The Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) said the use of Internet in Kuwait increased 12% during 2020 compared to 2019 especially the usage of mobile broadband networks as a result of the preference for wireless communications, indicating the monthly cost of a broadband subscription basket ranges from 5 to 6 dinars per month in Kuwait (equivalent to 16 to 20 dollars), and is among the lowest in the world.
The CITC revealed there are 5.6 million subscriptions to mobile broadband communications in Kuwait, with a penetration rate exceeding 100% at a rate of 1.3 subscriptions per person, and the quality of fixed broadband communications has improved significantly in 2020. The communications via optical fibers currently have a 45% share, compared to 31% in 2019, and the speed of the majority of connections is 53%, or about 10 megabytes or more.
The commission stated that the monthly cost of the basic plan provides a reasonable amount of calls and data, and this varies depending on the type of connection, and is at least 5 gigabytes for a fixed broadband connection, while it ranges from 500 megabytes to 1.5 gigabytes for a mobile broadband connection.
CITC said the prices of telecommunications services in Kuwait are among the cheapest in the world, and this applies to various categories of services, including mobile and fixed broadband and integrated data and voice services for mobile phones.
In order to make a fair comparison between countries, the prices represent a percentage of the average per capita income in the country or region, and the prices of fixed broadband communication are ranked second in terms of the cheapest prices in the world, according to data issued by the CITC which also revealed that all residents in Kuwait have access to the fourth generation network for mobile phones. This is in addition to Kuwait being one of the pioneers of the fifth generation technology and covers about 97% of this network.
Regarding the spread and use of devices, the CITC stated almost all people in Kuwait use mobile phones and the Internet on a daily basis, while 88% of homes own computer devices, such as PCs, laptops and tablets, while the Smart TVs saw an amazing growth in accreditation rates during the past 5 years, as the prevalence rate in the Kuwaiti domestic sector increased from 3.4% in 2015 to 74% in 2020.
The Al-Anba daily, quoting sources said, on the other hand, the Communications Commission stated that families in Kuwait spend an average of 5.1% of their annual income on communications and information technology. Household spending on communications and information technology varies greatly according to nationality, as the study revealed that Kuwaiti families spent an average of 2,136 dinars on communications and information technology in 2020, compared to only 814 dinars for non-Kuwaiti families.
Meanwhile, the sources say digital age is developing rapidly, as we see individuals and institutions using digital technologies in homes and workplaces at an unprecedented rate, and in 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic doubled the speed of adopting digital methods for living, working and transactions to reach new high levels.
The future development of many countries is based on the progress of digital technologies and the development of the digital economy, and to obtain insights on digital trends and prepare Kuwait for the post-Corona pandemic era, the Public Authority for Communications and Information Technology conducted extensive research covering many areas, such as communications and information technology infrastructure and the related system, as well as the use of communications and information technology by families, individuals, companies and the public sector.
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