Qatar’s iParks initiative expanded to 2 new parks

The Supreme Council of Information and Communication Technology (ictQATAR), in collaboration with the Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning, has expanded its iParks initiative to two additional parks and upgraded the Internet services in the three existing parks. Free Internet in some of Doha’s most frequented parks has proven extremely popular for both people trying to balance work and leisure time, as well as people without home Internet connections, ictQATAR said today . Suburban Al-Wakrah Public Park and Corniche Al-Khor are the two newest parks to be connected to free wireless Internet, joining Doha parks Rumaila, Sheraton and Dahl Al-Haman as part of the iParks Initiative. In the new parks, the very latest wireless technology was installed, and in the three existing parks, the wireless technology was completely upgraded to the same standard. All of the parks now offer connection speeds of 8 megabits per second (mbps), an increase from the 4 mbps previously available. The wireless network has been redesigned for optimum coverage in the parks. In addition to the service upgrades, the security of the iParks’ wireless connection has been enhanced with a new authentication process. Users of iParks are now provided with a secure PIN code via a free SMS upon registering for the service. The simple registration and authentication process is detailed on the iParks welcome page and on signs in each park, both of which are available in English and Arabic. The webpage automatically appears when a user is connected to the network in one of the parks, and includes security tips for users and other useful links and resources. Additionally, a dedicated hotline for technical assistance has been created through the Government Call Center. On average,10,000 individuals each month take advantage of the free wireless Internet available in Qatar’s iParks. The iParks Initiative was launched in 2007 and has seen a steady increase in users. ictQATAR plans to continue the expansion of the iParks Initiative to additional parks and public spaces over the next five years, with the goal of two new public spaces connected each year. ictQATAR will work closely with the Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning in executing this planned expansion.