TRA launches pilot coverage request service for governorates

Muscat--- The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has launched, on a pilot basis, a Coverage Request Service within the Quality System. This is an electronic service that enables all governorates of the Sultanate of Oman to submit and track requests related to telecommunications services through a unified electronic pathway, thereby contributing to accelerating the processing of requests, improving the level of planning and supporting data-driven decision-making.

The service standardizes the mechanism for submitting coverage requests and regulates their flow between the governorates and the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority. It also enables comparison of a request with previous or ongoing requests at the same site and in neighbouring areas, monitors cases of duplication or similarity, verifies the existence of current or future projects or plans related to the site and ultimately classifies the request and determines the most appropriate processing pathway for it.

The service allows requests to be submitted electronically, specifying their type, requirements, and location, and enables tracking of the completion level and progress rate. It also displays data related to the geographical scope of the request, contributing to the formation of a more comprehensive view of the needs of the governorates. It provides TRA staff with a dedicated interface for studying and processing requests.

Requests that can be submitted through the service include the establishment of a new telecommunications station, the improvement or enhancement of telecommunications network coverage and internet services, the provision of 5G services, the relocation or removal of telecommunications stations, and the extension of fibre-optic networks, in addition to reports related to vandalism, defacement, or obstruction of the establishment of telecommunications stations, and any other requests related to telecommunications services.

It is worth noting that the Coverage Request Service leverages artificial intelligence technologies to conduct a preliminary analysis immediately upon submission, link it to available technical and geographical data, determine the status of telecommunications services and coverage at the requested site, and verify nearby towers and stations and the technologies available therein. In its current phase, the service targets the governorates, with the scope of benefit set to expand in the future to include government institutions, economic and logistics zones, and other relevant entities.