Shaikh Fawaz Bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, Minister of State for Communications (MoSC), speaking at the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), praised the TRA management and staff for their hard work under the leadership of General Director Mohammed Bubshait and said that the successful growth comes from Bahrain having a thriving competitive telecommunications sector.
The TRA’s 7th market indicators report shows that the telecoms sector is a significant factor contributing to Bahrain’s national wealth and represents 4% of Bahrain’s 2011 GDP. The TRA also broke down the revenues as in the retail sector as follows: Mobile services (46%), international calls (22%), leased lines (15%), Internet (12%) and fixed telephony (5%).
The Minister also noted the impact of growth on employment in Bahrain. There are now approximately 2,700 direct employees, showing a 50% increase in employment since the liberalization of the telecoms market in 2003, as part of HM King Hamad Bin Khalifa’s reform strategy.
“My goal for 2013 is to reinforce our telecoms sector through the TRA, to the benefit of the consumer and Bahrain’s economic outlook. Healthy competition will ensure that we offer the latest technology and attractive retail packages and price points,” Shaikh Fawaz said.
The Minister reiterated that the MoSC would provide the necessary public policies to enhance this vital communications sector.