Kuwait's 15.5 per cent cellular subscribers use e-commerce, spend 356 USD million over the past 12 months

The survey reports the Kuwait Cellular Users Survey 2007, which has 259 detailed exhibits and 158 pages and provides the results of a major comprehensive survey of the cellular usage patterns and habits of the population in Kuwait.

The survey fieldwork was conducted between August and September 2007.

'Based on the trend of the same individual owning multiple lines, the Arab Advisors Group introduced the Effective Mobile Penetration Rate: The effective mobile penetration rate considers the percentage of individuals with one or more mobile lines and is calculated by dividing the number of the estimated individual mobile users (and not mobile lines) by the estimated actual population figure,' Mr. Jawad Abbassi, Founder and General Manager of Arab Advisors Group commented.

According to Kuwait's operators' published figures, Kuwait's mobile market had 2.62 million lines by end of H1 2007. Hence, the mobile penetration rate (defined as number of lines divided by the population figure) stood at 82.0%. With 11.24% of cellular users in Kuwait using two lines, the number of individual mobile subscribers in Kuwait is estimated at 2.3 million subscribers by end of H1 2007.

'The Arab Advisors Group calculates the Effective Mobile Penetration rate (% of individuals with one or more mobile lines) to be around 72.9%. The survey results reveal that the ratio of multiple line ownership in Kuwait is much lower than it is in Saudi Arabia or Jordan.

This -the Arab Advisors Group believes- is explained by the fact that the duopoly competition in Kuwait is less intense than the competition in Jordan or Saudi Arabia. With cost savings and leveraging operator promotions being a major factor behind multiple line ownership, the steady duopoly situation in Kuwait seems to offer less incentive to have multiple lines than the intense competition in a country like Jordan.' Mr. Andrawes Snobar, Arab Advisors Senior Research Analyst and Team Leader wrote in the survey report.

On the e-commerce front, Kuwait's e-commerce users reported a preference for payments through credit cards with 72.3% of e-commerce users reporting credit cards as their e-commerce method of payment.

Arab Advisors Group's major analytical survey of Kuwait's main governorates' population was scientifically done. The survey involved face-to-face interviews with 605 respondents from different households in Kuwait the Capital, Hawalli, Al Jahra, Al Ahmadi, Al Farwaniyah, and Mubarak Al Kabeer, selected randomly in a manner proportionate to the estimated population size of these areas. Respondents were 15 years old and above, and were cellular service users. This random survey is of current GSM users in Kuwait, yet may as well be of the total population of the country given the high GSM penetration in the country: Kuwait's GSM penetration stood at 82.0% by end of H1 2007 according to reported figures from the two operators serving the market, MTC and Wataniya.

This survey provides deep insights into the telecom usage patterns in Kuwait. The random survey has a 99% confidence level with a less than 6% margin of error.

Arab Advisors Group divided the survey questionnaire into two main sections: Telecommunication and Media

The sections provide a balanced focus on the following areas:

Telecommunication

•General information

•Telecommunication methods used

•Cellular subscription
-Mobile plans
-Mobile penetration and effective mobile penetration rates
-Services used

•Cellular handsets

•Cellular data services
-SMS use
-MMS use
-3G services

•International calls

•Perception of mobile operators

•Changing mobile lines and mobile operators

•Most important aspects for choosing a mobile operator

•Internet usage patterns of Kuwaiti GSM users

•e-commerce

Media

•TV viewing patterns and habits
-FTA Satellite TV
-Credibility of News Channels
-Pay TV
-Terrestrial TV

•Radio

•Movies and movie theatres

•Daily News Update

•Media Advertising

•Media Satisfaction Level