Saudi Arabia is working to privatize and expand its telecommunications industry. In 1998, the government approved creating Saudi Telecom and planned to sell shares starting in 2000 while reducing its stake over time. The mobile market is growing rapidly as new competitors enter. In 1998, fixed phone lines were under 15 per 100 people but the goal was to reach 30 by 2002. Electricity demand was exceeding supply, causing outages, but Saudi Arabia depends entirely on oil for power generation and aims to increase capacity over 3 times by 2020 through industry restructuring and more investment. The media is influenced by the royal family's ownership of major newspapers and regulation while religious figures also exert pressure over coverage.
Russian VAS revenues grew 19.8% year-over-year to 44.2 billion rubles in Q1 2011. Data services revenues increased the most at 42.7% growth, while messaging revenues declined slightly by 1.1%. VAS now makes up 24.8% of total telecom revenues in Russia. The document provides a breakdown of the Russian VAS market in Q1 2011 by segment and operator.
The document summarizes that the Middle East media industry is experiencing significant growth, driven by several factors. The pan-Arab media industry is growing at around 19% per year, faster than the overall economy. This growth is underpinned by rising incomes in the region as well as governments investing in the industry and easing regulations. The Middle East represents a bright spot for media growth while markets in other regions are struggling. The region has strong potential for continued expansion across both traditional and new media channels due to factors like a young, growing population and increasing digital connectivity.
This annual report summarizes News Corporation's financial performance and strategic moves in 2007. The company achieved record revenues of $28.7 billion, up 13%, record operating income of $4.45 billion, up 15%, and income from continuing operations of $3.4 billion, up 22%. Strategic moves included an agreement with Liberty Media to buy back shares, reviewing options for non-core assets, and acquiring Dow Jones & Company. The report highlights the company's strategy of balancing established, developing, and new businesses to drive continued growth.
The document is an annual report from News Corporation for fiscal year 2006. It discusses the company's transformation into a major digital player while maintaining leadership in traditional media businesses. Key points include:
- Operating income reached record levels across all business segments including cable, television, film, publishing.
- Earnings per share increased 26% to its highest level ever.
- The company accelerated its shift to digital with acquisitions of MySpace and IGN, and launched Fox Interactive Media to oversee its growing internet properties.
- Traditional media businesses like film and television also had record performances and provided cash flow to develop new digital opportunities.
The Next Economy Government Market Outlook 2010 FinalYang Liu
This document provides an executive summary and outlook on the US government marketplace in 2010. Some key points:
1) Government spending now represents almost half of total US GDP and is expected to increase further in coming years, making the government sector a vast and growing marketplace.
2) Major initiatives like the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and Jobs for Main Street Act will drive continued government spending through 2010 to boost the economy.
3) Emerging trends include greater transparency in government spending, increased competition for contracts as commercial markets recover, and information technology being a key part of infrastructure projects across sectors.
- The Australian government plans to auction off 126 MHz of wireless spectrum worth an estimated $2 billion as it switches off analog TV signals.
- Major mobile operators like Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone are expected to bid to acquire more spectrum for next-generation mobile services. Other potential bidders include Google and Woolworths.
- Telstra is taking a tough stance in negotiations with the government over its separation from the NBN, hoping to retain its traditional phone business for as long as possible.
This document is a report on the telecom market landscape in Saudi Arabia published by Arab Advisors Group in October 2015. It provides an overview of the demographics, status of liberalization and privatization of the fixed, cellular and internet markets, market regulations, profiles of the major operators including STC, Mobily, Bravo and Zain KSA, as well as the status of MVNOs in the country. The report aims to help clients in their business by analyzing the Saudi telecom market.
The document is Zain Saudi Arabia's 2010 sustainability report. It provides an overview of the company's sustainability framework and performance in 2010 regarding delighting customers, pioneering networks, creating a dynamic team, building partnerships, developing communities, improving the environment, and adopting best practices. The CEO message emphasizes Zain Saudi Arabia's commitment to sustainability and sustainable development in Saudi Arabia in line with the country's vision.
