Q.NBN Announces Lift-off for Fiber Optics in Qatar

Doha, October 10 (QNA) - Qatar National Broadband Network (Q.NBN) on Wednesday announced at a press conference it will provide the country with a state-of-the-art fiber optics network. The press conference unveiled the company's new corporate identity and also shed light on the company's vision and mission and the series of milestones the company has achieved in 18 months since its inception. At the same time, Q.NBN launched its official website (www.qnbn.qa), which offers an online gateway to the company's mission to empower the country with high-speed broadband fiber access (100+Mbps) to citizens and businesses alike through maximum nationwide coverage. Q.NBN is a central pillar in Qatar ICT Strategy 2015, building a sustainable digital future, improving connectivity throughout the nation, boosting capacity and fostering economic development, as well as enhancing public service delivery to provide benefits for all. "This is a momentous occasion for us all at Q.NBN. It is a solid testament to our combined unfaltering efforts to live up to our mission to be a vital part of Qatar s future development strategy whilst serving the wider digitization agenda of the country. Over the past year, our focus has been to get ready to rapidly deploy the most reliable world-class next generation fiber optic broadband network and we have now begun the rollout. Our new industry business model will have transformational effect and will help bring fiber optics to market through government support to promote widespread uptake and affordability, is unique in the region and sets new standards for future deployments," Q.NBN's CEO Mohammed Ali Al-Mannai said. To date we have achieved many milestones such as receiving our 25 year license from the government, signing key agreements with Qtel and Vodafone, and partnering with real estate developer Barwa to provide fiber optics for their major projects. Q.NBN is also planning to ink significant agreements with international technology leaders at the cutting edge of fiber optic network technology." The next generation fiber optics network will become exponentially faster, bringing community and enterprise benefits of enhanced delivery of communication services, cost savings, increased competitiveness and improved sustainability. Q.NBN will focus solely on the deployment of network infrastructure, providing equal and open access to operators to promote competition and innovation and to offer choice for the end-user, efficiently leveraging existing and new infrastructure in Qatar. "We, at Q.NBN, aim to speed up development and create more potential engaging everyone across Qatar, guided by our values of empowerment, openness, innovation and community. Our vision is to be the major catalyst of Qatar's development by providing the very latest technology platforms to help achieve a knowledge-based sustainable economy in line with the Qatar 2030 Vision," Al-Mannai added. Through its investment in advanced technologies, Q.NBN will transform Qatar into the best GCC connected country and one of the most connected in the world. The company said it will work with the government and municipalities to connect educational, health, and government bodies, as well as businesses and homes with the very latest fiber optic technology. This government-led initiative will help large Real Estate developers in deploying next generation fiber optic communication networks that will add value to their projects and give them a distinct selling point. The company s network will also create an engine for growth in the industry and for businesses operating in Qatar by supporting business supply chains across several industries and inspiring innovation in products and services. "Q.NBN will add tremendous value to the way everybody communicates lives and works with its visionary and collaborative approach to the market. Q.NBN will lead the industry to adopt the highest standards of delivery whilst supporting its growth and inspiring new sectors to develop new content for telecom operators and encourage maximum uptake We will carry out our role to connect the nation and transform Qatar's ICT landscape with the full support of the Qatari government who have entrusted us with this task," said Al-Mannai. Qatar National Broadband Network Company (Q.NBN) is a shareholding company wholly owned by the government, with a mandate to enable accessible high-speed communications with the right cutting edge technology platform across Qatar. Through its approach to the market, Q.NBN strives to help to empower the country with broadband fiber access to citizens and businesses alike in line with the Qatar ICT Strategy 2015. Q.NBN aims to have 95 percent coverage as it serves the wider digitization agenda of the country. The next generation fiber optics network which is the alternative to copper will become exponentially faster, bringing community and enterprise benefits of enhanced delivery of services, cost savings, increased competitiveness and improved sustainability. In addition, recent research has shown that doubling the broadband speed positively impacts an economy by increasing the economy's GDP by 0.3 percent. Q.NBN will focus solely on the deployment of a network infrastructure, providing equal and open access to operators to offer choice for the end-user and efficiently leveraging existing and new infrastructure in Qatar. Q.NBN, one of the first government initiatives of its kind in the region, reflects Qatar's Vision 2030 to transform the country through investment in advanced technologies to knowledge based society and makes Qatar the best connected country in the GCC and one of the most connected in the world. Q.NBN operates within the existing laws and under license conditions issued by ictQATAR. (QNA)