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Tag: Ooredoo

  • Ooredoo launches 1.2Gbps mobile speeds

    Ooredoo launches 1.2Gbps mobile speeds

    Qatar-based Ooredoo has announced it has broken the 1Gbps speed barrier using commercial smartphones and a live network.

    The company said the company has made speeds of up to 1.2Gbps commercially available to customers in Qatar as it works to be one of the earliest adopters of 5G technology.

    Tests conducted on live sites across Ooredoo’s network achieved speeds exceeding 1Gbps.

    As well as its consumer operations, Ooredoo revealed that Qatar Airways has arranged become the first corporate 5G customer.

    When launched, Ooredoo’s 5G connected corporate commercial services will provide an alternative to wired networks for corporate customers in hard to reach or remote areas.

    In November, Ooredoo completed testing of massive multiple-input multiple output (Massive MIMO) technology in partnership with the airline.

    “Ooredoo will continue to invest heavily in our networks to make sure that everyone across our global footprint can enjoy the internet and its life enhancing benefits,” Ooredoo Qatar CEO Waleed Al Sayed said.

    “There is no doubt that 5G services will have a huge impact on businesses and people, unlocking speeds for seamless browsing, next-generation business applications, and more. We are committed to being one of the first operators globally to make this service commercially available to our customers.”

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  • Ooredoo Myanmar launches mobile money service

    Ooredoo Myanmar launches mobile money service

    Ooredoo Myanmar has announced the launch of a new mobile money service branded M-Pitesan.

    The new service will allow instant money transfer and payments between local mobile numbers through a dedicated mobile wallet for Ooredoo customers or a store for non-registered users.

    Ooredoo said M-Pitesan is the only mobile money service in Myanmar that offers real-time tracking between CB Bank accounts and the mobile wallet.

    In addition, mobile customers can transfer or receive money through the operator’s network of 2,400 M-Pitesan agents in Yangon, Naypyitaw, Mandalay, Bago and Taunggyi. The company plans to add an additional 7,500 agents to its network in the future, mainly in rural and underserved areas.

    The operator is planning to expand the service in the future to support functionality including QR code payments and bill payments for utilities or municipal services.

    “There is real appetite for mobile money services in Myanmar. I am confident that M-Pitesan will give customer’s access to the digital financial services they have been asking us for, helping support their increasingly digital lifestyles,” Ooredoo Myanmar acting CEO Vikram Sinha said.

    “We have big plans for M-Pitesan and in the months to come will be expanding the service to include additional functionality for customers, banks and businesses alike.”

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  • GoToMalls.com expands to Indonesia

    GoToMalls.com expands to Indonesia

    Singapore-based company DominoPos has launched its proximity marketing and digital media platform GoToMalls.com in Indonesia.

    Offering a geo-located, profile-based smart directory of malls and stores in Indonesia, the website aims to revive offline transactions, “bringing the community’s spirit back to the malls through digital media support”.

    CEO Bruno Zysman says the platform helps offline retail brands publish their own call-to-action campaigns, and promote products or services on a digital platform to their target audience. It lists up to 375 malls and shopping complexes, along with 19,000 stores.

    To ease its entry into the Indonesian market, the site has partnered with telecommunications company PT Indosat, also known as Indosat Ooredoo, and ride-hailing app Grab.

    GoToMalls launched in Singapore in February and plans to expand further internationally.

  • Ooredoo launches 10Gbps FTTH services

    Ooredoo launches 10Gbps FTTH services

    Ooredoo has used Mobile World Congress 2017 to announce it is launching a new 10Gbps FTTH service.

    The company has been offering 10Gbps fiber speeds to select VIP customers in Doha in Qatar, ahead of a planned wider nationwide commercial rollout later this year.

    Ooredoo has been trialing the service since December. In Doha, itt currently costs 7,500 rial ($2,059) per month, bundled with the Ooredoo tv service.

    Ooredoo Qatar CEO Waleed Al Sayed said the ongoing 10Gbps upgrade will also support Ooredoo’s broader strategy involving introducing 5G services, offering 8K TV streaming and positioning Qatar as the world’s best-connected country.

    “We’re delighted to be officially launching our 10Gpbs Fibre service for Qatar at Mobile World Congress,” he said.

    “This week is all about demonstrating Ooredoo’s data experience leadership, and we continue to set new milestones by expanding and enhancing the Ooredoo Supernet for mobile and fiber customers.”

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  • Ooredoo launches 10Gbps FTTH service

    Ooredoo launches 10Gbps FTTH service

    Ooredoo has used Mobile World Congress 2017 to announce it is launching a new 10Gbps FTTH service.

    The company has been offering 10Gbps fiber speeds to select VIP customers in Doha in Qatar, ahead of a planned wider nationwide commercial rollout later this year.

