The development of telecoms and communication technology in the Middle East over the last 20 years
Today we take telecommunications for granted, with easy access to the internet and telephones. Businesses rely heavily on telecommunications to conduct their business, and the role that telecommunications plays in trade is vital in allowing businesses to reach out to their customers and facilitate global trade agreements.
From 1976 to 2006, the Emirates Telecommunications Corporation, which trades under the name Etisalat, was the sole provider of telecommunications for the UAE. The company operates in 15 countries in the Middle East, and also in Asia and Africa. With a mobile network operation that is the 17th largest in the world, it was named the UAE’s most powerful company by Forbes in 2012. In February 2006, a new internet and telephone service provider challenged its monopoly; today however the company is a provider of innovative services and solutions to 169 million subscribers.
There are other successful telecommunications companies – such as that established by entrepreneur Ehsan Bayat in Afghanistan – that have been established in the Middle East and other areas. With more than 3 million subscribers, Afghan Wireless is one of the largest internet and cellular phone providers in Afghanistan.
For developing economies, improved communications are essential for development. Local traders and large businesses that operate on an international stage require good communications for success. Economic development depends on access to information and the free flow of communication.
The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) seeks to encourage governments and key stakeholders to work to create sustainable development and effective public-private partnerships. The WSIS emphasizes the role of governments in promoting communication and information technologies. The UAE has made progress towards achieving this aim via innovative programs, initiatives and funding opportunities. The Telecommunication Regulatory Authority, which governs telecommunications in the UAE, has made significant efforts towards encouraging government and non-government organizations to commit to achievement of the WSIS objectives, and is set to achieve the higher objectives of WSIS by 2015.
The UAE is now the highest-ranked Arab country for the quality of its telecommunications infrastructure and connectivity. The UAE is also fourth behind Japan, the Republic of Korea and Hong Kong for fiber-optic penetration. In 2011, the UAE had 30.8% of its businesses and households connected to a fiber optic network. The telecoms sector is one of the UAE’s fastest growing sectors and it has the highest penetration in the region. In the future, the UAE could see unprecedented growth in competition and the quality of its services. The population is growing at a reasonable rate, business enterprises are flourishing, and with world-class infrastructure the UAE telecom market could be a major contributor to the UAE’s GDP.
Telecommunications are key to the development of economies. Governments should be encouraged to oversee and enhance connectivity by providing their citizens and businesses with better broadband access, connecting educational establishments such as schools, universities and research centers and making access available to minorities and small societies.
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