National Broadband Network

By 2015, ninety percent of Qatari households and businesses will have broadband access and an open-access fiber network.

Over the next five years, ictQATAR is committed to installing a next-generation, high-speed broadband network.

Broadband provides immense opportunities for social and economic growth,” says ictQATAR Secretary General Dr. Hessa Al-Jaber. “And as the country's ICT champion, we are committed to bringing broadband to everyone in Qatar.

In March 2011, ictQATAR announced the formation of the Qatar National Broadband Network Company (Q.NBN), which has the mandate to accelerate the rollout of a nationwide, open, and accessible high-speed broadband Fiber to the Home (FTTH) network.

Q.NBN will focus solely on the deployment of a passive network infrastructure, efficiently leveraging existing and new infrastructure in Qatar. This government-led initiative was developed in consultation with existing network operators, Qtel and Vodafone, and will support the development of their broadband service offerings to government, enterprises, and consumers. The government support will help ensure rapid deployment and seamless access in a competitive manner.

Q.NBN is a fully independent company operating within the existing laws and under license conditions issued by ictQATAR. ictQATAR is planning a range of initiatives to drive demand and uptake for broadband in the country. Among these initiatives is the fostering of a digital content ecosystem that encourages innovation and entrepreneurship including national digitization and cloud computing for government, enterprises and individuals. Also, ictQATAR is leading numerous ICT initiatives across the government and promoting ICT adoption in education, healthcare and businesses, as well as implementing programs to enhance e-skills and digital literacy in Qatar.