2017: A successful year for Ooredoo
Ongoing plans to launch IoT bundles and services
KUWAIT: Ooredoo concluded a year full of successful initiatives, focusing on embracing digitalization and supporting youth in Kuwait. The highlights of Ooredoo’s achievements in 2017 include two successful device launch campaigns to signing, hosting Kuwait’s first Internet of Things (IoT) conference, and continuing to strengthen youth through the company’s award-winning volunteer program.
Commenting on the conclusion of a successful year, Ooredoo Kuwait’s Corporate Communications Senior Director Mijbil Alayoub said, “We owe this success to the loyalty and commitment of our customer base, whose belief in what Ooredoo stands for is the main drive behind our ongoing commitment to achieving excellence.”
He added: “Ooredoo Kuwait is fortunate to have a passionate and dedicated team of employees with an array of expertise, and who are guided by the vision and support of a young CEO, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Thani, who is a forward-thinking and visionary leader believing in the vital role of embracing the newest and most advanced trends in technology, to enrich the experience of Ooredoo customers.”
Unparalleled services and plans for Ooredoo customers
Pioneering digitalization
Reiterating its leading position as a supporter of telecommunication technology, announced that its plans to gearing up in supporting the government’s plans for launching Smart City initiatives across Kuwait. Ooredoo made this announcement in during Kuwait’s Internet of Things (IoT) Conference and Expo 2017, in collaboration with the Ministerial Council’s Central Agency of Information Technology and IoT Asia.
Through its B2B department, and in partnership with leading telecommunication technology providers such as Ericsson, Ooredoo worked extensively to launch products and services that are aimed to support the launch of digital and cloud-computing services utilized by IoT technologies. IoT is expected to play an integral part in a variety of sectors, such as healthcare, transportation, and services sector. During the conference, Ooredoo Kuwait announced its intent to launch smart home solutions by the beginning of 2018. The company demonstrated several solutions at its ‘Smart Home’ exhibition which showcased a number of products including lights, camera monitoring, TV control, Nests Weather control, Door locks, Amazon’s Alexa, Magic Mirror - supported by Android, curtain control, and others. These were all controlled by one tablet, giving customers comfort and ease. These solutions will include full installations, guides, recommendations, bundles and after sales support. Ooredoo Kuwait is committed to bringing users the best and most advanced services, to fulfil its mission of enriching people’s lives through technology and embracing digitalization. The year also saw the launch of a fully equipped state-ofthe-art data center by FASTtelco, an internet service provider owned by Ooredoo Kuwait. The launch of the center comes to further reiterate Ooredoo’s commitment to being one of the leading companies in information technology solutions, and the company of choice for prospective clients searching for ICT solutions, catering especially for the needs of corporates and businesses. The center provides a suite of managed hosting services tailor-made to fit corporate and business needs. These services are ideal for corporates and businesses looking to better manage their data, platforms and applications. The new data center provides end-to-end IT solutions to customers in various sectors including financial, healthcare, media, e-commerce, educational and governmental.
The center is fully equipped to deliver an exceptional experience in services and solutions like managed CPE, cloud services, NOC and operations, data center consultancy, and much more. This is especially important today, where businesses are faced with growing challenges to respond efficiently to new digital trends in IT, security and control.
Shamel Home
Today, Ooredoo’s customers can already get a close experience of how IoT bundled services are designed; the company launched Shamel Home, Kuwait’s first all-inclusive comprehensive plan that offers customers with fixed and mobile internet in addition to online digital entertainment content from STARZPLAY, WAVO and BeIN Sports. As part of this plan, customers can benefit from high-speed 10 Mbps fixed internet with unlimited capacity courtesy of FASTtelco, a company owned by Ooredoo Kuwait. Additionally, customers can enjoy 100 GB of mobile internet on their mobile line that can be shared with 4 additional SIM card, a family-centric approach to telecommunication. Additionally, customers can get tow years of digital content subscription with STARZPLAY and WAVO for series, movies and entertainment programs, and 1 year of digital content from BeIN Sports to watch live streaming of the biggest sports events. The content can be streamed through the service providers’ websites and their apps for smart devices, including smart TVs, phones and tablets.
