12 Arab countries host 19 operators offering 3G cellular services in the Arab world

The most common 3G services offered by the 3G operators are mobile internet, followed by video calling and mobile TV.

Twelve countries in the Arab World have commercial 3G services. The third generation technology (3G, 3.5G) allows mobile operators to provide a variety of mobile services that require higher speeds. These services include: Local and international video calling, mobile Internet (broadband Internet), mobile TV, video mail, video monitoring, live audio and video streaming and multiplayer gaming.

A new report, "3G Cellular Services in the Arab World" was released to Arab Advisors Group's Communications Strategic Research Service subscribers on July 27, 2008. The 56-page report, which has 66 detailed exhibits, fully analyzes and compares the 3G services available in 12 countries in the Arab world, as well as providing an in-depth profile of the 3G services offered by each operator.

The countries that have 3G operators are Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and UAE. Iraq's main operators do not offer 3G services which were reportedly offered by a provincial operator. The report also provides insights into 3G awareness and handset support in the region based on Arab Advisors major surveys in Qatar, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and UAE.

"The Arab Advisors Group analysis of the 3G operators revealed that by April 2008, all 3G operators offered mobile internet. 16 3G operators offer local video calling service. Mobile TV is the third most common 3G service among the operators, and it is offered by 11 operators,"

Ms. Danya Nusseir, Arab Advisors analyst, and the author of the report, said. "Our research shows that Algeria, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia and Yemen do not have commercial 3G services yet," Ms. Nusseir added.

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