Nokia and Ooredoo Qatar recently announced a milestone in deploying the first private wireless network for the energy sector in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region. This private network from Nokia and Ooredoo will provide dedicated voice and customer data services to 20,000 subscribers, mission-critical connectivity, and enable operational automation. The new network will seamlessly integrate with the existing commercial core and connect offshore and onshore facilities, making communications smoother and more reliable.

“This significant milestone underlines our commitment to transforming communication solutions for challenging environments. This landmark project provides dedicated voice and data services and paves the way for the oil and gas sector and others to replicate such solutions, marking a new era in connectivity for the industry,” said Günther Ottendorfer, CTIO at Ooredoo Qatar.

The deployment marks the first large-scale private 5G network for the oil and gas sector in the MEA region. It highlights the growing demand for reliable, secure wireless connectivity to support digital transformation and automation among industrial enterprises.

“This Nokia enterprise solution, specifically designed for offshore locations, coupled with our delivery capabilities and expertise, ensures that the energy sector can now rely on a robust and resilient connectivity solution. Through this partnership with Ooredoo Qatar, we are setting new benchmarks for innovation, efficiency, and reliability,” said Samar Mittal, VP, Cloud and Network Services (CNS), Global Business Center (GBC) at Nokia MEA.

By establishing reliable connectivity, this network aims to enable customers to digitize and automate their operations, representing a substantial stride towards improved efficiency and productivity.

The energy sector is a high user of private networks. Examples include: