Doha: The Minister of Information and Communications Technology H E Dr Hessa Al Jaber is leading a delegation to International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) Sixth World Telecommunication Development Conference that opened in Dubai yesterday.
Delegates from 150 countries are attending the forum under the theme ‘Broadband for Sustainable Development’ until April 10.
Its aim is to establish work programmes and guidelines to define telecom development questions and priorities and provide guidance for the work programme of the telecom development sector over the next four years.
Dr Al Jaber highlighted Qatar’s ICT development as part of the opening high level segment of the forum where heads of delegations shared policy developments, initiatives and future objectives.
“In Qatar, we know that high-speed, high-quality, affordable broadband is the foundation of an innovative ICT sector that will enrich the quality of life for individuals and propel our nation forward.
“Broadband is one tool to make the change at the level of the four pillars of Qatar National Vision 2030: Economic, human, social and environmental development, and in line with Qatar’s pursuit of economy diversification away from the energy sector on the course of creating the knowledge-based economy,” she said.
“Nearly 10 years ago, Qatar’s leadership made the decision to invest heavily in building a world-class infrastructure with the capacity and speeds to set the country apart in the region. With this in mind, the ministry launched Qatar’s National Broadband Plan in collaboration with public and private stakeholders, an ambitious strategy to upgrade the broadband market in the country.”
The main objective of the plan is to offer high-quality, high-speed broadband services for businesses and individuals regardless of wealth or prestige, and no matter where they live. The strategy focuses on the youth, workforce training, and readiness, as well as improving public services and the provision of healthcare and educational services.
She said demand for broadband has skyrocketed in Qatar and around the world. The past few years witnessed big changes, including reliance on broadband at home from 41 percent in 2008, 80 percent in 2010 and 85 percent in 2012. As infrastructure witnesses more development with more people obtaining smart devices, we are witnessing a large rise in the number of broadband subscribers on mobile phones — 18 percent in 2012 from 15 percent in 2010.
As demand for broadband is expected to continue to boom, service providers in Qatar are struggling to respond to it.
The Peninsula
