Ooredoo partners with KaiOS Technologies to deliver smart feature phones to Qatar’s industry verticals

Ooredoo, the region’s leading enabler of digital business innovation, at Mobile World Congress 2019, announced a partnership with global technology company KaiOS Technologies to drive Qatar’s business growth and enhance digital experiences for 500,000 feature phone users.

KaiOS Technologies powers an emerging ecosystem of affordable digital products and services. In the coming months, Ooredoo plans to pilot launch 5,000 KaiOS’s smart feature phones in Qatar, to provide essential smartphone features on affordable feature phones.

Ooredoo expects strong business demand, especially for connecting large numbers of employees working on mega-projects. KaiOS’ smart feature phones’ business-friendly features include affordability (under QR 100 each), fast Wi-Fi and 4G Internet access, long battery life, and Bluetooth and GPS navigation. The feature phones are pre-loaded with Google Assistant, and Google Maps, Google Search, and YouTube, along with Facebook and WhatsApp. Yousuf Abdulla Al-Kubaisi, Chief Operating Officer, Ooredoo, said: “Our Mobile World Congress partnership with KaiOS aims to deliver fast and efficient communication across Qatar, and to enhance our business’ customers digital experiences. Our feature phones can help to support collaboration, growth, and business competitiveness for Qatar’s industry sectors that have multiple locations with many employees – including construction, oil and gas, ports and logistics, and transport.”

Qatar continues to set the tone for global mobile innovation, with the KaiOS smart feature phones set to roll out across the Ooredoo Group markets in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East following Qatar. The KaiOs partnership supports digital inclusion, and is aligned with Ooredoo’s Digital House framework and strategy to drive digital and mobile innovation. Sebastien Codeville, CEO, KaiOS Technologies, said: “Our mission is to help close the digital divide by bringing mobile connectivity to the billions of people without internet in emerging markets, as well as providing those in established markets with an alternative to smartphones. Ooredoo has one of the largest customer bases in the world, and together we’re creating affordable devices and data plans that make internet access a reality for many more people.”

Business customers can leverage the Ooredoo Advantage, making Ooredoo “Best for Business”, thanks to its breadth and depth of talent, best fixed and mobile networks, broadest portfolio of ICT services and solutions, and trusted partner for 60 years.