Qtel and Cisco have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that will see the two companies collaborate on a range of new services for business customers and consumers across Qatar by bringing together complementary skills, capabilities and solutions. The MoU provides an opportunity for Cisco to collaborate with Qtel by aligning the “Cisco Smart+Connected Communities” vision with Qtel’s expertise in the telecommunications sector. The MoU builds upon the two market leaders’ long history of successful collaboration, and will enable Qtel and Cisco to share knowledge and expertise in developing and implementing comprehensive network and communications solutions. It will explore opportunities that will allow corporate customers to work with Qtel and Cisco to deploy a range of wireline, mobile, managed services, virtual networks and data centre solutions tailored specifically to the needs of their business.In addition, Qtel and Cisco have agreed to pursue a range of solutions aimed at some of Qatar’s most dynamic and strategically-important industries.The signing ceremony was held at Qtel’s headquarters in Doha and was attended by Sheikh Saud bin Nasser al-Thani, Qtel Qatar CEO, Khalid Abdulla al-Mansouri, chief new business officer, Wim Elfrink, Cicso EVP, Emerging Solutions and chief globalisation officer and Anil Menon, SVP, S+CC and deputy chief globalisation officer, among others. Sheikh Saud said, “Qtel has a bold strategy to ensure we hold a leadership position in the delivery of new innovations for our customers, and strategic partnerships have a clear role to play in ensuring we achieve our objectives. Working with Cisco, which is a recognised global leader, will enable us to deliver comprehensive solutions for all of Qatar’s leading companies.”Elfrink said, “As cities continue to grow, the challenge continues to be in making these cities smarter. More than ever there is a need for innovation to enable economic, social and environmental sustainability for city development and transformation. Cisco’s ‘Smart+ Connected Communities’ platform is increasingly being deployed globally to create smarter, greener and more secure communities for citizens of the future.” Menon said, “Cisco envisions a future where technology will help communities better manage their energy and environmental challenges. Strategic relationships with telecom leaders such as Qtel bring us a step closer in providing improved citizen services for communities and enhancing the citizens’ quality of life.” Cisco and Qtel will explore opportunities to increase the range of managed services available to all government, corporate, and mega project customers in Qatar, as well as enhancing the customer experience, by collaborating to bring new innovations to the market. Both companies will explore opportunities to bring the latest cutting edge technology; this is aligned to Qatar’s 2030 Vision of working towards a knowledge based society and preparing for the World Cup 2022. In addition, both companies see strong opportunities in the oil and gas sector, as Qatar’s status as a world leader in the liquid natural gas market drives investment and new development. Other industries targeted within the framework of the new MoU include sport, hospitality, health, education, retail, government and transportation – all set to be major growth areas in the coming years.