Wataniya Telecom drives value for Middle East mobile users

As Wataniya Telecom proceeds with its aggressive regional expansion programme, it has committed to continuing its drive to bring competition and value-driven GSM services that are appropriate and accessible to its customers.

"The Kuwaiti GSM market provides a great case study for the positive effects of the introduction of competition to a GSM market, which has now been validated by the Arab Advisors Group's findings," said Faisal Al- Ayyar, Chairman, Wataniya Telecom. "Competition has brought a huge jump in the penetration rate, as well as giving customers better value and more extensive services. We are hoping to replicate the success that we have had in Kuwait throughout the other countries we have been awarded licences to operate in."

Wataniya Telecom's regional portfolio of mobile operations now includes; Kuwait (Wataniya Telecom), Tunisia (Tunisiana), Iraq (AsiaCell) and Algeria (Wataniya Télécom Algérie), following the award of the licence for the country's third GSM operator last week. By the introduction of competitive strategies in these developing and maturing markets, Wataniya Telecom hopes to stimulate penetration rates and deliver more value-offerings to its regional customers-base.

The Arab Advisors report 'Cellular Rates in the Arab World: A Regional Comparison', which was released in November, is based on extensive research and analysis of 22 of the region's mobile operators in 14 countries. In the report, the Arab Advisors Group concluded that Kuwait's GSM market leads the Arab World in relatively low cost rates which was induced by the introduction of competition to the market. The report compared rates, including; connection (prepaid and postpaid), per minute billing (prepaid, postpaid, peak and off-peak), SMS and MMS, prepaid card validity and handset subsidies.

The trend of more competitive pricing and better quality services across the region is evident as more GSM markets are liberalised. With the introduction of second GSM licences, mobile users will be able to demand more from operators in terms of price, variety of service and network quality. This new era is displaying many signs that the Middle East telecommunications industry and its users are reaping many benefits from healthy competition in the sector.

"Wataniya Telecom first brought competition to the Kuwaiti market four years ago and we're now driving it regionally based on our experience of building leadership through offering people better value and the products that they want and need," said David Murray, CEO of Wataniya Telecom. "We're building rich services, innovating new ways for people to use mobile communications and ensuring that we do so with value always at the top of our minds."