The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has announced that it has obliged licensees Etisalat and du of Emirates Integrated Telecommunications to provide fixed-line broadband data and announcements on the speeds consumers are expected to enjoy within hours. Peak, within a commitment to transparency at fixed broadband speeds.

Etisalat and du should retain this data, based on tests conducted to support the speeds offered by the licensees.

It also obliged licensees to conduct tests using a statistically significant sample of consumer lines to measure the download and download speeds already achieved during peak hours, at the point known as the “network endpoint”, which is the actual point of demarcation between the customer's premises and the network of lines. Fixed licensees, tests should include each option of fixed broadband connections, and every technique used to communicate from the customer's premises to the local PBX.

The Telecommunications Regulation affirmed that these provisions apply to all normal broadband connections over fixed lines available in the country, regardless of the technology used in the so-called “access line”, which is intended to call from the customer's premises to the competent local PBX. Regardless of whether such a connection is provided as a separate service, or part of another service package.

The TRA explained that these provisions do not apply to packages specifically designed to meet the requests of a particular customer, or other objectively justified cases that the TRA may approve from time to time.

The social networking sites have witnessed, during the past period, a debate about the slowdown of Internet speeds in varying rates during peak hours, in some areas of the state, and calls for the intervention of the Authority to oblige the licensees to ensure high speeds during peak periods.