The count of people living in remote villages without access to telephones, both fixed and mobile, is estimated at 150,000, or nearly 20 per cent of the populace living in more than 2,000 settlements across the country.

Authorities are now mobilising efforts to address this lacunae by providing subsidies to operators under an initiative called 'Universal Service Obligation' or USO, the first phase of which is expected to be launched in 2011.

"It may not be possible to provide telecommunications services on normal terms and conditions through commercial arrangements by the existing operators in the remote and high cost areas," key officials of the Telecommunications Regulatory AuthorityTelecommunications Regulatory Authority told a news conference here recently.

In such situations, they said, the government would support the provision of services through financial subsidies and expansion obligations.

The company selected to offer USO should provide basic telephony services through fixed and mobile networks, dial-up Internet with minimum dial-up speeds of at least 28 Kbit/s at the beginning, reaching minimum 512 Kbit/s within three years after granting ?the licence.

They must also offer broadband services to schools, hospitals, walis' offices, government offices, post offices and police stations in phases. The south Batinah region has been chosen for the pilot project. "It is an area with a high density (of population), low connectivity and difficult terrain," TRATRA member Colonel Mohsin bin Alawi Al Hafeedh said. It consists of 118 settlements, 57 of which will be covered in the first phase. "The project will involve actual deployment of telecom access infrastructure throughout the area earmarked by GPS coordinates. It might also involve building transmission network to carry the traffic to other networks and to other areas," Hafeedh added.

Naashiah Saud Al Kharusi, also a TRATRA member, said the selected operator would be awarded Class One licence for 10 years. "The licencee will have right to provide all the services listed in the scope including international service within the project area," she added.

She said the operator could also provide services in other parts of the country, but would be eligible for the financial subsidy only for the project area.

"This is a pilot project. There will be several USO projects that will be taken up. The future projects would be designed based on TRATRA's experience in the pilot project," Naashiah said.

Hafeedh said any local or international firm with experience in the field, technical know-how, and resources could bid for the project, also adding that Omantel and Nawras, the biggest two telecom operators in the country, too were eligible, provided "they fulfil the prescribed requirements." He said the amount of subsidy would be determined on competitive basis, adding: "The bidders will bid for the licence with subsidy. The bidder asking for the lowest subsidy will get the licence. The government will pay the subsidy in 10 annual instalments subject to network roll out to be verified by TRATRA."

By Ravindra Nath

© Khaleej Times 2009

 

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