Beyon Group was selected as the winning investor in the project to develop the national fixed telecommunications network in Kuwait

The Beyon Group announced its selection by the Kuwait Public-Private Partnership Projects Authority (KAPP) as the winning investor in the project to develop the fixed telecommunications network in the State of Kuwait. This announcement by the Public-Private Partnership Projects Authority (KAPP) marks the transition to the next stage of establishing the project company within a public-private partnership agreement extending for fifty years, where the Beyon Group will finance, design and build the project, in addition to operating and maintaining the high-speed national fiber optic network in the State of Kuwait, with a total investment exceeding 2.8 billion US dollars during the term of this agreement. The Public-Private Partnership Projects Authority (KAPP) will own a 60% stake in the project company that will be established, and part of this stake will be allocated for public subscription by Kuwaitis when the project is operational, while the Beyon Group will retain a 40% stake.

The project represents one of the largest and most important national infrastructure programs in the State of Kuwait. It also constitutes a prominent strategic regional station for the Beyon Group, with the aim of developing, operating and expanding a comprehensive national fiber-optic network covering more than 90% of land plots in the State of Kuwait. The network will provide identical connection speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second in accordance with the partnership requirements, ensuring a flexible and future-ready digital infrastructure that serves individuals, the business sector and government agencies, and contributes to supporting the goals of Kuwait Vision 2035 and enhancing the digital transformation process in the country.

The awarding of the project came after a careful qualification and competition process characterized by a high level of rigor and competitiveness, as Beyon was selected based on its full fulfillment of the technical and regulatory requirements of the project, ahead of a number of major international companies. The presentation was developed entirely internally by Beyon’s teams, reflecting the group’s advanced technical capabilities and leadership in fiber optic network transformation projects.

The offer was based on Beyon’s established capabilities in developing large-scale fiber optic network extension projects in several markets, including the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Republic of Maldives and the Channel Islands. The total number of residential units to which optical fibers were connected through the group’s companies exceeded 2.2 million units, while the coverage rate of optical fibers in the Kingdom of Bahrain reached 95.4%.

The group’s experience in the structural separation of Batelco and the transformation of Bahrain Network Company “BNET” into an independent wholesale entity in the Kingdom of Bahrain was a pivotal element of the offer, as this transformation provided advanced practical experience in the transfer and development of existing and complex infrastructure, and compliance with regulatory frameworks, while maintaining uninterrupted service continuity.

The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Beyon Group, Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, said: “We are proud to have been chosen as the winning investor in a national project of such importance to the sisterly State of Kuwait. We extend our sincere thanks to the Public-Private Partnership Projects Authority (KAPP) and the Ministry of Transportation for the trust they have placed in the Beyon Group. This achievement reflects our commitment to supporting the process of developing digital infrastructure in the region, and confirms the ability of regional institutions to contribute effectively to the implementation of national projects with a sustainable strategic impact.”

He added: “This achievement comes as an extension of the qualitative transformation witnessed by the telecommunications sector in the Kingdom of Bahrain, which came as an embodiment of the visions of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of the country, and the directives of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister. This transformation resulted in the establishment of an advanced digital infrastructure and laid strong foundations for achieving the goals of the digital transformation process in the Kingdom, which strengthened its regional and international standing, and also contributed to “In providing a solid base from which our group can utilize its expertise and contribute effectively to national digital infrastructure initiatives outside its local market.”

For his part, Beyon Group CEO, Andrew Kalseth, said: “This achievement is the result of two years of continuous work by our team. Our selection as the winning investor reflects the strength of our engineering capabilities and operational readiness. Our digital operating model, strong market readiness, and proven track record in operating retail and wholesale models were critical differentiators during the bidding process. The experience of the structural separation of BNET as an independent entity also provided us with first-hand practical experience in managing large-scale fiber network infrastructure within A national regulatory framework and we are fully prepared to move forward with the implementation and establishment of the new project company in accordance with the requirements of the concession.”

Accordingly, the Beyon Group will begin preparing for the next phase, ensuring that all necessary requirements are met to ensure the project progresses according to the specified schedule. The group will continue to work in close coordination with the Public-Private Partnership Projects Authority (KAPP) to ensure compatibility with the program objectives and achieve full readiness for the implementation phase.