Muscat – Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has set up a dedicated team to address electronic fraud and launched a national campaign to reduce children’s addiction to the Internet.

The announcement was made during a meeting held on Sunday attended by various stakeholders to discuss issues related to the telecommunications sector. The meeting aimed to enhance communication with beneficiaries and facilitate exchange of views on service quality, billing and promotional offers.

TRA highlighted its ongoing efforts to upgrade telecommunications services, including transition from third-generation to 4G and 5G networks.

Nasser al Jabri, Director of Service Quality and Comprehensive Service Department at TRA, reported that in the first half of 2024, the authority received nearly 398 complaints related to broadband services. Of these, 70% were related to internal connections within buildings.

Jabri also reported that 86% of children in Oman use the Internet and that there is addictive behaviour in some. In response, TRA has initiated several programmes to educate families on safe technology use, including a national awareness campaign. Additionally, the authority has included provisions in the Beneficiaries’ Rights Regulations specifically aimed at protecting children who use communications services.

Jabri outlined several initiatives to improve services, including deployment of 5G networks across 4,412 stations, with verification of 3,046 stations already complete. He also noted a significant migration of subscribers from low-speed to high-speed ADSL and fiber optic connections.

Regarding electronic fraud, TRA is working with licencees to form a joint group focused on tracking fraudulent cases and developing effective solutions. The authority has directed licencees to implement technical measures and is launching awareness campaigns to educate the community about the risks of electronic fraud.

Identifying challenges affecting home Internet quality, Jabri cited issues like low-quality copper cables and improper distribution of wireless network boosters. He proposed guidelines for enhancing home connectivity, including use of approved materials and setting designated paths for communication cables.