Telecoms & IT
From The Report: Abu Dhabi 2013
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In tandem with the increasing diversification of Abu Dhabi’s economy, the information and communications technology (ICT) industry has come to take on a more prominent role, featuring a much broader range of businesses than was the case even five years ago. Telecoms companies in the UAE are continuing to invest in the country’s physical infrastructure, which is among the most advanced in the world, while the public continues to show a growing appetite for data services, which are driving the telecoms market, as margins on voice services fall. One key feature of the IT sector is the government’s efforts to encourage greater use of IT via e-government and e-learning. ICT is now a full and integral part of the national curriculum in the UAE, and the government is moving to introduce greater use of computers in schools in a bid to enhance overall learning as well as improving e-literacy. This chapter includes an interview with Ahmad Abdulkarim Julfar, CEO, Etisalat Group.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Tech nation: Taking further steps toward becoming a regional IT centre
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In tandem with the increasing diversification of the economy of Abu Dhabi, the information and communications technology (ICT) industry has come to take on a much more prominent role. Abu Dhabi is already home to a much broader range of businesses than was the case even five years ago, which is leading to a broader range of opportunities in ICT. This is resulting in private expenditure accounting for a growing proportion of total ICT spending. At the same time, the trend towards outsourcing in…

Interview

Connecting a tech-savvy populace: OBG talks to Ahmad Abdulkarim Julfar, CEO, Etisalat Group
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Interview: Ahmad Abdulkarim Julfar To what extent will government initiatives help improve information and communications technologies (ICT) penetration in Abu Dhabi? AHMAD ABDULKARIM JULFAR: The ICT sector in the UAE has much potential due to the strong development of the telecoms sector and the technologically savvy local population. At the same time, this makes it more challenging for operators to keep up with the strong demand. In addition, government spending helps to spur ICT penetration…

Analysis

Logging on: Encouraging greater use of IT via e-government and e-learning
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The government of Abu Dhabi is looking to introduce greater automation of service provision – or e-government. This has already started to bear fruit. In 2010-11 the UAE as a whole was ranked 24th in the World Economic Forum’s Networked Readiness Index, and in third place for e-government readiness. Partly, this is in response to global trends; Abu Dhabi is looking to position itself as a global business centre, and the skilled workers it seeks to attract are already used to carrying out…

Overview

In demand: The popularity of data services is growing, while network sharing is likely to promote greater competition
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Continuing to mature, the telecoms market in the UAE exhibits a high rate of penetration and a keen appetite for new services, especially in data. Mobile demand, both voice and broadband, has seen a steady rise, in tandem with high population and economic growth. At the same time, the base of profitability, as measured by average revenue per user (ARPU) is shifting from voice to value-added services, especially mobile internet. IN FIGURES: As part of the UAE, the industry in Abu Dhabi is regulated…

Analysis

Wired up: Moving to network sharing to establish a more level playing field
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As part of its plan to end its reliance on oil and gas, Abu Dhabi is looking to become a business centre on a world scale, based on high-end manufacturing, tourism and the knowledge economy. An essential part of doing this is connectivity, both in terms of transport links and of telecommunications. To this end, the emirate has been investing heavily in upgrading its physical telecoms network. Abu Dhabi is alone in the Gulf in possessing its own sovereign communications satellite system. Al…