TRA issues its third annual report

The report discusses the details of the first meeting of the TRA Development Review Panel that took place in February 2005, and also highlights the recommendations of the Panel for improvement of the TRA's performance. It is worth noting that the Panel sets a precedent in the regulatory field, as the TRA is the first regulator to appoint an independent panel of experts to review its work and present recommendations in a public meeting.

In addition, the report draws attention to the emergence of competition in the international calls and internet via satellite markets, both of which have seen the entry of new operators who started offering services to residential and corporate customers. As a result, customers now have more choices available in these markets and have the flexibility to use the services that best suit their needs.

A new addition to the report was the inclusion of market data in terms of numbers of subscribers in the mobile telephony, fixed telephony and internet markets for the period from January to November 2005. This is the first year that the TRA publishes such figures, as it began collecting them from the industry in the beginning of 2005. The data shows the current growth trends in these markets, as well as providing a tool for the industry and interested investors to forecast the potential growth in these areas.

In his opening statement of the annual report, the General Director of the TRA touched on the main highlights of 2005 and stressed that: "Now we must move from that start-up phase into one of consolidation, market growth and forward planning. It is, in a sense, 'the end of the beginning'. Our basic aim remains the same - to promote a vibrant, competitive telecommunications market that stimulates innovation and economic growth while delivering a choice of world-class telecommunications services to the people who live and work in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Competition must be fair and non-discriminatory, and consumers well-informed and protected where necessary."