The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) in Bahrain has just released the 2013 update of the retail price benchmarking study into telecoms services in Arab countries. The study, conducted by the Teligen division of Strategy Analytics, was commissioned by TRA on behalf of AREGNET (the Arab Regulators Network).

The 181-page report for 2013 provides an in-depth analysis of the cost of telecoms services for different types of users, and considers the cost of fixed and mobile voice, fixed and mobile broadband and leased lines across up to 22 Arab countries, as well as providing a comparison with average OECD (Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development) pricing. Development of prices in each of the Arab countries covered since 2008 is also included.

The study revealed that from 2012-2013, prices in the Arab countries have generally come down, and there is much greater parity with OECD average levels than previously. Fixed voice residential services are on average generally cheaper than OECD average costs for lower usage baskets, for example. Similarly, mobile price levels in many Arab countries compare reasonably well with OECD countries, particularly for low and medium usage. For both fixed and mobile broadband services, higher speed services are much more prevalent, and a greater number of Arab countries are on par with or below OECD average prices.

In addition to the general report, TRA has also released an updated version of the report which looks more in-depth at the results for Bahrain across the various services, in relation to the other GCC countries overall as well as to the OECD averages.

Full results from both the main study and the Bahrain-specific price benchmarking report, along with detailed information on the methodology used, are available for download free of charge on TRA's website.