Ooredoo Group has announced a new strategic partnership with Snap Inc. that will enable the use of advanced Augmented Reality technology to enhance its customer experience.
The new three-year partnership is a first-of-its-kind in the region and will see the two entities collaborate to build advanced AR experiences – including 5G-enabled AR experiences - for Ooredoo customers across its 10 operating companies, powered by Ooredoo’s superior network with its unparalleled speeds and bandwidth.
As a leader in the field of telecommunications and ICT, Ooredoo Group will leverage Snap’s community platforms such as Snapchat, and its diversity of creator tools, to build on its commitment to technology, innovation and the digital elevation of arts and culture and enhance the experiences on offer to its customers.
Many of these experiences will centre around key cultural and social moments. The partnership will see Ooredoo and Snap work together on the upcoming major sporting event being held in Qatar in 2022, for which Ooredoo is a major network provider. Plans include blending the physical and digital world through AR to create engaging, shareable fan experiences for the hundreds of thousands of visitors expected to descend upon the country.
Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulla Al Thani, Deputy Group Chief Executive Officer and Chief Executive Officer of Ooredoo Qatar, said: "This is a first-of-its-kind collaboration for the region, a milestone of which we are rightly proud, and which aligns perfectly with our strategic aim of digital transformation. Our partnership with Snap Inc. will enable us to develop innovative 5G services that will enrich our customers’ digital experiences and make them enjoy the internet even more. We are very excited about what our future together holds and can't wait to roll out the coolest activities across our markets."
Snap Inc. is widely recognised as a pioneer of global innovation in AR within the telecommunications industry. Some 85% of Snapchat’s MENA daily users interact with Lenses each day, and – as one of the most used cameras in the world - the functionality offers brands an effective way in which to engage with ever-expanding audiences of Millennials and Gen Zs, and offers Snap, and the entities with whom it works, the opportunity to shape how these communities experience the world around them.
Nana Murugesan, Managing Director, International Markets at Snap Inc., said: “We believe that AR ultimately adds both entertainment as well as utility to people’s lives, and we are pushing the boundaries on both of these fronts by working with partners like Ooredoo. We have seen communities in the region truly embrace AR today, especially around events and places. As that happens, one of our priorities is making AR more accessible to individuals and businesses, which will be expanded through this strategic partnership with Ooredoo across multiple countries.”
Ooredoo Kuwait and Ooredoo Qatar have already initiated groundbreaking projects in collaboration with Snapchat, with roll-out expected in Q4 2021 and Q1 2022.
As part of its collaboration with National Museum of Qatar, Ooredoo is also planning a range of innovative AR activations with Snap - leveraging the power of 5G mobile connectivity - to go live at on-site exhibits.
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About Ooredoo
Ooredoo is an international communications company operating across the Middle East, North Africa and Southeast Asia. Serving consumers and businesses in 10 countries, Ooredoo delivers the leading data experience through a broad range of content and services via its advanced, data-centric mobile and fixed networks.
Ooredoo generated revenues of QAR 29 billion as of 31 December 2020. Its shares are listed on the Qatar Stock Exchange and the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange.
