With over 75 5G-ready Ooredoo network towers now in place around Doha, Ooredoo has announced that it is pushing forward with testing the first-ever live 5G home broadband devices.
The “first results of rigorous stress tests using the 25 home broadband 5G devices show superfast ‘fibre comparable’ speeds on the Ooredoo 5G network”, the company said in a press statement on Saturday. These tests were conducted in real-life non-laboratory environments across various parts of the city.
With these speeds, customers will be able to download movies in seconds, stream VR gaming experiences “like never before and open up a world of smart technology”, the statement notes.
Ooredoo was the first company in the world to launch a commercial 5G network in May and has since invested heavily in rolling out the next generation technology to ensure Qatar is at the forefront of 5G developments and the 5G ecosystem.
Talking about the results, Waleed al-Sayed, chief executive officer of Ooredoo Qatar, said: “Some of Qatar’s most populated areas in Doha are now 5G-enabled, meaning a huge number of Ooredoo customers and businesses will be able to instantly access the 5G network when devices become available. With the super speeds that we are testing, our country will be able to enjoy the life-changing benefits of internet like never before.”
To enable customers to see Ooredoo’s 5G rollout progress, the company has added a 5G coverage tab to its Supernet coverage map. Customers can now see 5G live areas at www.ooredoo.qa/portal/OoredooQatar/supernet and the company has encouraged people to continue to check coverage growth in the coming months.
As well as connection speeds, Ooredoo’s 5G network rollout will have a “hugely positive impact” on many business sectors and organisations in Qatar, as 5G will enable new types of applications such as driverless cars and smart roads, the connection of millions of low-powered connected devices, Augmented Reality and more, the statement adds.