The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) organised a dialogue on telecommunications infrastructure expansion projects in 2023. The meeting discussed the quality of services, basic measurement indicators for evaluating the quality and prices of telecommunications services in Oman and investments during the past five years.
The TRA pointed out that the percentage of mobile phone subscriptions (as compared to the population) grew by 140 percent, while the percentage of fixed broadband coverage reached 80 percent (as against the total number of buildings).
The TRA said that it issued 12 regulations, most notably the regulations for regulating communication towers. The bylaws regulate the rights of users of telecommunications services and the quality of communications services. They also streamline the implementation of services in the field of telecommunications and standardize the introduction of voice or video communication services via the Internet Protocol.
The TRA reported 167 offences worth more than OMR608,000 in 2022.
By 2025, TRA’s executive programme for infrastructure targets 75 percent of buildings covered by fibre optic services. It also targets 85 percent of buildings covered by fixed broadband networks and 98 percent of the population covered by mobile networks. It hopes to reach 100 percent in the total number of stations that support 4G and 5G.
TRA stated that the number of government schools that were covered by telecommunication services until 2022 stood at 1,221, of which 1,146 schools were covered by the 5G fibre optic network. Those represent 94 percent of the total, said TRA, noting that there is a project under way to transfer subscribers from 3G service to the 4G and 5G services.
With effect from 2024, all stations operating with the 3G service will be upgraded to stations operating with 4G and 5G, TRA added.
During the dialogue session, TRA affirmed that its departments envisage establishing a sustainable competitive environment for telecommunications services. It hopes to achieve this goal by monitoring the prices of services in telecommunications companies and ensuring the implementation of the principle of transparency in the case of services rendered by telecom firms to the service beneficiaries.