OM: Al-Futaisi and Council of Ministers' Resolution to Establish Government-Owned Broad Band Company
He added that the broad band networks have become as important as roads and electricity networks in many countries and they are seen as part of the basic infrastructure in modern society because of the great role played by broad band and pushing forward the wheel of economic and social development, support of competitive capability and economic sectors, increase living standards, in addition to the development of applications and general services that are linked to broad band like e-government, e-health, education and trade services.
Transport and Communications Minister said that investment in the broad band has become a must and the need is great for having national plans and strategies for spreading broad band networks, and a number of countries has had investment initiatives in broad band basic infrastructure and the number of developed and developing countries which have laid down optical fibre networks is increasing.
He added the telecommunications sector in the Sultanate, despite the development it enjoyed in the last few years, is still lagging behind in broad band investment and we need more broad band networks and these are among the reasons behind the establishment of the new company.
Transport and Communications Minister said that the new service will contribute to the spread of the internet service across the Sultanate and will also contribute to the achievement of National Strategy goals in having digital Oman society, e- government and Oman Future Economic Vision 2020 that aims to uplifting the Sultanate economically and socially.
He added that that investment will be decided in part with recommendations of broad band national strategy which is currently being written at the Ministry in cooperation with all concerned parties. The strategy will be submitted to the Council of Ministers in few months.
He also said that the Transport and Communications Ministry and in collaboration with Telecommunication Regulation Authority (TRA), IT Authority and other relevant bodies plan to conduct a comprehensive study for the company. The study will include vision, goals, work mechanism, investment plans and will be submitted to the Council of Ministers very soon, in preparation for establishing the company.
The new company is part of a series of steps previously completed, such as financial support for Haya Company to establish fiber optics networks in Muscat City and RO 50 million allocated for providing more frequencies to enable mobile phones companies to extend their networks across the Sultanate and to introduce G4 telecommunications services in the Sultanate.
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Quelle/Source: Oman News Agency, 29.04.2012
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