Vodafone is closing the gap with rival Ooredoo in rolling out 5G services across Qatar, with both operators expected to begin commercial deployments before the end of the year.
Last month, TelecomsTechNews reported that Ooredoo introduced its first 5G home broadband device after launching the world’s first commercial 5G network in May.
At the time, Waleed Al Sayed, CEO of Ooredoo Qatar, said:
“Ooredoo is ecstatic to announce that last night, we became the first in the world to have a live commercial 5G home broadband device.
This is another amazing world-first milestone for Ooredoo and Qatar and demonstrates that we are on track to offering 5G mega speeds for everyone in the very near future.”
Not wanting to be left behind, Vodafone Qatar’s Chief Technology Officer, Ramy Boctor, told QNA that the company is focused on delivering world-class telecommunications and digital services in Qatar and is investing in a first-rate network infrastructure.
Boctor added that Vodafone plans to begin offering 5G services by the end of the year, and those services will become operational as soon as compatible devices reach the Qatari market.
Describing the benefits consumers can expect from 5G, Boctor said customers will be able to download a full HD-quality movie in just a few seconds, enjoy uninterrupted live streaming, and experience download speeds faster than ever before.
Ooredoo’s current 5G home broadband service delivers speeds up to 2 Gbps—more than 20 times faster than its fibre broadband offering—alongside high throughput and low latency. The operator is also testing Internet of Things (IoT) use cases on its 5G network, including connected cars, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and drone applications.
“We are the first company in the world to offer access to 5G technology and services,” Al Sayed said. “The people of Qatar are the first to have access to the incredible benefits this technological upgrade will bring.”
He added that the “5G Supernet” will serve as a crucial infrastructure layer for Qatar as the country adopts advanced smart applications in line with Qatar National Vision 2030.
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