New mobile operator in Oman will be a local company, says government

Muscat: An Omani company will be the Sultanate's third mobile operator, the government has announced.
The local firm will be set up through investment funds and a strategic global partner with technical expertise will guide the new company in the market.
The Ministry of Transport and Communications announced that the "consortium" will be "composed of a local company owned by the investment funds in partnership with a global strategic partner with the necessary capabilities in this field.
"The Ministry of Transport and Communications has instructed the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority to cancel the current bidder.
The Ministry will work with the authority to implement the new direction from today's date and follow up until issuing the necessary licence for the new company."
The statement added: "This decision comes in an effort to strengthen the role of investment funds and enable them to contribute to advancing the national economy. This decision comes in the efforts to strengthen the communications networks in the Sultanate and provide high-quality services to citizens to cope with modern technologies and population growth.
In coordination with the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority, the Ministry of Transport and Communications worked to provide a bidder for a third mobile operator in accordance with the general policy requirements of the telecommunications sector and to achieve the objectives of the national broadband strategy approved by the government with the aim of improving telecommunications services in the Sultanate.