The Chairman of Ooredoo His Excellency Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammed Bin Saud Al Thani has called on the global communications industry to seize the challenge of providing more people with Broadband Internet access, during the opening ceremony for the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Telecom World event today.
Sheikh Abdullah urged operators to work together to lower mobile broadband costs and improve network access during his keynote presentation.
“Our industry has two major challenges in the upcoming period. We need to make sure that the benefits of mobile broadband technology are available to as many people as possible. We need to work together with government, operators and device manufacturers to boost affordability, improve network access and improve the customer experience,” said Sheikh Abdullah.
“At the same time, we need to do a better job of shaping the future, rather than responding to it. We need to be active investors in new ideas, new thinking and new approaches that will help our customers in their daily lives,” he added.
His bold challenge to the industry was echoed on the same day by Ooredoo Group CEO Dr. Nasser Marafih, who spoke on a panel with leading experts including Dr. Hamadoun Touré, Secretary-General, International Telecommunication Union; Jon Fredrik Baksaas, President and Group CEO, Telenor Group; and His Excellency Group Captain Anudith Nakornthap, Minister, The Government Complex, Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, Thailand.
“Mobile Broadband is the fastest-growing technology in history, with global subscriptions growing 30 percent a year, according to the ITU. We’re supporting this growth across our footprint, and see strong opportunity in Asia, where a large proportion of the population will first access the Internet through mobile devices. There is a need for new networks, increased availability of low-cost devices, and better government understanding on issues around regulation and licensing,” said Dr. Nasser.
Ooredoo has taken huge steps in recent years to enhance access to networks and boost communication technology. In its home market of Qatar, the company has rolled-out a nationwide Fibre network and launched the country’s first-ever 4G service.
Across its international markets, Ooredoo has launched a range of services to enrich people’s lives, including Mobile Money services, mobile health initiatives and targeted services for women and young people.
The 2013 annual edition of ITU Telecom World, which started today, is a three-day event taking place in Bangkok, Thailand. The topic for discussions this year is “Embracing Change in a Digital World,” bringing together influential global leaders in ICT from the public and private sectors to discuss solutions and new ideas.
This year’s event is an especially important one for Qatar, which will be the host nation in 2014. At the Qatar stand, hosted by Ooredoo, a number of key technologies are on display as well as demonstrations of initiatives to support digital literacy and enhanced communication access around the world.
About Ooredoo
Ooredoo is a leading international communications company delivering mobile, fixed, broadband internet and corporate managed services tailored to the needs of consumers and businesses across markets in the Middle East, North Africa and South-East Asia. As a community-focused company, Ooredoo is guided by its vision of enriching people’s lives and its belief that it can stimulate human growth by leveraging communications to help people achieve their full potential. Ooredoo has a presence in markets such as Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Algeria, Tunisia, Iraq, Palestine, the Maldives and Indonesia. The company reported revenues of $9.3 billion U.S. dollars in 2012 and had a consolidated global customer base of more than 92.9 million people as of 31 December 2012. Ooredoo’s shares are listed on the Qatar Exchange and the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange.
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