Market Trends of Qatar Telecom Industry
This section covers the major market trends shaping the Qatar Telecom Market according to our research experts:
Deployment of 5G Technology
- Qatar is considered one of the regional leaders in telecoms maturity, having one of the highest fixed and mobile penetrations in the Middle East. Qatar is also one of the more progressive countries in terms of its progress toward 5G.
- Qatar telecom companies are adopting 5G technology quite fast, and billions of devices will soon depend on the system for communication and information exchange. The fifth-generation technology (5G) network has several efficiencies. It gives people, data, and applications, infrastructures, and networked environments. However, there are fears that it may cause adverse environmental and health effects.
- A significant part of 5G network investment in Qatar is targeted at the upcoming FIFA World Cup. Ooredoo and Vodafone are major players in the Qatar telecom market looking for a chance to demonstrate the capabilities and strength of their 5G networks to a global audience. They are heavily investing in their 5G networks, with Ooredoo taking the lead by attaining 99.5% population coverage in the first quarter of 2022, followed by Vodafone, which is committed to providing universal coverage by the end of 2022.
- 5G networks better support technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), which contributes to the sustainable growth of the Information and communications technology (ICT) sector and other sectors linked with these technologies.
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Increasing Number of Mobile Networks
- According to the Telecom Report 2021, released by Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA), Qatar is witnessing an increase in mobile broadband penetration rate. The mobile penetration rate in 2021 was recorded as 132%, which was previously recorded as 129% in 2020.
- The Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) issued the Regulation for the Standards for Government Telecom Duct Infrastructure Design and Construction. CRA focuses on establishing and setting common requirements and standards that are aligned with Qatar's government telecom duct infrastructure needs. Telecom service providers have successfully implemented more than 13,000 house connections by implementing 24 projects in the past two years.
- In October 2022, Qatar's Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) announced an individual license to provide public satellite telecommunications networks and services to Starlink Satellite Qatar. The license authorization will enable Starlink Satellite Qatar to offer satellite broadband Internet services to Qatar. It is expected to deliver mobile connectivity to remote areas of Qatar, such as offshore zones for oil and gas platforms, sea vessels, and aircraft. It is also expected to provide backup power in case of outages.
