Iran’s unused optical fiber infrastructure is to be leased to the private sector, according to a report from Iran’s main telecoms provider.
Telecommunications Infrastructure Company of Iran (TIC) announced that the unused sections of the national optic-cable network, which in technical terms is called dark fiber, will be privatized, ICTNA reported on September 4.
Majid Mirzaei, financial director of TIC, said the scheme enables private Internet providers to provide communications services through a privately operated optical fiber network that will be run directly by its operator over dark fiber leased from TIC, rather than by purchasing bandwidth or leased line capacity.
“Dark fiber networks may be used for private networking, or as Internet access or Internet infrastructure networking,” he said.
Mirzaei noted that the plan has three main purposes.
“Firstly, the unused national infrastructure will be put to use. This follows complaints by residents of several areas of Tehran about long waiting lists for getting high-speed Internet services while providers mention lack of infrastructure as the reason behind the problem,” he said.
“Secondly, it will return some of the capital that the state invested in the sector, releasing it for further investment. And thirdly, the private sector has a better understanding of the needs of the market and would be able to cater to the needs of the citizens faster than a government owned body”.
The development follows reports of Iran’s Communications Regulatory Authority issuing new permits for offering Fiber Channel Protocol services to the commercial market.
Aside from Internet-related services, the private sector will also be delivering services to telephone landlines and Internet telephones.
