Ooredoo Oman remains at the forefront of the industry and continues to contribute significantly to Oman's digital advancement. Recognizing the efforts of this transformational telco, Telecom Review conducted an exclusive interview with CEO, Bassam Yousef Al Ibrahim, to better understand the telco’s role in forming the backbone of a digital society, and its multifaceted approach to communication and technology convergence.
It has been a year since you’ve been appointed as the CEO of the company. What have been the highlights of your journey so far, and what is your ultimate goal for Ooredoo Oman in 2024?
Since assuming the role of Chief Executive Officer of Ooredoo Oman a year ago, I have been privileged to witness great strides in our journey. Our digital world is evolving at a rapid pace, and our commitment and holistic approach toward digital transformation has enabled us to maintain momentum in our mission to upgrade the worlds of our B2C and B2B customers through connectivity and innovation.
We have continued our digital-first strategy, staying focused on being agile and adaptable, which is in line with Ooredoo Group, while our approach is also guided by Oman Vision 2040—the nation’s roadmap for long-term, socio-economic development, which includes establishing a diversified economy, creating sustainable cities, and facilitating privatization and Omanization. With a primary focus on upgrading the customer experience and fostering national development, Ooredoo has consistently aligned its strategy with Oman Vision 2040 and is a testament to our commitment to the nation's progress.
We have also reaffirmed our commitment to providing the best value to our team, customers and other stakeholders, recognizing their pivotal role in our ongoing success. As we look forward to the remainder of 2024, our goals are not just clear, they are beacons of the future and ones that drive further growth, and maintain a truly unique customer-centric approach that starts from within the organization and extends to every customer.
With this at the heart of what we are doing and alongside our tech developments, 2024 is already on track to be a year of progress. From the ongoing roll-out of 5G, to the expansion of our data center infrastructure across Muscat, Barka, Salalah, and Sohar, we are leading the way with tech. And this was most recently evident in our launch of 'walletii by Ooredoo,' marking our entry into fintech and further underscoring our commitment to digital transformation.
Looking beyond this year, as part of our forward-thinking approach, we will remain committed to our promise to upgrade our customers' world and relentlessly push innovation. This pace and drive will continue, alongside our important work with local communities, to provide sustainable support, education, business skills and to enhance lives countrywide. Our promise for the future is our firm commitment to maximizing value for existing customers, driving loyalty, leveraging technologies, increasing engagement and making a difference to people across Oman.
In 2023, Ooredoo Oman announced that its 5G was ‘everywhere and anywhere’ in Oman. How important is ensuring connectivity and accessibility in the telco’s strategy for success?
The Government’s vision for the future of Oman is inspiring; building on efforts already made to engage the Omani youth in a nation-building process and encouraging entrepreneurship. The plans emphasize comprehensive development across various sectors, including tourism, manufacturing, energy, ICT, transport, mining, and agriculture, and special economic and free zones.
This long-term and sustainable approach encompasses economic diversification and social wellbeing and sets the stage for Oman to become a leading regional hub for tech and innovation. A laser-focus on broad digital transformation accelerates economic growth and diversification further, thus, strengthening the nation’s standing in the global knowledge and information economy.
In this context, in 2023, we proudly announced the successful rollout of our nationwide 5G network, which delivers an excellent digital experience, providing connectivity even in remote areas. We are committed to meeting the nation’s growing hunger, digital and connectivity needs and our 5G network offers faster speeds, higher capacity, lower latency, increased flexibility, and increased reliability.
The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority's recent report confirmed our network's unparalleled average download and upload speeds, meeting the needs of households with heavy internet usage and businesses seeking efficiency improvements, regardless of their location. 5G benefits customers and businesses of all sizes, helping them grow, learn, be entertained and fuel the nation’s growth.
5G also supports transformative technologies such as IoT, virtual reality and AI. Therefore, our 5G network also drives new revenue streams and fosters growth by enabling advanced technological applications. Meanwhile, our fintech, cloud solutions, and SD-WAN (which rely on this cutting-edge connectivity) further positions Ooredoo at the forefront of tech innovation.
