Etisalat reasserts dominance as World’s Fastest Mobile Network for the second consecutive year

·Positions UAE as the fastest nation on earth

• Breaks own Speed Score record touching 153.05
• Only telecom operator on the planet to achieve this high Speed Score
• Consumers and businesses enjoy faster internet speeds and enhanced connectivity

Seattle/Abu Dhabi, 13 September 2021: Ookla®, a global leader in fixed broadband and mobile network testing applications, data and analytics, recognised Etisalat as the world’s fastest mobile network operator in 2021, reaffirming its dominance for the second year in a row.

This global recognition positions the UAE as the fastest nation on earth as it continues to reign the mobile speed country index on its 50th anniversary celebrations, fulfilling its objectives to create a better tomorrow with a brighter future.

At an awards ceremony held at Etisalat’s Al Kifaf building in Dubai, Masood M. Sharif Mahmood, CEO, Etisalat UAE Operations, received the award in the presence of Etisalat Group’s CEO Hatem Dowidar, key Etisalat management executives, and representatives from the technology department.

The ranking is based on analysis by Ookla® of millions of tests actively initiated by customers across every network to check internet speeds using various applications on web and mobile platforms. The Speedtest Awards™ for top network providers are determined using a ‘Speed Score™’ that incorporates a measure of each provider’s network speeds (download and upload) to rank network speed performance.

With an average download speed of 193.88 mbps and an overall ranking in the ‘Speed Score’ at 153.05, Etisalat is the only operator globally to rank higher than 150 as per Ookla® Speedtest® data. Etisalat is the winner of the Speedtest Awards™ for both fastest mobile network globally and fastest fixed broadband network in GCC during Q1-Q2 in 2021.

Doug Suttles, CEO and co-founder of Ookla, said: “Speedtest Awards™, presented by Ookla®, are reserved for an elite delegation of network operators that have delivered exceptional internet performance and coverage within a market.

“It is our pleasure to present Etisalat with the awards for World's Fastest Mobile Network, as well as Fastest Fixed Network in the GCC region. This recognition is testament to their exceptional performance in Q1-Q2 based on Ookla's rigorous analysis of consumer-initiated tests taken with Speedtest.”

Etisalat’s individual efforts in building one of the most advanced networks have greatly impacted the country’s overall performance. As a result, the UAE was ranked the fastest country in the world in January-June 2021 for average mobile download speed, as reported on the Speedtest Global Index™.

Masood M. Sharif Mahmood, CEO, Etisalat UAE, said: “This global recognition is an acknowledgement of the strong determination and sincere efforts of our leadership in building a country that has grown in all sectors, pushing it to the digital forefront to become the fastest nation in the world. We pride ourselves to be part of this inspiring journey, celebrating 50 years of staggering growth and building the nation to be a global player and leave a mark in history.”

“The continuous support of the UAE government with several incentives and a supportive environment and working in line with Etisalat’s strategy to ‘Drive the digital future to empower societies’ enabled it to consistently push boundaries to create the world’s best and leading networks across our markets and deliver long-term value to all our stakeholders, accomplishing our goals of driving digital innovation for a better future.”

Fast mobile internet speeds enrich the customers’ experience and enhance the level of mobile services, as well as support all business segments.

Etisalat has ever since been the first in the region to take a lead and launch previous generations of the network mainly 3G, 4G and 5G. As a previous winner of the Speedtest Awards™ for fastest mobile network and fastest broadband network in the region for 2020, Etisalat amplified its efforts on improving the mobile network, supporting business continuity in a work-from-home environment, facilitating distance learning, and providing entertainment to families at home.

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Source: Etisalat Press Release