Qtel sees "huge potential" for expansion and growth within the Philippines

The meeting was organized as part of the president's working visit to Qatar to strengthen economic ties between the two countries.

His Excellency Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammed Bin Saud Al-Thani, Chairman of Qtel, who led the Qtel delegation, said:

"We were extremely grateful for the opportunity to meet with President Macapagal-Arroyo. Qtel has looked to increase its profile within the Republic of the Philippines and the environment appears increasingly open to external investment and the provision of communication services."

"We see huge opportunities for growth and partnership within the Philippines and this meeting provided an important opportunity for Qtel to communicate its ambitions and its obligations to the people of the Republic," he added.

Following the meeting, Qtel also signed a Telecommunications Memorandum of Understanding with the San Miguel Corporation (SMC), one of the Philippines' leading business conglomerates, as part of the Group's ongoing plans for expansion and consolidation within Southeast Asia.

The strategic agreement will see the two companies begin exploration of joint opportunities in the wireless broadband, mobile and mobile broadband sectors in the Philippines.

Qtel is already actively engaged in extending its wi-tribe brand, which supports the provision of broadband wireless services for emerging markets. wi-tribe has already realized significant success in providing Wi-MAX services in Jordan, and is in the process of rolling-out new offerings for Pakistan.

Among the issues discussed during the meeting was Qtel's strong commitment to maximizing the positive social impact of Wi-MAX in every market it operates in.

In particular, executives outlined a number of positive educational programs already made possible across Qtel Group's territories through the provision of Wi-MAX technology to schools and universities.