The UAE's telecoms market is set to grow in value by US$3.2 billion this year, representing an annual growth rate of 20%, the country's telecoms regulator, TRA, has stated. Smart devices have been identified as being at 'the leading edge' of that growth, says Mohamed Nasser Al Ghanim, director general of TRA. Al Ghanim added that the country's telecoms market has already grown in value from AED30 billion in 2005 to reach a current value of AED60 billion.
"We want the market to thrive and will only create regulation where their is dominance," said Al Ghanim. "We want to develop a competitive framework, which encourages the development of new products."
Much of that growth is underpinned by sustained investment investment in the industry and the TRA has reported that the UAE telecoms sector contributed almost 5% of the country's GDP last year. Investments in the industry totalled US$2.59 billion last year and have resulted in the UAE having one of the highest mobile penetration rates in the world. The large expatriate population means the country's operators can earn high revenues from international calls.
I've been writing about technology for nearly 20 years, including editing industry magazines Connect and Communications International. In 2002 I co-founded Futurity Media with Anthony Plewes. My focus in Futurity Media is in emerging technologies, social media and future gazing. As a graduate of philosophy & science, I have studied futurology & foresight to the post-grad level.