Oman Consolidates 3G Service Termination, Reaches Near-Universal 4G and Major 5G Network Availability
In a significant step towards modernising its telecommunications sector, the Sultanate of Oman has successfully completed the nationwide shutdown of its third-generation (3G) network as of early July 2025. The transition, which began in the third quarter of 2024, has been a gradual process, initially targeting less densely populated areas, with some temporary exceptions around Muscat International Airport for technical reasons.
The shutdown is part of a strategic upgrade to enhance telecommunications services by reutilising spectrum for more advanced technologies while improving energy efficiency. The regulator, Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), reports that the 4G network now covers 99% of Oman's population, and the 5G network reaches 90% coverage nationwide.
The closure of third-generation stations is a significant step towards upgrading the telecommunications sector in the Sultanate of Oman to the fourth and fifth generations. More than 5,600 stations have been upgraded as part of the project. In January 2025, 864 stations were closed in the governorates of Al Wusta and Dhofar, followed by 1,699 stations in the Governorate of Muscat in the second quarter of 2025. Previously, in July 2024, 700 third-generation stations were closed in the governorates of Buraimi, Al Dhahirah, and Musandam, and in December 2024, 584 stations were closed in the Governorate of Al Dakhiliya. In the same month of January 2025, 1,835 stations were closed in the governorates of South and North Al Batinah, South and North Al Sharqiya.
The transition from third-generation networks to the fourth and fifth generations is aimed at improving telecommunications services, reusing frequencies in more advanced technologies, and enhancing energy efficiency. The third-generation bands have been redirected to support fourth- and fifth-generation networks and the Internet of Things (IoT). As a result, Oman has achieved annual energy savings exceeding two million kilowatt-hours by moving away from legacy 3G infrastructure, illustrating significant gains in operational efficiency.
The upgrade of telecommunications infrastructure in the Sultanate of Oman has contributed to the improvement of telecommunications services. The shift allows better support for faster speeds, more advanced applications, and increased reliability in telecommunications services. Although detailed information on the staggered shutdown of 4G or the rollout specifics for 5G across different governorates is not explicitly provided, the overall upgrade enhances nationwide telecommunications infrastructure and supports the growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) in the Sultanate of Oman.
This upgrade positions Oman’s telecommunications sector for better service quality and efficiency going forward while reflecting global trends of sunset phases for older cellular technologies. The Sultanate of Oman is one of the first countries to successfully transition entirely from third-generation to more modern technologies.
The upgrade of telecommunications infrastructure in the Sultanate of Oman involves reutilizing spectrum for data-and-cloud-computing and technology-driven advancements like fourth- and fifth-generation networks. This transition not only improves energy efficiency but also supports the growth of the Internet of Things (IoT), showcasing significant advances in both service quality and operational efficiency.
This strategic shift towards modern technologies, such as 4G and 5G, serves to enhance Oman's telecommunications infrastructure, positioning it at the forefront of global trends in service quality and technological progress.
