Telecom

Service Licenses 

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Under the Telecom Act (Article 20) it is mandatory for all persons or companies who wish to establish or operate a telecommunications system, or provide telecommunications services, to obtain a license from the TRA in advance of starting operations.

Types of Licenses

Before submitting a license application to the TRA, it is advised that the concerned party contacts TRA first to discuss their service proposition. The licensing framework divides the licenses into three classes: Class I, II, and III. These different classifications denote the variations on nature of operations and the network setup.
A Class I licence is issued by way of Royal Decree on the recommendation of the Minister of Telecommunications after TRA approval. Class I licensees are permitted to establish or operate a public telecommunications network or international telecommunications infrastructure, offer public telecommunications services or international access services. The Royal Decree shall determine the duration of the licence and will detail the terms and conditions that the licensee operates under.
The TRA may limit the numbers of telecommunications or radio licences issued for a specific class of telecommunications systems or services. This is in order to:
  • Ensure the efficient management and use of frequency spectrum.
  • Effectively manage the timings and use of telecommunications numbers as per the Numbering Plan.
In the case of a limit on the availability of telecommunications licences, the Authority may invite bids for licences, offered after consultation with the concerned parties and in line with the set rules and procedures. These rules and procedures shall be published at least one month prior the date of submission of bids.
A Class II licence is issued to those operators providing public telecommunications services which rely upon a Class I licence network capacity. The Class II licensees may also provide additional, or value added, public telecommunications services which make use of numbering resources. The Class II licence is issued by a Ministerial decision from the Minister of Telecommunications based on an approved proposal from the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority. The decision determines the duration of the licence, which should not exceed 10 years.

Annexes for licensed services

Title Download
Annex of Internet Access Service PDF
Annex of Resale of Public Basic Mobile Service PDF
Annex of SMS PDF
Annex of Audio Text PDF
These licences are issued through a decision of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority to provide private network owners or service providers who meet the qualifying criteria set by the Authority unlimited entry to the market. The licence duration will not exceed five years.

Authorisations

A public telecommunications service used to manage, monitor or track the location of vehicles and mobile objects such as containers and equipment, or to track living organisms including incapacitated person or lacking legal capacity, birds and animals using positioning system technology (such as GPS), via licensed or authorized telecommunications systems or networks by the Authority for usage in the Sultanate of Oman.

Objectives

  1. Replace the former regulation issued by Decision 80/2013.
  2. Provide Tracking and Geo-Location Systems Service in conditions to grant the information security and privacy.
  3. Unlock potential opportunities for SME due to the exemption from licensing requirements and expanding to the former regulation scope.

Decision Regulating the Service

View the Decision 89/2022 on the regulation of Tracking and Geo-Location Systems Service PDF


Procedures

View the requirements and procedures for providing the service through the TRA Services page, click here


List of Authorized Entities

View the list of Tracking and Geolocation Services authorized entities, Click here

A service that allows the establishment or operation of a private telecommunications network for the purpose of personal use that extends beyond the applicant’s facility or land, and is not linked to a public network or another private network.

Objectives

  1. Facilitate and speed up the procedures for approving the establishment or operatiion of private network
  2. Light regulatory requirements.
  3. Determine the scope of the service and the targeted users.

Decision Regulating the Service

View the Decision 18/2015 on the regulation of Operating Private Network Not Connected To the Public Network for the Personal Utilization PDF


Procedures

View the requirements and procedures for providing the service through the TRA Services page, click here

A service that allows the utilization of passive infrastructure for entities whose telecommunications activity is not a main activity for their business.

Objectives

  1. Utilize and access the passive infrastructure.
  2. Encouraging investment in appropriate technologies and facilities of passive infrastructure.
  3. Reduce the cost of services provided to end users.
  4. Ensure fair and non-discriminatory access to real estate complexes by Public Telecommunication Service Providers.
  5. Avoid duplicating digging of roads and sideways for the purpose of burying fiber optic cables.

