OVERVIEW
Article 24 of the Law requires that an operator of a Public Telecommunications network providing telecommunications services requires a Licence. Individual or Class Licences are available as per Articles 29 and 32 of the Law dependant on the telecommunications service to be licensed. TRA's Licensing Department is responsible for granting licences and ensuring compliance with applicable licence conditions.
In addition a Frequency Licence may also be required by an operator if the public telecommunications service to be provided requires the use of radio frequencies (see Articles 24 and 43 of the Law).
Article 43 of the Law requires that all equipment connected to a public telecommunications network by means of radio requires a licence, unless that equipment is covered by an operator’s Frequency Licence, as is the case for the three mobile operators Batelco, Zain and Viva and the National Fixed and National Fixed Wireless Service operators Bahrain Broadband (Greenisis), Mena Telecom and Zain.
This is not the case e.g. for Wireless Routers and devices in personal computers which connect to such routers. Since exemption from frequency licensing is not permitted by Law in the Kingdom, it is necessary for users of such devices to apply for a no-charge, on-line ‘light licence’. Please go to the ‘Applying for available Licences’ section of the web-site.