Days after Oman shortlisted six bidders for a new fixed-line phone licence, Omantel, the country's only provider of fixed line services has announced a new tariff that includes cuts in international call rates.

Omantel's move is seen as both, offering integrated services to its customers and gearing up for competition in line with the efforts of the authorities to liberalise the telecom sector.

Under the new tariff, international call rates have been cut by up to 18 per cent.

Dr Mohammed Bin Ali Al-Wohaibi, the CEO of Omantel said: 'The company was keen to offer its subscribers several options in the new fixed line tariff through three different packages, each has it own features, one can choose the package that suits one’s fixed line use.'

Effective September 1, local calls, which will be based on time instead of distance, will be billed at the rate of 15 baisas per minute during peak hours and 7.5 baisas per minute during off-peak hours.

Calls from fixed line to mobile phones will be billed at 33 baisas per minute all day long, according to the release published on the company's web site.

The new tariff also has packages for the benefit of subscribers.

Package 1, which is based on a rental of RO4.9 ($12) per month, comes with 75 free minutes. Package 2, based on a rental of RO 7.9 per month, offers up to 300 free minutes; while Package 3, based on a rental of RO 9.9, is bundled with 450 free minutes.

Dr Al-Wohaibi added that the company is currently working to develop and upgrade Sahl (prepaid) service with the addition of several new features, including saving contacts, transferring credit between two or more accounts, forming groups like family and friends. He pointed out that the new upgraded Sahl service will replace the existing scheme very soon.

The rental for the Sahl service will be RO 4 per month with calls rated as 20 baisas per minute during peak hours, and 10 baisas per minute during off peak hours, while calls to mobile phones will be rated at 40 baisas per minute all day. Subscribers will have the option to either pay on an annual or bi-annual basis.

The CEO also said the new tariff structure has enabled the company to create a uniform contract for fixed line and the hi-speed (ADSL) Internet services.

This is part of the company's plan to develop the billing system and facilitate bill settlement for subscribers.

The new tariff allows subscribers to combine both services in one bill, they can also combine any fixed line home package with the first hi-speed (512 Kbps) ADSL package. The measure enables subscribers to obtain both fixed line and ADSL services at suitable price.

He added that the new tariff structure comes in line with the advantages of fixed line services and as well as other value added services, including (subscriber is unavailable, three party calls, follow me, controlling outgoing calls, wake me up, another call on hold, hot line, caller ID, automatic call diversion, speed dials, and don’t disturb).

Dr Al-Wohaibi was quoted by the Gulf News, saying: 'We are ready to launch VoIP but for some technical difficulties.' - TradeArabia News Service