Who's Who in Arab Cellular Rates? The Highest, the Lowest and the Fairest

A new report from Arab Advisors Group analyzes the cellular tariffs for 46 cellular operators in 19 Arab countries. Operators in Lebanon have the highest average cost of prepaid cellular minutes in the Arab World while those in Morocco have the highest average cost of postpaid cellular minutes. Egypt and Yemen offer the lowest average cellular minute costs for prepaid and postpaid respectively.

New research and analysis from the Arab Advisors Group reveals that Lebanon's cellular operators charge the highest prepaid average minute rates in the region, while Morocco's operators charge the highest postpaid average minute rate. Egypt and Yemen lie on the other extreme, having the region's lowest average prepaid minute rate and average postpaid minute rate respectively.

"Increased competition in Arab cellular markets is driving operators into adopting billing per second or fractions of a minute. As of October/November 2009, an array of 13 different billing methods were in use by 46 cellular operators in the 19 covered Arab countries. 14 operators still use the traditional (and most profitable) per minute billing. Although the majority of operators have abandoned this method, it is still the most common billing method utilized, as it is utilized in 39% of postpaid billing methods and 37% of prepaid billing methods. Per second billing, which offers the best value for end users, is the basis for a total of 8 operators in the Arab World." Mrs. Faten Bader, Arab Advisors Group senior research analyst commented.

Posted to the site on 4th March 2009