Decision Regulating the Service

View the Decision 60/2014 on the regulation for the Utilization of/ Access to Passive Infrastructure PDF


Procedures

View the requirements and procedures for providing the service through the TRA Services page, click here


List of Authorized Entities

View the list of Passive infrastructure authorized entities, Click here

A tool that aims to provide a secure environment that enables innovators to create viable telecom-related products and services, and it is an opportunity to examine all innovative products and services, business models, data and delivery mechanisms in a live environment.
The scope of the Regulatory Sandbox for Telecommunications Services is limited to enabling sandbox tests. After the test, the product or service shall be used/provided commercially in accordance to the existing regulatory and legal frameworks. It should be noted that the Authority cannot waive any of the rules or requirements regarding the applicant specified by another entity or set by another law or regulation in the Sultanate of Oman.

Objectives

  1. Testing the products and services in a regulated environment.
  2. Reducing marketing time and cost.
  3. Supervising the tests in all its phases, by working with the participant to agree on precautionary measures for beneficiaries or any other methods.
  4. Ensure that the participant in the testing does not cause any harmful interference to other licensed services in accordance with the rules of the Authority.
  5. Provide guidance and direction on the potential regulatory effects of an innovative product or service or business model.

Decision Regulating the Service

View the Decision 89/2021 on the Guidelines of Regulatory Sandbox Rules for Telecommunications PDF


Procedures

View the requirements and procedures for providing the service through the TRA Services page, click here


Internet of Things (IoT) services enable a large number of devices to communicate and share data. This kind of connectivity has the potential to deliver significant benefits to the economy and society in general, across various sectors including: healthcare, transportation, energy, agriculture...etc. The IoT value chain consists of multiple elements that include hardware, connectivity, big data, data analytics, and applications...etc, that make up the IoT ecosystem and involve multiple stakeholders.

Objectives

  1. Providing and exploitation of business opportunities
  2. Supporting innovation, enabling and localizing emerging technologies.
  3. Develop innovative solutions to improve the quality of the provided services.
  4. Ensure that IoT services and applications are provided securely

Decision Regulating the Service

View the Decision 93/2022 on the regulation of Internet of Things Services PDF


Procedures

View the requirements and procedures for providing the service through the TRA Services page, click here


List of Authorized Entities

View the list of Internet of Things authorized entities, Click here
Regulating the implementation of services in the telecommunications field aims to enhance the quality of work carried out by companies or freelancers who contract with telecommunications companies licensed in the Sultanate of Oman and empower Omani employees. According to the regulations, the licensee is obligated when awarding contracts for the implementation of services in the field of telecommunications - as defined in the regulation - to contract only with companies or freelancers authorized by the authority, and Similarly, no authorized party as per the regulation may contract with a third party to assign a sub-work unless they are authorized by the Authority.

Objectives

  1. The commitment of the authorized entities to recruit and train Omanis, and raise the Omanisation rate to reach (70%).
  2. Enabling the Omani workforce specialized in the field of communications and IT to obtain decent job opportunities in an appropriate and stimulating work environment for them in the private sector.
  3. The commitment of the authorized entities to the specifications, standards and requirements necessary in the implementation of services in the telecom field.

Decision Regulating the Service

View the Decision 109/2022 on the regulation for Organizing the Implementation of Services in the Telecommunications Field PDF


Procedures

View the requirements and procedures for providing the service through the TRA Services page, click here


A telecommunication service used to convey voice or video calls using Internet Protocol (IP) technology through an application/website and without utilizing the numbering resources.

Objectives

  1. Ease of the procedures to approve the service provision.
  2. Light regulatory requirements.
  3. Determination of the scope of service and targeted customers.
  4. Ensure customers information security and privacy.

Decision Regulating the Service

View the Decision 1152/2/3/2022/1 on the regulation for Organizing the Provision of VoIP Click here


Procedures

View the requirements and procedures for providing the service through the TRA Services page, click here


List of Authorized Entities

View the list of voice over IP authorized entities, Click here


Services that do not require licenses

Title Download
Decision 47/2016 - Regulating Customer Call Center Service PDF
Title Download
Decision 48/2016 - Re-provision of Internet Access and Internet Cafe PDF

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