Ericsson to supply FTTx gear for Qatar National Broadband Network

The Qatar National Broadband Network Co. (Qnbn) has selected Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) to supply FTTx equipment for fiber-enabled broadband access throughout the country.

The government of Qatar established Qnbn in 2011 to accelerate the rollout of a nationwide high-speed broadband fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network. Qnbn aims to provide fiber access to citizens and businesses across Qatar, achieving coverage targets of 95 percent across Qatar.

The network roll out will begin “immediately,” according to a statement on Qnbn’s website. Qnbn will deploy both hardware and fiber-optic cable from Ericsson for the PON-based infrastructure. The fiber-optic network will be designed to provide equal and open access to a variety of service providers, thus promoting choice for end users and efficient use of new and existing infrastructure in Qatar.

“Qnbn represents a bold step forward in Qatar’s drive to be a leading knowledge-based economy, and continuous access to a high-speed network is essential for economic development and innovation,” said Mohamad Al-Mannai, Qnbn’s CEO. “Together with Ericsson we hope to be able to enrich connectivity in Qatar and continue to provide an ideal environment for business development and economic growth.”

“Having high-speed broadband access with faster connectivity has become a major component for today’s networked society” said Ray Hassan, president, Ericsson Gulf Council Countries (GCC). “We are excited to work with Qnbn in Qatar to help turn the ‘Networked Society’ vision further into reality.”

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