Latest news with #AliAlSuwaidi
Qatar Tribune
06-07-2025
- Business
- Qatar Tribune
Two global firms join Qatar Internet Exchange Point to drive connectivity, digital innovation
Tribune News Network Doha The Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) has announced the onboarding of KaopuCloud, a global edge-cloud provider, and Mibura, a data centre and cloud solutions provider, to the Qatar Internet Exchange Point (QIXP). The move supports Qatar's growing digital infrastructure and advances its position as a leading hub for regional internet traffic. Ali Al Suwaidi, Director of Technical Affairs at the Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) and chair of the QIXP Steering Committee, said: 'The addition of KaopuCloud and Mibura aligns with CRA's strategic objective to localise digital content and cloud workloads within Qatar. With the deployment of a route server operating under an open peering policy, QIXP enables all participants to interconnect efficiently through a single access point. This translates into lower latency for users, reduced transit costs for providers, and a stronger foundation for digital innovation.' Established in 2020, QIXP is a non-profit, carrier-neutral exchange that facilitates domestic traffic exchange among internet service providers, government entities, academic institutions, and content networks. By enabling local data routing, QIXP enhances network performance, security, and resilience — supporting CRA's digital transformation agenda and the broader objectives of Qatar National Vision 2030. As of May 2025, the number of active QIXP participants has reached 19, reflecting growing demand for local interconnection. Qatar also recently hosted the first GCC working group on data flow and traffic exchange, reinforcing its leadership in regional collaboration on internet infrastructure. KaopuCloud brings over two decades of global expertise in operating low-latency edge nodes in more than 50 cities, and over 150 data centres. Mibura, with a global presence in over 200 cities provides scalable cloud and hosting solutions in partnership with major global tech companies. The continued expansion of QIXP is expected to deliver tangible benefits across the digital ecosystem. Localising traffic helps improve the performance of essential digital services such as video streaming, cloud applications, and content delivery while providing a secure, sovereign platform for hosting data within the country. For enterprises and service providers, QIXP offers efficient, cost-effective access to global and regional content delivery networks, streamlining connectivity through a single, localised point of exchange.
Qatar Tribune
06-07-2025
- Business
- Qatar Tribune
Two international companies join Qatar Internet Exchange Point
DOHA: The Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) announced the onboarding of KaopuCloud, a global edge-cloud provider, and Mibura, a data center and cloud solutions provider, to the Qatar Internet Exchange Point (QIXP). The move supports Qatar's growing digital infrastructure and advances its position as a leading hub for regional internet traffic. Ali Al Suwaidi, Director of Technical Affairs at the Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) and Chair of the QIXP Steering Committee, stated: "The addition of KaopuCloud and Mibura aligns with CRA's strategic objective to localize digital content and cloud workloads within Qatar. With the deployment of a route server operating under an open peering policy, QIXP enables all participants to interconnect efficiently through a single access point. This translates into lower latency for users, reduced transit costs for providers, and a stronger foundation for digital innovation." Established in 2020, QIXP is a non-profit, carrier-neutral exchange that facilitates domestic traffic exchange among internet service providers, government entities, academic institutions, and content networks. By enabling local data routing, QIXP enhances network performance, security, and resilience supporting CRA's digital transformation agenda and the broader objectives of Qatar National Vision 2030. As of May 2025, the number of active QIXP participants has reached 19, reflecting growing demand for local interconnection. Qatar also recently hosted the first GCC working group on data flow and traffic exchange, reinforcing its leadership in regional collaboration on internet infrastructure. KaopuCloud brings over two decades of global expertise in operating low-latency edge nodes in more than 50 cities, and over 150 data centers. Mibura, with a global presence in over 200 cities provides scalable cloud and hosting solutions in partnership with major global tech companies. The continued expansion of QIXP is expected to deliver tangible benefits across the digital ecosystem. Localizing traffic helps improve the performance of essential digital services such as video streaming, cloud applications, and content delivery while providing a secure, sovereign platform for hosting data within the country. For enterprises and service providers, QIXP offers efficient, cost-effective access to global and regional content delivery networks, streamlining connectivity through a single, localized point of exchange.
Qatar Tribune
15-06-2025
- Business
- Qatar Tribune
CRA partners with RIPE NCC, CISCO and Huawei on joint capacity-building initiative
Tribune News Network Doha The Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) in Qatar has launched a joint capacity-building initiative aimed at strengthening digital literacy and public awareness of emerging technologies in Qatar, in collaboration with the Réseaux IP Européens Network Coordination Centre (RIPE NCC), Cisco via Qatar Digital Academy which is under the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, and Huawei. This initiative aims to promote capacity development by delivering RIPE NCC, Cisco, and Huawei's online training and webinars through the CRA platform. The initiative is designed to enhance public digital awareness and facilitate broad access to knowledge in key technological areas, including the Internet of Things (IoT), cybersecurity, IPv6, routing security, 5G, artificial intelligence (AI), Internet governance, and digital infrastructure. The online sessions are delivered by a select group of specialised experts and target various segments of society, including students, professionals, and technology enthusiasts. Ali Al Suwaidi, Director of the Technical Affairs Department at CRA, praised this initiative, stating: 'This partnership with the Réseaux IP Européens Network Coordination Centre (RIPE NCC), Cisco via Qatar Digital Academy, and Huawei reflects CRA's commitment to spreading digital knowledge and empowering society to keep pace with rapid technological changes. 'It enhances digital awareness among individuals and represents a model of constructive collaboration between the public and private sectors, aligned with Qatar National Vision 2030, particularly the human development pillar. Facilitating access to knowledge content is a fundamental pillar to promote digital inclusion and contribute to building a diversified and sustainable economy based on innovation and knowledge.' The CRA invites technology sector entities to contribute to enriching this series by providing quality content that serves the aspirations of Qatar's digital society and strengthens the country's position as a regional center for digital knowledge.
