2Connect Bahrain shut down by authorities

Bahrain is reported to have withdrawn the licences of local telecom and Internet provider 2Connect, which was founded by an opposition politician arrested last week in a security crackdown.

Bahrain’s Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) said it had withdrawn all licences awarded to 2Connect effective March 27. The telecom regulator did not specify why it had reached this decision.

Bahrain’s commercial registry lists Ibrahim Sharif, head of opposition party Waad, as a founder and director of the firm.

Sharif was arrested last week along with several other opposition leaders, a day after Bahrain cracked down on protests in Manama.

The TRA’s decision may affect Bahrain’s status as a financial centre as some transaction platforms at Bahraini banks use 2Connect services. 2Connect customers have been given a few days to find a new provider.

"We’re hoping to minimise the disruption as much as possible. Many customers have started to move to other providers," Ahmed Aldoseri, the TRA’s director of information and communications technologies, said.