Qatar’s telecommunication industry is well equipped to accelerate 5G transformation and introduce innovative solutions across the country through various infrastructure projects, noted Kevin Murphy, vice-president and head (Customer Unit) at Ericsson North Middle East and Global Customer Unit for Ooredoo Group.
"With immense government support and the nation fostering an ecosystem of collaboration between public and private organisations, Qatar’s telecommunications industry has witnessed robust growth and has significantly advanced in the last few years," Murphy said in an interview with Gulf Times.
“As the most anticipated sporting event of this year (FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022) approaches, we are confident the Qatari telecommunications industry will be able to provide exceptional connectivity that will enable fans and visitors to experience immersive and unforgettable tournaments,” Murphy noted.
Speaking about Ericsson’s partnership with Ooredoo to ensure the best connectivity to subscribers during the world’s most anticipated football event in Qatar in 2022, he said: “Being the most anticipated football tournament of 2022, we understood the responsibility that lay on our shoulders - ensure millions of fans visiting the country have the best possible experience cellular technology can provide. Through network modernisation, infrastructure deployments, and RAN network enhancements, we have focused on helping Ooredoo Qatar be better equipped to manage the anticipated increase in users and connected devices while still providing top-notch performance.
“Our technologies and solutions will enable Ooredoo Qatar to offer and facilitate a multitude of fan use cases based on enhanced mobile broadband, with very high network speeds, low latency, and large data capacity. The live deployment of our 4+0 carrier aggregation microwave hops is set to boost backhaul capacities for better connectivity with minimal footprint and power consumption during the tournament.
“We are striving to offer the best 5G user experiences to visitors and enable fans to enjoy high-definition real-time interactivity and streaming experiences.”
Murphy said Ericsson is also working with Ooredoo Qatar to provide network optimisation, event management, and 5G connectivity in eight stadiums across six cities, as well as in dedicated fan zones, airports, and places of attraction.
“As the tournament draws nearer, we are thrilled to see how our partnership will ensure hundreds of thousands of football fans visiting Qatar from around the world will enjoy the best next gen 5G connectivity experiences possible.”
On his vision for Ericsson in Qatar, and how it aligned with Qatar National Vision 2030, Murphy said: “Since we began operations in Qatar, we’ve been committed to enhancing the nation’s cellular infrastructure and fostering an environment that drives innovation and technological adoption to aid Qatar in realising its national agendas.
“With Qatar’s National Vision focusing on economic growth, social development, and environmental management to meet the needs of the current and future generations, the role of cellular technology and next-generation networks such as 5G will significantly increase in the coming years. Working alongside the nation's telecommunications industry, we are determined to continue supporting the nation with our high-performing, energy-efficient network technologies that will enable Qatar to realise its national objectives.”
Murphy also spoke about how Ericsson supported youth looking for opportunity to develop innovative ideas that tackled global challenges.
He said: “The future belongs to the youths of today and they will play a crucial role in shaping it. Over the years we’ve focused significant efforts on developing initiatives such as our flagship education programme ‘Connect to Learn’ to develop the digital skills of young people and help them be better prepared to meet the challenges of tomorrow.
“However, for young people to have an impact on society, they need to be presented with opportunities to do so. This is why we’ve created the Ericsson Innovation Awards (EIA) that have been bringing students together from around the world to use their skills and innovative thinking to pave the way to a better future.
“The competition challenges students to develop smart, collaborative, and innovative solutions to counter many of the global problems facing the world today. Attached with a cash prize, this year's challenge runs on the theme 'Impact our Sustainable Future' and will encourage teams to take inspiration from the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs), identify an interconnected challenge, and tackle it through new innovative tech solutions that can make a lasting change. We are currently inviting university students of all ages to sign up for the competition and will close registrations on August 5.”