550 papers presented at wireless conference

More than 600 people from around the world attended the annual IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference (WCNC16) held under the patronage of Minister of Transport and Communications

H E Jassim Saif bin Al Sulaiti.

About 550 technical papers were presented by speakers from more than 30 countries.

The first day of the conference featured tutorials and workshops given by experts in wireless communications.

Texas A&M University at Qatar, Qatar University and Hamad Bin Khalifa University co-hosted the conference, sponsored by Ooredoo, National Instruments, Qatar Petrochemical Co. (Qapco), Qatar National Research Fund and the US Office of Naval Research Global.

Ooredoo’s Chief Executive Officer Waleed Al Sayed, who delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony, outlined the company’s vision to become the leading integrated ICT provider in Qatar and its ongoing work to prepare for cutting-edge services like 5G in the country. This is the first time the conference was held in the Middle East and North Africa region.

A conference of the IEEE Communications Society, IEEE WCNC  is the world’s premier wireless event that brings together industry professionals, academics and individuals from government agencies and other institutions to exchange information and ideas on the advancement of wireless communications and networking technologies.

Dr  Mohammed Yousef Al Mulla, MD & CEO, Qapco, said: “This event served as a valuable platform to advance the development of technology in Qatar, and has contributed to driving growth and innovation in our industry. Bringing together high level academics, researchers and industry experts strengthens industry-academia collaboration, leading to the adoption of innovative solutions aimed at generating greater efficiencies.”

The conference featured a comprehensive technical program offering numerous technical sessions with papers showcasing the latest technologies, applications and services. In addition, the conference program included workshops, tutorials, keynote talks from industrial leaders and renowned academics, panel discussions, an exhibition, and business and industrial forums.

Dr Abdulnasser Al Ansari, Deputy Executive Director, QNRF, said, “This conference represents the spirit of technological research that we support and encourage at the Qatar National Research Fund, which is why we are pleased to sponsor this event. With its inclusion of key industry and academic players, WCNC 2016 provided a great platform for collaboration and networking, which is essential to nurturing Qatar’s research environment through knowledge and technological transfer.” Dr  Munir Tag, Director of ICT at QNRF, highlighted that WCNC 2016 addressed key challenges in present and future wireless communications and networks where the penetration of mobile broadband services and applications is expected to soar in the coming years.