Saudi mobile penetration rate hits 170%

The penetration rate of mobile phones among Saudi nationals climbed to 170 percent and outperformed the global rate of 93 percent, according to a financial report.
The Kingdom came in the 9th and 3rd positions at the global and Arab-Gulf levels, respectively, in terms of the mobile penetration rates compared to their respective populations, the report, compiled and analyzed by Al-Eqtisadiyah daily, said.
According to the report, Macau, the region administratively affiliated to the People’s Republic of China, has the highest mobile penetration rate of 304 percent globally, followed by Hong Kong (239 percent), Gabon (215 percent), Kuwait (190 percent), the Maldives (181 percent), Kazakhstan (174 percent), the UAE (172 percent), Finland (171 percent), Saudi Arabia (170 percent), and the Cayman Islands (168 percent).
At the level of the Arab League, Saudi Arabia has the third highest mobile penetration rate behind the UAE (first rank) and Kuwait (second rank).
Bahrain was in the fourth rank, followed by Libya, Jordan, Oman, Qatar, Morocco, and Egypt, the report said.
Although China, India and the US have the highest rates of population, but they occupy lower ranks in terms of mobile penetration rates, the report said.
The US occupied the 121st rank among world countries at the penetration rate of 97 percent. China and India ranked 134th (91 percent) and 155th (71 percent) positions respectively, the report said.