Muscat: The TRA CEO Omar Hamdan Al Ismaili, at a dialogue session held yesterday to discuss telecommunications infrastructure projects in 2023, explained that companies owning popular social media apps have not requested licenses to operate their apps in the Sultanate of Oman, as it is a regional issue.

He stated that blocs of countries in the region follow protocols, whereby the mechanism, standards and controls for regulating these applications are discussed with the International Telecommunication Union. He pointed out that there are ongoing discussions at the level of Arab Gulf countries to set these controls, and added that the European Union had succeeded in setting its own controls.

The CEO also indicated that previously these services needed a first-class license in Oman. However, the procedures have been simplified and a regulation allowing the provision of telecommunications services via the Internet Protocol was drawn up, following which some local companies have submitted applications and even got the license.

In response to a query on the prices of telecommunications services with the entry of the third operator, he explained that there must be a balance between the cost of building networks and the prices provided to the beneficiaries, and that the TRA is trying to balance the cost and the profitability of companies to sustain investment in new technologies, and with all transparency.

He added that the third operator will be evaluated scientifically and that the TRA would express its opinion based on the reports that would be published by the beginning of next year.