VMware, today announced that Vodafone Qatar which provides a comprehensive range of services including voice, messaging, data, and ICT managed services for consumers and businesses in Qatar has selected both VMware Telco Cloud Platform 5G Edition and VMware Cloud Foundation with Tanzu as the cornerstone of its modern cloud platform. This approach will enable it to fully utilize the power of 5G, cloud and modern applications to bring new services to market, supporting the country’s digitization ambitions in line with Qatar National Vision 2030.
Vodafone Qatar has provided telco services in Qatar since its launch in 2009 and now has more than two million mobile customers as of December 31, 2022. With the country buoyed by the success of the FIFA world cup in 2022 and the government pushing ahead with ambitious economic diversification plans, the company wants to accelerate its transition to modern applications and commercialize new 5G services while reducing complexity and cost in its IT and networks.
Ramy Boctor, Chief Technology Officer at Vodafone Qatar, said: “These solutions from VMware will support us in adopting modern infrastructures, speeding up our application development and bringing innovation to market faster. A reliable 5G network and modern suite of applications are the currency of a strong digital economy and are essential in establishing Qatar‘s long-term growth and prosperity. Our 5G network is at its most robust and extensive yet and this, as part of our work to develop Qatar’s national digital infrastructure, is continuously opening up opportunities to embrace and deploy other emerging technologies.”
Vodafone Qatar is one of the first operators in the world to introduce commercial 5G services following the rollout of its 5G network starting in August 2018. The adoption of VMware Telco Cloud Platform-5G Edition will support Vodafone Qatar on its journey to containerize core network functions, empowering its new 5G network with a common Containers as a Service (CaaS) platform and enable them with more flexibility and choice of 5G network function workloads.
By deploying VMware Cloud Foundation with Tanzu, Vodafone Qatar is evolving its existing SDDC environment to a more modern, automated and developer-ready IT infrastructure. The service provider will benefit from integrated cloud management capabilities spanning private and public clouds, with enhanced operational simplicity giving it the freedom to run applications anywhere.
Together, the VMware solutions will serve as a multi-layer, multi-domain automation and orchestration platform with telco-grade intrinsic security and will help Vodafone Qatar accelerate its journey to 5G and innovate with new services and products for business users and consumers.
Sanjay Uppal, senior vice president and general manager, Service Provider and Edge, VMware, said: “Through its work with VMware, Vodafone Qatar is building a more reliable, agile network and IT infrastructure that supports the roll-out of 5G services for the benefit of its customers. We’re excited to see the service innovation that Vodafone will bring to market as it continues to build more scalability and performance into its network and operations.”
Vodafone Qatar is deploying the solutions with the support of VMware Professional Services. Through the VMware Success 360 Standard for Telecom offering, a local VMware Technical Account Manager is helping Vodafone Qatar accelerate time-to-value with the new solutions.
