Ooredoo Qatar announced on Sunday it has contracted Ericsson to supply and deploy its latest RAN and microwave backhaul solutions to expand the operator’s 5G coverage, including to remote areas.
Under the deal, Ericsson will supply Ooredoo with massive MIMO radios to enable nationwide deployment of a new 5G layer using the 2.3 GHz spectrum band, The contract includes the annual addition of new sites to expand Ooredoo’s indoor and outdoor coverage and capacity, as well as modernization of its power systems.
The deal will also enable Ooredoo to refarm its 3G spectrum and introduce 700-MHz spectrum for enhanced 5G coverage and mmWave expansions for hotspot locations.
On the backhaul side, Ericsson will supply a multiband microwave solution that enables high-capacity backhaul of up to 25 Gbps by combining E-band (70/80 GHz) with traditional frequency bands. Ooredoo said this will help extend its 5G coverage to remote areas where fibre is unavailable.
Ooredoo Qatar CEO Sheikh Ali Bin Jabor Al-Thani said the investment aims to strengthen Ooredoo's network capabilities, enhance 5G consumer experiences, and unlock new enterprise revenue streams such as network sharing and mission-critical communications.
