Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, at night. Photo: Pixabay.

Speedcast is expanding its presence in Saudi Arabia to meet demand for connectivity from the energy market. The company announced Tuesday it has secured an Internet Service Provider license from the country’s Communications, Space and Technology Commission (CST).

Speedcast has previously worked in Saudi Arabia with in-country partners, but now has a new teleport facility under construction. The teleport will include office and warehouse space and an iDirect hub. Speedcast is staffing up management and field services personnel to provide installation, operations, and maintenance in Saudi Arabia.

The satellite service provider said changes to the energy market expand opportunities for producers in the Middle East. Last year, Saudi Arabia’s public petroleum and natural gas company announced plans to double the number of drilling units offshore and on land by 2024.

“Being licensed to deliver service in Saudi Arabia will add significant strength and flexibility to our efforts and allow us to serve our customers more effectively,” said Joe Spytek, CEO at Speedcast. “This milestone sets the stage for our expansion plans across the region to further meet demands with the rise in activity. This includes expanding our presence in key Middle East markets while investing in people and platforms locally to serve our valued customers there.”