Afghanistan Telecom Regulatory Authority (ATRA) was established in 2006 with the aim to regulate and develop the telecom sector in Afghanistan. ATRA strives to create an enabling environment for the private sector to invest in developing telecom and Internet infrastructure and services. ATRA aims to achieve an enabling private sector-backed telecom market and services in Afghanistan through creating and enforcing regulations, applying standards, providing universal access to the services, regulating the market, overseeing and fostering competition in the telecom market– all in a non-discriminatory and transparent manner. ATRA will work closely with its stakeholders, the private sector, government entities and end-users and telecom services recipients to improve the level playing field in the telecom and Internet domains in Afghanistan.
The telecom industry in Afghanistan had a rapid progress since 2002 with mobile internet coverage extending to all 34 provinces and most (number) of the districts of the country, However, to further improve and better regulate the telecom market in Afghanistan, ATRA fosters partnerships and alliance with global key telecom players with the aim to recognize international best practices, to learn from global experience and apply these within Afghanistan’s emerging telecom market. Capacity building is another critical focus area for Afghanistan’s telecom industry. ATRA works to build the sector capacity, including of the telecom and internet companies, by channeling funds and creating the ecosystem and can attract capital investment in the telecom sector to provide improved services to the consumers. ATRA also works with relevant stakeholders, especially academia, to increase and improve the telecom workforce in Afghanistan to provide training and other capacity building services in the market.
