Qtel focused on network improvements, 4G launch this year

Qatar Telecom (Qtel) has announced that it will focus on boosting mobile network performance and coverage throughout 2013, and is in the process of establishing dozens of new cell sites across Qatar to further enhance call quality and network support, it said in a press release. Qtel is also investing in mobile technology upgrades to improve indoor and outdoor coverage, including a DC-HSPA+ deployment to enhance 3G network capacity and an in-building solution to improve coverage in high-rise buildings. In addition, 2013 will be the year that Qtel will launch a commercial 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) mobile broadband network, with speeds that are three-to-six times as fast as the current 3G network, the company added, without naming a specific launch date. With demand for data continuing to grow, Qtel launched its capacity enhancement and optimisation project in 2012, which supports mobile data access throughout Qatar.