On this note, we are grateful for receiving several awards that recognize Ooredoo’s contributions to Oman’s transformation into a knowledge-based and technologically advanced economy. Economic diversification remains essential to Oman's long-term stability as it creates economic growth and employment opportunities and boosts Oman's global and regional presence. We are excited about our role in this continued drive and being part of a national economy that is flourishing.
The Middle East region’s digital transformation progress is very notable. How will Oman keep up with this pace, and what is Ooredoo Oman’s commitment in relation to supporting the nation’s long-term vision?
The government is prioritizing ICT in its national development plan under Oman Vision 2040, which places broad digital transformation at its core, aiming to accelerate national economic growth and bolster Oman’s position in the global knowledge and information economy.
Ooredoo is fully committed to supporting this vision by meeting increasing consumer demand for digital solutions and seamless interactions. As the backbone of a digital society, we are no longer just providers of communications networks but have become multifaceted technology enablers, delivering customer-centric solutions.
My vision for the company aligns with Oman’s national priorities, focusing on continued growth, and maintaining a customer- and team-centric approach. By advancing these objectives, we contribute to Oman’s long-term socio-economic development and reinforce our commitment to the nation’s future.
As a telco leader, what trends do you think will continue to impact Oman’s telecom industry? Which verticals will Ooredoo Oman focus on in the near future?
As a leader in the telecom industry, we foresee several trends developing in the region. In recent years, telcos have focused on growing B2B and B2C revenues by offering products and services that leverage an experience beyond providing core connectivity. To stay ahead, our company and the industry must embrace technologies such as IoT, cloud services, big data, edge computing, AI and fintech. And talking of fintech, we recently announced our imminent launch of ‘walletii,’ in Oman. In cooperation with Ooredoo Fintech, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ooredoo Group, this true fintech revolution, evident in our customers' pockets, is a user-friendly mobile wallet designed to simplify and secure consumer financial transactions.
Besides this, our flagship data centers in Muscat, Barka, Salalah, and Sohar support local businesses and communities with secure in-country hosting, recovery, and cloud services. By integrating all of these technologies, we pave the way for new growth opportunities and new market strategies. In the near future, Ooredoo will increasingly engage with these verticals, many of which are already part of our day-to-day operations. We will be supporting our own transformation and positioning ourselves as leaders in the telecom industry.
With our strategic and heavy investment in 5G deployment, we are also providing a connectivity landscape with ultra-high internet speeds to open up doors for businesses and government to create new revenue streams. And leveraging 5G ourselves, we can offer more products, solutions, and services, which are scalable, flexible and meet specific needs, for both businesses and consumers.
We also continue to invest in talent pools, identifying and attracting talent with the expertise and abilities each new transformative technology requires.
What makes Ooredoo Oman unique as a telecom operator, and how will the company maintain its position as one of the top Omani brands in the coming years?
Ooredoo stands out as a unique telecom operator by playing a vital role in supporting the country's evolution. We pride ourselves on being the leading digital infrastructure provider in the region, having transformed into a telecom and infrastructure holding company with a delayered multi-business structure. This transformation positions us to meet the demands of the ever-changing digital world efficiently.
Our strategy focuses on optimizing capital deployment and operational efficiency to increase asset returns across various domains, including telecommunications operations, towers, data centers, sea cable business, and fintech. By continuously deploying technology on a significant scale, we build a competitive advantage, enhance customer experience, and optimize efficiency.
In the coming years, we will maintain our position as one of the top Omani brands by leveraging our robust digital infrastructure, focusing on innovation, and delivering superior customer-centric solutions. This approach ensures we remain at the forefront of the industry and continue to contribute significantly to Oman's digital advancement.
Telecom Review Exclusives with Ooredoo Oman:
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Ooredoo Oman: A Connectivity and Digital Leader
Ooredoo Oman Thinks Beyond Digital to Empower Customer Experience
