Rivals prosper in Qatar telecoms change

Qatar was the last country in the Gulf to break its telecommunications monopoly but it was the first to allow a big international operator to enter its small, wealthy market.

Vodafone Qatar, a joint venture between the UK telecoms group and the Qatar Foundation, switched on its mobile network in March 2009, and the resulting price war with incumbent Qatar Telecom (Qtel) has proved a boon for residents.

The average revenue per user (ARPU) – an industry measurement that indicates total revenue divided by the number of subscribers – slumped from $55 at the end of 2008 to $36 at the end of last year, says HSBC.