Vodafone has obtained the license to establish and operate public telecommunications services in the Sultanate of Oman based on Royal Decree No. 4/2021, making the company the third telecommunications operator in the Sultanate of Oman.
Vodafone Group and Oman Future Telecommunications (“OFT”) had announced in 2019 a strategic partnership agreement in the Sultanate of Oman as part of Vodafone’s Partner Markets program. 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.
Sayyid Hamad bin Ahmed al Busaidi, Chairman of the board of directors of the Oman Future Communications Company SAOC (Vodafone), stated that the Royal Decree No. 4/2021 “ 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, affirming 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″.
Diego Massidda, CEO of Vodafone Partner Markets, added “The strategic partnership between Oman Future Telecommunications Company SAOC and Vodafone ensures that Vodafone Oman receives the right infrastructure and advanced technologies. Through partnerships and projects, especially with small and medium enterprises, the local community will also benefit from Vodafone’s global expertise.”
It is noteworthy that shareholders of the “Oman Future Telecommunications Company SAOC” include many Omani institutions such as government pensions and investment funds, as well as a group of private investors.