability in the highest-density areas.
During Hajj, the Day of Arafah represents one of the most complex operational scenarios globally, with usage patterns and traffic density shifting rapidly within a limited time window.
stc pinpointed that by leveraging AI, automation and self-optimizing network technologies, the group was able to deliver a reliable and seamless connectivity experience for pilgrims, highlighting the digital readiness and global leadership by Saudi Arabia in managing large-scale crowds through advanced digital infrastructure.
stc group stressed it continues to enhance its digital infrastructure and strengthen the readiness of intelligent networks to deliver a comprehensive digital Hajj experience that meets the expectations of millions of pilgrims every year.
The company earlier unveiled its comprehensive operational plan for this year's Hajj season, aiming to boost network efficiency and expand digital coverage across Makkah and Madinah.
