| Mobile data services to contribute 18 percent of operation revenues in 2010. November 16 2008 |
According to Dr. Gil Feiler, a prominent researcher on the Arab markets, commercial deployment of Mobile TV around the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries is now a reality. The Middle East is likely to witness a strong jump in the growth of mobile financial services, with a raft of operator-led payment initiatives such as M-PESA. Operator-billed service revenues across Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries are expected to rise to more than $80 billion in 2010. Mobile data services are expected to contribute 18% of operator-billed service revenues in 2010, against just 8% this year. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will lead the revenue base in the region. Dr. Feiler found that growth would be driven by mobile data services, fuelled by the greater availability and wider variety of rich-media content coupled with lower browsing costs. Feiler noted that while the downward trend in regional ARPU will continue as adoption increases amongst lower-usage customers, the decline in voice ARPU to be partially offset by an increase in data revenues, mainly amongst 3G users. Feiler added that the mobile adult content market in the MENA countries is forecast to grow considerably for the benefit of the industry players. It shuold be noted that certain web sites containing adult content are accessible in some Arab countries despite strict regulations imposed by the Telecommunication Regulatory Authority.
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