In a historic stride, Nokia and Ooredoo Qatar have successfully launched the inaugural private wireless network tailored for the energy sector across the Middle East and Africa (MEA). This groundbreaking initiative aims to offer dedicated voice and customer data services in some of the most remote and demanding areas, announced the Finnish company on Wednesday.

Marked as a significant leap forward, this project boasts an initial capacity to accommodate 20,000 subscribers for the offshore grid. Its primary objective is to interconnect offshore and onshore facilities, ensuring seamless voice and data services. This move intends to empower customers by enabling them to digitize and automate operations, thereby enhancing overall efficiency and productivity.

Samar Mittal, Vice President of Cloud and Network Services (CNS) at Nokia MEA's Global Business Center (GBC), expressed, "Our Nokia enterprise solution, specifically crafted for offshore locations, combined with our delivery proficiency, guarantees a sturdy and resilient connectivity solution for the energy sector. Through our partnership with Ooredoo Qatar, we are setting new standards for innovation, efficiency, and reliability."

This collaboration entails Nokia's provision of cutting-edge products, finely tuned to deliver robust mission-critical connectivity, alongside deployment and care services. Moreover, the inclusion of resident engineers aims to provide expert support, ensuring the network operates optimally.

The solution seamlessly integrates into the existing commercial core, facilitating enhanced operational efficiency and minimized disruptions from onshore connectivity. It also streamlines interoperability and interservice handovers, fostering smoother and more reliable communication between offshore and onshore locations. By addressing latency issues through localized data services, the solution significantly improves process efficiency, as highlighted in Nokia's press release.

Furthermore, this innovative solution is set to enhance customer experience by replacing outdated Wi-Fi and WiMAX technologies.

Gunther Ottendorfer, Chief Technology and Information Officer (CTIO) at Ooredoo Qatar, remarked, "This significant milestone underscores our dedication to revolutionizing communication solutions, especially in challenging environments. This pioneering project offers dedicated voice and data services, laying the groundwork for the oil and gas sector, and others alike, to emulate such solutions, marking a new era in connectivity for the industry."

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