Russian VAS revenues grew 19.8% year-over-year to 44.2 billion rubles in Q1 2011. Data services revenues increased the most at 42.7% growth, while messaging revenues declined slightly by 1.1%. VAS now makes up 24.8% of total telecom revenues in Russia. The document provides a breakdown of the Russian VAS market in Q1 2011 by segment and operator.
The document summarizes that the Middle East media industry is experiencing significant growth, driven by several factors. The pan-Arab media industry is growing at around 19% per year, faster than the overall economy. This growth is underpinned by rising incomes in the region as well as governments investing in the industry and easing regulations. The Middle East represents a bright spot for media growth while markets in other regions are struggling. The region has strong potential for continued expansion across both traditional and new media channels due to factors like a young, growing population and increasing digital connectivity.
This annual report summarizes News Corporation's financial performance and strategic moves in 2007. The company achieved record revenues of $28.7 billion, up 13%, record operating income of $4.45 billion, up 15%, and income from continuing operations of $3.4 billion, up 22%. Strategic moves included an agreement with Liberty Media to buy back shares, reviewing options for non-core assets, and acquiring Dow Jones & Company. The report highlights the company's strategy of balancing established, developing, and new businesses to drive continued growth.
The document is an annual report from News Corporation for fiscal year 2006. It discusses the company's transformation into a major digital player while maintaining leadership in traditional media businesses. Key points include:
- Operating income reached record levels across all business segments including cable, television, film, publishing.
- Earnings per share increased 26% to its highest level ever.
- The company accelerated its shift to digital with acquisitions of MySpace and IGN, and launched Fox Interactive Media to oversee its growing internet properties.
- Traditional media businesses like film and television also had record performances and provided cash flow to develop new digital opportunities.
The Next Economy Government Market Outlook 2010 FinalYang Liu
This document provides an executive summary and outlook on the US government marketplace in 2010. Some key points:
1) Government spending now represents almost half of total US GDP and is expected to increase further in coming years, making the government sector a vast and growing marketplace.
2) Major initiatives like the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and Jobs for Main Street Act will drive continued government spending through 2010 to boost the economy.
3) Emerging trends include greater transparency in government spending, increased competition for contracts as commercial markets recover, and information technology being a key part of infrastructure projects across sectors.
- The Australian government plans to auction off 126 MHz of wireless spectrum worth an estimated $2 billion as it switches off analog TV signals.
- Major mobile operators like Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone are expected to bid to acquire more spectrum for next-generation mobile services. Other potential bidders include Google and Woolworths.
- Telstra is taking a tough stance in negotiations with the government over its separation from the NBN, hoping to retain its traditional phone business for as long as possible.
This document is a report on the telecom market landscape in Saudi Arabia published by Arab Advisors Group in October 2015. It provides an overview of the demographics, status of liberalization and privatization of the fixed, cellular and internet markets, market regulations, profiles of the major operators including STC, Mobily, Bravo and Zain KSA, as well as the status of MVNOs in the country. The report aims to help clients in their business by analyzing the Saudi telecom market.
The document is Zain Saudi Arabia's 2010 sustainability report. It provides an overview of the company's sustainability framework and performance in 2010 regarding delighting customers, pioneering networks, creating a dynamic team, building partnerships, developing communities, improving the environment, and adopting best practices. The CEO message emphasizes Zain Saudi Arabia's commitment to sustainability and sustainable development in Saudi Arabia in line with the country's vision.
This document provides an overview of the telecommunications industry from 1997-2002, including: massive investments totaling $880 billion that led to overcapacity; the bursting of the dot-com bubble in 2000 that wiped out $2 trillion in market value; and the bankruptcies and job losses that resulted from the telecom bust. It also summarizes key segments of the industry like local exchange, long distance, wireless, and enterprise markets during this period. The document is used to provide context for the challenges facing Telezoo.com.