Redefining support
In tandem with the company’s promise to support SMEs and entrepreneurs, Ooredoo Kuwait partnered with the Association for Small and Medium Enterprises of Kuwait (ASMEK) to hold the B2B 4 SME Symposium. The event featured key speakers and open discussions about the obstacles and challenges facing small and medium enterprise owners, and the way they can overcome these obstacles,
With a wide range of services and solutions specifically catering to the needs of entrepreneurs, Ooredoo took its support to another level by partnering to launch this event, to provide an active platform for youth to express the challenges they face. Ooredoo and FASTtelco, the Internet service provider that the company owns, also participated in launching the Kuwait Business Center earlier this year, which is a government entity established by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry that is dedicated to streamlining the process of business licensing for microenterprises in Kuwait. Ooredoo’s packages and bundles provide comprehensive solutions at competitive prices, aimed at propelling entrepreneurs towards success, especially in an age where the internet and communication play a major role in all businesses.
Unparalleled plans and services
Continuing its annual Apple launch events streak, Ooredoo held two iPhone event launches this year, with exclusive offers powered by Shamel. The company launched the iPhone 8 & 8 Plus, and the iPhone X launch. Both events saw significant participation from customers and members of the community and social media influencers, to whom this became an annual event. Technology enthusiasts flocked to Ooredoo’s head office on both occasions to get their hands on the latest and most touted smartphones, with Ooredoo’s exclusive Shamel plans with unique features. Ooredoo also launched its newly revamped Nojoom rewards program which offers its customers the best exclusive discounts. Accessible to all Ooredoo customers, the program offers members free upgrades, vouchers and discounts from a large variety of partners, ranging from service providers, retailers and hotels, and airline companies. In addition, customers use their Nojoom points to buy products from the Nojoom Online Rewards Store.
The revamped Nojoom rewards program has many new benefits which include transferring Nojoom points to friends and family, donate Nojoom points for charitable causes, and redemption for partners’ voucher which are readily accessible through nojoom.ooredoo.com.kw or the My Ooredoo app.
Social responsibility
Ooredoo further invested in its award-winning annual volunteer program, solidifying its position as a leader and supporter of youth across Kuwait. The company’s program continued to attract hundreds of participants, preparing them with the right set of skills and tools before matching them with volunteering opportunities. As with its annual habit, the program’s volunteers spearheaded all Ooredoo’s charity work throughout the month of Ramadan, distributing thousands of iftar meals to the labourers and workers in Kuwait city who are braving the scorching heat of the summer, proving Ooredoo’s commitment to one of its main pillars of social responsibility, which is to serve the underserved communities.
Ooredoo also sponsored for the second consecutive year the Arab Youth Volunteer Award, an event that attracts hundreds of young people from around the Arab World to submit their youth initiatives and volunteer achievements and ideas. This year’s award ceremony was attended by Her Excellency Sheikha Hessa bint Khalifa Al Thani, the Special Envoy of the Arab League Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and other dignitaries from around the Arab World.
Ooredoo also continued its support to youth through its partnership with The Proteges Youth Development Program for the second consecutive year, and a series of youth development workshops and internship opportunities in collaboration with the Kuwait International Law School.
Believing in helping youth follow their passions and take their dreams to the next level, Ooredoo renewed its sponsorship to triathlete Abdulaziz Al-Rashed and equestrian Rakan Al-Hasawi for a new season, an initiative that encapsulates Ooredoo’s main promise to enrich people’s experiences and propel them towards success.
Investing internally
Aligning with the company’s core values, Ooredoo held several key events around the year to connect with its staff. Events included the annual Ghabqa, a traditional Ramadan banquet where staff can meet to socialize and enjoy the Ramadan spirit, and the annual town hall meeting where executive management discuss the key achievements, challenges and goals ahead with all members of the staff to align all efforts, working towards unanimous success and efforts.
Ooredoo also held other awareness campaigns for staff, including an awareness week about breast cancer and health issues, in addition to festive Happy Thursdays at the company’s head office, where staff can enjoy their lunch in the outdoors area in a picnic setup.