The UAE, Qatar and China are leading the developing nations in overall levels of national and economic digitisation, according to Huawei’s latest Global Connectivity Index (GCI).
Around the world, the greatest ICT developments have been seen in broadband coverage and speed with cloud, big data and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies also making headway.
Average national connectivity levels are 5% higher than they were in 2015, judging by investment in five technology enablers: broadband, data centres, cloud, big data and IoT, said Huawei. The study looked at 40 indicators that cover the supply, demand, experience, and potential of these technology enablers.
The top three developed economies are the United States, Singapore, and Sweden, with the UK moving up to 5th place. In terms of developing nations, UAE was in 19th place, while Qatar was 21st, and China was in 23rd place. Meanwhile, Malaysia jumped four places to 25th in the past year and Indonesia moved up two places to 41st. “Malaysia and Indonesia’s gains are attributable to broadband rollout, which in turn influences data centre development,” said a statement from Huawei.
In spite of its ongoing cable digitisation and Digital India projects, India retained its 44th position.
The GCI scores continue to show a positive correlation with GDP, however, the extent to which GCI influences gross domestic product (GDP) varies with the stage of digital transformation in each country said the Chinese ICT giant.
“A revolutionary shift is occurring in the way the world works, with economies across the planet going digital fast. Nations that are in the early stages of economic digitisation should develop long-term technology plans that include broadband and data centres to reap the benefits of enhanced growth,” said Kevin Zhang, president, Huawei Corporate Marketing.
“Developed economies wanting to capitalise on their frontrunner ICT status should invest more in cloud, big data, and IoT technologies and solutions to experience the full benefits of a digital economy.”
The 50 countries assessed by GCI 2016 account for 90% of global GDP and 78% of the world’s population, Huawei added.