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Qatar - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

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Last updated: 3 Jun 2020 Update History

Report Pages: 91

Analyst: Sebastien De Rosbo

Telecoms infrastructure in Qatar demonstrates resilience during the pandemic

Qatar’s high level of telecoms maturity and substantial telecoms infrastructure has held it in good stead during the COVID-19 pandemic, which created a surge in Internet usage both in Qatar and around the world.

Qatar’s substantial fixed broadband network based on GigaNet fibre has one of the highest household penetration rates in the region and it has almost 100% 4G LTE network coverage.

The mobile sector is led by Ooredoo Qatar and Vodafone Qatar. Ooredoo Qatar is actively deploying 5G sites across Qatar and has reported a positive uptake of its mobile 5G subscription packages.

Vodafone Qatar is also demonstrating significant progress towards 5G by deploying networks based on New Radio (NR) in the 3.5GHz frequency, primarily around the capital Doha.

This valuable report on Qatar’s telecoms sector provides analyses, information, industry statistics and insights.

BuddeComm notes that the outbreak of the Coronavirus in 2020 is having a significant impact on production and supply chains globally. During the coming year the telecoms sector to various degrees is likely to experience a downturn in mobile device production, while it may also be difficult for network operators to manage workflows when maintaining and upgrading existing infrastructure. Overall progress towards 5G may be postponed or slowed down in some countries.

On the consumer side, spending on telecoms services and devices is under pressure from the financial effect of large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes. However, the crucial nature of telecom services, both for general communication as well as a tool for home-working, will offset such pressures. In many markets the net effect should be a steady though reduced increased in subscriber growth.

Although it is challenging to predict and interpret the long-term impacts of the crisis as it develops, these have been acknowledged in the industry forecasts contained in this report.

The report also covers the responses of the telecom operators as well as government agencies and regulators as they react to the crisis to ensure that citizens can continue to make optimum use of telecom services. This can be reflected in subsidy schemes and the promotion of tele-health and tele-education, among other solutions.

Key developments:

  • Recently consumers have embraced bundled packages, with both the uptake of double and triple-play increasing considerably, assisting the operators in their attempts to diversify operations.
  • Qatari citizens are some of the largest users of the Internet in the Middle East and have embraced Over-The-Top (OTT) services.
  • The CRA increased its powers in 2018, allowing it greater scrutiny of the operators.
  • Increasing international capacity will assist in Qatar's long-term development goals as stated in its National Development Strategy document Qatar National Vision 2030.
  • In 2018 Ooredoo Qatar claimed it had deployed the first commercial 5G network in the world and in May 2018 it switched on its live 3.5GHz 5G (Non-Standalone) New Radio (NR) network.
  • This report includes assessment of the global impact of COVID-19 on the telecoms sector.

Companies mentioned in this report include:

Ooredoo Qatar, Vodafone Qatar, Qatar National Broadband Network (QNBN).

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