Page 28 - SAMENA Trends - June-July 2020

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Omantel Inks Deal with Ericsson for 5G Network

Expansion

Oman Telecommunications Company (Omantel), the Sultanate’s including Muscat, Barka, Sohar, Rustaq and Saham.
incumbent telecoms operator, has selected Ericsson to support
its ongoing 5G radio access network (RAN) deployment plans
in a multi-year partnership. According to the Swedish vendor,
hardware and software products and solutions from the Ericsson
Radio System portfolio, including Advanced Antenna Systems
and 3GPP standards-based 5G New Radio (NR), will be deployed
in Omantel’s network. Further, Ericsson has said it will support
Omantel’s commercial 5G deployment at key locations across
Oman, including Salalah, Nizwa and Sur. As previously reported
by CommsUpdate, Omantel announced the commercial launch
of 5G services for residential broadband customers in December
2019. The network, which supports maximum download speeds
of 1Gbps, is available in a number of main towns and cities,

Omantel Adopts Environmental Initiatives to Reduce Negative Impacts on

the Environment and Secure a Better Life for Future Generations

Omantel, the leading national integrated design stage and various constructions a minimum of 60 points is required.
telecommunications services provider stages, that due attention is paid to relevant Omantel’s new HQ Building scored points
in the Sultanate of Oman, attaches great environmental factors and aspects, in several areas, proudly aiming to the
attention to environmental aspects as the especially those relating to material achievement of the gold certification. The
company endeavors to minimize negative used in the building. Omantel is proud to building is located at Al Irfan Business
impacts on the environment and ensure its announce that the project has achieved Park, a central location that is accessible
sustainability. Environment forms one of 100% compliance for the use of low energy by public transportation networks, earning
the key pillars of Omantel’s sustainability emitting materials used for the interiors. the project points for its location and
strategy. Every year, Omantel launches and During construction, 59.77% recycled accessibility by public transport. The
adopts several environmental initiatives materials were used, 46.14% locally-source new HQ also scores highly for efficiency.
aiming to preserve the environment regional materials and 100% FSC Certified By using low-flow fixtures and treated
benefitting from Omantel leadership Wood. Achieving an excellent standard water for irrigation, the project achieved
position in the telecom and ICT sector of indoor air quality was imperative to a good standard for water efficiency.
and the partnerships it formed with Omantel during the implementation of Omantel ensured that all materials and
several stakeholders to maximize the this project. The building is set to achieve resources used in the construction of the
impact of these initiatives. Omantel a LEED Point for ‘Construction Indoor Air building were responsibly sourced, by
believes in the importance of preserving Quality Management’, which ensures that using recycled, locally-sourced materials
the environment and its sustainability the contaminant level in the building of in line with LEED requirements. As well
and hence the company is committed to all pollutants that may cause allergies as adhering to responsible construction
minimizing the effects of its operations and asthma are within EPA limits. For the practices, the project achieved well for
on the environment and is seeking to raise wellbeing of employees, the amount of its innovative design and high standard
awareness of the importance of preserving natural light available in all regularly used indoor environmental quality. As a result
the environment among different groups of spaces was of vital importance, the project of these efforts, Omantel was awarded the
the society. Among its key environmental has achieved daylight >269 Lux in 75% of Green Era Sustainability Award. The award
achievements, the Company has regularly occupied spaces and outdoors was presented at a special ceremony in
successfully reduced its carbon emissions views can be seen from >90% of regularly Lisbon, Portugal. During the ceremony, the
by 12% in 2019 compared to 2017, an occupied spaces. The project has also Omantel CSR Manager demonstrated the
achievement reflecting the company’s achieved a potable water saving of 51.44% company's sustainability efforts and said
commitment to “Paris Agreement” on relative to EPA standards. LEED (Leadership in a speech, “Omantel has been working
threats related to climate change. Omantel in Energy and Environmental Design) is a to adopt the best international practices
new headquarters is one of Muscat’s iconic certification programme which focuses to ensure that Oman’s ecosystem is
buildings that employs state-of-the-art on new, commercial-building projects. not compromised Despite the rapid
technologies. Omantel ensured during the To achieve LEED’s Gold Certification, development and digital transformation

28 JUNE-JULY 2020