The Establishment:

The National Telecommunication Corporation, NTC, is the Federal Regulatory Authority of information and telecommunication sector throughout the territories of the Republic of Sudan. It’s establishment has been a direct outcome of the Three – Year Economic Salvation Programme (1990 – 1993) adopted by the Government which called for the involvement of the private sector in the development of the information and telecommunication industry, inter alia, whether independently or in partnership with the government.

Subsequently, the sector has been reformed and restructured through transformation of the state-owned Public Telecommunication Corporation into a public company under the name of Sudan Telecommunication Company, SUDATEL in 1993, the complete separation between the regulatory and operational functions, and the establishment of the National Telecommunication Council effected by its 1994 law and its amendment in 1996.

The year 2001 witnessed the issuance of the Telecommunication Act 2001 comprising the establishment of the National Telecommunication Corporation, NTC, to replace the Council and revoking its 1994 law, as amended in 1996.

Currently, there is an on-going process for review and amendment of the present Telecommunication Act 2001 to conform with the ever-changing technological developments in the sector and with the era of the convergence of the information and communication technologies and their applications and services.

Objectives:

The Corporation aims to achieve the following objectives; namely to

a)      promote and regulate the telecommunication sector so as to conform to development and globalization.

b)     provide the appropriate environment favourable to promotion of telecommunication services and the encouragement of investment in this sector.

c)     ensure and diffuse free competition and recruit competent personnel in the field of telecommunications.

d)     ensure connectivity among licensed telecommunication public networks.

Functions and Powers:

The Corporation shall have the following functions and powers; namely to:

a)      lay down the plans, policies and regulations for provision of telecommunication services and their establishment thereof on the national level taking into consideration the balanced development and the realization of the social and national objectives.

b)     approve the methods and cost of telecommunication services in coordination with entities providing such services and supervise them thereafter.

c)     license the operation of networks and the provision of services as well as all activities in the sector.

d)     lay down the bases for regulation, allocation and licensing of the radio spectrum for wireless equipment, wireless systems and broadcasting stations, taking into consideration the security aspects relating thereto.

e)     coordinate with the competent entities in relation to the assembly, import and manufacture of the different equipment and materials of the telecommunication systems.

f)      set specifications of systems, terminals and equipment used in the field of telecommunications and establish the necessary measurements and test procedures.

g)     promote universal service.

h)     provide for dispute settlement.

i)       protect the obligations of the State and requirements thereof in the field of national security and defence, emergencies and regional and international policies in co-ordination with the entities providing telecommunication services.