Details of Ooredoo's LTE network launch confirmed

Qatar Telecom (Ooredoo) has confirmed details of its upcoming 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) network launch, with commercial services initially being made available only to customers in the capital Doha in April. The operator has already installed some 100 active LTE base stations around Doha, reports the Gulf Times, while the network will be rolled out to the rest of the country in phases, Ooredoo disclosed, with areas covered in early phases to include The Pearl-Qatar, West Bay (Doha), Katara village, Corniche (Doha) and the Sealine Beach Resort. The new 4G network will operate in the 800MHz and 2600MHz frequency bands, and Ooredoo said it was in talks with vendors to ensure there will be adequate stocks of affordable LTE-enabled mobile devices in the country by the April launch date, while adding that more details on pricing and network availability would be made next month. Ooredoo customers have participated in LTE network tests for the last few months, with the aim of refining network performance via user feedback, while the 4G launch forms part of a wider mobile broadband strategy, with Ooredoo enhancing indoor and outdoor network coverage throughout 2013, including 3G network capacity expansion and improving coverage in high-rise buildings.