The UAE was ranked first in the world in several global competitiveness indicators that measure the development and quality of the communications infrastructure around the world in 2020.
In a report issued by the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority under the title "UAE is a pioneering country in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector 2020" and includes the most important results achieved by the country in the telecommunications sector last year, based on the numbers and indicators issued by relevant international organisations specialised in issuing indicators. This is part of the authority’s efforts through which it contributes to 17 global competitiveness reports containing 142 competitiveness indicators.
The report monitored, in numbers and facts, the vital role that the telecommunications sector plays in the development of the country, as an embodiment of the vision of the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority, which states that the UAE is a pioneer in the ICT sector.
According to the report, the UAE ranked first in the world in the rate of mobile broadband Internet subscriptions per 100 inhabitants and the index of public-private partnership and its impact on technological development.
The UAE ranked first in the world in the index of competition in the Internet and telephone sectors, the government's purchase of advanced technology products, and the first in the world in the speed of mobile broadband, and the highest fibre-to-home penetration rate.
The country has also maintained first place in the world in many global competitiveness indicators that measure the development and quality of the telecommunications infrastructure in the world. In this regard, the UAE ranked first in the world in terms of the percentage of the population’s mobile network coverage and access to mobile phone services.
According to the report, the UAE continued its global leadership in the competitiveness indicators that measure the rate of subscriptions to mobile broadband Internet and mobile services in the countries of the world, as it ranked first in the world in the mobile broadband Internet subscriptions index and the mobile phone subscriptions index.
Concerning the use of ICT, the UAE has advanced in the global ranking on this axis from 24th in 2017 to second place globally according to the last Global Competitiveness Report issued in 2019. Despite the pandemic, the country has maintained second place globally in 2020.
The UAE also continued to top technological development indicators as a result of having a quality communication infrastructure and the keenness of the country's various sectors to be equipped with the latest technologies, which also contributed to raising the ability of the various sectors of the country to adapt to the COVID-19 crisis, gaining flexibility in dealing with the circumstances resulting from the pandemic and allowing efficient business continuity.
In this regard, the country ranked first in the world in the index of Public-Private Partnerships and its impact on technological development, and the index of Use of Virtual Professional Networks.
The country also topped countries in the Global Infrastructure Investment Index according to the global competitiveness indicators that measure the level of countries' investment in infrastructure. The UAE ranked third in the world in the investment in telecommunications services index and fourth in the world in the foreign direct investment and technology transfer index.
The report included the most important results achieved by the country in indicators related to the ability of the communications infrastructure to keep pace with the changes, the future readiness of the communications and information technology sector, the e-government survey, the global indicator of readiness for variables, and others.
The authority thanked and appreciated its partners in the communications and information technology sector from the government, the private sector, the academic sector and all members of society for their role in achieving the successes mentioned in the report.
Commenting on the report, Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Head of the UAE Digital Government and Director-General of the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority, said, "The progress achieved by the UAE in the global indicators of the telecommunications sector is a reflection of the wise leadership’s directives to strengthen the telecommunications sector, as it is one of the main engines of development in many sectors and the gateway to enter the fourth industrial revolution era, with its developments, such as the Internet of Things, the fifth generation, technologies supported by artificial intelligence, smart transportation, and others."
The results are the result of a persistent and accumulated effort over the years in which the authority’s work teams have participated along with their partners in the private sector, mainly represented by Etisalat and Du, he added.