    Ooredoo has been trialing the service since December. In Doha, itt currently costs 7,500 rial ($2,059) per month, bundled with the Ooredoo tv service.

    Ooredoo Qatar CEO Waleed Al Sayed said the ongoing 10Gbps upgrade will also support Ooredoo’s broader strategy involving introducing 5G services, offering 8K TV streaming and positioning Qatar as the world’s best-connected country.

    “We’re delighted to be officially launching our 10Gpbs Fibre service for Qatar at Mobile World Congress,” he said.

    “This week is all about demonstrating Ooredoo’s data experience leadership, and we continue to set new milestones by expanding and enhancing the Ooredoo Supernet for mobile and fiber customers.”

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  • Indosat Ooredoo enters alliance with Thuraya

    Indosat Ooredoo enters alliance with Thuraya

    Indonesia’s Indosat Ooredoo has entered an alliance to provide a range of enterprise services combining its products with satellite connectivity from Thuraya.

    Under the agreement, new services will be developed using Indosat SIMs roaming on the Thuraya network, as well as satellite services bundled with Indosat Ooredoo digital applications.

    In the near future, the partners said they plan to expand this alliance to cover new services for the fast-growing IoT market.

    Indosat will target the bundled products at market segments that benefit from remote connectivity extending beyond the reach of terrestrial networks and in a range of extreme environmental conditions. Examples include oil and gas, mining, military and police as well as boating and fishing.

    “We look forward to working with Thuraya to offer communication services beyond terrestrial reach,” Indosat Ooredoo director and chief of wholesale and enterprise Herfini Haryono said.

    “The cooperation will expand the reach of our digital services such as unified communications, and provide a truly seamless experience. By adding satellite connectivity from Thuraya to the Indosat Ooredoo Business portfolio we continue to deliver on our strategy to lead in digital transformation.”

    Thuraya chief commercial officer Bilal Hamouri added that the agreement is an important step towards a long-term collaboration between the two companies.

  • Indosat Ooredoo ready to launch 4.5G technology

    Indosat Ooredoo ready to launch 4.5G technology

    PT Indosat Ooredoo is ready to launch its 4.5G technology in 2017 that is two times faster than its 4G predecessor, said a company spokesman.

    “We have been developing the 4.5G technology since 2012 and we are ready to launch this year, starting with the introduction of new technological infrastructures such as modernized BTS (Base Transceiver Station) in several regions,” according to its Group Head of Network Strategy and Solution, Yune Marketatmo, on Wednesday.

    Singapore and Malaysia are already ahead of Indonesia in launching the 4.5G technology, along with some European and Middle Eastern countries.

    Marketatmo also noted that in order to prepare for its introduction, the company has been working to place 4.5G data centers in several areas around Java since 2016, while the headquarters will be in Jakarta.

    “The data centers will be built in strategic locations close to customers so they can communicate easily and take advantage of this new technology,” he added.

    Marketatmo further explained that existing customers who are currently using 4G would be automatically upgraded to 4.5G. This will also apply to mobile devices that are compatible with the 4.5G technology.

    Indosat Ooredoo currently has 81.6 million customers and the company saw an increase of their data usage by 114.2 percent compared to previous years.

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  • Ooredoo Myanmar expands SIM registration channels

    Ooredoo Myanmar expands SIM registration channels

    Ooredoo Myanmar has added new channels for its subscribers to use to self-register, in line with a government directive that all SIMs in use in the nation be registered by next year.

    Customers now have four options for self-registering their SIMs.

    The four options involve dialing a dedicated hotline, downloading an application, using a call center with interactive voice response functionality or registering online via the Ooredoo website.

    Subscribers will also be able to visit an Ooredoo store and complete a registration with the assistance of a sales agent. They will need an NRC card, student ID or drivers’ license.

    Under a new mandate from the Ministry of Transport and Communications, all mobile SIM cards will need to be registered by the end of March. Any remaining unregistered SIMs will need to be deactivated after this date.

    The order brings Myanmar in line with a number of its peers in the Asian region also introducing mandatory SIM registration schemes, including Cambodia, Thailand and Pakistan.

    Thailand’s National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission is also calling for the introduction of a common regional SIM registration platform covering prepaid services in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar as a counter-crime measure.

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  • Ooredoo to deploy Ericsson cloud-ready revenue system

    Ooredoo to deploy Ericsson cloud-ready revenue system

    Ooredoo Group has signed a five-year contract with Ericsson to implement the Swedish vendor’s revenue management system across the group’s operations in the Middle East, North Africa and Southeast Asia.

    Ericsson Revenue Manager, a cloud-ready convergent charging and billing system, provides Ooredoo with a number of advantages as the telco group updates its product portfolio and drives the development of digital innovation across its markets.

