MUSCAT: Oman is well-positioned to become a regional telecommunications centre due to its advanced and reliable internal network and ongoing initiatives to enhance rural connectivity, according to Oxford Business Group’s (OBG) new guide on Oman’s digital future.
Similarly, the space industry is also advancing, driven by global trends and national policies. Oman, says OBG, is set to make significant improvements in satellite deployment and exploitation, which could strengthen and localize downstream segments like earth observation applications.
Oman's digital infrastructure is maturing, as evidenced by various performance indicators and innovative projects. In the first quarter of 2024, telecommunications indicators revealed that the country had 596,809 fixed telephone service subscriptions, 572,450 fixed broadband service subscriptions, 7,201,537 mobile service subscriptions, and 5,945,852 mobile broadband service subscriptions. The penetration rates were 85% for fixed telephone services, 82% for fixed broadband services (both based on the total number of households), 139% for mobile services, and 115% for mobile broadband services (both based on the total population). The average revenue per subscriber was RO 1.4 ($3.6) for fixed telephone services, RO 29.6 ($76.9) for fixed broadband services, RO 1.3 ($3.4) for mobile services, and RO 3.2 ($8.3) for mobile broadband services.
A significant development in Oman's digital landscape is the Government Integration Platform (GIP), which functions as a centralised application programming interface (API) gateway and data centre, enabling real-time data exchange among government entities. This platform facilitates the integration of data across government systems by exposing live API/web services provided by various government entities for use by others. Consequently, it has significantly expedited processing times and reduced paperwork requirements for citizens, residents, and businesses when using government services, OBG states.
As of the end of April 2024, the GIP had processed a total transaction volume of 1 billion data transactions, with 16 million data transactions integrated with GCC providers and consumers, and 163,000 data transactions integrated with the private sector as consumers. The platform involved 32 service providers, 64 service consumers, and had onboarded a total of 152 APIs.
Oman’s developments in telecommunications infrastructure, monitored by the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), are enhancing social cohesion across the country. The implementation of fibreoptic network deployment by Oman Broadband Company has made significant progress, with 51% of buildings connected to fibre networks by 2022. In 2023, over 101,257 housing units were equipped with fibre networks.
Additionally, the approval for building new telecommunications towers led to the installation of more than 800 towers in various areas and villages in 2022, thereby improving services in underserved regions. The deployment of 5G networks has also been a priority, with over 2,600 stations supporting 5G activated in various parts of the sultanate in 2022. By the end of that year, 4G and 5G coverage levels reached 97.8 per cent and 44.9 per cent, respectively.
Broadband network coverage in public schools is another area of focus, with 1,221 public schools having broadband services, 1,146 of which are connected to the fibreoptic network. Overall, broadband services cover more than 94 per cent of schools in the sultanate. According to the TRA, all stations operating with 3G service will be upgraded to 4G and 5G by the end of 2024, further extending the reach of advanced telecommunications infrastructure.
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