Bahrain : TRA Releases its Report on a Residential Consumers Survey

Increasing Use of Mobile
More than 70% of Cconsumers are Satisfied with their Telecommunications Services
Internet Speeds have Increased Significantly Since 2007
Mobile Internet is Becoming Increasingly Popular, with more than 45% of Respondents Accessing the Internet Using Mobile Devices

Mobilk - The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of the Kingdom of Bahrain (TRA) has released the results of its telecommunications survey among residential consumers which was undertaken during October 2011, covering a representative sample of 1052 respondents. The survey examined the usage of and access to different telecommunications services including fixed lines, mobile phones and internet services by residential users as well as measuring the extent to which users are satisfied with their telecommunications services.

Commenting on the report, TRA’s General Director, Mr. Mohamed Hamad Bubashait, said: “The results of this survey are very useful. In particular, the survey’s focus on the ways in which consumers access and use telecommunications services supplements other market information gathered by TRA, and provides a valuable consumer perspective on the performance of the industry.  The results of the survey provide us with an interesting picture of the progress in the telecommunications sector in terms of services offered, choice, quality and prices. Consumers’ interest is at the heart of our actions and so it is very rewarding to observe that consumer satisfaction levels have increased since 2007.”

The published report also compares the results of the 2011 survey with the results of a similar survey undertaken in 2007. It shows the numerous areas of progress in the telecommunications sector between 2007 and 2011 as well as changes in usage over time.

The main highlights of the report include:

Fixed Line Services

•Overall indicators of access to and usage of fixed line services have dropped significantly between 2007 and 2011, due to the increasing use of mobile phones to meet the customers’ needs.

•The proportion of respondents who have access to a fixed line telephone has decreased by more than 50% since 2007.

•Having a mobile phone is still the main reason for not having a fixed line at home.

•Compared to 2007, the average fixed call duration has dropped by more than 50% in 2011.  

•The average monthly expenditure for fixed line services has dropped by more than 40% since 2007.

•Satisfaction levels with fixed line services have increased since 2007 in almost all categories measured, including overall satisfaction with the fixed line telephone service, its reliability, the resolution of problems by providers and overall value for money. In particular, satisfaction has improved significantly in relation to value for money, from 36% of respondents in 2007 to 68% of respondents in 2011.

 

Mobile Phone Services

•Mobile phone services have witnessed a major change since 2007 with the 3rd mobile operator entering the market and increasing competition among mobile operators. 

•Access to mobile phones remains high with over 99% of respondents having access to mobile phones.

•The proportion of respondents with 2 or more active SIM cards has increased from 12% (2007) to 31% (2011).

•The primary reason for having more than one SIM card has changed from using more than one SIM card for different purposes (personal and business use) in 2007, to being able to benefit from different promotions in 2011. 

•Prepaid customers represent 88% of total respondents with mobile phone services.

•Usage of mobile phones is increasing, with the proportion of mobile national calls with a duration of more than 3 minutes having increased from 33% in 2007 to 52% in 2011.

•Most respondents send up to 10 SMS in a week (51%). 

•The average monthly spend for mobile phone services for both Bahraini nationals and expatriates has increased by more than 50% between 2007 and 2011.

•Satisfaction with mobile services has improved considerably since 2007 in most areas, with the proportion of respondents being satisfied with overall service increasing from 62% in 2007 to 82% in 2011. 

 

International Calls Services

•The majority of respondents use mobile phones most often to make their international calls. This proportion has increased from 40% in 2007 to 66% in 2011. 

•On average respondents make 25 international calls per week using mobile phones and 18 international calls per week using fixed lines.

•India is the top destination called from different mediums except from a fixed line. 

•89% of respondents spend up to BD 10 per month on international calls from their fixed lines.

•Customer satisfaction with international call charges has improved significantly in 2011 (54%) compared with 2007 (24%).   

 

Internet Services

•67% of respondents have access to the internet at home (up from 53% in 2007).

•73% of respondents who used the internet in the last three months use it on a daily basis.

•Visiting social networking websites and sending & receiving emails were the primary activities carried out by respondents who used the internet in the last 3 months.

•WiMax and DSL are the most commonly used types of internet connection.

•In 2011, 65% of respondents using the internet subscribed to a broadband service with a speed of 2Mbps or more, up from 2% in 2007. 

•An increasing proportion of respondents are accessing the internet using mobile devices (47% of respondents in 2011, compared to 18% in 2007).

•76% of respondents were satisfied with their overall internet service, while the most common suggested improvement relates to reducing prices.