TRA to outsource the operations of a Telecommunications Technical Office

The office performs as the interface between the telecommunications industry and official bodies involved in the public and private infrastructure deployment such as the Central Planning Unit (CPU) of the Ministry of Works.

The functions of the Telecommunications Technical Office include; obtaining all the necessary permits for operators through the CPU, notify all public telecommunications network operators of procedures to protect their networks when excavation work is conducted, maintains an interface system on a 24/7 basis for the industry for emergency cases, provides information about major roads, other utilities, real estate developments projects to operators to enable efficient and effective planning of telecommunications infrastructure, provide technical advice and recommendations, encourages coordination between operators of work for infrastructure deployment, and ensures that all conditions outlined in the Guidelines for Telecommunications Infrastructure Deployment are satisfied by operators.

TRA's General Director Mr. Alan Horne commented,

'The creation of the TTO will assist the opening up of the market to infrastructure being put in place by new competing operators further adding to the choice, by consumers and business, in their service provider for voice, data and internet services.'

Mr Adel Al Showaikh, Manager for Telecommunications Access and Infrastructure at the TRA stated who is heading this initiative stated, 'As part of TRA's duty to promote fair and effective competition among licensed operators, TRA setup a Telecommunications Technical Office to enable all appropriately licensed operators to have access to the public and private properties for the purpose of laying out their networks. Today we are inviting all engineering firms to submit their proposals and bids to effectively operate day to day operations of this office on behalf of TRA in a professional manner. This office directly provides help to operators to deploy their networks and indirectly helps in providing more competitive services to end consumers.'

TRA will closely monitor the performance of the appointed firm to ensure that they are meeting all the roles and responsibilities of the TTO.