United Arab Emirates - Key Statistics, Regulatory and Fixed-line Telecoms Overview

Synopsis

The UAE has long held the distinction of possessing a well-developed and technologically advanced telecommunications sector with high mobile, telephone and Internet penetration. However other countries in the region have been faster to liberalise their markets and are fast catching up in terms of penetration levels. Due to World Trade Organization (WTO) requirements, Etisalat lost its monopoly a second operator, du, launched services followed later by third operator, Yahsat. Motivated by the perceived lack of growth opportunities in domestic markets, Etisalat has expanded internationally into the Middle East, Africa and West Asia. This report provides a concise overview, backed by statistics, of the telecoms market, the regulatory background and the fixed-line market.

Table of Contents

• 1. Synopsis
• 2. Key statistics
  • 2.1 Country overview
• 3. Telecommunications market
  • 3.1 Overview of UAE’s telecom market
• 4. Regulatory environment
  • 4.1 Background
  • 4.2 Regulatory authority
  • 4.3 Liberalisation
    • 4.3.1 Second operator
    • 4.3.2 Third operator
    • 4.3.3 Satellite licence
    • 4.3.4 Interconnection and access
    • 4.3.5 Number Portability (NP)
  • 4.4 VoIP prohibited
• 5. Fixed network operators in UAE
  • 5.1 Overview
  • 5.2 Emirates Telecommunications Corporation (Etisalat)
    • 5.3 Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company/du
    • 5.4 Yahsat
    • 6. Telecommunications infrastructure
      • 6.1 National telecom networks
      • 6.2 International infrastructure
        • 6.2.1 Submarine cable networks
        • 6.2.2 Terrestrial cable networks
        • 6.2.3 Satellite networks
      • 6.3 Telecoms & IT
    • 7. Related reports
    • Table 1 – Country statistics United Arab Emirates – 2011
    • Table 2 – Telephone network statistics – 2011
    • Table 3 – Internet user and subscriber statistics – June 2011
    • Table 4 – Broadband statistics – June 2011
    • Table 5 – Mobile statistics – 2011
    • Table 6 – National telecommunications authority
    • Table 7 – GDP growth and inflation – 2005 - 2011
    • Table 8 – Total telecommunications revenue by sector – 2007 - 2010
    • Table 9 – Total fixed network revenue and ARPU – 2007 - 2010
    • Table 10 – Etisalat group revenues and divisional representation – 2005 - 2011
    • Table 11 – du revenue and profit/loss – 2006 - 2011
    • Table 12 – du fixed line subscribers – 2010 - 2011
    • Table 13 – Fixed lines in service, teledensity and subscribers by operator – 1995 - 2012
    • Chart 1 – UAE fixed-line and mobile subscribers – 2000 – 2012