Page 47 - SAMENA Trends - August 2020

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

3G/4G services in the northern areas and international connectivity is via submarine internet penetration and increasing
enhance communication security with cables. CPFOP will provide an alternative speed, especially in Baluchistan and
an alternative fiber route. CPFOP is one route for international telecom traffic and Gilgit-Baltistan, regions where internet
of the core projects, which will deliver also assist in achieving the rapidly growing connectivity has ranged from poor to non-
safe route of voice traffic between both internet traffic demand in Pakistan. It is existent. It should also reduce the cost of
countries. CPFOP is greatly beneficial estimated that 17 million people will get internet connections.
in terms of enhanced security and benefit from this project. The new network
revenue generation. Currently, Pakistan's will be beneficial to Pakistan by improving

UAE No.1 Globally in Mobile Subscription Index

The UAE has been ranked first in the Arab region and seventh
globally in the Telecommunication Infrastructure Index (TII),
according to the UN E-Government Survey 2020. It also ranked
second in Asia, according to the index. In addition, the UAE made
significant progress in the global competitiveness indicators of
the telecommunications sector in the report, maintaining the 1st
place globally in the mobile subscription index, and advancing
from 2nd to 1st globally in the mobile broadband Internet
subscription index. As for the Internet users index, the UAE moved
up to 5th from 13th globally, achieving a qualitative leap in the fixed
broadband subscription index, as it moved up to 29th from 68th in
the world. These achievements resulted from the efforts of the TII
Executive Team headed by TRA and UAE mobile operators (etisalat
and du), where the team worked to raise the country's ranking in
the TII sub-indicators by launching a number of initiatives over
the past years, contributing to maintaining the UAE as a world
leader in such indicators. Tariq Al Awadhi, Executive Director
of Spectrum Affairs Department, TII Executive Team Leader,
and Head of TRA's National Agenda Team, said: "The TRA has
developed plans and strategies that contribute to strengthening
the telecommunications sector infrastructure, out of its belief
in the central role that this sector plays in achieving the UAE
Vision 2021 and National Agenda goals. Telecom operators in the
country have allotted a huge budget for infrastructure investment
of up to Dh36 billion, making the UAE's infrastructure among the
best in the world in terms of fiber services and overall coverage."
Al Awadhi stressed that the significant development in UAE's
telecommunications sector infrastructure comes in preparation
for the upcoming milestones, adding: "This achievement reflects
the development and quality of the telecom sector infrastructure ensuring the natural pace of work, and provide opportunities for
in the UAE, which was a key enabler that contributed to business growth in light of the ever-changing world." The UAE ranked 1st
continuity of vital sectors in the country during the Covid-19 in the Arab Region and 4th globally in launching and using 5G
crisis, as well as raising UAE's readiness for future changes and networks. The UAE has been ranked first in the Arab region and
technology. Owing to the evolved and quality infrastructure, the 8th globally in the Online Service Index (OSI) issued by the United
UAE was able to easily adapt to variables, adopt smart techniques Nations within the E-Government Development Index (EGDI).
such as distance learning and remote working, provide services

47 AUGUST 2020