Increased web dependence

TDT | Manama

Internet services in the Kingdom are becoming increasingly affordable, it has been suggested in the latest Telecommunications Services Residential Market Survey report published recently by the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA).

According to survey results, 99.7 per cent of respondents said that they have used the internet in the last three months, which is a clear indication of its rising affordability. Bahrain was ranked fourth globally in relation to the percentage of individuals using the internet in the latest Global Competitiveness Report published by the World Economic Forum in October of last year.

With regards to mobile telephony services, almost all respondents said that they have mobile phone service. However, the survey results showed that the percentage of users having two or more mobile SIM cards has declined and reached 14 per cent in 2019, compared to 38 per cent in 2017.

This reflects the developments in mobile telephony packages, such as the introduction of new and comprehensive bundles as well as the change in usage pattern, specifically the significantly increasing use of mobile data and the decreased use of traditional telecoms services, such as voice calls and SMS messaging.

The survey indicated that respondents’ main reason for having more than one SIM card is to have separate business and personal use. As for fixed line services, the results of the survey showed that the percentage of households with a fixed telephone line has dropped to 8 per cent, compared with 13 per cent in 2017.

This suggests that most households depend on mobile phone services. Regarding users’ satisfaction of telecommunications services, the survey results showed that 85 per cent of respondents expressed their satisfaction. Moreover, users’ proposals for telecommunications service improvement were focused on lowering prices and increasing quality.

The TRA ensures this by encouraging and promoting competition and maintaining the interests of users. “The advanced telecommunications infrastructure in the Kingdom of Bahrain and the high penetration rates for various telecommunications services, in particular internet services, have contributed to supporting government efforts to effectively combat the global crisis caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic,” said TRA acting general director Shaikh Nasser bin Mohamed Al Khalifa.

“The high penetration rate of Internet services has supported the government’s efforts to activate education and work remotely. The availability of high speeds and large data capacity has helped support the implementation and use of the applications necessary to perform the tasks of education and work remotely.”