Oman’s Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has amended the Class I licence of Awasr, which launched commercial fibre-based broadband services in Muscat last month. The Times of Oman writes that the firm is now also permitted to offer fixed telephony and international telecoms services. Awasr’s fibre-optic broadband services are currently available in the Muscat areas of Al Khoud, Al Mawaleh, Al Hail, Maabilah and Shatti Al Qurum, but the network will expand to new locations in the northern region, including Al Batinah North, Al Batinah South, Al Dhahirah and Al Buraimi governorates, as well as to the southern region, including the governorates of Al Dakhiliya, Al Sharqiyah North, Al Sharqiyah South, Dhofar and Al Wusta. For residential customers, downstream connection speeds of 20Mbps, 50Mbps and 150Mbps are on offer.
‘We will deliver top-notch services at highly competitive and affordable prices to everyone, especially since affordability is one of Awasr’s core principles aiming to achieve sustainable development in the Sultanate,’ commented Issam Al Ismaili, head of marketing at Awasr.’ Awasr was awarded a 25-year Class I concession to establish and operate public telecoms network in Muscat governorate in November 2012.