DOHA: The Ooredoo Smart Cloud Marketplace was launched yesterday enabling small-and-medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to enter Qatar’s smart technology market.
On the Marketplace’s online portal, business customers can rent virtual cloud-based business software and applications, which were previously only available for large enterprises and required significant investment. The applications can be used from any location and on any mobile device, delivering incredible flexibility and value-for-money, Ooredoo said yesterday.
The Marketplace is launching with six application across the fields of security, video collaboration, marketing, storage, backup, and homepage builder. These virtual applications are more affordable, secure, and flexible than physical IT infrastructure, and will enable more businesses in Qatar to compete in the knowledge-based economy. The Ooredoo Cloud Marketplace is hosted in the Qatar Data Centre, which provides an ideal environment for businesses in Qatar to host their critical business applications.
Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad bin Nasser Al Thani, Chief New Business Officer, Ooredoo Qatar said: “Smart Cloud Marketplace is a major step forward for our SMB customers, with cloud services enabling them to perform at the level of large enterprises. As Qatar’s smart technology market continues to grow, SMBs can leverage our secure broadband network to innovate processes, support a more mobile workforce, and enhance competitiveness.”
Demonstrating the high potential for Qatar’s smart IT sector, the country’s software market is set to grow from QR1.3bn in 2014 to QR2.1bn in 2018, while the IT services market — including cloud, smart, and security — is set to grow from QR2.3bn in 2014 to
QR3.8bn in 2018, according to Business Monitor.
The launch of the Marketplace is the next step in Ooredoo’s “Better for Business” strategy, which provides a wide range of ICT solutions for Qatar’s key industry sectors. As urban areas across Qatar become “Smart Cities”, they will have broadband networks at their core to support smart government, business, and citizen services.
To use the Marketplace, Ooredoo customers can register online for free on
www.oscm.qa, and then can check the online catalogue and purchase the applications. The Customer Service team helps with software ordering, technical support, and billing.
In the coming months, the Marketplace will offer dozens of new applications across fields such as human resources, finance, project management, and videoconferencing.
The Peninsula
