Speeds up to 1.2 Gbps available to Ooredoo customers with compatible smartphones
Carriers around the world are pushing the 1 Gbps data throughput barrier with increasingly advanced LTE network deployments, which also serve to lay the groundwork for quick commercialization of 5G. In the latest, Qatar-based communications service provider Ooredoo said it has made available peak speeds of 1.2 Gbps on its commercial network.
Along with the consumer-facing offering, Ooredoo also announced that it has secured an enterprise launch partner in Qatar Airways, which builds on recent testing with the airline that tapped massive multiple-input, multiple-output antennas.
Ooredoo Qatar CEO Waleed Al Sayed called the win with Qatar Airways the first step in a process that will “enable more businesses to fulfill their digital potential. I cannot emphasize enough the important of this successful pre-standardized 5G connection for our business customers in Qatar and the impact this service can have on Qatar’s digital economy in the future.”
As Ooredoo continues to work toward delivering on 5G, investments are focused on network infrastructure, software and support for new spectrum bands.
Al Sayed said the operator “will continue to invest heavily in our networks to make sure that everyone across our global footprint can enjoy the internet and its life enhancing benefits. There is no doubt that 5G services will have a huge impact on businesses and people, unlocking speeds for seamless browsing, next-generation business applications, and more. We are committed to being one of the first operators globally to make this service commercially available.”
In 2016 an Ooredoo 5G test hit 36 Gbps; in May 2017, the operator began upgrading base stations with pre-standard 5G technologies to support rapid commercialization in 2018.
