Syria - Telecoms, Mobile & Broadband

Synopsis

Syria’s telecom market is still much the most regulated in the region and is also less developed than most countries. State-owned STE has ownership of all telecommunications infrastructure and has made some substantial investment to bring services to rural areas. Limited competition exists with private ISPs competing with STE in the Internet provision market and two mobile operators with BOT contracts. Broadband services have been introduced but on a very limited basis. The auction of a third mobile licence has been under discussion for some time and most recently has been reported as planned for early 2010 at the latest.

Table of Contents

• 1. Synopsis
  
• 2. Key statistics
  
• 3. Telecommunications market
  
  • 3.1 Overview of Syria’s telecom market
    
• 4. Regulatory environment
  
  • 4.1 Background
    
  • 4.2 Regulatory authority
    
  • 4.3 Telecom sector liberalisation in Syria
    
  • 4.4 Interconnect
    
• 5. Fixed network operator in Syria
  
  • 5.1 Syrian Telecommunication Establishment (STE)
    
• 6. Telecommunications infrastructure
  
  • 6.1 National telecom network
    
    • 6.1.1 Network improvements
      
  • 6.2 International infrastructure
    
• 7. Broadband and Internet market
  
  • 7.1 Overview
    
    • 7.1.1 Censorship
      
    • 7.1.2 Internet statistics
      
  • 7.2 ISP market
    
    • 7.2.1 Major ISPs
      
  • 7.3 Broadband market overview
    
  • 7.4 Wireless Broadband
    
• 8. Convergence
  
  • 8.1 Overview of media convergence
    
  • 8.2 Overview of broadcasting market
    
• 9. Mobile communications
  
  • 9.1 Overview of Syria’s mobile market
    
    • 9.1.1 Mobile statistics
      
  • 9.2 Regulatory issues
    
    • 9.2.1 Third mobile licence
      
    • 9.2.2 Current BOT contracts
      
  • 9.3 Mobile technologies
    
    • 9.3.1 3G
      
  • 9.4 Major mobile operators
    
    • 9.4.1 Syriatel
      
    • 9.4.2 MTN Syria
      
  • 9.5 Mobile voice services
    
    • 9.5.1 Prepaid
      
    • 9.5.2 Satellite mobile
      
  • 9.6 Mobile data services
    
• 10. Related reports
  

• Table 1 – Country statistics – 2008
• Table 2 – Telephone network statistics – 2008
• Table 3 – Internet user statistics – 2008
• Table 4 – Broadband statistics – 2008
• Table 5 – Mobile statistics – 2008
• Table 6 – National telecommunications authorities
• Table 7 – STE Revenue by sector – 2005 - 2007
• Table 8 – Fixed lines in service and teledensity – 1995 - 2008
• Table 9 – Internet user and penetration rate estimates – 1999 - 2008
• Table 10 – Internet subscribers and penetration rate – 1999 – 2008
• Table 11 – Broadband subscribers – 2004 - 2008
• Table 12 – Mobile subscribers and penetration rate – 1999 - 2008
• Table 13 – Mobile operators, subscribers and annual change – 2008
• Table 14 – MTN Syria: ARPU – 2003 - 2009; outgoing MOU – 2006 - 2008
• Table 15 – MTN market share of pre and postpaid subscribers – 2007 - 2008