Qtel to provide Internet services to Iraqi universities (28/10/04)

Qtel will shortly provide Internet services to universities and educational institutions in Iraq using the VSAT technology.

An agreement to this effect was signed yesterday by Qtel's chief executive officer Dr Nasser Marafih and Badar Darwish of the International Fund for Higher Education in Iraq functioning under the patronage of the Qatar Foundation. Dr Hamed Al Hammami, director of the Unesco Doha Office in Doha and other senior officials from Qtel were also present at the signing ceremony.

Qtel improve provide its services for Iraq's many universities

VSAT, which stands for Very Small Aperture Terminal, relies on advanced digital satellite telecommunications equipment for data, voice and video applications. It is one of the most cost-effective technologies used today to meet a diverse set of communications needs providing quickly deployable remote area connectivity.

The International Fund for Higher Education in Iraq Committee has recently signed a contract with Qtel through the Qatar Foundation for providing remote connectivity to 37 locations in Iraq. Qtel's VSAT network will connect universities and other educational institutions within Iraq and be hubbed through the VSAT hub in Doha, Qatar.

"Qtel's VSAT is cutting-edge technology that provides the perfect solution for providing Internet access and connectivity to the people of Iraq. I am pleased to say that we have achieved this in a short span of time as our VSAT services was launched in early August of 2004", said Nasser Marafih, while speaking at the signing ceremony.

"With the provision of VSAT services abroad, once again we are setting an important milestone in building an international presence, which is central to our Qturn transformation programme. Qtel extends its support to a lot of educational institutions in Qatar and using our advanced VSAT terminals to help the people of Iraq with their educational needs, further strengthens our commitment," he added.

Apart from Internet access, the VSATs will be used for communicating between the universities and educational institutions. The two-way communication will help in the exchange of useful data between the instuitions. In addition, education programmes can be broadcast to classrooms across Iraq through the hub where students in one location are under the tutelage of their teacher or professor, who conducts the class from another location of country, he noted.

Source: The Peninsula