The Arab Advisors Group released the results of its Cellular Competition Intensity Index 2012 in June 2012. The index ranks Saudi Arabia as the most competitive Arab cellular market. Jordan came in second, followed by Palestine. The Cellular Competition Intensity Index results for June 2012 revealed that Saudi Arabia tops the score –as the most competitive Arab market- with a 74.56% mark. This is followed by Jordan (70.67%), Palestine (70.43%), Egypt (67.86%), Oman (67.01%), Morocco (64.20%), Iraq (62.45%), Tunisia (61.13%), Bahrain (61.01%), Algeria (58.91%), Sudan (56.72%), Mauritania (55.63%), Yemen (55.19%), Kuwait (52.58%), UAE (49.01%), Qatar (47.14%), Syria (39.75%), Lebanon (38.84%) and Libya (32.68%).

The Cellular Competition Intensity Index is relative in nature as it compares the state of every market relative to other markets. As such, even if a market’s absolute level of competition improved, its score in this relative index will also depend on how other markets developed. The 2012 index results revealed that four countries ranked higher than their April 2011 index ranks, these are: Egypt, Sudan, UAE and Lebanon. Moreover, a total of four countries ranked lower compared to the April 2011 index, namely: Oman, Yemen, Qatar and Libya. The remaining eleven countries of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Palestine, Morocco, Iraq, Tunisia, Bahrain, Algeria, Mauritania, Kuwait and Syria maintained their April 2011 ranks.

The Arab Advisors Group devised the Cellular Competition Intensity Index to rate and to examine the intensity level of competition in the Arab World’s cellular markets. The index takes into account the number of operators, packages, and services available in each of the 19 countries covered by the Arab Advisors Group. Each category was assigned a certain weight according to its importance as an indicator of competition.