Saudi Arabia occupied the first rank among the countries with the highest proportion of mobile phone users in the world with a ratio of 188 percent, followed by Vietnam and Oman in the second and third places respectively, a study by United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) said Monday. The percentage is by far the highest when compared to the other Arab Gulf states which in turn filled advanced positions in the list, with Oman being ranked second with a rate of 165 percent, followed by Kuwait (160 percent) and the UAE (145 percent) respectively. The number of mobile phone users is escalating among teenagers and nine-year-old children, and the trend is chiefly driven by the widespread use of the Internet in the Saudi community, the study said. The demand for smartphone applications is expected to rise within the few coming years in light of the widespread of 3G and LTE smartphone devices and the availability of country-wide telecommunication networks offering connectivity and download speeds for devices. Commenting on the report, the Mobile Channels Company's (MCC) General Manager Salem Alenzi, said: "The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has scored a high growth percentage in the number of mobile phone users between the years 2005 and 2010. This proportion duplicated three times over this five year period, while it did not exceed a ratio 59 percent in 2005." He added: "It is remarkable that the Arab Gulf states occupied the world's first 10 positions in the list. This can be attributed to the positive economic situation which these countries are witnessing and the increasing number of consumers with high purchasing power, besides the growing presence of foreign workers who constantly communicate with their employers and countries of origin." The study noted that the Internet is the main source for hundreds of thousands of the most frequently downloaded applications and programs on smart devices which enable users to browse the web content including social networking sites, business applications, data processors, chat programs, protection tools, games and much more. Alenzi highlighted the economic aftermaths of the high rates of mobile phone use in the area which, in turn, led to introducing new companies specialized in developing electronic work environments while inspiring old firms, with sound recording and TV production businesses being on the top, to revolutionize their existing electronic platforms to keep pace with the latest mobile phones. The demand for smart phone applications whose market share amounts to almost $12 billion is expected to rise within the few coming years in light of the widespread of low-cost 3G and 4G smart phone devices and the availability of country-wide telecommunication networks offering high connectivity and download speeds for smart devices, Alenzi said.
