Ooredoo Oman shines bright with double triumph at Middle East Awards

The company was lauded at the Middle East Technology Excellence Awards and Middle East National Business Awards for its data centres and “Recharge & Win” campaign, respectively.

In a remarkable double victory, Ooredoo Oman, a leading telecommunications provider in the Sultanate, has emerged as a trailblazer in the Middle East's technology and telecommunications landscape.
The company had recently won the Middle East Technology Excellence Awards 2023’s Data Centre - Telecommunications category and the Middle East National Business Awards 2023’s Telecommunications category, a testament to its unwavering commitment to innovation, customer experience, and its role in shaping Oman's digital future.

Excellence in Technology Infrastructure

Ooredoo Oman's journey to excellence began with an investment in its IT infrastructure, particularly its flagship data centre, an extensive 7,000-square-meter facility in Bousher, Muscat, which commenced operations in 2021. What sets this facility apart is not just its scale but also its commitment to maintaining an uptime rate of approximately 99.98%+ in accordance with an internationally recognised framework.

This commitment to reliability extends beyond the flagship data centre, as Ooredoo Oman strategically established three additional data centres across Oman, ensuring the same high standards of availability and technical configuration. These centres in Salalah, Sohar, and Barka collectively demonstrate Ooredoo Oman's dedication to securing the nation's data infrastructure.

With 300 pre-installed rack spaces, 2.5 Megawatts of power capacity, and a prime hilltop location that eliminates flooding risks, these facilities are well-equipped to offer a range of cloud solutions. From co-location hosting to disaster recovery as a service, Ooredoo Oman's data centres provide the ideal platform for businesses to thrive in an increasingly data-driven world.

Furthermore, their strategic involvement in the '2Africa' (2AF) cable project reinforces Oman's position as a regional data hub, connecting West and East African countries further to Oman, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Iraq, and Kuwait, amongst others.

This ambitious endeavour, connecting 46 cable landing stations across 33 countries, underscores Ooredoo Oman's commitment to aligning with the government's vision for nationwide digital transformation.

“Keeping businesses operating during times of crisis, the data centres have become a source of pride for Ooredoo and a model to follow as the nation takes strides towards its digitally-enabled future,” said Dr. Ahmed Al Abri, Chief Technology and Information Officer at the company.

It is for this state-of-the-art innovation that Ooredoo Oman took home the recognition in the Data Centre - Telecommunications category of the Middle East Technology Excellence Awards 2023.

Customer-Centric Excellence

Meanwhile, Ooredoo Oman's dedication to excellence extends to its customers, as exemplified by its "Recharge & Win" campaign—a customer experience game-changer in the telecommunications sector. This innovative initiative, launched during the holy month of Ramadan, aimed to reward 'Hala' prepaid customers with a chance to win one of three MINI Cooper cars simply by recharging with OMR 3 or more.

What set this campaign apart was its simplicity. No sign-ups or registrations were required, so any prepaid customer meeting the recharge amount automatically entered the draw.

Inclusivity was a core principle, as Ooredoo Oman presented the campaign in multiple languages to ensure accessibility to all, regardless of nationality. The campaign's visually striking imagery and comprehensive multichannel approach—from out-of-home and print to online, social media, and radio advertising—created a “buzz” across the nation.

Monthly draws culminated in heartwarming stories of transformation, such as that of a blue-collar construction worker winning a car that totally transformed his retirement plans.

“This has definitely been one of our most successful and popular campaigns and has been a magical way to reach out to customers in a fun and engaging way and make a difference to people’s lives. It’s all part of our promise to upgrade your world and part of providing a seamless and unforgettable customer experience,” noted Ahmed Diwan, Chief Commercial Officer at Ooredoo.

The “Recharge & Win” campaign led to Ooredoo Oman winning in the Telecommunications category of the Middle East National Business Awards 2023.

Looking Ahead

Ooredoo Oman's double triumph at the Middle East Awards underscores its pivotal role in advancing Oman's technological landscape and customer-centric initiatives. These accolades reflect the company's dedication to innovation, reliability, and sustainability whilst consistently exceeding expectations.
Moving forward, Ooredoo Oman seeks to continue developing transformative technologies relating to cloud services, IoT, and other high-potential areas, as well as reinvent how to reach customers and provide an omni-channel digital experience for all.

Amidst digital transformation and evolving customer needs, the company's commitment to excellence, both in infrastructure and customer satisfaction, reaffirms its position as a leader in the region and a beacon of progress for the Sultanate.

The Middle East Technology Excellence Awards and the Middle East National Business Awards are presented by Asian Business Review Magazine. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2024 awards programme and be acclaimed for your company's employee engagements and management initiatives, please contact Danica Avila at [email protected].