Oman Broadband to cover 99% of Muscat with fibre optic in next three years

Muscat: The Oman Broadband Company is responsible for providing quality services represented in support and assistance to the main telecommunications service providers in the Sultanate of Oman, in addition to working to operate the largest fiber optic network in the Sultanate of Oman.

Eng. Sultan Al-Wahaibi, CEO of the Oman Broadband Company, stressed that the company is committed to continuing to expand and improve the network infrastructure. This gives residents access to a high-speed broadband Internet connection.

The CEO of the Oman Broadband Company said that the total number of units covered by the fiber optic network of the Oman Broadband Company reached 735,000 units in the various governorates of the Sultanate of Oman until the end of September 2023, distributed about 387,528 units in the Muscat Governorate, and 322,995 units outside the Muscat Governorate.

He pointed out that the total number of subscribers until the end of September 2023 reaches 255,886 subscribers, expecting that during the next three years, the Oman Broadband Company will cover more than 99 percent in Muscat and about 50 percent outside the governorate of the total units in the Sultanate of Oman.

He explained that the Omani Broadband Company’s investments and mobile assets amounted to more than 276 million Omani riyals since its establishment in 2014, stressing that the company has succeeded in achieving many positive results.

The most notable of which is the total reliance on external funding to implement its projects instead of government support, and the construction of infrastructure used by all licensed telecommunications operators in the Sultanate of Oman.

He added that the company is working to empower small and medium enterprises by assigning a number of tasks in its projects, directly or indirectly, to entrepreneurs with specializations in the company’s fields. The value of the direct projects assigned to these enterprises has reached more than RO 43 million

The CEO of the Oman Broadband Company stated that the company has implemented a number of other initiatives through which it was keen to support Omani youth and empower them by implementing a package of programmes, most notably the “Tamkeen” program for job seekers and new graduates and “Masar” for the company’s employees, explaining that the percentage of Omanization rate reached 99 percent, which is equivalent to more than 200 Omani employees in various specializations.

He said that the company’s contribution to training and qualification opportunities amounted to 760 training opportunities, including the opportunities provided by the “Tamkeen” program for new graduates and job seekers, and it continues to involve employees in the “Masar” program, which specializes in leadership development.

Regarding the public subscription to the shares of the Oman Broadband Company, Engineer Sultan bin Ahmed Al Wahaibi stressed that the company witnessed, in a first step before preparing it for public offering and subscription in the coming years, the acquisition by the Omani Infrastructure Investment Fund “Rakiza” of 39 percent of the shares of the Idhkaa Group in the company. Oman Broadband Company, indicating that approximately 10 percent to 26 percent of the company’s shares will be divested before the end of this year.

He pointed out that the public subscription to the company’s shares will contribute to strengthening the company’s public ownership base and provide the necessary liquidity to carry out the planned expansions that require more continuous modernization and provide savings tools for shareholders.

He stressed that the company is working to expand in various governorates of the Sultanate of Oman, with the expansion plan for the fiber optic network during the next stage reaching the areas of “Awtab” and “Al-Suwaihra” in the state of Sohar, and “Al-Khashada”, “Hillat Al-Rawashid” and “Majz Al-Sughra”. “Abu Al-Dharus”, “Al-Ghuwaisa”, “Sour Al-Shayadi” and “Al-Qusha’i” in the Wilayat of Saham, in addition to “Al-Aamrah” and “Al-Rumais” in the Wilayat of Barka, and a number of areas in the Wilayat of Jaalan Bani Bu Ali, and also the Al-Rusail area in the Muscat Governorate, and some areas in the Wilayat of Duqm, as well as in the “Al-Dhariz” and “Al-Haffa” areas in the Wilayat of Salalah and other areas.

Regarding the “Afaq” initiative to cover villages and population centers with communications and Internet services via satellite, he pointed out that this initiative came in implementation of the national broadband strategy, the implementation of which was entrusted to the Oman Broadband Company, one of the companies of the Omani Communications and Information Technology Group, explaining that the initiative includes coverage of 600 people.

A village distributed across the various governorates of the Sultanate of Oman according to the principle of open access, which allows beneficiaries in these villages to choose the service operator from among the operators licensed in the Sultanate of Oman.

The CEO of the Oman Broadband Company explained that the company is making unremitting efforts to strengthen various partnerships and activate and develop a model of partnership with the governorates. To provide broadband infrastructure, provide and improve Internet services, and support the economic system.