Latest news with #TelecommunicationsRegulatoryCommission
Zawya
29-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
SMS use surges in Jordan as business demand grows, over 1.4bln in 2024
AMMAN — Despite the widespread use of social media platforms and messaging apps, SMS (short message service) technology continues to play a vital role in Jordan's digital communication landscape, offering tangible economic value to businesses across various sectors. Industry experts told The Jordan Times that SMS has evolved into a trusted and efficient channel for businesses to reach consumers directly, especially in sectors such as banking, delivery services, e-commerce and healthcare. 'While people might ignore app notifications, SMS is almost always read. It is direct, fast, and trusted,' said Bayan Khaled, a tech expert and manager at a leading local SMS gateway provider. According to official data from the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC), 1.434 billion text messages were exchanged via mobile networks in 2024, an increase of 334 million compared with 2023, representing 27 per cent year-on-year growth. The surge reflects not only changing individual communication habits but also growing reliance by businesses and public institutions on SMS for sending one-time passwords (OTPs), delivery confirmations, payment reminders, appointment alerts, and marketing campaigns, experts said. Lina Tahseen, an employee at a local marketing agency, said that the most notable rise in SMS traffic occurred in the fourth quarter of 2024, likely driven by holiday promotions and seasonal marketing, adding that 'End-of-year promotions and customer re-engagement messages flood our customers' platforms.' On average, Jordanians sent around 119.5 million text messages per month, around 4 million messages per day, across the country's three main mobile operators. While messaging apps dominate personal communication, stakeholders say SMS has maintained its competitive edge in business communication due to its high delivery and open rates across all types of mobile devices. Most SMS traffic was domestic, although international messaging still maintained a small yet active share, according to the TRC. Experts attribute the growth in SMS usage in part to the steady rise in mobile subscriptions in Jordan, which reached 8 million by the end of 2024, with the majority being prepaid lines. 'SMS may be old tech, but in business, it remains highly effective,' said Serin Ahmad, an employee at a retail shop. As Jordan continues to advance its digital transformation agenda, SMS is proving not to be a relic of the past, but rather a resilient tool adapting to the evolving needs of communication and commerce. © Copyright The Jordan Times. All rights reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Ammon
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Ammon
TRC calls on citizens to ignore unknown calls, messages
Ammon News - Chairman of the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) Bassam Al-Sarhan, affirmed the commission's commitment to implementing ongoing awareness campaigns aimed at raising public awareness among citizens via various media outlets and social media platforms. The commission plays a pivotal role in raising citizens' awareness of the risks of electronic fraud, particularly via social media applications such as WhatsApp, in cooperation with a number of national institutions such as the National Cybersecurity Center, the Central Bank of Jordan (CBJ), and the Public Security Directorate, Al-Sarhan said. He also indicated that these campaigns cover a variety of topics related to the risks of electronic fraud, particularly those related to calls and messages from unknown sources, and opening links sent via text messages or WhatsApp from unknown parties, stressing the need not to interact with or respond to such calls and messages.
Zawya
09-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Jordan: 5G, data usage, mobile subscriptions grow in Q4 2024
AMMAN — The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) on Thursday reported an expansion in telecommunications services across the Kingdom in the fourth quarter of 2024, driven by significant growth in data consumption and 5G adoption. According to the TRC's quarterly statistical report, cited by the Jordan News Agency, Petra, fixed-line voice service subscriptions reached some 486,000 by the end of Q4 2024, compared to 493,000 in Q4 2023, marking a 1.4 per cent decline. Residential users accounted for 67 per cent of the total, while commercial subscribers made up the remaining 33 per cent. Despite the drop in subscriptions, fixed-line call traffic rose by 6 per cent year-on-year, reaching 11.3 million call minutes, where 85 per cent of the total was local traffic between governorates and international calls accounted for 15 per cent. The number of mobile broadband subscriptions climbed to 8.046 million in Q4 2024, compared to 7.727 million a year earlier, marking a growth rate of 4.1 per cent. Prepaid plans accounted for 69 per cent of total mobile broadband subscriptions, while 31 per cent were post-paid. Voice and data subscriptions constituted 84 per cent of total mobile plans, with the remaining 16 per cent being data-only. Mobile voice traffic totalled 7.37 billion minutes, of which 97 per cent were domestic calls and 3 per cent international. Text messaging witnessed a dramatic increase, with 576 million messages sent in Q4 2024, compared to 260 million in the same period the previous year, showing an increase of 122 per cent. The mobile phone penetration rate reached 69 per cent of the total population and 106 per cent among individuals aged 15 and above by the end of Q4 2024, compared to 67 per cent and 104 per cent, respectively, in Q4 2023. Mobile broadband data usage reached some 658 million gigabytes in the fourth quarter, marking a 13 per cent rise from 580 million gigabytes (GB) in Q4 2023. Fixed broadband internet subscriptions rose slightly to some 812,000 by the end of Q4 2024, up from 805,000 in Q4 2023, reflecting a growth rate of 0.8 per cent and a household penetration rate of 33.4 per cent. Fiber-optic Internet continued to dominate with 591,000 subscriptions, representing 72.8 per cent of total fixed broadband subscriptions, while FBWA technology accounted for 17.9 per cent and xDSL for 8.8 per cent. Data consumption through fixed broadband services reached 1.339 billion GB in Q4 2024, compared to 1.161 billion GB in the same quarter of 2023, marking a 15 per cent increase. Average monthly fixed internet usage per subscription rose to 550 GB, up from 481 GB in Q4 2023, a growth rate of 14 per cent. Also, 5G mobile subscriptions witnessed exponential growth, reaching 112,900 in Q4 2024, registering an increase of nearly 60 per cent from the previous quarter and 800 per cent compared to Q4 2023. Leased line subscriptions also saw a 'notable' rise, totalling 24,143 by the end of the fourth quarter of 2024, up from 20,539 in Q4 2023, growing by 17.5 per cent. © Copyright The Jordan Times. All rights reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Jordan Times
