Qtel completes FTTH trial

Qatar Telecom (Qtel) has completed a trial of fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) technology, reports The Peninsula. The new broadband service should be available to Qtel customers in the Mesaieed and West Bay Lagoon areas by the end of 2009, giving access to internet connection speeds of up to 50Mbps initially, upgradeable to 100Mbps in the near future. Qtel also intends to pilot fibre-to-the-building (FTTB) connections to apartment blocks and office buildings, and is also planning to expand its direct fibre services across Greater Doha and the rest of Qatar. Qtel’s FTTH trial was carried out in partnership with China’s Huawei Technologies and featured triple-play internet, telephony and IPTV services.