The document provides an overview of the Indian telecom industry from its beginnings in the 1850s to the present. It traces the key developments, including the establishment of the first telephone service in 1882. It discusses the major players in both wireless and wireline services, and provides statistics on growth factors like tele-density. The document also presents a SWOT analysis and discusses recent trends like infrastructure status for telecom towers and subscriber growth in rural vs urban areas. Suggestions are made to tap untapped markets and improve customer service to retain existing customers.
The document provides an overview of the Indian telecom sector in 2002, including the key players and market structure at that time. There were three main types of players - state-owned companies (BSNL, MTNL), private Indian companies (Reliance Infocomm, Tata Teleservices), and foreign invested companies (Vodafone, Bharti). BSNL, MTNL and private operators like Bharti were making major investments and expanding operations. The sector was moving from a monopoly to increased competition and private sector participation under regulatory reforms, though it remained an oligopolistic market with high barriers to entry and price competition between major players.
Édouard Estaunié coined the term "télécommunication" in 1904 from the Greek prefix "tele-" meaning "far off" and the Latin word "communicare" meaning "to share". The first commercial electrical telegraph was constructed in 1839 and the first commercial telephone services began in the late 1870s. Today, Bharti Airtel is India's largest telecommunications company with over 300 million subscribers across its mobile, fixed line, high speed broadband and DTH services. Airtel continues to invest heavily in expanding its network across India with a goal of covering 95% of the population by 2010.
Promtel Red Compartida Passive Infrastructureferborjon
1) Mexico implemented a telecommunications reform in 2013 to increase competition and reduce prices through recommendations from the OECD.
2) As part of this reform, Red Compartida was established as a public-private partnership to build a wholesale-only 4G network using 700MHz spectrum and fiber infrastructure.
3) Red Compartida's private partner Altán has committed to provide coverage to 92.2% of the population through investments totaling $7 billion by 2024.
Telecommunication has its origins in the French word "télécommunication" coined in 1904. It refers to technologies used for communication over long distances. Some key developments include the first commercial electrical telegraph in 1839, Alexander Graham Bell's patent of the telephone in 1876, and the establishment of the first commercial telephone services in 1878. Today telecommunication includes various technologies like telephone lines, radio, and internet. India has seen rapid growth in its telecommunication sector with increasing privatization, strong government support, and rising demand. Major players include Bharti Airtel, Reliance, and Vodafone. The sector is expected to see further expansion with growing investments and the push to increase rural connectivity.
Telecommunication has its origins in the early 19th century with the development of visual telegraph systems and electrical telegraphs. The modern telephone was patented by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876. Major developments in telecommunication continued throughout the 20th century with radio, television, computers and cellular networks. Today, India has one of the fastest growing telecommunication industries in the world with over 500 million subscribers across cellular, landline, internet and value-added services. Leading players include Bharti Airtel, Reliance Communications, Vodafone and BSNL. The government is also taking initiatives to increase rural connectivity.
This document provides an overview of the Indian telecom industry. It discusses the history and growth of the industry from its early beginnings to modern times. Key points covered include the liberalization of the sector that began in the 1980s, the establishment of regulatory authorities like TRAI, and the rapid subscriber growth seen in recent years, especially in wireless/mobile services. The document also touches on major players, technologies used, regulatory policies, and future trends in the industry.
The Indian telecom market has experienced sustained high growth rates due to overall economic growth and rising incomes. India is the fourth largest telecom market in Asia after China, Japan and South Korea. The Indian telecom network is the eighth largest in the world and second largest among emerging economies. The telecom industry in India is expected to grow threefold by 2012, fueled by massive growth in mobile users which reached 10 million in 2002 and cellular penetration is still low at 1% compared to the world average of 16%.
