MANAMA: Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Dr Hamadoun I. Touré at the opening of the Global Symposium for Regulators (GSR14) applauded Bahrain’s telecom regulatory regime being one of the best in the world.
The ICT Chief applauded Bahrain for offering a great platform for the regulators from 193 nations to deliberate upon the challenges and opportunities in the ICT sector, which serves as a backbone of the national economies.
“Nowhere is the important role played by the national ICT regulator better illustrated than here in Bahrain. You can all be very proud that your country is among the leading nations worldwide for ICT access,” he said.
“There are now around 2.2 million mobile cellular subscribers in Bahrain, making for a penetration rate of 166 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants – well above the average penetration in the Arab states, as well as the average global penetration of 96%,” he added.
“More than 90% of Bahraini households have computers – making your country one of the world’s most connected nations.”
“And with 1.5 million active mobile-broadband subscriptions, the penetration of mobile broadband here in Bahrain is one of the world’s highest, at 115% – over three times the world average, and almost double the Gulf Cooperation Council penetration rate of 62%,” he said.
“Bahrain has a very competitive market for ICT services, with low prices by both regional and global standards”, noting that the Telecommunication Regulatory Authority, which has been “repeatedly recognised internationally for its forward-looking approach to Bahrain’s ICT development”, deserves to “host this important global symposium, and we are delighted to have the chance to benefit from Bahrain’s skill as a host of international events, and to experience the warmth and hospitality for which this country is justly famous.”
“I know that here in Bahrain the government and the TRA have made ICTs a key pillar of your country’s economic development, and I commend Dr Alamer’s vision and skill in achieving such exceptional results. Bahrain is truly a ‘best-practice’ case study for other nations to emulate,” he also said.