Vodafone Qatar lining up first fixed line deployments

Qatari newspaper The Peninsular writes that Vodafone Qatar, which launched the country’s second commercial mobile phone network this month, is lining up to become fixed line service provider for two new-build developments. The UK-backed company’s CEO Grahame Maher hinted that deals were on the cards for deploying fixed line infrastructure for the 35-square-kilometre Lusail Development Project, and United Development Company’s new residential towers to form part of the Pearl-Qatar project. Pearl-Qatar is a QAR50 billion new-build island spanning four million square kilometres, due for completion in 2012. Regulator ictQATAR has not yet officially issued Vodafone Qatar’s fixed line licence, which it won in September 2008.