Mobile prices down 15pc, data usage jumps 74pc

Telecom companies in Bahrain offer the lowest prices in the GCC and Arab markets, TRA’s latest report said, especially in the high usage baskets.

Fixed broadband prices in Bahrain are 19 per cent lower than the average prices in the GCC countries, thanks to higher competition and the regulatory framework.

Telecommunications Regulatory Authority’s 2019 Telecommunications Retail Price Benchmarking compares telecom prices in the Arab countries and the OECD countries.

Mobile rates down 15pc

Between 2018 and 2019, mobile prices in Bahrain decreased by 15 per cent, as mobile subscriptions with data services reached 78pc by the end of 2019.

TRA said changes in consumers’ usage behaviour from traditional voice services to data services have “contributed somehow to reducing the number of mobile subscriptions in the recent years and this is what has also been observed in other GCC countries.”

“Despite this decrease, the mobile penetration rate in Bahrain is still one of the highest in the world, and it is also higher than the average penetration rate in developed countries,” the report said. Mobile data usage increased by 74pc between 2017 and 2018, the report said.

Fixed broadband subscription rises

Since the issuance of the Fourth National Telecommunications Plan, the number of fixed wired broadband subscriptions has dramatically increased to 123 thousand subscriptions by the end of 2019, an increase of 71pc since the issuance of the plan in the middle of 2016.

Broadband penetration rate reached 157pc by the end of the third quarter of 2019, and Internet data usage increased by 185pc between 2015 and 2018.

The competition, TRA said, has contributed to lower prices for fixed broadband services with high speeds. The latest indicators show that 92pc of all fixed broadband subscribers get 10MB/s and more, compared to only 36pc in 2015.

Internet users at 99pc

Internet users in Bahrain reached 99pc, thanks to competitive prices. According to the World Economic Forum’s 2019 Global Competitiveness Report, Bahrain is ranked fourth globally in Internet users.

High user satisfaction

The competitive prices, TRA said, also contributed to achieving high levels of user satisfaction, as 85pc of broadband users and 82pc of mobile users are satisfied with their services.

“Promoting competition and encouraging investment in the telecommunications sector is ongoing and keeps pace with all economic developments and the latest global technologies in order to bring more benefits to users,” says TRA’s Acting General Director Sh. Nasser bin Mohamed Al Khalifa.

He added: “In this regard and after achieving Batelco separation and establishing the National Broadband Network, TRA is implementing a number of initiatives that will enable this network to provide advanced services allowing operators to provide various services at competitive prices.”

On mobile services, TRA said it has provided the required spectrum and granted sufficient frequency licenses to provide 5G services, making Bahrain one of the first countries in the region to establish 5G networks.

“Through these initiatives, TRA seeks to achieve the government strategic goal to keep Bahrain at the forefront regionally and internationally and make it a regional hub for trade and ICT,” Sh. Nasser said.