Kuwait Communications - 2021

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 583,463

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 19.73 (2019 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 7,327,028

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 247.76 (2019 est.)

Telecommunication systems

general assessment:

the quality of service is excellent; new telephone exchanges provide a large capacity for new subscribers; trunk traffic is carried by microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, open-wire, and fiber-optic cable; a 4G LTE mobile-cellular telephone system operates throughout Kuwait; Internet access is available via 4G LTE connections for fixed and mobile users; high ownership levels of smart phones in Kuwait; one of the highest mobile penetration rates in the world; exploring 5G opportunities; improvements to fiber-broadband underway (2020)

(2020)

domestic: fixed-line subscriptions are 12 per 100 and mobile-cellular stands at 174 per 100 subscriptions (2019)

international: country code - 965; landing points for the FOG, GBICS, MENA, Kuwait-Iran, and FALCON submarine cables linking Africa, the Middle East, and Asia; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia; satellite earth stations - 6 (3 Intelsat - 1 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean, 1 Inmarsat - Atlantic Ocean, and 2 Arabsat) (2019)

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Broadcast media

state-owned TV broadcaster operates 4 networks and a satellite channel; several private TV broadcasters have emerged; satellite TV available and pan-Arab TV stations are especially popular; state-owned Radio Kuwait broadcasts on a number of channels in Arabic and English; first private radio station emerged in 2005; transmissions of at least 2 international radio broadcasters are available (2019)

Internet country code

.kw

Internet users

total: 2,904,801

percent of population: 99.6% (July 2018 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 84,595

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2.86 (2019 est.)