IPTV still in a nascent state in the Arab World

Eight service providers in seven countries in the Arab World offered commercial IPTV services in January 2010, up from four service providers in three countries offering IPTV in August 2007. As broadband adoption increases in the region, several operatorsin the Arab World have plans to implement IPTV in the near future.

IPTV is in its initial stage of penetration in the Arab World, and is still developing. Eight service providers in seven countries in the MENA region offer commercial IPTV services. These countries are: Algeria, Bahrain, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Qatar and UAE. Reportedly, there are ongoing or planned projects by service providers and/or governments in eight other countries, with the aim to upgrade the countries’ legacy networks and install fiber optics to facilitate offering services including IPTV, in the near future. These countries are: Egypt, Kuwait, Libya, Mauritania, Oman, Tunisia, Yemen and Saudi Arabia.

A new report, “An Overview of IPTV in the Arab World” was released to the Arab Advisors Group’s Media Strategic Research Service subscribers on February 21, 2010. This report can be purchased from the Arab Advisors Group for only US$ 950. The 73-page report, which contains 38 detailed exhibits, provides an overview of IPTV in the Arab World. The report includes details of IPTV services that the operators in the above-mentioned countries offer; furthermore, the report highlights fiber optics projects in the region which will launch in the near future. Please contact the Arab Advisors Group to get a copy of the report’s Table of Contents.