Doha
Qatar’s telecom market remains healthy and dynamic, growing at a pace that is outperforming population growth with 2013 revenues increasing by 11% to reach QR8.5bn in 2013, the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (ictQATAR) said in its 2013/14 annual report.
Net profits remained stable at QR1.1bn. Both mobile and fixed broadband subscriptions have also grown over the past year, with the former, in particular, skyrocketing by 32% to a total of 1,665,419 mobile broadband subscriptions in the country, it said.
“When Qatar’s leadership began the journey to build a vibrant ICT sector that would spearhead the development of a competitive knowledge economy nearly a decade ago, it indeed seemed impossible to imagine that our ambitious blueprint for change would one day come to fruition. But significant commitment and investments on the part of the government and other stakeholders have helped drive real, meaningful progress in a short period of time,” said HE the Minister of Information and Communications Technology, Dr Hessa al-Jaber,
The report showcases the Ministry’s various accomplishments during the past year and the progress made across the five strategic thrusts of Qatar’s National ICT Plan 2015 to achieve the Ministry’s goal in building a competitive, global, and knowledge-based economy and transforming the country into a fully connected society.
It said Es’hail 1 was launched to support expanded broadcast services. Es’hailSat, Qatar Satellite Company, which received a 25-year operating license from the government in 2013, has already started to plan the design and manufacture of Es’hail 2, which is scheduled to launch in end-2016. This satellite will further boost broadband delivery, television and global connectivity.
Establishment of a new Independent Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) to ensure continued competition in the telecom market and the protection of consumer rights. To that end, CRA had finalised a new regulatory framework for quality of service, and the ratification of a revised numbering plan.
QNBN, which is tasked with rolling out a passive fiber optic infrastructure network, had finalised its three-year strategy, secured major business wins and signed agreements with key market players to improve digital connectivity for tens of thousands of customers throughout the country.
The strategy will generate cutting-edge safety measures that will further safeguard Qatar’s networks and people from cyber threats and ensure an open and secure cyberspace. This comprehensive plan addresses five essential components: safeguarding the nation’s critical infrastructure, responding to and recovering from cyber- attacks, establishing the proper legal and regulatory framework for a safe and vibrant cyberspace with a robust set of cyber security and cyber-crime laws, fostering a culture of cyber security by raising awareness and encouraging information sharing among government agencies, businesses, and other institutions, and developing national cyber security capabilities through additional education and training.
In addition to a series of prospective laws aimed at countering cyber-crime currently in development which include the Personal Information Privacy Protection Law—approved by Qatar’s cabinet, and now under review by the legislative committee— that will set privacy standards for all sectors in the country.
