Kuwait Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Last updated: 12 Nov 2021 Update History

Report Pages: 125

Analyst: Henry Lancaster

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Summary
Table Of Contents

Kuwait continues to benefit from 5G investment

Kuwait’s telecom infrastructure is well developed, with a focus on mobile infrastructure and services. The telecoms sector is important to the country’s economy, and this will become more pronounced in coming years as the economy is purposefully transitioned away from a dependence on oil and gas to one which is increasingly knowledge-based and focussed on ICT and related services.

The MNOs have focussed investment on 5G networks, which support and promote the growth of data traffic. This in turn has been a catalyst for revenue growth in recent quarters.

While Kuwait’s mobile sector shows considerable progress; the country’s fixed broadband penetration is the lowest in the region. However, the government has stepped up efforts to build up fixed broadband networks, and ultimately this sector offers a potential future growth opportunity. Improvements to the fixed broadband infrastructure will help develop sectors such as e-commerce, along with smart infrastructure developments, and tech start-ups.

BuddeComm notes that the pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains all around the world. During this time, the telecoms sector to various degrees is likely to experience a downturn in mobile device and ICT equipment production, while it may also be difficult for network operators to source necessary equipment or manage workflows when maintaining and upgrading existing infrastructure. Overall progress towards 5G may also be postponed or slowed down in some countries. On the consumer side, spending on telecoms services is likely to be impacted by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes. In contrast, the demand for mobile and broadband services is expected to rise, as more citizens will require online services for work, entertainment, education, tele-health, and social purposes.

Key developments:

STC Kuwait launches 5G standalone services;
Telecom regulator supporting infrastructure sharing in Kuwait;
Kuwait noted as having the fastest 5G download rates in the region;
Improvements to fibre-broadband infrastructure continue;
Report update includes the regulator's market data to Q1 2021, telcos' financial and operating data to Q3 2021, Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, assessment of the global impact of Covid-19 on the telecoms sector, recent market developments.

Companies covered in this report include:

Mobile Telecommunications Co (MTC) / Zain, Ooredoo Kuwait, STC (Formerly Kuwait Telecom Company (KTC) / Viva).

Key statistics
Regional Middle East Market Comparison

Market characteristics
Market Leaders
Market Challengers
Market Emergents
TMI versus GDP
Mobile and mobile broadband penetration
Fixed and mobile broadband penetration

Country overview
Covid-19 and its impact on the telecom sector

Economic considerations and responses
Subscribers
Infrastructure

Telecommunications market

Market analysis
Competitive environment

Regulatory environment

Historic overview
Regulatory authority
Fixed-line developments

Privatisation
Infrastructure sharing
Interconnect

Mobile network developments

Third mobile operator
Mobile Number Portability (MNP)
Roaming
Spectrum refarming
Mobile tower management

Mobile market

Market analysis
Mobile statistics
Mobile infrastructure

5G
4G (LTE)
GSM, 3G
Other infrastructure developments
Mobile broadband

Major mobile operators

Zain Kuwait
Ooredoo Kuwait
STC Kuwait
MVNOs

Mobile content and applications

m-banking (payments/loans)

Fixed-broadband market

Introduction and statistical overview

Broadband statistics

Fixed network operators

Ministry of Communications

Telecommunications infrastructure

Overview of the national telecom network
National networks
International infrastructure

