February 26, 2009

The Use of Public Properties Study has been prepared by the TRA pursuant to Article 35(3) of Law No. 431 of 2002 which states that Conditions for the use of public properties, procedures for requests for such use, and the basis for the allocation of charges, compensations and fees shall be established by a decree issued by the Council of Ministers, upon the proposal of the Minister, based on a study prepared by the TRA and on the opinion of the relevant government authority.

The TRA is making preparations to establish a national broadband and local broadband access licensing process to attract new investment and enable the build-out of new infrastructure that will provide next generation services. A fundamental component of these new networks will be the use of Lebanon’s public properties for fixed and wireless infrastructure, including the use of public rights of way, ducts, poles, towers, rooftops and other related assets and facilities currently owned and administered by the public sector.

Access to the public properties discussed in this study will enable a licensed Service Provider to build its network infrastructure utilizing public Rights of Way and existing public, passive infrastructure (such as ducts, poles, towers, etc.) thus reducing network rollout costs and shortening the time to introduce needed services to the businesses and population of Lebanon.

Feedback received on the study will help the TRA in finalizing the study and the decree for Use of public Ducts, Poles, Antenna Sites, Rights of Way and Related Public Properties by Licensed Telecommunications Service Providers.

The final version of this study will be submitted along with the draft Use of Public Properties decree to the Minister of Telecommunications who will in turn submit it to the Council of Ministers for enactment.

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