Doha, June 02 (QNA) - The Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) has opened access to more than 4,860 kilometers of government telecom duct infrastructure across Qatar.

This milestone forms part of CRA's broader regulatory mandate to optimize the use of national telecom assets, enable licensed service providers to scale their networks more efficiently, and support the delivery of high-quality digital services to homes and businesses.

The initiative reflects CRA's strategic objective to promote fair and open access to essential telecom infrastructure—reducing duplicate deployments, improving investment efficiency, and accelerating the rollout of next-generation technologies such as fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) and 5G. It directly supports Qatar's ambitions for a robust digital economy and future-ready connectivity ecosystem.

Director of the Technical Affairs Department at CRA Ali Al-Suwaidi stated: “Ensuring equitable access to national telecom infrastructure is a core part of our regulatory mandate. It enables licensed service providers to scale efficiently and deliver reliable services that meet users' expectations. This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing Qatar's digital ecosystem, supporting innovation, and contributing to economic diversification. We also commend the strong collaboration with Ashghal in realizing this strategic milestone.â€‌

Delivered in collaboration with the Public Works Authority (Ashghal), the infrastructure spans 60 projects and covers over 40,000 residential, commercial, and government premises nationwide. The rollout was governed by a 2014 Memorandum of Understanding between CRA and Ashghal, which formalized planning, construction, and transfer protocols.

To date, more than 15,500 premises have been connected via the CRA-managed government telecom duct infrastructure. Ooredoo has utilized 468 kilometers of ducts to serve 2,010 consumers premises, while Vodafone Qatar has deployed 251 kilometers to connect 1,150 of its consumers. These figures underscore growing industry reliance on a shared national duct network as a foundation for reliable and scalable connectivity.

CRA oversees access to the network through its Duct Management System (DMS), a GIS-based digital platform that facilitates real-time capacity visibility, application processing, and coordination for network extensions. This ensures transparency, efficiency, and alignment with national infrastructure policy.

This access model enhances the quality of digital services for users, enabling high-performance connectivity that supports remote work, e-learning, and digital government services. It also fosters competition by making it easier for consumers to switch between service providers and improves the overall digital user experience.

CRA, as the designated regulatory authority, continues to oversee the construction handover and regulated availability of government telecom ducts in coordination with relevant entities. These efforts are aligned with Qatar National Vision 2030 and aim to ensure sustainable infrastructure development and a thriving digital economy. (QNA)