#44 Telecommunications Technology
Before 1981, telecommunications in Bahrain were provided separately for national and international services: the Bahrain Telephone company (for national services) and Cable &Wireless, UK (for international services). These were then combined to form Batelco (BahrainTelecommunications Company), which today is the Kingdom’s principal telecommunications company. Since then, other telecommunications companies have entered the market, includingSaudi-owned stc and Kuwaiti-owned Zain.
In 2002, Bahrain established the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), implementing the Telecommunications Law in the Kingdom. Since then, the authority has focused on positioning telecommunications as a pillar of social and commercial growth.
This article is part of an ongoing series – 51 Great Things About Bahrain as a tribute to the Kingdom’s 51st National Day. Read more in this special edition.