08-05-2025
- Business
- Jordan Times
5G, data usage, mobile subscriptions grow in Q4 2024
The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission on Thursday reports an expansion in telecommunications services across the Kingdom in the fourth quarter of 2024, driven by 'significant' growth in data consumption and 5G adoption (Photo courtesy of AMMAN — The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) on Thursday reported an expansion in telecommunications services across the Kingdom in the fourth quarter of 2024, driven by significant growth in data consumption and 5G adoption. According to the TRC's quarterly statistical report, cited by the Jordan News Agency, Petra, fixed-line voice service subscriptions reached some 486,000 by the end of Q4 2024, compared to 493,000 in Q4 2023, marking a 1.4 per cent decline. Residential users accounted for 67 per cent of the total, while commercial subscribers made up the remaining 33 per cent. Despite the drop in subscriptions, fixed-line call traffic rose by 6 per cent year-on-year, reaching 11.3 million call minutes, where 85 per cent of the total was local traffic between governorates and international calls accounted for 15 per cent. The number of mobile broadband subscriptions climbed to 8.046 million in Q4 2024, compared to 7.727 million a year earlier, marking a growth rate of 4.1 per cent. Prepaid plans accounted for 69 per cent of total mobile broadband subscriptions, while 31 per cent were post-paid. Voice and data subscriptions constituted 84 per cent of total mobile plans, with the remaining 16 per cent being data-only. Mobile voice traffic totalled 7.37 billion minutes, of which 97 per cent were domestic calls and 3 per cent international. Text messaging witnessed a dramatic increase, with 576 million messages sent in Q4 2024, compared to 260 million in the same period the previous year, showing an increase of 122 per cent. The mobile phone penetration rate reached 69 per cent of the total population and 106 per cent among individuals aged 15 and above by the end of Q4 2024, compared to 67 per cent and 104 per cent, respectively, in Q4 2023. Mobile broadband data usage reached some 658 million gigabytes in the fourth quarter, marking a 13 per cent rise from 580 million gigabytes (GB) in Q4 2023. Fixed broadband internet subscriptions rose slightly to some 812,000 by the end of Q4 2024, up from 805,000 in Q4 2023, reflecting a growth rate of 0.8 per cent and a household penetration rate of 33.4 per cent. Fiber-optic Internet continued to dominate with 591,000 subscriptions, representing 72.8 per cent of total fixed broadband subscriptions, while FBWA technology accounted for 17.9 per cent and xDSL for 8.8 per cent. Data consumption through fixed broadband services reached 1.339 billion GB in Q4 2024, compared to 1.161 billion GB in the same quarter of 2023, marking a 15 per cent increase. Average monthly fixed internet usage per subscription rose to 550 GB, up from 481 GB in Q4 2023, a growth rate of 14 per cent. Also, 5G mobile subscriptions witnessed exponential growth, reaching 112,900 in Q4 2024, registering an increase of nearly 60 per cent from the previous quarter and 800 per cent compared to Q4 2023. Leased line subscriptions also saw a 'notable' rise, totalling 24,143 by the end of the fourth quarter of 2024, up from 20,539 in Q4 2023, growing by 17.5 per cent. Page 2
Jordan Times
26-04-2025
- Business
- Jordan Times
TRC to host regional telecommunications forum on Tuesday
The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission is scheduled on Tuesday to host a regional forum, under the theme "Accessible Arab Region: ICT for All" (File photo) AMMAN — The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) is scheduled on Tuesday to host a regional forum, under the theme "Accessible Arab Region: ICT for All". According to a TRC statement on Saturday, cited by the Jordan News Agency, Petra, the event is held in cooperation with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), with "broad" Arab and regional participation. TRC Chairman Bassam Sarhan said that the event affirms Jordan's position as an "active regional" hub, which supports digital and development initiatives in the Arab world. The Jordanian effort was reflected in the recommendations of the Council of Arab Ministers of Telecommunications and Information Technology following the conclusion of the 28th session in Cairo, which announced Amman as the Arab Digital Capital for 2025, he pointed out. Sarhan added that the scale of participation in the event reflects the TRC's "vital" role in leading the regional dialogue on issues of promoting digital access and inclusion. He noted that such presence shows the TRC's "commitment" to coordinating with relevant international and regional entities to exchange expertise and transfer knowledge, which contributes to achieving policy development and a comprehensive digital transformation that serve all segments of society. Sarhan said that the event is an opportunity to highlight and share Jordanian expertise across all sectors with all specialised international entities. The two-day event will discuss digital inclusion policies and strategies, aimed to enhance digital accessibility in the telecommunications sector as a prerequisite for achieving inclusion for all members of the digital system, the statement said.
