The Oman Telecommunications Company (Omantel) has commissioned the Siemens Information and Communication mobile Group to expand the GSM network in Oman.
Omani residents living in the country's remote regions such as Al-Dahkilia, Al-Sharqiya and Al-Dhaira, will soon also have access to mobile telephony. Under the terms of the $40 million contract, Siemens will supply and install base stations as well as fit GSM technology along the main highways linking the cities of Muscat, Nizwa, Ibri, Beidbeid and Sur.
Siemens expanded Omantel’s GSM infrastructure in 2001 to include prepaid services, also used by mobile radio subscribers in the Sultanate. "Countries such as Oman, and indeed the Middle East as a whole, play an important role for our business," said President of Networks within Siemens, Christoph Caselitz.
Headquartered in Muscat, government-owned Omantel is the country’s sole provider of telephony, mobile and Internet services. Full Internet service became available in early in 1997. The network currently covers 80 percent of the population, with 98 percent of urban households owning a telephone line. — (menareport.com)
© 2003 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
