MUSCAT — Oman’s telecommunications sector has been urged to accelerate diversification beyond traditional voice and data services, as regulators push operators to explore new digital revenue streams aligned with evolving market demands and national economic priorities.
Eng Omar bin Hamdan Al Ismaili, Executive President of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), said telecom operators should expand investment into innovative services and digital solutions to strengthen profitability while offering consumers greater choice and improved value. He emphasised that long-term growth would depend on moving beyond legacy service models toward broader digital ecosystems.
Speaking during a media briefing, Al Ismaili highlighted automation as a key enabler of competitiveness and sustainability across industrial sectors, particularly manufacturing and export-oriented industries. He noted that increased adoption of automation technologies can help businesses reduce inefficiencies, improve productivity, and remain competitive within regional and global markets.
Sector data presented during the briefing reflected an ongoing shift toward digital use cases. Internet of Things (IoT) subscriptions increased significantly, reaching 1.632 million in 2025 compared with 356,000 in 2021, indicating growing demand across logistics, utilities, and smart infrastructure applications. Fibre subscriptions also expanded to 356,000 over the same period, while fixed wireless 5G subscriptions rose sharply, demonstrating increasing reliance on advanced connectivity services.
Telecommunications revenues reached RO 961 million in 2025, up from RO 768 million in 2021, supported by continued infrastructure investment and service expansion. Network performance also improved, with mobile download speeds rising to 113 Mbps in 2025 from 44 Mbps in 2021, and fixed broadband speeds reaching 91 Mbps.
Consumer engagement trends showed a decline in complaints submitted directly to operators, while escalated complaints to the regulator increased, reflecting growing consumer awareness and stronger oversight mechanisms. The TRA has expanded its regulatory scope in recent years to include emerging areas such as IoT services, telecom infrastructure, cloud computing, data centres, and consumer protection frameworks.
