2. 2
INTRODUCTION:
1. The report provides an update on the growth trends for the telecom
services in the Sultanate of Oman for the period January-March 2008.
The report includes the performance of fixed, mobile and internet
services.
2. The report has been compiled on the bases of information received
from three service providers. TRA collects periodical data from
operators on monthly and quarterly bases to monitor the growth
trends in the sector.
3. The quarterly report is also available on TRA website
(www.tra.gov.om). Any suggestions pertaining to this may please be
addressed to saleem@tra.gov.om.
3. 3
Fixed Line
Basic services include postpaid, prepaid, pay phone and WLL. The Fixed line
subscriber base recorded a growth of 2.2% during the quarter and reached at
273,997.
Total Fixed Line Subscribers,
266,333 268,065
266,139
264,090
273,997
255,000
260,000
265,000
270,000
275,000
Q1,2007 Q2,2007 Q3, 2007 Q4, 2007 Q1,2008
Post paid
Postpaid subscribers including WLL were 224,057 in the quarter ending March
2008 as against 219,128 subscribers in the previous quarter.
Post paid Subscribers
218,406
220,548
219,128
217,144
224,057
212,000
214,000
216,000
218,000
220,000
222,000
224,000
226,000
Q1,2007 Q2,2007 Q3, 2007 Q4, 2007 Q1,2008
Prepaid
Prepaid subscribers increased from 42,079 in quarter ending December 2007 to
43,112 subscribers in quarter ending March 2008.
4. 4
Payphones
Number of public payphones was 6,852 in March 2008 as compared to 6828 in
December 2007.
Payphones
6,828
6,8586,8586,855
6,841
6,810
6,820
6,830
6,840
6,850
6,860
6,870
Q
1,20
07
Q
2,20
07
Q
3,
2007
Q
4,
2007
Q
1,20
08
Wireless Local Loop
As on 31st
March 2008, WLL subscribers reached at 3,296 as against 3,043
subscribers in the previous quarter. The growth rate recorded in this quarter was
8.3%.
Internet Services
Internet subscribers comprises of dial up, ADSL, prepaid and leased lines. Total
internet subscribers were 115,506 (including prepaid) at the end of March 2008 as
compared to 101,890 subscribers at the end of December 2007 registering an
increase of 13.3%.
Total Internet Subscribers
85,643 89,811 93,002
101,890
115,506
0
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
140,000
Q1,2007 Q2,2007 Q3, 2007 Q4, 2007 Q1,2008
* Internet subscribers include prepaid
5. 5
Dial up Internet Subscribers
There were 52,351 internet dial-up subscribers in the quarter ending 31st March
2008 as compared to 49,824 subscribers during the preceding quarter with a growth
of 5%.
Internet Dial up Subscribers
48,684 48,415
49,003
49,824
52,351
46,000
47,000
48,000
49,000
50,000
51,000
52,000
53,000
Q1,2007 Q2,2007 Q3, 2007 Q4, 2007 Q1,2008
Prepaid Internet Cards (Subscribers)
Besides dial up, internet subscribers also use prepaid cards (Al Ufuq). During the
quarter, the sale of prepaid cards was 19% higher than the previous quarter and
reached at 37,600 cards.
Internet Subscribers 2007: Pre paid
21,800
24,200
26,000
31,600
37,600
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
35,000
40,000
Q1,2007 Q2,2007 Q3, 2007 Q4, 2007 Q1,2008
Broadband
The number of broadband subscribers stood at 23,969 in the quarter ending March
2008 with a growth of 26% over the previous quarter.
6. 6
Internet Subscribers : ADSL
13,917
15,795 16,565
18,984
23,969
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
Q1,2007 Q2,2007 Q3, 2007 Q4, 2007 Q1,2008
Leased Line Subscribers
Leased line subscribers were 319 at the end of the first quarter of the year 2008 as
compared to 289 at the end of last quarter of the year 2007.
Internet Subscribers Share (Technology wise)
Total number of internet subscribers was 115,506 as on 31st
March 2008, out of
these 45.3 % were dial up, 32.6% prepaid and 20.8% broadband.
Internet Subscribers, Q1st 2008
Dial Up
45%
Pre paid
32.6%
ADSL
20.8%
Leased Line
.003%
Others
1.1%
7. 7
Cyber Cafés
Internet cyber cafes are located in all regions of the Sultanate. Total number of
cyber cafes was 188 by the end of the 1st
quarter, 2008 as compared to 184 at the
end of last quarter of the previous year.
