Kuwait’s Public-Private Partnership Projects Authority, in collaboration with the Ministry of Communications (MoC), has invited local and international companies and consortiums to submit qualification applications for a major fixed telecoms network development project.
The process seeks to establish ‘a collaborative venture between the public and private sectors with the overarching goal of enhancing fixed networks’, and encompasses various facets including the design, financing, construction, operation, maintenance, and transfer of ownership of new fixed infrastructure, whilst the chosen bidder will also be handed the responsibility of operating the existing fixed network currently operated by the MoC, with a focus on its improvement and expansion of high speed broadband services into additional regions. As reported by Arab Times, existing Kuwaiti telecoms operators are excluded from the tender.
Through a formal agreement with the MoC (alternatively referred to as the Ministry of Transportation), the winning bidder will undertake the modernisation and enhancement of the fibre-optic network in areas currently lacking fibre coverage. This initiative is set to be accomplished within five years from the date of the public-private partnership agreement, with the ultimate aim of extending coverage to 90% of homes and businesses. Other key goals include ensuring that the network supports speeds exceeding 10Gbps, enhancing customer services, offering job opportunities, providing training for Kuwaitis in the ICT sector, and reducing the operational costs of the MoC.