Ooredoo is betting on data business for future business growth.
The data revenues of Ooredoo represented more than 30 percent of total revenues in Q1 2015. Data revenues grew by more than 40 percent. The company also held data leadership positions in five out of nine key markets in 2014 – Algeria, Iraq, Qatar, Tunisia and the Maldives.
Nasser Marafih, group CEO of Ooredoo, said: “In all our markets, we continue to launch new services that enhance the data experience of our customers and support their digital lifestyles.”
Ooredoo has tied up manufacturers to introduce the latest devices at competitive prices. Low-cost 3G smart phones, device buyback programs, device financing and data bundles are some of its efforts to drive smartphone adoption and migration to 3G and 4G technologies.
Ooredoo said its 4G customer base now represents 25 percent of all the company’s data customers across Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and the Maldives. Ooredoo has invested in infrastructure and network upgrades, launching 4G+ and 4G services, and investments to upgrade fiber, data backhaul and traffic management capabilities to deliver a superior data experience.
In Qatar, Ooredoo launched its LTE Advanced network last December. Ooredoo is the only operator in Qatar to combine 20MHz plus 10MHz bands on its 4G+ network, enabling it to reach the maximum top speed of 225Mbps. In addition, the company has rolled-out a fiber network in Qatar, which currently serves more than 225,000 customers.
Akamai named Qatar as one of the fastest-rising countries for fixed line Internet speeds in the world, offering average peak connection speeds of 62.8 Mbps in 2014, a 72 percent year-on-year increase. It attributes the significant rise to Ooredoo’s speed upgrade on fiber in October 2014.
Following the launch of Data Test Drive promotion in Oman, Ooredoo has doubled the company’s 4G customer base, with more than 70 percent now using data. The company introduced More Internet recharge cards to drive data usage.
Ooredoo was the first company in Kuwait to launch a data sharing/transfer product. Ooredoo Kuwait also recently launched LTE advanced data portfolio.
In Iraq, Asiacell launched its 3G HSPA+ services in January 2015. The company also introduced anti-bill shock notification to enhance the data customer experience following the launch of 3G services.
Ooredoo posted 100 percent data revenue growh in Algeria and Tunisia — supported by 3G rollouts and data-led offers. Indosat in Indonesia has modernised its 3G network and launched high-speed 4G services in Jakarta, Bali, Bandung and Yogya, and rolled-out FTTx-based high-speed broadband services. Indosat also recently launched Internet.org in partnership with Facebook, to offer free basic Internet services to drive data penetration in the country.
More than 80 percent of Ooredoo’s customers in Myanmar are using smartphones.
Ooredoo Maldives enhanced 4G and 3G footprint and launched a mobile live TV product, as well as social media bundled packs to drive data adoption and usage.
Baburajan K
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