5G to speed up development of communications infrastructure

The rollout of 5G will also accelerate the development of wider communicationsinfrastructure in Qatar, according to Ali Ahmed al-Kuwari, CEO,Qatar-based satellite services operator Es’hailSat.“While thedeployment of 5G will increase pressure on satellite service providers,it will also create a stronger operational environment, one in whichterrestrial and satellite providers offer complementary services,”al-Kuwari told OBG. “Satellites, for instance, will continue tocomprise a critical piece of disaster management systems, in addition toproviding connectivity in areas that are unreachable for fibre opticcables.”Qatar has taken an early lead in the roll out of 5G mobileservices, with the country’s two operators, Ooredoo and Vodafone Qatar,both launching their next generation networks in recent months. Havingrun initial test services in May, Ooredoo announced at the end of Julythat it had successfully launched 5G services at 50 network stationsacross the country, making it the first company in the world to roll outa commercially available 5G network. On August 26, Vodafone Qatarswitched on its own 5G service, with its first enterprise customer,submarine cable provider Gulf Bridge International, connected two dayslater at the Qatar Science and Technology Park.The competing 5Gservices offer rapid connectivity, with download speeds in excess of1GBps, and ultra-low latency, meaning very short delays for datatransmission.Consequently, subscribers should notice improvedperformance in functions such as voice over internet protocol, streamingservices, content downloads and online gaming.The launch of 5Gservices should also open doors for those local ICT players able to takeadvantage of expanded bandwidth capacities to develop new applicationsand advanced programming.One area likely to benefit significantlyfrom higher mobile network speeds is Qatar’s burgeoning Internet ofThings (IoT) segment, which requires high speeds of data transmission tofacilitate the introduction of IoT applications, such as driverlessvehicles, smart transport technology and augmented reality. Ooredooannounced in March that it was partnering with Germany-based Software AGto use the latter’s Cumolcity IoT platform to provide its businesscustomers with IoT solutions, and, following the launch of Ooredoo’s 5Gnetwork its chief operating officer, Yousuf Abdullah al-Kubaisi, saidthe firm expected significant potential for IoT applications in thetransport, retail, energy, healthcare, education and entertainmentsectors.“Demand for Internet capacity is forecast to grow rapidly inthe coming years from both enterprises and individuals. Local capacityrequirements will increase as a major component of Qatar’s Vision 2030is focused on raising the country’s digital capabilities,” Abdullaal-Rwaili, managing director and executive vice-chairman at Gulf BridgeInternational, told OBG, “This demand will come from a range of sectorsincluding education, transport, hydrocarbons and government services.”Governmentspending on ICT is expected to continue, particularly in developingintegrated e-government services, which will also help boost thecountry’s digital capabilities.“Despite the ongoing blockade therehave been no cuts to government spending on the ICT sector –particularly on developing the country’s e-government capacity and thedigital transformation of Qatar’s economy,” Yousef al-Naama, managingdirector of IT services firm Malomatia, told OBG. Ramped-upinvestments in infrastructure and supportive technologies are alreadypaying dividends in Qatar, which ranked first for its mobile internetprovision in the July 2018 edition of the Speedtest Global Index, amonthly survey undertaken by the network tester Ookla. Qatari users’ mobile download speeds averaged 62.63 Mbps, almost three times the international average of 22.81 Mbps. Moreover,while its rank of 52nd in fixed-line download speeds indicates thatthere is ground to be made up in that regard, the development of 5Gcapacity is expected to hasten the shift towards mobile usage and,correspondingly, further erode the significance of fixed-line access.Asthe nation’s telecommunications infrastructure has matured,opportunities for ancillary IT services such as cybersecurity have seencommensurate growth. “With the growing cyber threat, the need forsecure telecom networks is increasing along with ancillary IT servicessuch as cyber security.  Customers are aware of these threats,particularly the government entities, and are demanding the serviceproviders to secure their networks,” Ahmed Salman Ali al-Sulaiti, CEO ofstate-owned ICT infrastructure provider Qatar National BroadbandNetwork, told OBG.“Residual resistance to market changes hasdwindled,” he said. “The market now knows exactly what it needs toprotect its information, and we expect this to strengthen demand forprivate and special networks for secure data servers.”