Oman’s second national telecoms operator Nawras has signed an agreement with Huawei, under which the Chinese vendor will upgrade all Radio Access Network (RAN) sites to increase coverage, indoor penetration, capacity and the speed of the operator’s entire network. At the same time, Nawras will launch Long Term Evolution-Frequency Division Duplex (LTE-FDD) mobile broadband services, using 1800MHz spectrum. Around 30% of RAN sites will be upgraded before the end of the year, with 3G/3.5G coverage set to rise from 53% to 97% over the next three years. 4G network coverage meanwhile will be available in all major areas of Muscat Governorate (including Ruwi, the Central Business District, Wadi Kabir, Muttrah, Qurm, Azaiba, Al Khuwair, Ghala, Baushar, Mawaleh and The Wave) by the end of the year, with all major cities to gain LTE coverage by June 2013. In addition, Huawei will extend Nawras’ WiMAX home broadband network to allow for wider penetration in areas where customers live and work.
‘We are delighted to be joining forces with Huawei who have a wealth of experience and undisputed track record after building many of the world’s most advanced LTE networks,’ said Ross Cormack, CEO of Nawras, adding: ‘4G LTE will essentially revolutionise the way we communicate with superfast, high quality broadband internet service, unlocking a world of communication opportunities beyond imagination. With this cutting edge technology, we will introduce exciting services to give a seamless, smooth multimedia experience, whether it’s watching HD television or reading an interactive online news story with animation, audio and video feeds.’