The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have the highest mobile internet penetration rates within the MENA region and worldwide. Saudi Arabia is considered a sector leader when it comes to digitalization, as it’s one of the top digitally prepared countries worldwide. This is supported by the governments’ investments in developing the digital infrastructure, paving the way for the Saudi digital economy. With high digital literacy, the kingdom ranked as one of the top five countries in the MENA region in terms of
, closely behind Qatar.
Telecom market in Saudi Arabia
In line with Saudi’s 2030 vision, a strategic framework to diversify the kingdom’s economy and reduce reliance on oil, investing in network infrastructure such as 5G core technology and cloud solutions is a high priority. This would aid the digital transformation across various sectors, such as manufacturing, health, transportation, and logistics. Along with the UAE, Saudi Arabia had the highest share of 5G service adoption in the MENA region. The telecom market is serviced by Saudi brands STC, Mobily, and Zain KSA, among others. STC had the highest
brand value among other Middle Eastern telecommunication brands. .
Mobile internet usage
Saudis spend, on average, a considerable
amount of time using the internet via their mobile phones. Most of the
time spent online is dedicated to social media browsing. However, mobile internet usage is not restricted to social media, with mobile commerce gaining popularity. A substantial
share of internet users turned to their mobile phones for online purchases on a weekly basis. Saudi Arabia is considered one of the top markets for
mobile apps worldwide, with consumer spending exceeding that of Italy, Thailand, and Spain to name a few.
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