Intelligent CIO Middle East Issue 40 | Page 14

NEWS First 5G call between Kuwait and Qatar successfully tested T he Ooredoo Group has successfully made the first trial international 5G call in the region between Ooredoo Kuwait and Ooredoo Qatar. The company says this demonstrates the phenomenal capabilities of its 5G networks in Qatar and Kuwait. The call took place between Sheikh Saud Bin Nasser Al-Thani, Chief Executive Officer, Ooredoo Group, and Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulla Al-Thani, Chief Executive Officer, Ooredoo Kuwait. Also present were senior representatives of Ooredoo and respective government officials. The call was originated by Sheikh Saud from Ooredoo’s headquarters in Doha and received by Sheikh Mohammed in Ooredoo’s Kuwait headquarters. It took place using 5G CPEs connected at 5G speeds of up to 1 Gbps showcasing the potential of 5G. Ooredoo Qatar became the first operator in the world to launch a live, commercially available 5G network in May 2018 and has since worked tirelessly to ensure it will be ready for use as soon as 5G devices become commercially available. 5G is set to revolutionise mobile and fixed connectivity, with super- fast Internet speeds, extreme throughput and low latency. Ooredoo Kuwait announced the launch of the trial 5G for its customers last June from its key location at its head office in Kuwait City. ////////////////// Qatari delegation visits Huawei’s headquarters in Beijing The visit took place on the sidelines of the Qatar–China Business Forum, which was organised by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The forum brought together government officials and representatives of the Qatari and Chinese private sectors. Qatari and Chinese participants signed a number of MoUs in a bid to enhance co-operation in information technology, promote the exchange of expertise and bolster investment partnerships. Huawei gave the Qatari officials and businessmen insider access to its state-of-the-art laboratories and research centres, as well as the opportunity to meet with top executives to discuss ICT’s role in driving the development of key verticals. This visit and discussions will help Huawei to better serve Qatar’s national ICT and telecommunication needs in the long-term. A delegation from Qatar has visited Huawei’s headquarters in Beijing. Representatives of Qatar’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI), along with senior figures from Qatari companies, visited China to gain an understanding of how the latest ICT solutions can contribute to Digital Transformation. 14 INTELLIGENTCIO Frank Fan, CEO Huawei Technologies Qatar, said: “Huawei is proud to be a key contributor to the State of Qatar’s ICT industry since opening our first office in Doha in 2005, during which time we have consistently brought the latest in technological advancement and innovation to the country.” www.intelligentcio.com