Vodafone becomes Oman’s third operator

Telecoms giant Vodafone has officially become Oman’s third operator following a royal decree granting it a first-class license to establish and operate public telecommunications services in the Sultanate.

Vodafone, which owns and operates networks in 22 countries and has partner networks in 48 further countries, will stand toe-to-toe with the local Oman Telecommunication Company (Omantel) and Qatar’s Ooredoo for market share.

“This royal decree represents a significant step into the future of the telecommunications sector in the Sultanate, whether in terms of providing cutting edge technologies in this field or offering more options for the citizens and residents of the Sultanate,” Nasser bin Salim Al Hosni, Duty Chairman of the Board of Directors of Vodafone, said in a statement.

Al Hosni affirmed that Vodafone Oman will work on providing the most advanced technologies in the field of information and communication, which, in turn, will contribute to the implementation of the government’s strategy represented by Oman Vision 2040.

This isn’t the first time the British telecoms company has entered the Omani market but has previously partnered with several SMEs and international companies within the marketing, technology, and logistics industries.

Vodafone highlighted in a statement that they believe in supporting local business environments and enhancing investment opportunities in the markets they are entering. “Vodafone will also contribute to enhancing the ongoing progress of the telecommunications and technology sectors in the Sultanate, inspired by the goals of Oman Vision 2040,” the statement read.

Pursuant to the partnership between the Oman Future Telecommunications Company and Vodafone, the third telecom operator will join Vodafone Partner Markets, which provides access to a variety of special Vodafone services, while Vodafone Group will not own a share of the company’s capital.

Shareholders of Oman Future Telecommunications Company include many Omani institutions such as government pensions and investment funds, as well as a group of private investors.

“The strategic partnership between Oman Future Telecommunications Company and Vodafone ensures that Vodafone Oman receives the right infrastructure and advanced technologies,” Diego Massidda, CEO of Vodafone Partner Markets said.

Massida added that through partnerships and projects, especially with small and medium enterprises, the local community will also benefit from Vodafone’s global expertise.”