Qtel and Cisco Announce a Strategic Collaboration to Explore ICT Solutions for Building Cities of the Future

MoU to Create New Service Models and Solutions That Help Build a Better Qatar

DOHA, Qatar– 7th April, 2012 – Qtel and Cisco have announced their intention to enter a relationship through signing a  strategic memorandum of understanding (MOU) that will see the two companies collaborate on a range of new services for business customers and consumers across Qatar by bringing together complementary skills, capabilities and solutions.

The MOU brings an opportunity for Cisco to collaborate with Qtel by aligning  the Cisco® Smart+Connected Communities vision  with  Qatar Telecom’s  expertise in the telecommunications sector. The MOU builds upon the two market leaders’ long history of successful collaboration, and will enable Qtel and Cisco to share knowledge and expertise in developing and implementing comprehensive network and communications solutions.

Key Facts/Highlights:

• The MOU will explore opportunities that will allow corporate customers to work with Qtel and Cisco to deploy a range of wireline, mobile, managed services, virtual networks and data centre solutions tailored specifically to the needs of their business. In addition, Qtel and Cisco have agreed to pursue a range of solutions aimed at some of Qatar’s most dynamic and strategically-important industries.
• The signing ceremony was held at Qtel’s headquarters in Doha and was attended by Sheikh Saud Bin Nasser Al Thani, CEO, Qtel Qatar; Eng. Khalid Abdulla Al-Mansouri, chief new business officer, Qtel Qatar; Wim Elfrink, EVP, Emerging Solutions and Chief Globalisation Officer, Cisco; and Anil Menon, SVP, S+CC and deputy chief globalisation officer, Cisco, along with other senior company representatives.
• Cisco and Qtel will explore opportunities to increase the range of managed services available to all government, corporate, and mega project customers in Qatar, as well as enhancing the customer experience, by collaborating to bring new innovations to the market.
• Both companies will explore opportunities to bring the latest cutting-edge technology; this is aligned to Qatar’s 2030 Vision of working towards a knowledge-based society and preparing for the World Cup 2022.
• In addition, both companies see strong opportunities in the oil and gas sector, as Qatar’s status as a world leader in the liquid natural gas market drives investment and new development. Other industries targeted within the framework of the new MOU include sport, hospitality, health, education, retail, government and transportation – all set to be major growth areas in the coming years.
• In the recent “Cisco Connected World Technology Report,” it was revealed that one in three college students and young professionals consider the Internet to be as fundamental as air, water, and food. The MOU will explore opportunities that will enable Qtel and Cisco to ensure that people enjoy the very highest level of network infrastructure and communications support, so that this generation and the next can achieve their full technological and social potential.

Executive Quotes:

Sheikh Saud Bin Nasser Al Thani, CEO, Qtel Qatar

“Qtel has a bold strategy for ensuring that we hold a leadership position in the delivery of new innovations for our customers, and strategic partnerships have a clear role to play in ensuring we achieve our objectives. Working with Cisco, which is a recognised global leader, will enable us to deliver comprehensive solutions for all of Qatar’s leading companies.”

Wim Elfrink, executive vice president, Emerging Solutions and chief globalisation officer, Cisco

 “As cities continue to grow, the challenge continues to be in making these cities smarter. More than ever there is a need for innovation to enable economic, social and environmental sustainability for city development and transformation. Cisco’s Smart+ Connected Communities platform is increasingly being deployed globally to create smarter, greener and more secure communities for citizens of the future. Citizens are looking to consume smart services enabled by intelligent networks. Progressive companies such as QTel are leading the way in deploying these smart services as their strategic differentiator in growing digitally enabled cities.”

Anil Menon, SVP, Smart+Connected Communities, and deputy chief globalisation officer, Cisco

 “Cisco envisions a future where technology will help communities better manage their energy and environmental challenges. Strategic relationships with telecom leaders such as QTel bring us a step closer in providing improved citizen services for communities and enhancing the citizens’ quality of life. We share a common belief that the network is the foundation for the development of smart buildings and smart cities.”

Links / URLs:

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Middle East News:

http://www.cisco.com/web/ME/about/news/index.html

About Qtel

Qatar Telecom (Qtel) provides a full range of telecommunications services in Qatar and across its presence in 17 countries. Our vision is to be among the top 20 telecommunications companies in the world by 2020 through expansion in both the MENA region and South East Asia.

About Cisco

Cisco (NASDAQ:CSCO, news, filings) is the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate.  Information about Cisco can be found at http://www.cisco.com.  For ongoing news, please go to http://newsroom.cisco.com. Cisco equipment in emerging markets is supplied by Cisco Systems International BV, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cisco Systems, Inc.

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