National ICT Plan sets connectivity goals

Qatar’s Crown Prince Shaikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, chairman of regulator ictQATAR’s Board of Directors, has presented a new strategy document entitled ‘Qatar’s National ICT Plan 2015: Advancing the Digital Agenda’. As reported by GulfNews, the document presents Qatar’s plans to invest USD550 million to accelerate the nationwide rollout of fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) broadband network infrastructure that will reach at least 95% of households and businesses over the next five years. Elsewhere, ictQATAR has entered into a joint venture with Eutelsat Communications to build and operate a communications satellite set to be launched in 2013, helping to support the National ICT Plan’s five strategic thrusts to ‘create a sustainable digital future’, including: improving connectivity, boosting capacity, fostering economic development, enhancing public service delivery and advancing benefits to society. Reportedly, 89% of households and 85% of individuals owned PCs by the end of 2010, while residential broadband usage jumped from 41% of households in 2008 to 70% in 2010.