Scratching The Surface_ White Paper_Recharge Card Security n_page_dec2010Nigel Page, MIEx
An exhaustive study into scratch card / mobile top up security, first published in a two part article in 'Product and Image Security' magazine in 2010.
The document discusses developments in the United Arab Emirates' telecommunications market. It notes that:
1) The market is liberalizing with the entrance of a new carrier, EITC, which will compete with the incumbent Etisalat. EITC is starting by offering mobile/cellular services and will expand to other areas over time.
2) Both EITC and Etisalat are deploying next-generation IP and IMS networks that will enable new services like VoIP. EITC selected Nokia to provide its core network to support these services on the mobile network.
3) The cellular market is pioneering VoIP and internet access in the UAE faster than the traditional landline market
The document provides an overview of the telecommunications industry in India and Reliance Communications company profile.
The key points are:
- The telecom industry in India has experienced rapid growth fueled by increasing mobile phone users. India now has the second largest telecom network globally.
- Reliance Communications is India's largest integrated telecom company with over 60 million customers. It offers both wireless and wireline communication services across mobile, internet, long distance, etc.
- Reliance Communications aims to provide affordable and leading-edge communication services to individuals and businesses in India through its pan-India network. It competes with major players like Airtel, Idea, and Vodaf
The document summarizes the evolution and current state of the Indian telecommunications industry. It discusses how the industry has grown from a state-run monopoly to a rapidly growing competitive market dominated by private players like Bharti Airtel, Reliance Communications, and Vodafone Essar. The tele-density in India has increased to over 26% and the industry is on track to reach the government's target of 330 million subscribers by 2008. However, rural tele-density remains low at around 8%, indicating further growth potential.
India has become the second largest telecom market globally and the third largest domestic fiber optic cable (OFC) market. The success of the telecom sector has largely been driven by growth in wireless services. While urban areas are nearing full coverage, service providers are focusing on increasing penetration in rural areas. The potential for growth remains large, especially in non-urban areas where wireline and internet services have yet to make significant inroads. Government initiatives to expand broadband access and fiber infrastructure are fueling demand for OFC.
This document provides an overview of the telecommunications sector in India. It discusses that India has the second largest telecommunications network in the world, with over 957 million telephone subscribers as of September 2014. It then covers the history and establishment of telecom services in India dating back to 1851, and profiles the key players in the Indian telecom industry such as Bharti Airtel and Reliance Communications. The document also outlines recent growth trends, market dynamics, government policies, and opportunities and threats in the Indian telecom sector.
The telecommunications industry is responsible for radio, television, voice communications, and broadband services. Major telecom companies have merged over the last 10 years to offer more products/services and capitalize on bundled media packages. New technologies and growth through mergers are enabling these companies to find new revenue sources. India has the fastest growing wireless market in the world, with over 750 million subscribers. The Indian telecom market is expected to triple in size by 2012, driven by rapid growth in broadband and cellular subscribers. Significant investment opportunities exist across telecom infrastructure, devices, software, and services to support this growth.
Case study:7.2 The Hunt for Elusive Synergy—@Home Acquires ExciteNino Bazhunaishvili
@Home Network was a cable internet provider that provided service to 4.1 million subscribers. Excite was an online portal with 20 million registered users and services like search, email, and stock quotes. @Home acquired Excite to accelerate broadband adoption by exposing Excite's "narrowband" users to broadband. The merger was expected to be immediately accretive to earnings and generate $2 billion in revenue by 2002 through synergies. Based on forecast cash flows and a terminal value calculation, the maximum @Home should pay for Excite is $5.2 billion, less than Excite's current $6.7 billion market value. However, the valuation is dependent on assumptions about growth rates and discount rates.
Indian Telecom Industry & role of HR in it, With emphasis on Airtelmini244
The document summarizes the growth of the Indian telecommunication industry. It discusses key metrics like India surpassing the US to become the second largest wireless network, achieving the world's lowest call rates and fastest growth in subscribers. It also outlines government initiatives to support growth, trends in rural connectivity, key players in mobile services, and investments being made to continue expansion. The telecom industry is expected to see further investments to support reaching 500 million subscribers by 2010.
