Qtel launches Nokia E7 (Qatar)

Qtel has launched the Nokia E7 in Qatar. The handset is now available at Qtel Shops and authorized retailers across Qatar.

With 4-inch ClearBlack display, full keyboard and fast access to a wide variety of applications directly on the home screen, the Nokia E7 supports business applications from partners including Microsoft and IBM.

For business users, Nokia E7 provides direct, secure and real-time access to email, calendar, contacts, tasks and the corporate directory through Microsoft Exchange servers, as well as Office Communicator Mobile, developed by Microsoft for Nokia smartphones, which brings presence and corporate instant messaging.

The new arrival offers drive or walk navigation in 80 countries.

Vodafone Qatar offers win a home contest

Vodafone Qatar has introduced its biggest World Calling Club contest billed as ‘Win a home when you call back home’.

The operator is offering US$68,655 for the grand prize. Every international call and SMS sent to an international destination via the World Calling Club automatically enters a customer into the competition.

The grand winner will be chosen through a random electronic draw. The competition will run until 30 June, with the winner of the grand prize announced in July.

In addition to the grand prize, there will be weekly draws where ten customers can win handsets or shopping vouchers valued at up to US$274.62. In addition, each week, 100 customers will win Red 20 recharge cards and 400 customers Red 10 recharge cards. Calls made with the Vodafone International 25 Calling Card are not valid for the competition.

iBasis and Vodafone Qatar Interconnect to exchange International Voice Traffic

iBasis, a KPN company, today announced that Vodafone Qatar Q.S.C. (Vodafone Qatar) has interconnected to the iBasis global network for the exchange of international mobile phone calls. The move enables Vodafone Qatar to cost-effectively keep pace with rapid growth and provide customers with quality service, while enhancing iBasis’ ability to terminate calls to the Middle East region.

Established less than two years ago, Vodafone Qatar has in excess of 711,000 customers and carries more than 5 million minutes of international calls each day, leading analysts at Wireless Intelligence to forecast the operator’s market share to be 40 percent by 2012. Vodafone selected iBasis due to its service quality, product capabilities, pricing, and its successful relationships with the Vodafone Group and several other Vodafone operating companies around the world.

Vodafone Qatar is taking advantage of iBasis Premium Voice, a service that provides high-quality international calling, advanced features and global reach through a single connection. Advanced features include guaranteed transfer of CLI, support for international voice traffic on roaming number ranges (MSRN) to all mobile destinations, fax, ISDN data and ISUPv2.

Vodafone Qatar joins more than 250 mobile network operators (MNOs) that are interconnected to iBasis for exchange of international voice and/or data.

iBasis Premium Voice enables operators to deliver the highest quality international service even as they rapidly expand a particularly important capability for Vodafone Qatar considering it averaged more than 1,200 new customers per day last quarter,” said Willem Offerhaus, CEO of iBasis.

iBasis and many Vodafone operating companies have long enjoyed mutually beneficial partnerships. And as MNOs seek cost-efficient ways to meet increased demand via new IP interconnect models, such as the GSMA’s IPX, iBasis is ready to provide the most effective, advanced solutions available.”

We have achieved tremendous growth in a short period of time by focusing on the quality and capacity of our network,” said Jenny Howe, Director of Technology of Vodafone Qatar. iBasis shares a similar commitment and enjoys a proven reputation. Its global reach, along with the features provided by its Premium Voice product and competitive prices, enable us to cost-effectively adapt to future capacity needs, while ensuring that the quality of our service remains superior.”

Vodafone Qatar’s network provides clear mobile communications throughout the country. The operator has 100 percent 2G coverage across all of Qatar, and has deployed the latest available 3G technology, UMTS 2100 and 900, resulting in 3G coverage that serves 98 percent of the population.