Omantel Revenue
Omantel earned an amount of OR 53.957 million during the quarter ending March
2008 as compared to OR 50.785 million over the previous quarter with a growth of
6.2%
Total Omantel Revenue (OR mill)
53.957
50.785
49.774
49.104 49.303
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
Q1,2007 Q2,2007 Q3, 2007 Q4, 2007 Q1,2008
ARPU
Average Revenue per User (ARPU) per month for fixed line subscribers (excluding
pay phones, internet and others) was RO 14.823 for the quarter ending March 2008
as compared to RO14.628 for the quarter ending December 2007.
International Traffic
Total international outgoing and incoming traffic was 106.263 and 162.315 million
minutes (MoU) respectively for the quarter ending March 2008.
8. 8
Cellular Mobile
Mobile industry recorded 9.2% growth during the quarter and reached a subscriber
base of 2,730,951 at the end of March 2008 with mobile penetration rate of 98%.
Total Mobile Subscribers
1,960,053
2,730,951
2,135,539
2,331,481
2,500,000
-
500,000
1,000,000
1,500,000
2,000,000
2,500,000
3,000,000
Q1,2007 Q2,2007 Q3, 2007 Q4, 2007 Q1,2008
Prepaid subscribers recorded 10.5% growth whereas 0.24% decline in postpaid
subscribers in this quarter as against the previous quarter. Postpaid and prepaid
mobile subscribers trend from March 2007 to March 2008 is given below in the
diagram.
Total Mobile Post paid & Pre paid
-
500,000
1,000,000
1,500,000
2,000,000
2,500,000
3,000,000
Q1,2007 Q2,2007 Q3,
2007
Q4,
2007
Q1,2008
Total Mobile Pre paid Total Mobile Post Paid
Mobile Market Share
Market share of Nawras increased to 42.5 % in March 2008 from 34.2% in March
2007 whereas Oman Mobile share declined to 57.5% in March 2008 from 65.8% in
March 2007.
9. 9
Average Revenue per User per Month (ARPU)
The total mobile revenue for the first quarter ending March 2008 was RO 91.418
million, 6 % less than the previous quarter. ARPU (per month) for the quarter was
RO 12.977 as against RO11.158 for the quarter ending December 2007.
Total Mobile Revenues, (OR mill)
97.325
92.355
81.617
91.418
73.574
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Q1,2007 Q2,2007 Q3, 2007 Q4, 2007 Q1,2008
Mobile Coverage
Oman Mobile
Regions
% Coverage of
land area
% Coverage of
Population
i Muscat 89 99
ii Batinah 80 96
iii Ash Sharqiyah 55 95
iv Alburimi 57 95
v Ad Dhahirah 77 95
vi Ad Dhakhliyah 73 95
vii Al Wusta 33 95
viii Dhofar 45 95
x1 Musandam 71 95
10. 10
Nawras
Regions
% Coverage of
land area
% Coverage of
Population
i Muscat 49 99
ii Batinah 41 97
iii Ash Sharqiyah 28 88
v Ad Dhahirah 19 91
vi Ad Dhakhliyah 35 96
vii Al Wusta 4 25
viii Dhofar 21 95
x1 Musandam 20 50
Mobile Tariff
Sr.
No
Items Tariff
OmanMobile
Tariff
Nawras
1 Monthly Subscription
(Postpaid)
OR 3.000 OR 3.000
2 Price of Local Call (Peak) 39Bz 39 Bz
3 Price of Local Call (Off
Peak)
29 Bz 19 Bz(Own network)
Price of Local Call (Peak)
Prepaid
55Bz 55Bz
Price of Local Call (Off
Peak) Prepaid
45 Bz 39 Bz
Price of local SMS 10Bz 10Bz
Price of International SMS 50Bz 50Bz
11. 11
Figure below shows the key mobile indicators for the first quarter ending March
2008
Key Mobile Indicators, Q1 2008
104
11
101
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Outgoing SMS per
subs/month
ARPU/month, RO Outgoing MOU per
subs/month
12. 12
Quality of Service
Public consultation was conducted on QoS to facilitate the participation all the
stakeholders in shaping the QoS of telecommunication services including operators,
vendors and consumers. Reasonable responses were received from operators; however
TRA was expecting more active participation of consumers. It is hoped that this
participation will improve in the coming days and create a more balanced telecom market
forces that will develop the telecom sector that demand a higher quality of services. In the
near future, it is expected that KPI achievements of the operators and service providers to
be published to in the report stimulate competition and introduce intelligent consumer
decisions.
