Doha: TECHz – News Desk
The Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) of Qatar has officially issued Decision No. (12) of 2026, establishing a comprehensive new regulatory framework governing access to Submarine Cable Landing Station (SCLS) international connectivity services.
Released on July 20, 2026, alongside detailed implementation guidelines, this regulatory overhaul is designed to inject transparency, predictability, and fair competition into the nation’s rapidly expanding Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector.
Submarine cable landing stations act as the critical physical gateways linking Qatar to the global telecommunications grid.
As the country actively scales its digital ecosystem – encompassing advanced cloud services, expanded data center capacity, and next-generation applications – reliable and transparent infrastructure access is essential for driving innovation and investor confidence. Under the newly minted rules, licensed service providers who operate these stations must now submit detailed Offers of Access to the CRA for approval within strict timelines.
These mandatory offers must explicitly outline available services, including co-location, cross-connect arrangements, backhaul links, and managed services. Furthermore, the CRA mandates that all charges for access services remain fair, reasonable, service-based, and strictly non-discriminatory. The regulation also establishes standardized, clear procedures for access requests, commercial negotiations, and dispute resolution. Once the CRA approves these offers, operators are required to publish them, granting prospective access seekers immediate, clear visibility into pricing and technical conditions.
Rather than a rigid set of rules, the CRA has adopted a forward-looking, technology-neutral, and symmetric approach. This ensures the framework remains relevant and effective even as market structures shift or new service providers emerge in the future. To ease the transition for current operators, the CRA also released non-mandatory guidelines. These include practical offer templates, service descriptions, and best-practice structures to assist providers in drafting compliant access agreements.
This regulatory milestone is the result of a comprehensive market assessment and two rigorous rounds of public consultation with industry stakeholders. By removing friction and ambiguity from international connectivity, the new rules align seamlessly with the Third National Development Strategy 2024 – 2030 and the broader Qatar National Vision 2030, further cementing the nation’s position as a premier regional and global digital hub.
