Doha: The Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) has issued Decision No. (12) of 2026 on the Regulation for Offer of Access to Submarine Cable Landing Station (SCLS) International Connectivity Services, together with accompanying Guidelines.
According to Qatar News Agency, the move aims to enhance transparency, predictability, and fairness in access to international connectivity services, while supporting competition and investment in Qatar's Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector.
Submarine cable landing stations are key gateways linking Qatar to global communications networks. As the country continues to expand its digital ecosystem, data center capacity, cloud services, and advanced digital applications, reliable and transparent access to international connectivity infrastructure becomes increasingly important to support innovation, competition, and investor confidence.
Under the Regulation, licensed Service Providers operating submarine cable landing stations in Qatar are required to prepare and submit Offers of Access to CRA for approval within specified timelines. These offers must set out the available services, applicable charges, and relevant terms and conditions. Once approved by CRA, they must be published, providing greater transparency and giving access seekers clearer visibility of available services, pricing, and access conditions through a published regulatory framework.
The Regulation also establishes clear procedures for access requests, negotiations, and dispute resolution. In addition, it covers a range of services associated with submarine cable landing stations, including co-location services, cross-connect arrangements, backhaul links, and managed services. It further introduces pricing principles to ensure that charges for access services are fair, reasonable, service-based, and non-discriminatory.
The Regulation is expected to improve access to international connectivity infrastructure, enhance competition and efficiency in the telecommunications market, and create a more structured and predictable environment for market participants. By increasing transparency and regulatory certainty, it supports investment in digital infrastructure and expands opportunities to benefit from current and future international connectivity services.
The Regulation adopts a forward-looking, technology-neutral, and symmetric approach designed to remain relevant as market structures evolve and additional providers may emerge in the future. This approach supports sustainable market development while encouraging innovation and growth across Qatar's ICT sector.
The Regulation and accompanying Guidelines were developed following a comprehensive market assessment and two rounds of public consultation with stakeholders and Service Providers. CRA has also issued non-mandatory Guidelines to support implementation of the Regulation, including offer templates, service descriptions, and recommended structures to assist Service Providers in preparing compliant and comprehensive Offers of Access.
CRA has also published a summary of the responses to the latest consultation as part of its commitment to transparent and consultative regulation. The Regulation strengthens Qatar's position as a regional and global digital connectivity hub and supports the objectives of the Third National Development Strategy 2024-2030 and Qatar National Vision 2030 by promoting a more competitive, investment-ready, and innovation-driven digital economy.
The Regulation and accompanying Guidelines are available on CRA's website.