Ooredoo breaks new ground with partner Nokia

Ooredoo has announced the successful demonstration of the first data call in 5G Standalone (SA) mode as part of 5G Standalone Services trials, and the enabling of 5G devices that are Voice over New Radio (VoNR)-capable, in partnership with technology giant Nokia.
5G SA will enable platforms to launch new, innovative applications requiring high speeds and low latency, providing an enriched experience for such applications and use cases that need to be managed remotely in real-time.
Time to market for the launch of new services will be reduced.
The mode will also enable private secured virtual networks for enterprise customers, and open up additional revenue streams for Ooredoo by enabling it to introduce new use cases quickly, leveraging network slicing to ensure differentiated services to enterprise customers.
The enabling of VoNR devices, another country first, thanks to Nokia 5G Standalone Core, will result in customers with such devices being able to make and receive supreme quality voice and video calls over a pure dedicated 5G Standalone network.
Nokia’s solution enables faster call setup, faster simultaneous data services and enhanced network reliability compared to Voice over LTE (VoLTE) for Ooredoo’s customers.
Ooredoo Qatar chief business officer Thani al-Malki said: “We are delighted with both the successful completion of the first data call in 5G SA mode in Qatar, a trial that is crucial to progress towards full launch of 5G SA services and with the enabling of VoNR devices.”
“As a global tech giant, Nokia is at the forefront of the global 5G ecosystem and we’re confident that its expertise and industry-leading solutions will enable us to provide a world-class 5G SA experience to our customers,” he said.
The trial of 5G SA data calling paves the way for the commercialisation of 5G SA services across the Ooredoo network, enabling the company to partner with enterprises and developers to deliver innovative use cases in domains, such as Industry 4.0 with massive Internet of Things (IoT) devices demanding faster throughput and lower latency.
This will also open the core network with open APIs (Application Programming Interfaces), where Communication Service Providers (CSPs) can co-create new services with customers and partners.
For calling, Nokia 5G Standalone Core provides a flexible and scalable architecture for delivering voice, video, and messaging services over IP networks.
The enabling of VoNR devices will enhance calling quality calls in comparison to devices using the current Voice over LTE (VoLTE) technology.
Nokia AirFrame servers, Cloud Mobility Manager, Cloud Mobile Gateway, and CloudBand Application Manager were used to conduct the data call trial.
Samar Mittal, head of Cloud and Network Services (CNS), MEA market at Nokia, said: “5G SA is essential to deliver several 5G use cases like Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality and Industry 4.0, among others.”
“The successful data call in 5G SA reiterates the strength of our 5G solutions that enable service providers to ensure the best-in-class experience for their customers,” he said.
“Our 5G SA core solution provides Ooredoo with a robust and reliable platform to deliver high-quality voice and video calling services over its 5G network,” Mittal added. “We are delighted to support our longstanding partner Ooredoo Qatar to provide this inimitable service experience with 5G SA.”
Following the successful trial of the data call, 5G SA services will be launched commercially on the Ooredoo network and end users will be able to make use of innovative use cases, as well as enjoy the enhanced call quality permitted by 5G devices that are VoNR-capable.
“As the techco (technology company) responsible for the world’s first commercial 5G network, it’s only fitting that we remain at the forefront of digital transformation,” al-Malki said. “We have a strategic commitment to supporting our country in its pursuit of the goals of Qatar National Vision 2030 and these two developments are yet more evidence of our phenomenal progress. We look forward to many more such trials and new launches in the coming months as we cement our position as a digital leader.”