Israel - Key Statistics, Telecommunications Market and Regulatory Overviews

Synopsis

Israel has a very competitive and dynamic telecommunications market with one of the highest mobile penetration rates in the world and one of the highest household broadband penetration rates. This report introduces the key aspects of the market with statistics and analysis. It then goes on to overview the key regulatory issues affecting the market in some detail. The nature of competition in the market is changing and the advent of VoIP, triple play strategies and the new digital media puts particular focus on the details of regulation. The local players are heeding these market changes and are re-positioning themselves for the future.

Table of Contents

• 1. Synopsis
• 2. Key statistics
  • 2.1 Country overview
• 3. Telecommunications market
  • 3.1 Overview of Israel’s telecom market
• 4. Regulatory environment
  • 4.1 Regulatory authority
  • 4.2 Privatisation of Bezeq
    • 4.2.1 Earlier privatisation attempts
  • 4.3 Telecom sector liberalisation in Israel
    • 4.3.1 Liberalisation begins
    • 4.3.2 Early moves towards fixed-line market liberalisation
    • 4.3.3 Kroll Committee
    • 4.3.4 Licences awarded to cable TV companies
    • 4.3.5 Further competition in the international calls market
    • 4.3.6 New domestic voice service licences and Bezeq’s reaction
    • 4.3.7 Licensing of VoIP/VOB
    • 4.3.8 Interconnect
    • 4.3.9 Gronau Commission
    • 4.3.10 Hayek Commission
    • 4.3.11 Alternative fibre network operator
  • 4.4 Number Portability (NP)
• 5. Related reports

• Table 1 – Country statistics Israel – 2011
• Table 2 – Telephone network statistics – 2011
• Table 3 – Internet user statistics – 2010
• Table 4 – Fixed broadband statistics – 2010
• Table 5 – Mobile statistics – 2011
• Table 6 – National telecommunications authority
• Table 7 – GDP growth and inflation – 2005 - 2011

• Chart 1 – Israel fixed-line and mobile subscribers – 2000 - 2012