The UAE ranked first in the Gulf, Arab, and Western Asia, and the seventh globally in the telecommunications infrastructure index, according to the United Nations Smart Government 2020 survey report. It also ranked second in Asia in this index.
In addition, the country made significant progress in the global competitiveness indicators for the telecommunications sector in the report, as the country maintained the first position globally in the mobile subscriptions index, and advanced from second place to the first globally in the mobile broadband Internet subscriptions index, while in the proportion of Internet users The country moved from the thirteenth globally to the fifth, and the country achieved a qualitative leap in the fixed broadband subscriptions index, as it moved from the sixty-eighth position globally to the twenty-ninth position.
These achievements come as a result of the efforts of the executive team for the communications infrastructure index headed by the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority and the membership of mobile operators in the country (Telecom Company and du), where the team worked to raise the country’s ranking in the sub indicators of the communications infrastructure index by launching a number of initiatives during The past years, including what contributed to maintaining the global top of the country in indicators.
On this achievement, the Executive Director of the Spectrum Affairs Department, Eng. Tariq Al-Awadi, Chairman of the Executive Team for the Telecommunications Infrastructure Index and Chairman of the National Agenda Team at the Authority said: “The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has worked out plans and strategies that contribute to strengthening the telecommunications sector’s belief With the pivotal role this sector plays in achieving the state’s vision 2021 and the goals of the national agenda, companies operating telecommunications services in the country have allocated a huge budget for investment in infrastructure, amounting to 36 billion dirhams, which made the country have the infrastructure that is among the best in the world in terms of Providing "fiber" services and coverage in general.
Engineer Al-Awadi stressed that the significant development taking place in the infrastructure of the telecommunications sector in the Emirates comes in preparation for the upcoming entitlements, adding: "This achievement reflects the extent of the development and quality of the telecommunications sector in the country, which was one of the most important potential that contributed to the continuity of the work of vital sectors in The state during the Covid 19 crisis, as well as raising the state’s readiness for future changes and upcoming technology, as the UAE has managed, thanks to the development and quality of the infrastructure, to adapt to the changes easily and apply smart methods of distance education, remote work, and provide services that have contributed to the continuing pace of business Naturally, providing opportunities for growth under variables,
This achievement reflects the efforts of the General Authority for Regulating the Telecommunications Sector in implementing the directives and vision of the wise leadership in the country to raise the readiness of the telecommunications sector to enter the modern technology of the country, especially the fifth generation technology, as the UAE achieved the first Arab and fourth global position in launching and using the fifth generation networks, thanks to cooperation And coordination with the mobile service operators for the deployment and operation of the fifth generation networks, and the continuation of work and cooperation to develop the communication infrastructure in preparation for keeping pace with the future requirements, thus contributing to the continued global leadership of the state in the telecommunications sector.
It is noteworthy that the UAE ranked first in the Gulf, Arab and Western Asia, and the eighth globally in the smart services index issued by the United Nations within the overall index for the development of e-government, as it ranked fourth in Asia in this indicator, and advanced one place in the digital participation index where it moved To 16th place after it was 17th place in the previous session of the 2018 index.