Bahrain's telecommunications market revenues grew by 11.6 per cent between 2008 and 2009.

Total telecom sector revenues reached BD338 million ($896 million) in 2009 with mobile services revenues representing about 50 per cent, according to the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA).

The telecommunications sector contributed to 4.7 per cent of GDP in 2009. It showed a 38 per cent growth in the number of staff working in the sector since liberalisation.

By the end of the third quarter of last year there were approximately 229,000 fixed lines in Bahrain, and about 1.5 million mobile subscribers.

'Our mission at TRA is to develop a competition-led market for the provision of innovative communications services, available to all,' said TRA chairman Dr Mohammed Al Amer.

'This report clearly indicates that we are moving in the right direction and achieving our mission towards having a communications environment that enriches the social and commercial fabric of Bahrain.

'It was another good year for the telecommunications sector as evidenced by the growth in the number of subscribers, usage, penetrations, and revenues.

'Today consumers are enjoying an increasingly diversified choice of providers from which to choose their communications services.'-TradeArabia News Service