UAE's 120% mobile penetration highest in the Middle East

These figures were arrived at after the results of the official census of the UAE population was announced, which showed that the total population of the UAE stands at 4.1 million. Etisalat's mobile customer base has exceeded 5 million.

Previous figures have indicated that mobile penetration in the UAE had touched 100 per cent, positioning the UAE as second after Bahrain, which has achieved more that 105 per cent penetration. Previous figures used unofficial population estimates, and this has now been updated.

Ahmed Abdul Karim Julfar, Chief Operation Officer, Etisalat, said, "We are happy that what these penetration figures actually indicate is the willingness of the nation to take up technology that can work for them as wel. Besides, it also shows the role played by Etisalat in bringing the UAE to this pole position with its commitment to innovation and service quality."

"The UAE achieving this status has been possible through our commitment towards introducing the most state-of-the-art services that add immense value to the daily lives of our customers. These services include 3G, Multimedia Messaging (MMS), live TV streaming, High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSPDA), BlackBerry, the Ahlan package for tourists, and a whole host of other services that Etisalat has pioneered," he added.

Etisalat is looking forward to translating its success in the UAE in all international markets it operates or invests in. Already, Mobily in Saudi Arabia has been ranked by the World GSM Organization as the fastest growing company in the region. Etisalat has also recently been awarded licences to commence GSM operations in Egypt and Afghanistan.