Communication & Information Technology Regulatory Authority Who Are We

Who Are We

About CITRA

Communication and Information Technology Regulatory Authority (CITRA) is the governing institution responsible for regulating the Information Technology and Telecommunications (ICT) sector in the State of Kuwait. CITRA was established in 2014 and is responsible for overseeing the telecommunications sector, to monitor and to protect the interests of subscribers, users, and service providers, and to regulate the services of telecommunication networks in the country, while ensuring transparency, equality of opportunity and fair competition. Some of CITRA’s primary functions include:

Protecting Consumer Affairs by ensuring safe and fair conduct between consumers and businesses.
Regulating Services, Tariffs, and Rates Within the ICT Sector by doing so accordingly with the ever-changing landscape of goods and services in order to meet demands and trends.
Encouraging Competition and Investment in the ICT Sector and Preventing Unfair Competition by focusing on how competition and investment is conducted in order to bring all parties together through fair means.
Regulating and Licensing Telecommunications Services by upgrading as telecom technologies change, new regulations are enacted and new licenses issued.

CITRA oversees four ICT subsectors, and they are:

Telecommunications Sector

Sector functions are as follows:

Regulating multiple communication network services in the State of Kuwait and presenting it to users in a way that optimizes performance in the telecommunications sector.
Regulating spectrum allocation and supervising it to prevent overlaps as well as regulating the use of all frequencies, including setting the National Table of Frequency Allocation.
Coordinating with relevant CITRA divisions to develop regulations and requirements regarding the licensing of telecommunication networks, services and the Internet, as well as the use of frequencies. Establishing and operating an international telecommunications structure, and an international access system to ensure service to all regions of the State of Kuwait.
Regulating the interconnection between public and private telecommunications networks, or any other governmental entity as well as providing interconnectivity between their networks and facilitating linking subscribers on all networks.
Developing technical and operational norms and standards to link telecommunication and wireless devices with the public telecommunications networks.
Granting Type Approvals and regulating the introduction and use of telecommunication devices.
Implementing the National Numbering Plan for public telecommunications services and allocating numbers to service providers.
Regulating and supervising the installation of telecommunication towers.
Supervising outgoing and incoming communications traffic and data transfer to and from the State of Kuwait through the Kuwait International Gateway project.
Monitoring, evaluating, and reporting on the implementation of various strategic plans relating to the communication sector.
Developing strategies for state-sanctioned ICT technical projects in coordination with the relevant authorities.
Coordinating with regional and international ICT regulatory bodies and authorities, including regulatory bodies in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the International Telecommunication Unit (ITU).

Operators and Fair Competition Sector

Sector functions are as follows:

Encouraging and attracting competition and investment in the ICT field while safeguarding against unfair competition and abuse by operators benefiting from a monopoly market position.
Developing and updating programs relating to the State’s overarching ICT vision and strategy.
Publishing annual reports outlining CITRA activities, achievements, future plans as well as changes in telecommunications and information technology policies.
Setting annual rates and tariffs related to the service coverage that providers are required to provide and in compliance with the latest regulations and standards, in addition to developing and monitoring service quality levels and safeguarding against abuse by providers in a monopoly position.
Setting fees and tariffs for licenses, frequencies, numbers and online domains as well as identifying other forms of returns within the ICT sector, and the collection of these fees, tariffs, and other forms of returns.
Granting licenses and permits related to the establishment, commercial operation, and management of public telecommunications networks, as well as regulating the establishment of international communication infrastructure systems.
Establishing and operating international telecommunications and access system structures based on announcement mechanism, the requirements and how long it would take to be granted.
Developing national ICT policies, while ensuring fair competition, safe market practices, and equal opportunity.

Information Technology (IT) Sector

Sector functions are as follows:

Advising on IT policy related to CITRA line of work, in line with the fast-changing IT environment.
Regulating the IT sector within the boundary of CITRA jurisdictions.
Educating the public about the importance of using and harnessing means of IT and the positive impact it has on economic and social development of the country.
Developing plans and programs relating to the implementation of public policy for the sector of IT.
Allocating, organizing, managing, and addressing Top Level Domains (TLD) for the State of Kuwait (.kw) to access the internet in the interest of all the beneficiaries and in accordance with best practices and international standards followed in this field.