Ooredoo has announced the launch of its Smart City initiative in the Maldives, with a range of smart solutions to be introduced across the country.
The initiative will begin with free Wi-Fi hotspots, and is aimed at connecting the Maldivian people with smart solutions aimed at enriching their lives on a daily basis. In order to “kick start” the roll-out, Ooredoo announced the introduction of Wi-Fi Hangout Areas across prime spots in the capital city, Male. Further, Ooredoo will be providing free WiFi access at public utility areas such as IGMH hospital, ferry terminals and the youth centre.
The company said smart solutions implemented across cities will be key to dealing with growing urban challenges, such as overpopulation, traffic congestion, pollution and high levels of energy consumption.
With such “smart cities” emerging worldwide, Ooredoo says its Smart City initiative in the Maldives reflects the company’s belief that smart solutions and accessible connectivity have the power to boost regional growth, and create “next-generation urban environments”.
“The smart cities concept is synonymous with our belief that we can leverage technology to stimulate human growth across our footprint. We look forward to providing the Maldivian community with smart solutions that can enrich their lives,” said chief executive officer (CEO) of Ooredoo Maldives, Vikram Sinha.
“We believe in the power of emerging smart city technologies to enrich people’s lives, and we are eager to offer our expertise to the people of the Maldives in their efforts to build next generation urban environments,” added Chairman of the Board of Ooredoo Maldives and Group Chief Officer of the Small and Medium Business Unit, Khalid Al Mahmoud.
The government of the Maldives also lauded the potential of smart solutions to address key urban challenges facing the country.
Vice-president of the Maldives, Ahmed Adeeb, said: “Connecting our people to smart technologies will instigate innovative solutions that tackle key challenges that are prevalent in an urban society, thus paving the way to a better quality of life.”
