Vodafone Qatar has announced network upgrades capable of supporting mobile data speeds ‘up to 700Mbps’ which it says puts it in the top five Vodafone-branded networks globally, Gulf Times reports. Recent enhancements have included increasing 4G bandwidth across ‘more than 80%’ of its network and expanding its 4G coverage to 98% of its outdoor mobile sites, of which 90% provide LTE-A (‘4G+’) services. Furthermore, Vodafone Qatar has upgraded more than 150 indoor sites to 4G in malls and other commercial buildings, and enhanced its voice service quality. The operator says that the latest upgrades are a step towards 5G services, which it expects ‘to bring to reality by the end of the year’.
Also this week, Vodafone Qatar announced the rollout of 1Gbps fibre connectivity in New Salata and the Industrial Area of Doha. The news followed recent announcements that it will roll out its gigabit fibre network in Lusail City and the Pearl-Qatar, expanding its existing fibre broadband services covering areas including West Bay and Barwa City (Mesaimeer). Vodafone Qatar expects to ‘more than quadruple’ the number of homes and businesses connected to its fibre network by 2020.
Vodafone Qatar posted its first ever quarterly net profit in the three months ended 31 March 2018, with a bottom line of QAR17 million (USD4.6 million), compared to net losses of QAR74 million in the same quarter of 2017. Q1 2018 revenues climbed 2.8% year-on-year to QAR532 million.