Space Communications Technologies (SCT) signed a contract with the Oman Broadband Company on Sunday to provide telecommunications services through satellite as part of the national initiative launched by the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority to provide telecommunications and Internet services in 598 villages.

The contract was signed by Eng Salem bin Saeed al Alawi, executive director, SCT, and Eng Badr bin Saud al Zaidi, acting CEO of Oman Broadband Company.

Under the contract, SCT will provide and fully manage the infrastructure for satellite communications, with the aim of covering all parts of the sultanate, including offices of government agencies, health centres and more than a hundred schools.

Oman Broadband Company will coordinate with the telecommunications companies in the sultanate that offer fixed Internet services to provide the same to subscribers in the areas identified within the initiative.

Eng Alawi said that in order to keep pace with the Fourth Industrial Revolution and its technical and educational requirements, the sultanate is heading to provide telecommunications services to all, including rural areas, which constitute a major challenge for telecommunications companies. 

For his part, Eng Zaidi explained that the signing of the contract comes as a continuation of the initial step to implement the national initiative to bridge the digital divide in villages and rural housing complexes. He added that the existing partnership with SCT will contribute to achieving the desired goals of the initiative by employing the latest satellite technology.