Saudi Arabia - Telecoms, Mobile & Broadband

Synopsis

The Saudi Arabian telecom market is perhaps the most exciting in the region. It is rapidly becoming more competitive. The large population, fast growing economy and relatively low penetration rates provide make this a market with great potential. The mobile market has become intensely competitive since third operator Zain launched, joining Etisalat’s Mobily subsidiary and incumbent STC. The Saudi market is the first in which the Gulf’s three largest mobile operators compete. New competitors in the broadband market have also shown they intend to make a serious bid for market share and the fixed-line market has also been opened to competition. The changes currently taking place are covered in this overview of the communications market in Saudi Arabia.

1. Synopsis
2. Key statistics
3. Country overview
4. Telecommunications market
- 4.1 Overview of Saudi Arabia’s telecom market
5. Regulatory environment
- 5.1 Background
- 5.2 Regulatory authority
- 5.3 Telecom sector liberalisation in Saudi Arabia
  - 5.3.1 Data service provider licences
  - 5.3.2 New fixed-line licences
- 5.4 Privatisation
- 5.5 Interconnect and access
- 5.6 Number Portability (NP)
- 5.7 Universal service
6. Fixed network operators in Saudi Arabia
- 6.1 Saudi Telecom Company (STC)
  - 6.1.1 Oger Telecom
  - 6.1.2 Cyberia Holdings
- 6.2 ITC
- 6.3 Bayanat Al-Oula / Mobily
- 6.4 Etihad Atheeb Telecommunications Company
7. Telecommunications infrastructure
- 7.1 National telecom network
  - 7.1.1 STC’s infrastructure
  - 7.1.2 Alternative operators’ infrastructure
- 7.2 International infrastructure
  - 7.2.1 Submarine cable networks
  - 7.2.2 Satellite networks
8. Broadband and Internet market
- 8.1 Internet overview
  - 8.1.1 Censorship
  - 8.1.2 Internet statistics
- 8.2 ISP market
- 8.3 Broadband market overview
- 8.4 DSL
  - 8.4.1 Broadband statistics
- 8.5 Broadband powerline (BPL)
- 8.6 Wireless broadband
  - 8.6.1 WiFi
  - 8.6.2 WiMAX
  - 8.6.3 Mobile broadband
  - 8.6.4 Internet via satellite
9. Digital Media
- 9.1 Overview of broadcasting market
  - 9.1.1 MBC / Al Arabiya
  - 9.1.2 Satellite-based digital Pay TV
  - 9.1.3 Kingdom Holding Co
10. Digital economy
- 10.1 E-Commerce
- 10.2 E-Learning
- 10.3 E-Health
11. Mobile communications
- 11.1 Overview of Saudi Arabia’s mobile market
  - 11.1.1 Mobile statistics
- 11.2 Regulatory issues
  - 11.2.1 Award of second GSM mobile licence
  - 11.2.2 iDEN contract awarded
  - 11.2.3 Award of Third Generation (3G) licences
  - 11.2.4 Award of third mobile licence
  - 11.2.5 SPAM controls
- 11.3 Mobile technologies
  - 11.3.1 Analogue
  - 11.3.2 Digital
  - 11.3.3 3G
- 11.4 Major mobile operators
  - 11.4.1 Saudi Telecom Company (STC) / Al Jawal
  - 11.4.2 Ettihad Etisalat (Mobily)
  - 11.4.3 Public Telecommunications Company (Bravo)
  - 11.4.4 Zain Saudi Arabia
- 11.5 Mobile voice services
  - 11.5.1 Prepaid
  - 11.5.2 Satellite mobile
- 11.6 Mobile data services
  - 11.6.1 Mobile TV
  - 11.6.2 iPhone
- 11.7 Mobile content and applications
  - 11.7.1 Location-based services (LBS)
12. Related reports

Table 1 – Country statistics – 2008
Table 2 – Telecom revenue statistics – 2007
Table 3 – Telephone network statistics – 2008
Table 4 – Internet user statistics – 2008
Table 5 – Broadband statistics – 2008
Table 6 – Mobile statistics – September 2008
Table 7 – National telecommunications authority
Table 8 – Mobile, fixed-line and total telecommunications services revenue – 2001 - 2007
Table 9 – STC Group revenue and profit – 2005 – 2008
Table 10 – Fixed lines in service and teledensity - 1994 – 2008
Table 11 – Internet users and penetration estimates – 1995 – 2008
Table 12 – Internet subscribers - 2000 – 2008
Table 13 – DSL subscribers - 2001 – 2008
Table 14 – Mobile ARPU - 2002, 2004 – 2007
Table 15 – Mobile subscribers and penetration - 1995 – 2008
Table 16 – Mobile operators, subscribers and annual change – September 2008
Table 17 – Mobily revenue and profit – 2006 - 2008
Table 18 – Bravo revenue, profit, subscribers and ARPU – 2007 - 2008
Table 19 – Zain revenue, profit, subscribers and ARPU – 2008 - 2009
Table 20 – Prepaid subscribers – 2002 - 2007
Table 21 – Zain prepaid subscribers – 2008 - 2009