Muscat: Oman’s third telecommunication service provider will begin its operations in 2020, according to a representative of Itqan Tech Development, Sayyid Fahad Al Busaidi.
Oman Future Telecommunication, which is joined by Itqan under the umbrella of Oman 70 Holding, signed a 15-year partnership agreement with Vodafone on Thursday to become a new telecom service provider in Oman, promising high quality services with a focus on Omani skills.
Speaking on the agreement, Al Busaidi said, “Oman Future Telecommunications seeks to partner with Vodafone in order to present exceptional communications services based on a customer-satisfaction strategy, the company’s operations will begin in 2020.”
Vodafone aims to give people in Oman the best experience possible.
CEO of Partner Markets at Vodafone, Dieggo Massidda, said, “Vodafone will work to deliver the highest level of innovation and experience to the Sultanate of Oman.
“We will work to build Vodafone Oman to offer the best possible experience for customers,” he added.
The company will strive to hone the Omani skillset as a priority and that it will work to impart skills and knowledge to Omanis in the sector so that they can operate the company successfully, according to Massidda.
He added: “Vodafone Oman will be launched by a joint team from Vodafone and Omani locals, since raising the level of Omani labour is the core focus of our partnership.”
According to the Government Cooperation Centre (GC), the next steps for the 15-year agreement with Vodafone includes: “Vodafone offering all basic services for the new company’s operations, the authority to use Vodafone’s trademarked logo, and technical, knowledge, and operations support.”
Oman Future Telecommunications will join the Vodafone global partners programme as well, and it will also work to form a 'Board of Directors' for the company and to gain the license for a third operator from the Omani Telecommunications Regulation Authority.
The new company has garnered support and investments from the local government as well.
According to the GC, “The third operator will be part of Oman 70 Holding LLC and will include pension pension funds, as well as government investment funds and investors from the private sector.”