Orange Business Services has signed a multimillion dollar consulting deal with Meeza, a Qatari managed services provider, to deliver smart services and applications at Msheireb Downtown Doha, a flagship smart cities development in Qatar.

Msheireb Downtown Doha is a regeneration project at the heart of the traditional center of Doha that will comprise a mix of residential, commercial offices, retail outlets and hotels. Stretching over 800,000 sq m, the district will be completed in six phases through 2018.

Orange Business Services oversees the design of the District’s Smart City Central Command Center, which controls the smart operation of buildings and services, including security cameras, building access control, fire alarms, street lighting, automated waste collection, car parks and public announcements.

In addition, Orange has designed and operates a range of Smart Applications (for both PCs and mobiles) for the general public, as well as for residents. These smart applications include apps for community services, wayfinding and online payments.

The other services developed and run by Orange Business Services to help regenerate the district include smart energy management, such as smart metering, Business Intelligence and data analytics, a central service desk management solution, and indoor geolocation infrastructure.

The full scope of the project also covers the ICT Infrastructure for the District, which is managed by Meeza. This infrastructure includes the network, management of two data centers, provision of IP telephony and management of desktops in the smart ecosystem.

Béatrice Felder, senior vice president, Orange Applications for Business, said, “Orange Business Services is delighted to partner with Meeza on one of the Middle East region’s most prestigious smart cities projects.”

“Msheireb Downtown Doha is a perfect illustration of how the region is transforming itself and better serving its citizens. We are well placed to leverage our global capabilities, innovations and experience to support the digital transformation of the region’s economy.

“Orange has the advantage of being both an operator and a specialized digital services company that supports digital transformation of societies, enterprises and government bodies. We are already working on large and prominent projects in the Middle East, and Msheireb is another very strong smart cities reference for Orange in Qatar and the wider region,” Felder added.

Saad Sabah Al Kuwari, chief marketing officer of Meeza said: “This partnership marks the start of a new era in the development of smart cities across the region and beyond. It brings about local domain technology knowledge coupled with leading multinational expertise. We are truly delighted to partner with Orange on this landmark project, which will leave a longstanding impression on the regional and global scale.” – TradeArabia News Service