Nokia was once the dominant player in the mobile phone market but lost its position due to strategic missteps. It failed to transition to smartphones quickly as iOS and Android emerged. While Nokia's Symbian OS was popular, it did not make the platform open source soon enough. When Nokia partnered with Microsoft in 2011 to use the Windows platform, it was too late as iOS and Android had already gained widespread adoption. This document examines reasons for Nokia's decline, including its strategy of relying on the aging Symbian OS for too long and not developing new technology to stay competitive.
This document provides an overview of the telecommunications industry from 1997-2002, including: massive investments totaling $880 billion that led to overcapacity; the bursting of the dot-com bubble in 2000 that wiped out $2 trillion in market value; and the bankruptcies and job losses that resulted from the telecom bust. It also summarizes key segments of the industry like local exchange, long distance, wireless, and enterprise markets during this period. The document is used to provide context for the challenges facing Telezoo.com.
The document provides an overview of the Indian telecom industry from its beginnings in the 1850s to the present. It traces the key developments, including the establishment of the first telephone service in 1882. It discusses the major players in both wireless and wireline services, and provides statistics on growth factors like tele-density. The document also presents a SWOT analysis and discusses recent trends like infrastructure status for telecom towers and subscriber growth in rural vs urban areas. Suggestions are made to tap untapped markets and improve customer service to retain existing customers.
The document provides an overview of the Indian telecom sector in 2002, including the key players and market structure at that time. There were three main types of players - state-owned companies (BSNL, MTNL), private Indian companies (Reliance Infocomm, Tata Teleservices), and foreign invested companies (Vodafone, Bharti). BSNL, MTNL and private operators like Bharti were making major investments and expanding operations. The sector was moving from a monopoly to increased competition and private sector participation under regulatory reforms, though it remained an oligopolistic market with high barriers to entry and price competition between major players.
Édouard Estaunié coined the term "télécommunication" in 1904 from the Greek prefix "tele-" meaning "far off" and the Latin word "communicare" meaning "to share". The first commercial electrical telegraph was constructed in 1839 and the first commercial telephone services began in the late 1870s. Today, Bharti Airtel is India's largest telecommunications company with over 300 million subscribers across its mobile, fixed line, high speed broadband and DTH services. Airtel continues to invest heavily in expanding its network across India with a goal of covering 95% of the population by 2010.
Promtel Red Compartida Passive Infrastructureferborjon
1) Mexico implemented a telecommunications reform in 2013 to increase competition and reduce prices through recommendations from the OECD.
2) As part of this reform, Red Compartida was established as a public-private partnership to build a wholesale-only 4G network using 700MHz spectrum and fiber infrastructure.
3) Red Compartida's private partner Altán has committed to provide coverage to 92.2% of the population through investments totaling $7 billion by 2024.
Telecommunication has its origins in the French word "télécommunication" coined in 1904. It refers to technologies used for communication over long distances. Some key developments include the first commercial electrical telegraph in 1839, Alexander Graham Bell's patent of the telephone in 1876, and the establishment of the first commercial telephone services in 1878. Today telecommunication includes various technologies like telephone lines, radio, and internet. India has seen rapid growth in its telecommunication sector with increasing privatization, strong government support, and rising demand. Major players include Bharti Airtel, Reliance, and Vodafone. The sector is expected to see further expansion with growing investments and the push to increase rural connectivity.
Telecommunication has its origins in the early 19th century with the development of visual telegraph systems and electrical telegraphs. The modern telephone was patented by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876. Major developments in telecommunication continued throughout the 20th century with radio, television, computers and cellular networks. Today, India has one of the fastest growing telecommunication industries in the world with over 500 million subscribers across cellular, landline, internet and value-added services. Leading players include Bharti Airtel, Reliance Communications, Vodafone and BSNL. The government is also taking initiatives to increase rural connectivity.
