While awaiting competition in its home market, Qtel presses along with its regional and international expansions

Indeed, the operator intends to be one of the "top 20-teleco operator by 2020 with three key areas of focus: Consumer wireless, Consumer fixed wireless and corporate managed services."

A new report, "Qatar Communications Projections Report 2007" was released to the Arab Advisors Group's Telecoms Strategic Research Service subscribers on June 20, 2007. This report can be purchased from the Arab Advisors Group. The 64-page report, which has 51 detailed exhibits, provides a detailed analysis of Qatar's fixed and cellular markets. The report includes 5-year historical and 5-year projections on fixed and cellular uptake and revenues. The report provides, moreover, a detailed and comprehensive picture on the fixed and cellular markets' strategies and regulations.

Qatar is one of the few telecom markets in the Arab World that remains in a state of complete monopoly. This was set to change on November 6, 2006, as His Highness Emir Sheikh bin Khalifa Al Thani, decreed Law No 34 of 2006 that established ictQATAR as the telecom regulator in Qatar. The Telecommunications Law is the legal basis for changing the traditional structure and functioning of the Qatari telecommunications sector by authorizing ictQATAR to introduce competition, initially by issuing new licenses. IctQATAR has started the process of awarding two telecom licenses during 2007, one for cellular and one for fixed. Consequent to ictQATAR's plans at the beginning of 2007, the regulator released the procedures for the award of the second mobile license. The licenses are to be granted as part of the process of liberalizing the telecommunications sector pursuant to Law No. (34) of 2006.

"Qtel remains the sole cellular operator in Qatar and is expected to keep its monopoly until late 2007 or early 2008. Qtel is operating in a well-penetrated cellular market, with more than 121% penetration by end of March 2007, compared to 110% by end of 2006." Ms. Faten Bader Arab Advisors' research analyst wrote in the report. "The Arab Advisors Group projects cellular subscribers in Qatar to grow at a CAGR of 5.74% between 2007-2011 for a cellular penetration rate of 125% by end of 2011," Ms. Bader added.