The Civil Passive Infrastructure Access Regulation issued by the Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) in June 2015 has been published in the Official Government Gazette (Issue No. 18, dated November 29, 2015). The Regulation enables access to civil infrastructure for telecommunication services, and applies to all public or private entities that control access to such infrastructure.
The Access Regulation, a result of vigorous consultations with stakeholders, will help resolve the many access related issues telecom service providers in Qatar had been facing, and provide clarity on what infrastructure should be accessed to. Strategically, the Regulation will contribute to the development of a competitive and sustainable telecommunication sector as well as act as a catalyst to facilitate Qatar’s economy to diversify, grow and attract long-term investments.
The Regulation establishes the obligations of the access providers and access seekers and sets out the minimum terms and conditions to ensure all provisions are non-discriminatory in terms of product, price, process, and quality. The Regulation includes infrastructure like ducts, manholes, cable trays, telecom towers, masts, collocation facilities, cooling units, back-up generators, and electrical power connections.
The Regulation stipulates clear guidelines on how the request must be initiated and processed. For instance, the access provider is obliged to respond to any request for access clearly stating justifications to its initial response as it may be within 10 days. It also specifies how CRA will deal with non-compliance issues.
The Civil Passive Infrastructure Access Regulation is available here.
The Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) is the communications regulator in the state of Qatar established by virtue of Emiri Decree (42) in 2014. CRA regulates the communications & information technology sector, postal services, and access to digital media. CRA uses its regulatory powers mandated by the Emiri decree to protect consumer rights, ensure competition, manage the resolution of disputes, and manage the electromagnetic spectrum. In all its activities, the CRA seeks to ensure the provision of advanced, innovative and reliable ICT and postal services across the State of Qatar. For more information please visit: http://cra.gov.qa/en.