Qatar to be one of the best connected nations
(MENAFN- The Peninsula) The Minister of Transport and Communications H E Jassim Saif Ahmed Al Sulaiti (sixth right) President of Qatar University Dr Hassan Rashid Al Derham (seventh right) Group CEO of Ooredoo Sheikh Saud bin Nasser Al Thani (fifth right) and other officials during the opening ceremony of the WCNC 2016 Conference at Sheraton Grand Doha Resort yesterday. Pic: Kammutty VP/The Peninsula
By Sachin Kumar
DOHA: Qatar is set to become one of the best connected nations in the world. The country has already initiated work for 5G services in Qatar said Waleed Al Sayed Chief Executive Officer Ooredoo Qatar yesterday at the IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference at the Sheraton Doha. The three-day conference was attended by Minister of Transport and Communications H E Jassim Saif Ahmed Al Sulaiti Sheikh Saud bin Nasser Al Thani Group Chief Executive Officer of Ooredoo and other senior officials.
“Ooredoo is already laying the foundations for 5G services in Qatar. We have signed agreements with global technology leaders to build the region’s first 5G research and development centre in Doha” said Waleed Al Sayed in his keynote speech. “We are set to become number one country in the world for fibre penetration thanks to our nationwide fibre programme” he added. He Presented company’s vision at the opening event of the conference and outlined how this investment would support the deployment of Internet of Things innovations across a range of industries.
“The rise of the ‘Internet of Things’ means that we need networks that can support billions of connected devices as well as millions of people. Our investment in the Ooredoo Supernet means that we will be ready for this technological evolution and will offer our customers the latest solutions as they become available” said Al Sayed. “Events like the IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference enable us to transfer knowledge and build partnerships for the future as we push to become the leading integrated ICT provider in Qatar” he added.
The Chief Executive Officer also showed a video on the incredible services that the Supernet will bring to customers in Qatar. Highlights of the video included the nationwide use of smart payments mobile ticketing and a country-wide super-fast 5G connection.
Qatar’s achievement in the field of ‘Information Communication Technology’ (ICT) sector has been acknowledged in the past at global level. Qatar was ranked first worldwide on the indicator measuring the percentage of individuals using Internet in the developing countries in 2014 (91.5 percent) and first among Arab countries and second globally on the indicator measuring the percentage of households with Internet (98 percent) according to the 2015 edition of the State of Broadband report.
Waleed Al Sayed CEO Ooredoo Qatar speaking during the opening ceremony.
The IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference is the world premier wireless event that brings together industry professionals academics and individuals from government agencies to exchange information and ideas on the advancement of wireless communications and networking technology.
Dr Reinaldo Valenzuela Bell Labs Alcatel- Lucent USA delivered keynote presentation on ‘5G Physical Layer and MAC: Opportunities and Challenges’. The Peninsula