Saudi Arabia has maintained its rank as the Arab world’s most competitive cellular market for the third consecutive year, a report said.

Jordan came in second, followed by Palestine, added the report of the Cellular Competition Intensity Index 2013 released by Arab Advisors Group, a provider of research, analysis and forecasts of Arab communications, media and technology markets.

The Cellular Competition Intensity Index results for 2013 revealed that Saudi Arabia tops the score –as the most competitive Arab market- with a 76.58 per cent mark.

This is followed by Jordan (75.83 per cent), Palestine (71.55 per cent), Egypt (67.89 per cent), Iraq (66.03 per cent), Oman (64.28 per cent), Morocco (64.20 per cent), Bahrain (64.18 per cent), Tunisia (63.03 per cent), Sudan (59.01 per cent), Mauritania (58.28 per cent), Algeria (57.99 per cent), Yemen (56.38 per cent), Kuwait (54.32 per cent), UAE (48.68 per cent), Qatar (47.67 per cent), Libya (41.58 per cent), Syria (40.74 per cent) and Lebanon (40.71 per cent).

The Cellular Competition Intensity Index is relative in nature as it compares the state of every market relative to other markets. As such, even if a market’s absolute level of competition improved, its score in this relative index will also depend on how other markets developed.

The 2013 index results revealed that five countries ranked higher than their 2012 index ranks, these are: Iraq, Bahrain, Sudan, Mauritania and Libya.

Moreover, a total of six countries ranked lower compared to the 2012 index, namely: Oman, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Syria and Lebanon. The remaining eight countries of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Palestine, Egypt, Yemen, Kuwait, UAE and Qatar maintained their 2012 ranks.

Arab Advisors devised the Cellular Competition Intensity Index to rate and to examine the intensity level of competition in the Arab World’s cellular markets. The index takes into account the number of operators, packages, and services available in each of the 19 countries covered by the Arab Advisors Group. Each category was assigned a certain weight according to its importance as an indicator of competition.

The categories include the following: Number of licensed and expected MNOs in 2013, number of working operators, market share of largest operator, number of prepaid plans, number of postpaid plans, availability of smart phone plans, availability of corporate offers, availability of 3G services and the availability of operational ILD (international long distance) competition.

“Saudi Arabia maintained its rank as the most competitive cellular market in the Arab World for the third consecutive year. The country hosts four operational and licensed mobile network operators, in addition to one MVNO,” said Mohammed Al-Shawwa, Arab Advisors Group research manager.

“Saudi Arabia’s score benefited from the availability of smart phone plans, corporate offers, 3G services and ILD competition.” – TradeArabia News Service