    Simple configuration reduces dependency on technical departments, makes it easier and faster to launch new services with tailored pricing and packages. This enables Ooredoo companies to offer customers new services and the products they need in minutes, rather than months, the companies said.

    The solution will also help Ooredoo more easily create digital services that spans beyond telecoms and integrates with partners from different industries.

    “Across our footprint, Ooredoo is aiming for data experience leadership, and placing renewed emphasis on empowering our customers and giving them the services they need when they need them,” said Waleed Al Sayed, deputy CEO at Ooredoo Group.

    “Through this agreement with Ericsson, we will enable every Ooredoo operation to deliver fast, customer-oriented offers and launch new data products and services that support our growing portfolio of digital services and enables the growth of the Internet of Things.”

    Ooredoo will begin rolling-out the solution for Indosat Ooredoo, its largest operation in Indonesia, over the next month, before deploying across its other operations later this year and 2017.

    Upon the completion of the project, Ooredoo is expected to realize significant cost savings from replacing its existing systems and local agreements with a pioneering new group-wide license model.

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  • Ooredoo Maldives signs deal with Thuraya

    Ooredoo Maldives signs deal with Thuraya

    Ooredoo Maldives has contracted mobile satellite services provider Thuraya to supply fisheries and resorts in the tropical nation with satellite-based voice and broadband connectivity.

    The operator yesterday launched Thuraya SatSleeve+ and SatSleeve Hotspot devices and accompanying data packages at its retail outlets.

    In the first phase of the partnership, Ooredoo is offering the devices and services to fisheries under a two-year contract.

    The agreement addresses a mandate from the Maldives government requiring commercial fishing operators to outfit their vessels with satellite equipment and supply anglers with satellite phones, to address requirements including worker safety.

    Ooredoo’s Hussain Niyaz commented that “traditionally, fishery is the main occupation and major source of livelihood in the Maldives. It is also the second largest industry in the country. Safety is an important driver in this sector, where there are many accidents.”

    In the second phase of the agreement, which will come into effect later this year, the operator will market the services to the Maldives’ 105 plus resorts.

    This too will fulfil a mandate by the government requiring all resorts and tourist facilities to install satellite communications equipment as an additional safety measure.

  • Indonesia’s Indosat Ooredoo & XL Axiata Suspected of Cartel Practices

    Indonesia’s Indosat Ooredoo & XL Axiata Suspected of Cartel Practices

    Indonesia’s Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU) has ordered telecommunication operators Indosat Ooredoo and XL Axiata to provide more details concerning the establishment of their joint venture One Indonesia Synergy. The KPPU suspects that both companies are involved in cartel practices, more specifically the companies are suspected to have breached Law No. 5/1999 on the Ban on Monopolistic Practices and Unfair Business Competition in terms of price fixing, market allocation and output restriction.

    Muhammad Syarkawi Rauf, Chairman of the KPPU, informed that there are indications that both telecommunication operators – both listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) – are (1) coordinating to determine prices, (2) coordinating to divide geographical areas for their products, and (3) coordinating to restrict the output of their products. These allegations are the result of the establishment of their joint venture One Indonesia Synergy.

    Turina Farouk, Vice President Corporate Communication of XL Axiata, said the company cannot respond yet to the KPPU’s summon as XL Axiata is yet to receive the full details of the case. However, regarding One Indonesia Synergy Farouk said this joint venture is not a vehicle used to engage in cartel practices but is part of cost efficiency efforts for the development of their 4G LTE network. Farouk added that One Indonesia Synergy is not operational yet as it awaits several permits from authorities.

    Cooperation is a strategy of Indosat Ooredoo and XL Axiata to make their operations more efficient in the future. Indonesia’s telecommunication sector is dominated by state-controlled Telekomunikasi Indonesia.

    Indosat Ooredoo and XL Axiata each own a 50 percent stake in joint venture One Indonesia Synergy. Alexander Rusli, President Director and CEO of Indosat, said One Indonesia Synergy will offer consultation services for both companies’ cooperation in telecommunication networks, for example the so-called multi operator radio access network.

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  • Ooredoo plans stake sale in Indonesian unit Indosat

    Ooredoo plans stake sale in Indonesian unit Indosat

    Ooredoo plans stake sale in Indonesian unit Indosat. Ooredoo is exploring options including a sale of its controlling stake in Indonesia’s phone carrier PT Indosat as the Qatari phone company seeks to raise cash and focus on its more profitable Middle Eastern markets, according to people familiar with the matter.

    The carrier could sell its 65 per cent stake in Indosat to another phone company willing to expand in the region, the people said, asking not to be identified because the deliberations are private. The holding has a market value of about $1.4 billion. No final decision has been made and deliberations are still at a preliminary stage, the people said.