This document provides an overview of the Indian telecom industry. It discusses the history and growth of the industry from its early beginnings to modern times. Key points covered include the liberalization of the sector that began in the 1980s, the establishment of regulatory authorities like TRAI, and the rapid subscriber growth seen in recent years, especially in wireless/mobile services. The document also touches on major players, technologies used, regulatory policies, and future trends in the industry.
The Indian telecom market has experienced sustained high growth rates due to overall economic growth and rising incomes. India is the fourth largest telecom market in Asia after China, Japan and South Korea. The Indian telecom network is the eighth largest in the world and second largest among emerging economies. The telecom industry in India is expected to grow threefold by 2012, fueled by massive growth in mobile users which reached 10 million in 2002 and cellular penetration is still low at 1% compared to the world average of 16%.
Scratching The Surface_ White Paper_Recharge Card Security n_page_dec2010Nigel Page, MIEx
An exhaustive study into scratch card / mobile top up security, first published in a two part article in 'Product and Image Security' magazine in 2010.
The document discusses developments in the United Arab Emirates' telecommunications market. It notes that:
1) The market is liberalizing with the entrance of a new carrier, EITC, which will compete with the incumbent Etisalat. EITC is starting by offering mobile/cellular services and will expand to other areas over time.
2) Both EITC and Etisalat are deploying next-generation IP and IMS networks that will enable new services like VoIP. EITC selected Nokia to provide its core network to support these services on the mobile network.
3) The cellular market is pioneering VoIP and internet access in the UAE faster than the traditional landline market
The document provides an overview of the telecommunications industry in India and Reliance Communications company profile.
The key points are:
- The telecom industry in India has experienced rapid growth fueled by increasing mobile phone users. India now has the second largest telecom network globally.
- Reliance Communications is India's largest integrated telecom company with over 60 million customers. It offers both wireless and wireline communication services across mobile, internet, long distance, etc.
- Reliance Communications aims to provide affordable and leading-edge communication services to individuals and businesses in India through its pan-India network. It competes with major players like Airtel, Idea, and Vodaf
The document summarizes the evolution and current state of the Indian telecommunications industry. It discusses how the industry has grown from a state-run monopoly to a rapidly growing competitive market dominated by private players like Bharti Airtel, Reliance Communications, and Vodafone Essar. The tele-density in India has increased to over 26% and the industry is on track to reach the government's target of 330 million subscribers by 2008. However, rural tele-density remains low at around 8%, indicating further growth potential.
India has become the second largest telecom market globally and the third largest domestic fiber optic cable (OFC) market. The success of the telecom sector has largely been driven by growth in wireless services. While urban areas are nearing full coverage, service providers are focusing on increasing penetration in rural areas. The potential for growth remains large, especially in non-urban areas where wireline and internet services have yet to make significant inroads. Government initiatives to expand broadband access and fiber infrastructure are fueling demand for OFC.
This document provides an overview of the telecommunications sector in India. It discusses that India has the second largest telecommunications network in the world, with over 957 million telephone subscribers as of September 2014. It then covers the history and establishment of telecom services in India dating back to 1851, and profiles the key players in the Indian telecom industry such as Bharti Airtel and Reliance Communications. The document also outlines recent growth trends, market dynamics, government policies, and opportunities and threats in the Indian telecom sector.
The telecommunications industry is responsible for radio, television, voice communications, and broadband services. Major telecom companies have merged over the last 10 years to offer more products/services and capitalize on bundled media packages. New technologies and growth through mergers are enabling these companies to find new revenue sources. India has the fastest growing wireless market in the world, with over 750 million subscribers. The Indian telecom market is expected to triple in size by 2012, driven by rapid growth in broadband and cellular subscribers. Significant investment opportunities exist across telecom infrastructure, devices, software, and services to support this growth.
