Page 48 - SAMENA Trends - December 2023

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

UAE Telecoms: 22m Mobile Subscribers, 97% 5G Coverage, 3.8m Broadband

Subscribers

The UAE has more than 22m mobile phone subscribers and almost governments, with whom we collaborate to realize and enhance in-
4m broadband internet subscriptions, according to TDRA data. The tegrated digital experiences. “This aligns with our journey towards
Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authori- a digital knowledge society and economy, in accordance with ‘We
ty (TDRA) released the Digital Enablers Report 2023, showcasing the UAE 2031’ vision and the directives of our wise leadership, to
TDRA’s collaborative efforts with partners in advancing digital focus on digitization as a cornerstone for the future economy and
transformation enablers and infrastructure in the UAE. The report the implementation of smart city concepts.” In the Telecommuni-
includes key indicators and highlights pioneering achievements in cations sector, the report indicates that mobile network coverage
this domain. has achieved 100 per cent in various regions of the country, while
UAE mobile phone subscribers the 5G network spans 97.03 per cent of the total populated areas.
The report indicates that the user base for UAE Pass has grown According to the report, the number of mobile phone subscribers
to 6.84 million, enabling them to access 15,000 digital services has reached 22,178,236, with 3,774,064 subscribers to mobile
offered by 232 service providers. Additionally, the “UAE Verify” broadband services. This positions the UAE the first globally in
digital verification platform processed 6,997,635 documents. In mobile network coverage, rate of mobile broadband subscriptions,
the API Marketplace, transactions reached 1,273,464, while the and percentage of Internet users. Additionally, the UAE ranks sec-
Government Service Bus (GSB) handled more than 1.5bn trans- ond globally in the rate of mobile subscriptions and sixth globally
actions. Furthermore, the customer relationship management in international Internet bandwidth per user. Furthermore, the UAE
system “Tawasul 171” addressed more than 500,000 cases. Re- has maintained its global leadership for the fourth consecutive
garding the performance of the Federal Digital Network (FEDnet), time in FTTH coverage, standing at 97 per cent, according to data
the Digital Enablers Report reveals the presence of 5,076 virtual from the FTTH Council Europe. On the global stage, as per the re-
servers constituting the cloud infrastructure. A total of 40 enti- port, the UAE achieved significant results, ranking:
ties utilize the high-performance Internet portal, while 46 entities • 5th in Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI)
benefit from the cloud infrastructure, and 35 entities make use of • 9th in Telecommunication Infrastructure Index (TII)
the backup service. The report further highlights that TDRA Virtual • 12th in Online Service Index (OSI)
Academy boasts a registration count of 34,000 individuals, all of • 13th in E-Government Development Index (EGDI)
whom benefit from a diverse array of 180 training courses. TDRA • 18th in Digital Participation Index
Director-General Majed Sultan Al Mesmar said: “The report reflects • 22nd in Government AI Readiness Index
the team spirit among government entities, including local digital

World Bank Appoints UAE to Head Cloud Computing Advancement Efforts

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been selected to chair the
World Bank’s Cloud Computing Working Group, underscoring
the country’s notable achievements in digital transformation. Dr.
Bushra AlBlooshi, Senior Consultant of Research and Innovation at
Dubai Electronic Security Centre (DESC), led the group’s meeting,
succeeding Singapore and the United Kingdom in the co-leadership
role. Comprising 27 countries, international entities, and major
companies, the working group aims to advance global standards
and practices in cloud computing. Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori,
Director General of Digital Dubai, emphasized that the UAE’s
appointment to lead the World Bank’s body reflects the country’s
outstanding reputation in new technology and cloud computing.
Al Mansoori highlighted the significance of cloud computing
as a crucial element in smart cities and digitized knowledge
societies. AlBlooshi stated that the UAE’s leadership in the working
group underscores the country’s prominent position in future
technologies, particularly in cloud computing. She praised the UAE sectors globally to collaboratively develop knowledge products,
for establishing itself as a global hub for technological innovation including playbooks, how-to notes, surveys, and benchmarks. This
and serving as an inspiring model for digital transformation. World appointment reaffirms the UAE’s influence and leadership in the
Bank working groups bring together experts from public and private realm of future technologies and digital advancements.

48 DECEMBER 2023