Zawya
03-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
CRA opens access to over 4,860km of govt telecom infrastructure across Qatar
Doha, Qatar: The Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) has opened access to more than 4,860km of government telecom duct infrastructure across Qatar. This forms part of CRA's broader regulatory mandate to optimise the use of national telecom assets, enable licensed service providers to scale their networks more efficiently, and support the delivery of high-quality digital services to homes and businesses. The initiative reflects CRA's strategic objective to promote fair and open access to essential telecom infrastructure—reducing duplicate deployments, improving investment efficiency, and accelerating the rollout of next-generation technologies such as fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) and 5G. It supports Qatar's ambitions for a robust digital economy and future-ready connectivity ecosystem. Ali Al-Suwaidi, Director of the Technical Affairs Department at CRA stated: 'Ensuring equitable access to national telecom infrastructure is a core part of our regulatory mandate. It enables licensed service providers to scale efficiently and deliver reliable services that meet users' expectations. This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing Qatar's digital ecosystem, supporting innovation, and contributing to economic diversification. We also commend the strong collaboration with Ashghal in realising this strategic milestone.' Delivered in collaboration with the Public Works Authority (Ashghal), the infrastructure spans 60 projects and covers over 40,000 residential, commercial, and government premises nationwide. The rollout was governed by a 2014 Memorandum of Understanding between CRA and Ashghal, which formalised planning, construction, and transfer protocols. To date, more than 15,500 premises have been connected via the CRA-managed government telecom duct infrastructure. Ooredoo has utilised 468km of ducts to serve 2,010 consumers premises, while Vodafone Qatar has deployed 251km to connect 1,150 of its consumers. These figures underscore growing industry reliance on a shared national duct network as a foundation for reliable and scalable connectivity. CRA oversees access to the network through its Duct Management System (DMS), a GIS-based digital platform that facilitates real-time capacity visibility, application processing, and coordination for network extensions. This ensures transparency, efficiency, and alignment with national infrastructure policy. This access model enhances the quality of digital services for users, enabling high-performance connectivity that supports remote work, e-learning, and digital government services. It also fosters competition. © Dar Al Sharq Press, Printing and Distribution. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Qatar Tribune
02-06-2025
- Business
- Qatar Tribune
CRA opens access to over 4,860 km of government telecommunication duct infrastructure across Qatar
Tribune News Network Doha The Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) has opened access to more than 4,860 kilometres of government telecom duct infrastructure across Qatar. This milestone forms part of CRA's broader regulatory mandate to optimise the use of national telecom assets, enable licensed service providers to scale their networks more efficiently, and support the delivery of high-quality digital services to homes and businesses. The initiative reflects CRA's strategic objective to promote fair and open access to essential telecom infrastructure, reducing duplicate deployments, improving investment efficiency, and accelerating the rollout of next-generation technologies such as fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) and 5G. It directly supports Qatar's ambitions for a robust digital economy and future-ready connectivity ecosystem. Ali Al Suwaidi, director of the Technical Affairs Department at CRA, said: 'Ensuring equitable access to national telecom infrastructure is a core part of our regulatory mandate. It enables licensed service providers to scale efficiently and deliver reliable services that meet users' expectations. This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing Qatar's digital ecosystem, supporting innovation, and contributing to economic diversification. We also commend the strong collaboration with Ashghal in realizing this strategic milestone.' Delivered in collaboration with the Public Works Authority (Ashghal), the infrastructure spans 60 projects and covers over 40,000 residential, commercial, and government premises nationwide. The rollout was governed by a 2014 memorandum of understanding between CRA and Ashghal, which formalised planning, construction, and transfer protocols. To date, more than 15,500 premises have been connected via the CRA-managed government telecom duct infrastructure. Ooredoo has utilised 468 kilometres of ducts to serve more than 2,010 consumers premises, while Vodafone Qatar has deployed 251 kilometres to connect 1,150 of its consumers. These figures underscore growing industry reliance on a shared national duct network as a foundation for reliable and scalable connectivity. CRA oversees access to the network through its Duct Management System (DMS), a GIS-based digital platform that facilitates real-time capacity visibility, application processing, and coordination for network extensions. This ensures transparency, efficiency, and alignment with national infrastructure policy. This access model enhances the quality of digital services for users, enabling high-performance connectivity that supports remote work, e-learning, and digital government services. It also fosters competition by making it easier for consumers to switch between service providers and improves the overall digital user experience. CRA, as the designated regulatory authority, continues to oversee the construction handover and regulated availability of government telecom ducts in coordination with relevant entities. These efforts are aligned with Qatar National Vision 2030 and aim to ensure sustainable infrastructure development and a thriving digital economy.