Case study:7.2 The Hunt for Elusive Synergy—@Home Acquires ExciteNino Bazhunaishvili
@Home Network was a cable internet provider that provided service to 4.1 million subscribers. Excite was an online portal with 20 million registered users and services like search, email, and stock quotes. @Home acquired Excite to accelerate broadband adoption by exposing Excite's "narrowband" users to broadband. The merger was expected to be immediately accretive to earnings and generate $2 billion in revenue by 2002 through synergies. Based on forecast cash flows and a terminal value calculation, the maximum @Home should pay for Excite is $5.2 billion, less than Excite's current $6.7 billion market value. However, the valuation is dependent on assumptions about growth rates and discount rates.
Indian Telecom Industry & role of HR in it, With emphasis on Airtelmini244
The document summarizes the growth of the Indian telecommunication industry. It discusses key metrics like India surpassing the US to become the second largest wireless network, achieving the world's lowest call rates and fastest growth in subscribers. It also outlines government initiatives to support growth, trends in rural connectivity, key players in mobile services, and investments being made to continue expansion. The telecom industry is expected to see further investments to support reaching 500 million subscribers by 2010.
Nokia was once the dominant player in the mobile phone market but lost its position due to strategic missteps. It failed to transition to smartphones quickly as iOS and Android emerged. While Nokia's Symbian OS was popular, it did not make the platform open source soon enough. When Nokia partnered with Microsoft in 2011 to use the Windows platform, it was too late as iOS and Android had already gained widespread adoption. This document examines reasons for Nokia's decline, including its strategy of relying on the aging Symbian OS for too long and not developing new technology to stay competitive.
2. TELECOMMUNICATIONS
In a bid to privatize the telecommunications industry, the
government in April 1998 approved the creation of the Saudi
Telecommunications Company, an entity which originally
comprised the telecommunications arm of the Post,
Telegraphs, and Telephone ministry (PTT). According to the
initial plan, shares in the company were to be sold starting at
the beginning of 2000, with the government stake in the
company being eventually reduced to zero.
The Saudi Arabian telecom market is rapidly becoming more
competitive. The large population, fast growing economy and
relatively low penetration rates provide make this a market
with exciting potential. A new second mobile operator has
In 1998, despite a growth in investment, the
rapidly grown its subscriber base and a third mobile license
telecommunications sector in Saudi Arabia was fairly
limited. By 1999, the expansion of the industry had become has launched. The Saudi market will be the first in which the
a priority. The U.S. firm Lucent Technologies won a US$4 Gulf’s three largest mobile operators compete. New
billion contract in 1994 to install fixed phone lines competitors in the broadband market have also shown they
throughout the kingdom, but 4 years later the 2.9 million intend to make a serious bid for market share.
existing lines still represented under 15 lines per 100
inhabitants, according to the International
Telecommunication Union. In an effort to bring the system
in line with emerging East European economies, the
government is seeking to increase the number of lines to at
least 30 per 100 residents by 2002. Lucent, on top of its
initial contract, was hired in 1998 to expand mobile phone
service in a deal worth US$700 million. The government
hopes the expansion will enable the kingdom to
accommodate 5 million cell phone subscribers by the end of
2001
3. TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPARISON
Cable
Newspaper Mobile Fax Internet Internet
Country Radios TV Sets subscriber PC’s
s Phones Machines Hosts Users
s
1996 1997 1998 1998 1998 1998 1998 1999 1999
Saudi
57 321 262 N/A 31 N/A 49.8 1.17 300
Arabia
United
215 2,146 847 244.3 256 78.4 458.6 1,508.77 74,100
States
Egypt 40 324 122 N/A 1 0.5 9.1 0.28 200
Iran 28 265 157 0.0 6 N/A 31.9 0.05 100
A-Data are from International Telecommunication Union, World Telecommunication Development Report 1999 and are per 1,000 people.
