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At the time of writing, the latest data from Zain and Wataniya relate to the end of March 2012 while the latest data published by VIVA relate to end of December 2011.

4.962mn mobile subscribers in Kuwait at the end of December 2011.

11.5% during 2011

Penetrations rates: Fixed line 16.5%, Mobile 141% (number of subscribers reaching 3.56 million and increase of 10.7%, as compared to 3.22 mm subscribers at the end of 2008 according to Kuwait Internet and E-commerce Investment and Business Guide), Internet 41%.

Kuwait is the only country in the gulf without the Telecom Regulatory Authority (TRA). The regulations are carried out by the Ministry of Communication (MoC), which controls the fixed line and the international gateway for overseas calls. In the last 3 yeas the Ministry has announced plans for establishing the TRA, introducing Mobile Number Portability (MNP), privatize the fixed line operations as well as develop the country's fiber optic infrastructure. These plans have been slow to materialize and further delay is expected putting pressure on the telecom operators.

Zain has announced that it will join forces with China based kit maker Huawei

Zain prides itself for being the only telecommunications company in Kuwait that offers its customers various telecommunication solutions while providing the best mobile services experience in town.

Huawei to launch the first joint innovation centre

4.962mn mobile subscribers in Kuwait at the end of December 201

Based on data from Zain and Wataniya, there were net additions of roughly 205,000 subscribers - or growth of 4.9% q-o-q to reach 4.696mn subscribers

Zain accounted for majority of new subscribers with 64.9% market share of total net additions in Q211. Wataniya had an estimated share of 22.9% of net additions while Viva had 12.2%

Mobile penetration is expected to reach 169% by the end of 2011 and 187.2% by 2015

Operations in Kuwait were “negatively impacted by stronger competition” in the quarter, Qtel said in the statement. The company is now offering to purchase shares it doesn’t own in Kuwait’s National Mobile Telecommunications Co., also known as Wataniya Telecom. It submitted an offer document for approval from the Kuwait Capital Markets Authority, which may lead to an offer for all the issued shares of Wataniya, it said. Qtel offered to pay about 640 million dinars ($2.3 billion), or 2.67 dinars a share, to purchase the stake, Al-Rai newspaper reported July 1, citing unidentified people familiar with the matter. Wataniya competes with Mobile Telecommunications Co., Kuwait’s largest mobile phone operator, known as Zain. (ZAIN)

Viva, which competes with Zain and Qatar Telecom subsidiary Wataniya, raised 25 million Kuwaiti dinars ($88.57 million) from selling half its shares to Kuwaiti nationals in an IPO in September 2008, launching services later that year.

No.3 mobile company, an affiliate of Kuwait's Zain, made a net loss of 443 million riyals ($118.1 million) in the three months to Dec. 31. This compares with a net loss of 461 million riyals in the prior-year period.

Quarterly gross profit was 739 million riyals, up from 691 million riyals a year ago.Loss from operations widened by 23 percent to 262 million riyals, compared with 213 million riyals for the same quarter last year.

These companies, in which Ooredoo already has a controlling interest, include brands such as Qtel in Qatar, Indosat in Indonesia, Wataniya in Kuwait, Nawras in Oman, Tunisiana in Tunisia, and Nedjma in Algeria.

has been constantly changing with the young population actively joining the work force and desire to follow a modern lifestyle.

Zain has been clearly targeting users below 15 years old; this is reflected in its TV ads and campaigns.

Additional support from Zain Group ensured the Saudi operator improved its financial performance and results, which led to a reduction in its net loss by 9% year-on-year in 2012

highlighted challenges in Sudan, which saw its currency fall by 55% against the US dollar during 2012