Subscriber numbers among the four mobile operators have continued to grow in recent years. Operating costs have risen somewhat and profits have fallen, due mostly to heightened competition. The outlook for this sector remains positive – the kingdom’s telecoms industry is progressing toward a more IT-oriented future, as data demand grows and network operators ramp up their mobile broadband and...
The Middle East ICT
Displaying 109 - 114 of 133
Chapter | Telecoms & IT from The Report: Jordan 2013
Chapter | Telecoms & IT from The Report: Bahrain 2013
The Third National Telecommunications Plan, unveiled in 2012, lays out the goals of developing a national broadband network and providing the regulatory framework necessary for implementing fourth-generation long-term evolution (4G LTE) technology. A considerable improvement in the country’s ICT capabilities, represented by a jump of five places from 45th to 40th between 2011 and 2012 in the ICT...
Bahrain has remained largely insulated from international external risks and has weathered the global economic shocks of the recent past relatively well. At the height of the international financial downturn, for example, the kingdom avoided falling into recession and even achieved real GDP growth of more than 6% in 2008 and over 3% in 2009.
Chapter | Telecoms & IT from The Report: Turkey 2013
After a brief dip following the onset of the global financial crisis, the telecoms sector has made a robust recovery, exceeding pre-crisis subscriber numbers in 2012. The domestic mobile network is now comparable to that of North America and Western Europe, in terms of penetration and services, with fixed-line services already reaching the majority of the population. A heavy tax regime is...
At an average of 5.1% between 2003 and 2012, Turkey has experienced one of the world’s highest growth rates over the past decade. This was accompanied by drops in joblessness and poverty, as well as gains in school enrolment, home ownership and life expectancy.
Chapter | Telecoms & IT from The Report: Saudi Arabia 2013
As the largest telecommunications market in the Gulf, Saudi Arabia also stands out as one of the region’s most competitive markets. Mobile subscription penetration rates are among the highest in the world, standing at close to 200% of the population. Furthermore, smartphone sales grew 154% in 2010, bringing their share of the hardware market to 32%, while rising demand for tablet computers has...