Vodafone has launched a project to boost ‘indoor coverage’ by focusing on key installations such as the Doha International Airport. Qatar’s second mobile operator plans to improve indoor coverage in all major shopping centres, hotels and high rise buildings in the city in phases. Vodafone Qatar CEO Grahame Maher told Gulf Times that a pilot project done at the Landmark Mall had yielded ‘good results’. “Our indoor coverage at the Landmark Mall is good,” he said. On Monday, Vodafone opened its first retail store in Qatar at the Landmark Mall. The service provider plans to open five more retail stores in the city before July-end. Maher said Vodafone would boost indoor coverage at the Doha International Airport shortly.“We are working on it,” he said. He said some high-rise buildings at the West Bay and major hotels and shopping centres would also get enhanced Vodafone coverage in the coming weeks. Vodafone has achieved near-total network coverage in Qatar by setting up some 285 active radio sites across the country. “We have a fairly good number of active radio sites. Some of our temporary sites have found permanent places,” Maher said. He said the second mobile operator planned some 400 active radio sites in Qatar. Vodafone is the first competitor to the incumbent provider (Qtel) in Qatar. On the feedback from Vodafone’s ‘first 1000 customers’ who helped the service provider test its network in the country, Maher said a vast majority of them ‘were happy with our service and coverage’. “A handful of people, however, said the coverage during the test phase was not to the expected level. We value their comments and will take these into consideration while boosting coverage in Qatar,” Maher said. http://gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=303172&version=1&template_id=36&parent_id=16

Follow us on our social media channels: @ILQlive @ILQlive @ILoveQtr ILoveQatar