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Ooredoo Qatar and Ericsson extend partnership ahead of FIFA World Cup

The solution that comes with the partnership will also provide a two-fold network capacity improvement that will enhance the 5G experience for Ooredoo Qatar subscribers.

Ooredoo Qatar and Ericsson have extended their partnership to deploy 4+0 carrier aggregation microwave hops as Qatar gears up to host the football tournament in Q4 2022.

This first live deployment globally of Ericsson’s high-capacity, 4+0 MINI-LINK carrier aggregation will improve the 5G user experience across the country.

The deployment will enhance Ooredoo’s network capability to seamlessly handle the expected surge in users and devices connected to it while delivering optimal performance. Ericsson’s 4+0 MINI-LINK 6365 carrier aggregation will also provide a two-fold capacity improvement to the network, enhancing the 5G experience for Ooredoo Qatar subscribers.

Delivering multi-gigabit speeds, increased capacity, and mobile broadband connectivity, Ericsson’s MINI-LINK carrier aggregation will enable faster and reliable deployment of 5G with full deployment flexibility and user throughput. Through reduced power consumption and reduced equipment footprint, the carrier aggregation software helps reduce carbon footprint and tower load.

Speaking about the deal, Günther Ottendorfer, Chief Technology and Infrastructure Officer at Ooredoo Qatar, said: “Our latest collaboration with Ericsson on deploying 4+0 MINI-LINK carrier aggregation will enhance 5G user experience across stadiums in the country and will seamlessly bring high-capacity connectivity to users at sports events in Qatar. With the world’s most anticipated football event drawing nearer, we look forward to providing the best connectivity to our subscribers during the event to experience immersive and unforgettable tournaments.”

Kevin Murphy, Vice President and Head of Ericsson Levant Countries and Global Customer Unit Ooredoo Group at Ericsson Middle East and Africa, added: “Ericsson’s MINI-LINK carrier aggregation is key to a full 5G experience, and we are confident in its ability to meet the increased demands for high-quality connectivity during the major sports event in Qatar. Deploying MINI-LINK carrier aggregation 4+0 links will enable much faster and reliable deployment of 5G for Ooredoo Qatar while also facilitating several new and exciting use cases throughout the event season.”

Ericsson has been Ooredoo Qatar’s selected partner for Radio Access Network (RAN) and 5G indoor solutions to prepare a network for upcoming tournaments in the country. The first phase of microwave with 4+0 MINI-LINK carrier aggregation deployment was completed in Q1 2022, with further rollouts planned for the Q2 and Q3 of this year.