Telecoms
From The Report: Bahrain 2012
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A decade has passed since Bahrain’s telecoms sector was revolutionised by the liberalisation of the industry and the formation of an independent regulator. Fixed and mobile telephony and broadband services reach nearly every household, and many mobile users maintain multiple SIM cards, giving a mobile penetration rate well over 100%. Within such a highly competitive sector, telecoms companies are constantly pressed to find innovative ways to keep their share of the market. A continuously evolving regulatory regime is ensuring that few barriers exist to customers who wish to change telecoms service providers. While investors in the sector face a saturated market with a high degree of competition, the relatively underdeveloped mobile broadband segment holds great potential for growth. This chapter includes an interview with Mohammed Ahmed Al Amer, Chairman, Telecommunications Regulatory Authority.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Race for innovation: The sector is moving forward with new technology as competition heats up
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A decade has passed since Bahrain’s telecoms sector was revolutionised by the liberalisation of the industry and the formation of an independent regulator. Over that time, the sector has evolved into one of the most open and diversified in the region. Fixed and mobile telephony and broadband services reach nearly every household, and many mobile users maintain multiple SIM cards, giving a mobile penetration rate well over 100%. A continuously evolving regulatory regime is ensuring that few…

Interview

OBG talks to Mohammed Ahmed Al Amer, Chairman, Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA)
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Interview: Mohammed Ahmed Al Amer What is the overall objective of the third National Telecommunications Plan (NTP) and what is the timeframe for its implementation? MOHAMMED AHMED AL AMER: The goal of the NTP is to ensure that the telecommunications sector continues to play a key role in stimulating and enabling economic and social development in Bahrain. Improvements in infrastructure and regulation will enable the delivery of more advanced services through the provision of the cutting-edge technologies…

Analysis

Changes ahead: The regulatory authority has a new national sector plan in the works
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Those looking to grow businesses in Bahrain’s highly competitive telecoms sector will find their prospects much affected by near-term regulatory moves on the part of the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA). The regulator has a strong track record of encouraging growth in the sector through liberal policies and judicious intervention in the market when necessary. The TRA has also managed to create a culture of transparency, largely thanks to national telecommunications plans it has…

Analysis

Online while on the move: Increasing appetite for mobile broadband and smartphones
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As the mobile telecoms sector has matured and liberalised, it has put pressure on operators looking to achieve growth from a telecoms market that is reaching saturation. Indeed, even as the number of subscribers and the volume of traditional mobile traffic has continued to climb incrementally in the past few years, revenues for both prepaid and post-paid cellular service have been more or less flat since 2008, reflecting the impact of increased competition. While further economic growth and the…