Terrestrial
Submarine cable networks
Satellite communication

Smart infrastructure

Smart grids
Smart cities

e-Commerce
Start-ups
e-Banking/e-Payments
e-Health

Appendix – historic data
Glossary of abbreviations
Related reports

List of Tables

Table 1 – Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities – Kuwait – 2021 (e)
Table 2 – Kuwait - GDP real growth rate and inflation – 2011 – 2021
Table 3 – Development of telecom sector revenue (KWD million) – 2017 – 2019
Table 4 – Development of telecom sector investment – 2017 – 2019
Table 5 – Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration – 2011 – 2026
Table 6 – Change in the number of prepaid and postpaid mobile subscribers (million) – 2015 – 2019
Table 7 – Change in the market share of mobile subscribers by operator – 2011 – 2020
Table 8 – Development of mobile voice and SMS traffic – 2015 – 2019
Table 9 – Change in the population coverage of mobile technologies – 2016 – 2020
Table 10 – Spectrum concessions by licensee – 2021
Table 11 – Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2013 – 2026
Table 12 – Development of Zain Group’s financial data ($ million) – 2009 – 2021
Table 13 – Change in the number of Zain Group’s subscribers – 2009 – 2021
Table 14 – Development of Zain Kuwait’s financial data ($ million) – 2011 – 2021
Table 15 – Change in the number of Zain Kuwait’s mobile subscribers (million) – 2011 – 2021
Table 16 – Development of Zain Kuwait’s mobile ARPU – 2011 – 2021
Table 17 – Increase in the number of Zain Kuwait’s mobile base stations – 2014 – 2020
Table 18 – Development of Ooredoo Kuwait’s financial data (QAR million) – 2009 – 2021
Table 19 – Change in the number of Ooredoo Kuwait’s mobile subscribers (million) – 2009 – 2021
Table 20 – Development of Ooredoo Kuwait’s mobile ARPU (QAR/user/month) – 2009 – 2021
Table 21 – Development of STC Kuwait’s financial data (KWD million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 22 – Change in the number of STC Kuwait’s mobile subscribers – 2009 – 2021
Table 23 – Change in the number of fixed broadband connections by platform (thousand) – 2015 – 2019
Table 24 – Increase in the number of internet users and penetration – 2011 – 2020
Table 25 – Increase in the number of fixed broadband subscribers and penetration – 2011 – 2026
Table 26 – Change in the number of fixed broadband connections by access speed – 2015 – 2020
Table 27 – Development of fixed and mobile traffic (PB) – 2015 – 2022
Table 28 – Change in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2011 – 2026
Table 29 – Increase in international internet bandwidth – 2009 – 2020
Table 30 – Historic - Kuwait - fixed lines in service and teledensity – 1995 – 2010
Table 31 – Historic - Kuwait - mobile subscribers and penetration rate – 1995 – 2010
Table 32 – Historic - Kuwait - Internet users and penetration – 1995 – 2010
Table 33 – Historic - Kuwait - fixed broadband subscribers and penetration – 2006 – 2010
Table 34 – Historic - Zain Kuwait revenue, net profit, ARPU and subscribers (USD million) – 2005 – 2010
Table 35 – Historic - Kuwait - mobile operators’ market share – 2005 – 2010

List of Charts

Chart 1 – Map of Telecom Maturity Index global ranking among countries in the Middle East
Chart 2 – Middle East – Telecoms Maturity Index global ranking
Chart 3 – Middle East – Telecoms Maturity Index by country
Chart 4 – Middle East - Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per capita
Chart 5 – Middle East – Mobile subscriber versus mobile broadband penetration
Chart 6 – Middle East – Fixed broadband penetration versus mobile broadband penetration
Chart 7 – Development of telecom sector revenue – 2017 – 2019
Chart 8 – Development of telecom sector Investment – 2017 – 2019
Chart 9 – Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration – 2011 – 2026
Chart 10 – Change in the number of prepaid and postpaid mobile subscribers – 2015 – 2019
Chart 11 – Change in the market share of mobile subscribers by operator – 2011 – 2020
Chart 12 – Development of mobile voice and SMS traffic – 2015 – 2019
Chart 13 – Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2013 – 2026
Chart 14 – Development of Zain Group’s financial data – 2009 – 2021
Chart 15 – Change in the number of Zain Group’s subscribers – 2009 – 2021
Chart 16 – Development of Zain Kuwait’s financial data – 2011 – 2021
Chart 17 – Change in the number of Zain Kuwait’s mobile subscribers – 2011 – 2021
Chart 18 – Development of Zain Kuwait’s mobile ARPU – 2011 – 2021
Chart 19 – Development of Ooredoo Kuwait’s financial data – 2009 – 2021
Chart 20 – Change in the number of Ooredoo Kuwait’s mobile subscribers (million) – 2009 – 2021
Chart 21 – Development of Ooredoo Kuwait’s mobile ARPU – 2009 – 2021
Chart 22 – Development of STC Kuwait’s financial data – 2012 – 2021
Chart 23 – Change in the number of STC Kuwait’s mobile subscribers – 2009 – 2021
Chart 24 – Kuwait - subscribers by broadband technologies – 2015 – 2019
Chart 25 – Increase in the number of internet users and penetration – 2011 – 2020
Chart 26 – Increase in the number of fixed broadband subscribers and penetration – 2011 – 2026
Chart 27 – Change in the number of fixed broadband connections by access speed – 2015 – 2020
Chart 28 – Development of fixed and mobile traffic – 2015 – 2022
Chart 29 – Change in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2011 – 2026
Chart 30 – Increase in international internet bandwidth – 2009 – 2020

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 1 – Generalised Market Characteristics by Market Segment
Exhibit 2 – Middle East – Market leaders and market developments
Exhibit 3 – Middle East –Market challengers and market developments
Exhibit 4 – Middle East –Market emergents and market developments
Exhibit 5 – 2Africa landing stations

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We wanted to extend our Com World Series of telecoms industry events to the South Pacific region and we were in urgent need of a partner in the region who could assist us with confirming the involvement of governments, telcos and more. Paul Budde and his team executed this perfectly. Paul also provided us with very high quality reports on every aspect of the project, including an amazingly thorough and actionable report on the conference presentations and discussion.

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Kuwait Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Purchase this Report

Kuwait continues to benefit from 5G investment

Key developments:

Companies covered in this report include:

Key statistics

Regional Middle East Market Comparison

Country overview

Covid-19 and its impact on the telecom sector

Telecommunications market

Regulatory environment

Mobile market

Fixed-broadband market

Fixed network operators

Telecommunications infrastructure

Appendix – historic data

Glossary of abbreviations

Related reports

Purchase this Report

Share this Report

Purchase with Confidence

Research Methodology

Hot Topics

News & Views