    Ooredoo said it has no intention of selling its interest in Indosat, according to a statement dated September 20 on its website. Indosat shares rose as much as 2.9 per cent, the most in a week, in Jakarta trading on Wednesday.

    Ooredoo, which has operations spanning Algeria to Myanmar, is also considering a sale of its indirect stake in Singapore’s StarHub, people with knowledge of the matter said in July. Ooredoo is majority owned by the Qatar Investment Authority sovereign wealth fund and other government related entities. Investment funds in many Middle Eastern countries are raising cash through asset sales to combat declining oil prices.

  • Ooredoo Myanmar reaches 500,000 LTE subs

    Ooredoo Myanmar reaches 500,000 LTE subs

    Ooredoo Myanmar has signed up 500,000 LTE users since launching 4G services in May and is pushing ahead with the operator’s ambitious rollout plans.

    The operator’s CEO Rene Meza told that the operator now has a total 4G population coverage of 4.6 million people in Yangong, Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw.

    The company is concentrating its 4G rollout efforts on urban areas. It has a target of covering half of Yangon’s townships, all of Mandalay and about 90% of Nay Pyi Taw.

    Main rival Telenor Myanmar has been later to offer 4G. The operator launched in Nay Pyi Taw in July and is at the testing phase in Yangon and two other cities.

    Telenor is also taking a different strategy of focusing its rollout efforts away from heavy usage areas to minimize the impact on existing 3G services.

    Both Telenor and Ooredoo’s 4G networks are currently data-only, and neither operator currently charges a premium for 4G. Meza noted that 80% of the operator’s Myanmar customers are now using mobile data.

    But both operators’ 4G ambitions will be dependent on the acquisition of more mobile spectrum. The government plans to auction 40 MHz in the 2600-MHz band in mid-October and to auction 1800-MHz spectrum by the end of the year.

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  • Indosat Ooredoo, Fortumo bring direct carrier billing to Indonesia

    Indosat Ooredoo, Fortumo bring direct carrier billing to Indonesia

    Indosat Ooredoo has partnered with mobile payments platform provider Fortumo to launch direct carrier billing in Indonesia.

    The partnership is expected to enable the Indonesian mobile operator’s 69.8 million subscribers make online payments by charging purchases to their mobile account, without the need to use a credit card.

    “This strategic collaboration with Fortumo will bring more benefits to Indosat Ooredoo customers and allow transactions at a wider network of merchants,” said Prashant Gokarn, chief of new business and innovation at Indosat Ooredoo. “We look forward to continuing to provide innovation that brings more value to our customers as part of our goal to become a leading digital telco.”

    Fortumo’s direct carrier billing platform is used by leading app stores (Google Play, Windows Phone Store), digital media companies (Sony, HOOQ, Gaana) and gaming companies (EA Mobile, Gameloft, Kinguin, Rovio).

    To enable global carrier billing for these merchants, Fortumo has partnered with more than 350 mobile operators across the world.

    “Connecting with Fortumo gives mobile operators immediate access to additional revenue from all the segments of the digital industry,” said Siddharth Sahi, VP of business development and carrier relations at Fortumo.

    The two companies cite data which show that there are over 65 million smartphone owners in Indonesia, but less than 5 million people have access to credit cards.

    They said this meant that a majority of the digital population cannot make online payments. As a consequence, digital merchants lose out on revenue from a majority of the population. Carrier billing resolves this problem by allowing any mobile phone owner (both prepaid and postpaid) to make payments through Fortumo.

  • Fortumo brings direct carrier billing to Indonesia

    Fortumo brings direct carrier billing to Indonesia

    Fortumo and Indonesia’s leading digital telco, Indosat Ooredoo, today announced the launch of direct carrier billing. The partnership will enable 69.8 million Indosat Ooredoo subscribers to make online payments by charging purchases to their mobile account without the need to use a credit card.

    “We are pleased to build this strategic collaboration with Fortumo, one that will bring more benefits to Indosat Ooredoo customers and allow transactions at a wider network of merchants. We look forward to continuing to provide innovation that brings more value to our customers as part of our goal to become a leading digital telco,” said Prashant Gokarn, chief of new business and innovation at Indosat Ooredoo.

    Fortumo’s direct carrier billing platform is used by leading app stores (Google Play, Windows Phone Store), digital media companies (Sony, HOOQ, Gaana) and gaming companies (EA Mobile, Gameloft, Kinguin, Rovio). To enable global carrier billing for these merchants, Fortumo has partnered with more than 350 mobile operators across the world.

    “Connecting with Fortumo gives mobile operators immediate access to additional revenue from all the segments of the digital industry. We are excited to partner with Indosat Ooredoo on carrier billing and look forward to growing revenue from carrier billing, the payment method with the widest coverage in Indonesia,” said Siddharth Sahi, vice president of business development and carrier relations at Fortumo.

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