The Supreme Council of Information and Communication Technology (ictQatar) and Qtel have clarified that Virgin Mobile Qatar is not a third telecommunications operator in the country contrary to media reports recently circulating in some social media websites. “Recent media reports of a third mobile operator launching services in Qatar are not accurate,” said William Fagan, Assistant Secretary General and Executive Director of the Regulatory Authority at ictQatar. Fagan was reacting to such reports which have caught their attention after receiving feedback from concerned individuals enquiring about what they read over social media networks indicating that Virgin Mobile Qatar could be the third telecommunications service provider. Qtel, for their part, said in a statement that it has made clear in all communication regarding the launch of Virgin Mobile Qatar of which the service is not a third operator nor should it be considered a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO). “It is a youth-focused lifestyle brand, launched through brand licensing agreement with Virgin Group,” Qtel said in a statement yesterday. Qtel and Virgin Group formally launched the Virgin Mobile Qatar yesterday, a prepaid mobile service which offers customers “great value, unbeatable coverage.” Fathy Kassem, ictQatar’s Outreach Manager, told The Peninsula that they received the reports from concerned people yesterday morning prompting them to issue the clarifications immediately. “People are confused and we have to address their concern,” Kassem said. Fagan said in a statement that ictQatar has licensed only Qtel and Vodafone Qatar to provide telecommunications networks and services to the public. “ictQatar does not want the public to be misled in any way about who is actually providing these services. To be clear, there is no third licensed operator. There is also no licensed MVNO,” Fagan said. Qtel said the launch of Virgin Mobile Qatar is fully in line with ictQatar’s declaration that it has no objection to licensed telecommunications operators using innovative practices to provide different products and services to the public. IctQatar said it does not object to such move by Qtel to partner with Virgin Group to introduce innovative services to its customers.

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