Doha, 3 November 2012: Qatar National Broadband Network (Qnbn) recently picked up a top UK Award at the London Stock Exchange, the World Finance Award for Best innovation, Middle East 2012.  The Award is annually bestowed on technology companies that demonstrate outstanding innovation and being ahead of the curve in the industry with the very latest state of the art platforms. Qnbn won the award for being one of the first initiatives for an open network funded by the government in the region.

Qnbn CEO, Mohammad Al-Mannai, commented: "On behalf of Qnbn it is indeed a great pleasure to accept this award for Innovation which is a key driving force behind our organization.  Qnbn's aim is to empower all who live and work in Qatar through its high speed fiber optic network, creating more potential for all, as well as fuelling innovation for the future."

Al-Mannai added in an interview at the London Stock Exchange (LSE) on accepting the award: "High speed communication will have a transformational effect on all who live and work in Qatar bringing community and enterprise benefits. Fiber will play a major role in transforming the responsiveness of e-government and businesses, improving healthcare services and boosting educational development. Broadband would also enable companies in Qatar to have access to enhanced services such as the latest applications, cloud computing and video conferencing that will lessen Qatar's carbon footprint."

October 2012 saw Qnbn sign an agreement with Ericsson at ITU Telecom World in Dubai, for the deployment of Ericsson's Fiber Optic Solution, Fiber Cables and Central offices in Qatar's new fiber optic network.   

Qnbn's rollout is now underway, the company having signed agreements with telecom operators Qtel and Vodafone. The new fiber network from Qnbn will accelerate broadband fiber penetration in Qatar, enabling telecom operators to offer the next generation broadband services to businesses and individuals.

ABOUT Q.NBN
Qatar National Broadband Network Company (Q.NBN) is a shareholding company wholly owned by the government, with a mandate to enable accessible high-speed communications with the right cutting edge technology platform across Qatar. Through its visionary and collaborative approach to the market, Q.NBN will help to empower the nation with broadband fiber access to citizens and businesses alike in line with the Qatar ICT Strategy 2015.

Q.NBN aims to have 95% coverage as it serves the wider digitization agenda of the country.  The next generation fiber optics network which is the alternative to copper will become exponentially faster, bringing community and enterprise benefits of enhanced delivery of services, cost savings, increased competitiveness and improved sustainability.

In addition, recent research has shown that doubling the broadband speed positively impacts an economy by increasing the economy's GDP.

Q.NBN will focus solely on the deployment of a network infrastructure, providing equal and open access to operators to offer choice for the end-user and efficiently leveraging existing and new infrastructure in Qatar. Q.NBN, one of the first government initiatives of its kind in the region, reflects Qatar's Vision 2030 to transform the country through investment in advanced technologies to knowledge based society and make Qatar the best connected country in the GCC and one of the most connected in the world.  Q.NBN operates within the existing laws and under license conditions issued by ictQATAR.

For further information, please contact:
Hala Kassab
Kamal Nasrallah
Asda'a Burson-Marsteller
T: +974 4 4351 113 
F: +974 4 4351 511
E-mail : h.kassab@asdaa.com
k.nasrallah@asdaa.com

Fathy Kassem
Communications Manager
Qatar National Broadband Network
T: +974 4404 1442
F: +974 4404 1405
M:+974 5539 5730
email: fkassem@qnbn.qa

© Press Release 2012