Stuttgart, Germany — The popularity of different mobile devices coupled with the improve-ment of mobile broadband speeds and coverage have accelerated growth in mobile broadband usage in Saudi Arabia. Mobile broadband subscriptions overtook fixed broad-band subscriptions for the first time in 2010 and the subscriber gap between the two tech-nologies continues to widen as mobile broadband base reached 14.6m (1Q13) while fixed broadband trails at only 2.7m subscriptions. Thanks to this environment, the Saudi Arabian mobile market presents some very advanced mobile solutions in the sector of e-health and e-government.
The Saudi Arabian healthcare system is among the top 30 in the world (in league with most Western European standards as per the World Health Organisation). Already in 2009, Saudi Telecom Company (STC) launched its Sehhatak application, today one of the most ad-vanced and interactive e-health solutions, enabling real-time communication between the patient and practitioner for consultations, scheduling or follow-ups.
In 2011, the Ministry of Health implemented a multi-year e-health programme to unify the dif-ferent units of the healthcare system. The push of the government coupled with high mobile penetration spurred even more interest from e-health solutions providers and in the two fol-lowing years, all local mobile carriers introduced m-health solutions — from diabetes monitor-ing services that track patients’ sugar level to applications able to send ultrasound images during pregnancy. The Ministry of Health itself offers an interactive service that provides health information on medicines and disease prevention. The service provides daily SMSs for SAR12 a month (about US$3.2).
Apart from the e-health initiative, an overall e-government programme — aiming at simplify-ing residents’ interactions with the government — opens a whole slew of potential communi-cations services that can be offered to both residential and business customers. Since late-2012, for instance, an “m-government” portal is being developed, including also features such as m-authentication as well as toolkits to support government agencies to deploy their own mobile apps. Another initiative, slated to start in the first half of 2014, foresees the de-ployment of e-services through different communication channels as via mobile phones through SMS, via smartphone apps, through public Internet kiosks and via IPTV.
Saudi Arabia is a predominantly prepaid market (about 85% of the total base) though highly saturated as almost all Saudi subscribe to al least two mobile services — to separate private and business mobile lines — translating into a 171% penetration per inhabitant. The multi-SIM ownership is further stirred by the current popularity of smartphones, tablets and laptops.
About this extract: This extract in based on an article published on TS&T – Telecom Strategies & Trends, InfoCom’s highly analytical telecoms publication. This ejournal provides in-depth articles on a wide variety of compelling innovative topics. Each issue contains up-to date rigorous analysis. TS&T is available as an annual on-line subscription providing 24 issues throughout the whole year. If you are interested in this publication, do not hesitate to get in contact with us. Talk to us. We listen.
The Saudi Arabian healthcare system is among the top 30 in the world (in league with most Western European standards as per the World Health Organisation). Already in 2009, Saudi Telecom Company (STC) launched its Sehhatak application, today one of the most ad-vanced and interactive e-health solutions, enabling real-time communication between the patient and practitioner for consultations, scheduling or follow-ups.
In 2011, the Ministry of Health implemented a multi-year e-health programme to unify the dif-ferent units of the healthcare system. The push of the government coupled with high mobile penetration spurred even more interest from e-health solutions providers and in the two fol-lowing years, all local mobile carriers introduced m-health solutions — from diabetes monitor-ing services that track patients’ sugar level to applications able to send ultrasound images during pregnancy. The Ministry of Health itself offers an interactive service that provides health information on medicines and disease prevention. The service provides daily SMSs for SAR12 a month (about US$3.2).
Apart from the e-health initiative, an overall e-government programme — aiming at simplify-ing residents’ interactions with the government — opens a whole slew of potential communi-cations services that can be offered to both residential and business customers. Since late-2012, for instance, an “m-government” portal is being developed, including also features such as m-authentication as well as toolkits to support government agencies to deploy their own mobile apps. Another initiative, slated to start in the first half of 2014, foresees the de-ployment of e-services through different communication channels as via mobile phones through SMS, via smartphone apps, through public Internet kiosks and via IPTV.
Saudi Arabia is a predominantly prepaid market (about 85% of the total base) though highly saturated as almost all Saudi subscribe to al least two mobile services — to separate private and business mobile lines — translating into a 171% penetration per inhabitant. The multi-SIM ownership is further stirred by the current popularity of smartphones, tablets and laptops.
About this extract: This extract in based on an article published on TS&T – Telecom Strategies & Trends, InfoCom’s highly analytical telecoms publication. This ejournal provides in-depth articles on a wide variety of compelling innovative topics. Each issue contains up-to date rigorous analysis. TS&T is available as an annual on-line subscription providing 24 issues throughout the whole year. If you are interested in this publication, do not hesitate to get in contact with us. Talk to us. We listen.