B-Data are from the Internet Software Consortium (http://www.isc.org) and are per 10,000 people.
SOURCE: World Bank. World Development Indicators 2000.
4. ELECTRICITY
By the end of the 1990s, the demand for energy in Saudi Arabia had reached an all-time
high, outstripping supply and, in some cities, causing frequent power out-ages during
periods of high use. Short-term solutions, such as raising prices to curb demand, proved
ineffective.
For instance, in 2000, price increases totaling almost 78 percent were introduced for
electricity. However, after 6 months, vehement public protests were launched in response
to high electricity bills. As a result, the price hikes were rescinded before they could have
any substantial effect. To meet growing energy needs over the long term, the government
has set out to restructure the industry and increase investment from both the public and
private sectors.
In November of 1998, it was announced that the 10 separate electricity companies in Saudi
Arabia would be consolidated into a single company, the Saudi Electric Company. The
government has expressed its intention to eventually relinquish its 85 percent stake in the
sector. By consolidating the sector, the government hopes to streamline operations and
improve efficiency, making the industry more dependable and more profitable, and in turn
more attractive to outside investors. By 2020, the government's aim is to increase power
generation capacity by over 3 times from where it stood in 1990, from 22,000 megawatts
(MW) to 69,000 MW. Saudi Arabia, which imports no energy, is entirely dependent upon oil
for the generation of its power.
5. WHO OWNS THE MEDIA?
We find that government ownership of the media is higher in countries
that are poorer, have more autocratic regimes, and higher overall
state ownership in the economy. These results cast doubt on the
proposition that state ownership of the media serves benevolent ends.
In Saudi Arabia, members of the Royal Family are the ultimate owners Such are the unclear and sometimes contradictory forces that
of two of the five most popular dailies. In cases where there is a direct obstruct press freedom in Saudi Arabia. Today, Saudi papers
family relationship between the ultimate owner and the head of state, publish news and opinions that would have been unthinkable just a
and the governing system is a single party state, we classify the media few years ago, even as government and religious officials employ
enterprise as state owned. an array of behind-the-scenes controls to curtail enterprising
coverage that offends the government or important religious
constituencies.
Ahmed Faheed tells a more complicated story. Shams ,his tabloid, he
said, decided to run the cartoons only after the country's highest Government officials dismiss editors, suspend or blacklist dissident
religious authority, Sheikh Abdel Aziz al-Sheikh, declared it writers, order news blackouts on controversial topics, and
permissible if the intent was to highlight the offense against Islam. admonish independent columnists over their writings to deter
Faheed pointed out that it wasn't until 20 days after the cartoons ran in undesirable criticism or to appease religious constituencies.
Shams that the Information Ministry, whose own censors had cleared
the issue for distribution, moved to halt publication of the paper. The country's conservative religious establishment acts as a
powerful lobbying force against enterprising coverage of social,
What happened in the three weeks between the time the paper hit the cultural, and religious matters. The multilayered religious sector
newsstands and its closure illustrates the backdoor politicking that includes official clerics, religious scholars, the religious police,
often dictates what can and cannot be said in the Saudi press. radical revivalist preachers, and their followers.
According to Faheed, whose account was verified by other sources,
hard-line clerics and religious figures protested Shams' liberal Compliant government-approved editors censor controversial
approach and urged authorities to take action. A compromise worked news, comply to official pressures to tone down coverage, and
out through the Information Ministry allowed the paper to reopen if it silence critical voices.
dismissed its 32-year-old editor-in-chief, Batal al-Qaws. He was fired
in late February.
6. SAUDI ARABIA INDUSTRIAL SUMMARY
•Media is regulated by the royal family
•Electricity fuels telecommunications via power from
petroleum
•Telecommunications is starting to boom rapidly in Saudi
Arabia
•Lead by King Abdullah of
Saudi