Page 115 - SAMENA Trends - May-June 2023

REGULATORY & POLICY UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

minister said the new plan was a major event that will lay the transit center. It also aims to ensure the security of infrastructure
foundations for the implementation of effective projects to develop and the integrity of confidentiality of data, in addition to improving
communications in the country. Speaking at the signing ceremony, economic growth and sustainable development and promoting
Abdelbaset Al-Baour, head of the Ministry of Communications digital skills. ‘Through the strategy, the Communications Authority
and Informatics (MCIT, also known as the General Authority for aims to provide communications for all at fair prices, create an
Communications and Informatics), explained the strategy had enabling environment for communications and informatics, as well
been conceived within the framework of his department’s vision to as use communications and informatics for good governance,’ he
create a sustainable and secure digital sector serving a knowledge- added.
based society capable of transforming Libya into an international (May 5, 2023) www.commsupdate.com

Oman

The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) is committed is underway to transfer subscribers from 3G service to the 4G
to developing the telecommunications services in the Sultanate and 5G services. With effect from 2024, all stations operating
of Oman and has envisaged covering a total of 98 percent of with the 3G service will be upgraded to stations operating with
the population by mobile networks by the end of 2025. The 4G and 5G. During the meeting, TRA affirmed that its department
ambitious goals set by TRA to be completed by 2025 also aims is keen to establish a sustainable competitive environment
to have an infrastructure covering 75 percent of buildings by for telecommunications services. It hopes to achieve the goal
fiber optic services. It also aims to have 85 percent of buildings by monitoring the prices of services in telecommunications
covered by fixed broadband networks and hopes to reach 100 companies and ensuring the implementation of the principle of
percent in the total number of stations that support 4G and 5G transparency in the case of services rendered by telecom firms to
services. The targets were revealed by the TRA on Sunday during the service beneficiaries. (May 23, 2023) www.timesofoman.com
a dialogue held on telecommunications infrastructure expansion
projects in 2023. The meeting discussed the quality of services, The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has issued
basic measurement indicators for evaluating the quality and an analysis on the quality of services in the wilayats of Thumrait,
prices of telecommunications services in Oman along with the Al Khaboura, and Suhar Souk, which are conducted on a monthly
investments made during the past five years. The TRA said that basis. The 5G coverage in the Wilayat of Thumrait provided by
the percentage of mobile phone subscriptions (as compared to Omantel was 83%, while the highest data download rate reached
the population) grew by 140 percent, while the percentage of fixed 399 Mbps, with an average of 94 Mbps. The 5G coverage provided
broadband coverage reached 80 percent (as against the total by Ooredoo was 44 percent, with the highest data download rate of
number of buildings). It also said that 12 regulations were issued, 843 Mbps, with an average of 535 Mbps. In Wilayat Al Khaboura, the
including on regulating communication towers. The bylaws excellent coverage rate of Omantel was 81 percent and the highest
regulate the rights of users of telecommunications services and data download rate reached 1171 Mbps, with an average of 287
the quality of communications services. The regulations also Mbps. The excellent coverage rate of Ooredoo was 51 percent and
will help streamline the implementation of services in the field of the highest data download rate was 885 Mbps, with an average of
telecommunications and standardize the introduction of voice or 200 Mbps. TRA also conducted measurements of the quality of
video communication services via the Internet Protocol. The TRA telecommunications services in the Sohar Souq area, where the
stated that the number of government schools that have been highest data download rate for Omantel was 1,268 megabits per
covered by telecommunication services until 2022 stood at 1,221, second, with an average of 427 megabits per second, while the
of which 1,146 schools were covered by 5G fibre optic network. highest data download rate for Ooredoo was 285 Mbps, with an
It represented 94 percent of the total schools covered. A project average of 82 Mbps. (May 8, 2023) www.omanobserver.om

Pakistan

The South Asian Telecommunication Regulators’ Council (SATRC) various fields, including telecom and ICT regulatory bodies,
Workshop on Policy, Regulation and Services (PRS) successfully the telecom industry, and academia etc. Over the course of 10
concluded today after three days of discussions and deliberations sessions, 45 experts shared ideas and best practices related to
on key matters related to the ICT regulatory landscape in South the workshop's topics. The outcomes of the workshop included
Asia. The workshop convened experts and representatives from emphasis on the significance of a national optical fiber backbone

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