Summary
Middle East telecom operators navigated a mixed quarter in Q3 2024, with data-driven revenue gains running alongside currency pressures and rising costs in select markets. Across Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Israel, and Jordan, operators leaned on 4G and 5G network expansion, fixed and fibre broadband growth, and an expanding enterprise segment spanning cloud, ICT, and managed services to offset macroeconomic headwinds.
Enterprise revenue emerged as a particular growth lever, with several groups reporting expanding contributions from cybersecurity, cloud, and fintech offerings alongside their traditional connectivity business. Capital spending patterns are shifting too, as operators in markets with mature 4G/5G rollouts redirect investment toward digital infrastructure, fibre densification, and enterprise-grade capabilities rather than pure network build-out.
Currency devaluation, inflation, and conflict-related disruption to roaming revenue weighed on operators in Egypt, Israel, and Palestine even as peers elsewhere posted strong double-digit growth. Regulatory shifts — including new 5G spectrum awards in Egypt and frequency acquisitions in Saudi Arabia and Iraq — are reshaping competitive dynamics heading into 2025, alongside a wave of partnerships spanning network infrastructure, cybersecurity, and customer experience.
- Markets covered: Egypt, Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Oman, and Palestine
- Segments analysed: mobile and fixed connectivity, enterprise/B2B, and fintech-linked digital services
Which Middle East operators are converting network investment into durable profitability, and which are still absorbing the cost of past expansion?
Schedule a call with Twimbit analyst to learn how we can help you.
Already a Twimbit client? Log in