HE The Minister of Communications and Information Technology Inspects the Readiness of Ooredoo Q.P.S.C. and Vodafone Qatar P.Q.S.C. to Deliver Advanced Communication Services during the World Cup | Ministry of Communications and Information Technology

Monday, November 14, 2022

HE The Minister of Communications and Information Technology Inspects the Readiness of Ooredoo Q.P.S.C. and Vodafone Qatar P.Q.S.C. to Deliver Advanced Communication Services during the World Cup

Doha – Qatar

His Excellency Mr. Mohammed bin Ali Al Mannai, Minister of Communications and Information Technology, stressed the readiness of telecom companies in the State of Qatar to provide high-level services in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ and their ability to provide a package of advanced technologies that will contribute to the success of the World Cup.

His Excellency said that the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology has been working over the past period with the two telecom companies Ooredoo Q.P.S.C. and Vodafone Qatar P.Q.S.C., in coordination with the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy and the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), to ensure the availability of a group of integrated set of telecommunications, internet, and broadcasting services supported by high-tech communication networks.

In this context, His Excellency the Minister of Communications and Information Technology, yesterday visited the service and operation centers of Ooredoo Q.P.S.C. and Vodafone Qatar P.Q.S.C., in order to follow up on the work of the two centers and to see how services are managed and coordinated in the field.

In a statement following his visit to the centers, His Excellency Mr. Mohammed bin Ali Al Mannai expressed his satisfaction with the readiness of Ooredoo Q.P.S.C. and Vodafone Qatar P.Q.S.C. to provide high-quality telecommunications services during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ and their ability to accommodate the increasing demand for telecommunications, internet and broadcasting services during the World Cup.

His Excellency said: "The State of Qatar has strong communication and information technology infrastructure through which we can provide high-quality services, whether to the fans of the tournament or to various local and foreign institutions and entities that will benefit from communications and broadcasting services."

His Excellency added: "The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, the Communications Regulatory Authority, and the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy have also worked closely with FIFA, to provide an impressive package of services and modern technologies during the World Cup, which will undoubtedly be one of the best tournaments that use the latest advanced technologies contributing to the success of this global event.”

The service operations center provides Ooredoo Q.P.S.C. with many services that provide the World Cup with modern communication systems through an advanced network with a high capacity.

The center includes 300 experts to deal with the FIFA requirements to ensure the provision of advanced and high-level service.

It is noteworthy that the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ will be the first World Cup having all its stadiums equipped with the fifth-generation network (5G).

Ooredoo Q.P.S.C. has also modernized its external radio network sites by providing them with the latest 5G technologies aimed at achieving maximum coverage nationwide, including stadiums, airports, railways, fan zones and other facilities related to the tournament. The company also completed the upgrade of its entire core network by adding the latest and most advanced cloud core network in modern data centers and modernizing many of its communication infrastructures.

The service operations center or operations center of Ooredoo Q.P.S.C. provides proactive service support and assurance in various areas, including network, software and infrastructure, by monitoring services around the clock. The center ensures the level of service and customer experience by implementing a combination of operations, incident management, performance management, change management, problem management, and customer problem handling.

The center was equipped with the necessary tools to ensure immediate and almost instantaneous service around the clock for Ooredoo Q.P.S.C. mobile, fixed line, and television services, in addition to international services (voice calls and roaming) including international cable connection.

The center also ensures the highest level of availability for key internal and external channels such as CRM, ERP, application management, financial services, and more.

During the World Cup, it will form a command and control center for the tournament's quality assurance team, which will conduct central operations with the support of sub-quality teams, whether in the field, or in remote operating rooms of service providers inside or outside the State of Qatar.

His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulla Al Thani, CEO of Ooredoo Q.P.S.C., said: “At Ooredoo, we spare no effort to fulfil our commitment to improve customers’ life. With expectations of hosting 1.2 million people over the 29 days of the tournament, it is our shared goal to provide an exceptional digital experience for visitors in Qatar, in addition to the billions of viewers who will follow the tournament on television screens around the world and contribute to making this edition of the World Cup the best in history.”

The rooms of the center responsible for monitoring technology and network operations at Vodafone Qatar P.Q.S.C. headquarters provide comprehensive monitoring of network performance and customer experience through a range of communication and digital & cyber security services.

Vodafone Qatar P.Q.S.C. has put in place multi-domain and tiered monitoring processes to provide proactive monitoring around the clock, with the aim of ensuring the reliability and continuity of services directed to businesses and individuals that are operated through its network.

Vodafone Qatar P.Q.S.C. control and operations center support the company's mission of providing a world-class communications network that serves major events.

His Excellency Sheikh Hamad Bin Abdulla bin Jassim Al Thani, CEO of Vodafone Qatar P.Q.S.C., said: “Vodafone Qatar’s state-of-the-art Network Operations Center is part of our strategy to support major events in Qatar and plays a pivotal role in managing day-to-day operations and in the maintenance operations of our communication services suite."

His Excellency added: “The opening of the center last year was a great step forward for the company, as well as for the communications sector in Qatar, as the center is an essential part of our operational excellence strategy and contributes to strengthening the country’s digital infrastructure towards achieving a comprehensive digital transformation for the country. We are proud we can support the country’s efforts during such an important period, through innovation and the advanced technologies we are using in our Network Operations Center.”

Network Operation Centers are used to monitor telecommunications network performance, correct equipment failures, and alert operators of performance challenges so that they can be addressed quickly and efficiently.

The Network Operations Center of Vodafone Qatar P.Q.S.C. uses emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and automation, as well as industry best practices and other tools to ensure that the company's network covers customers around the clock without interruption.