UAE's ADSL penetration reached around 11% by end of 2008, Arab Advisors report

The country, a regional leader in advanced services adoption, is on track for more growth especially as the market entered a competitive stage.

The UAE's telecommunications market was officially closed to all but Etisalat, which has been the telecommunications service provider in the UAE since 1976. Etisalat offers fixed line services over the Next Generation Network (NGN) which enables it to offer voice, video and data over one single source.

In 2003, the situation changed with the announcement of Federal Government Decree No. 3 for the year 2003. It declared the end of Etisalat's monopoly status and paved the way to the partial liberalization of the UAE telecom sector. The second telecom operator Du was licensed on February 12, 2006. Etisalat's new competitor, Du, is an integrated service provider offering voice, data, video and content services over fixed and mobile networks to residential and business users.

A new report, 'United Arab Emirates Internet and Data Market' was released to the Arab Advisors Group's Telecoms Strategic Research Service subscribers on February 11, 2009. This report can be purchased from the Arab Advisors Group.

The 83-page report, which has 74 detailed exhibits, provides a comprehensive analysis of UAE's Internet and data market, online content players, e-commerce and financial services and enabling operators and organizations. Please contact the Arab Advisors Group to get a copy of the reports Table of Contents.

Any investment in this report will count towards an annual Strategic Research Service subscription should the service be acquired within three months from purchasing the report.

An investment in the report can also count towards attending Arab Advisors' sixth annual Media and Telecoms Convergence Conference on June 1 & 2 2009 at the Four Seasons in Amman.

"The Internet penetration in the UAE is one of the highest in the region. Internet accounts penetration of total population increased from 20% by end of 2007 to an estimated 25% by end of 2008. ADSL/broadband accounts penetration of total population reached around 11% by end of 2008. By end of October 2008, Etisalat's ADSL accounts constituted around 36% of the operator's total fixed lines." Miss Noura Abdulhadi, Arab Advisors Senior Research Analyst commented.

"The period from 2003 till 2008 was very fruitful for the UAE in terms of accounts and users. The Arab Advisors Group projects the growth to continue from 2008 to 2012. Much of the new growth will be in ADSL/broadband accounts as dial up subscribers upgrade to using ADSL or new customers adopt the broadband service. The Arab Advisors Group believes that as Du expands its coverage areas, an increase in competition will result, bring down ADSL rates and will cause a substantial churn from the dial up into the ADSL service." Miss Noura Abdulhadi, Arab Advisors Senior Research Analyst added.

The Arab Advisors Group's team of analysts in the region has already produced over 1,410 reports on the Arab World's communications, media and financial markets. The reports can be purchased individually or received through an annual subscription to Arab Advisors Group's Strategic Research Services (Media and Telecom).