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Discuss this article (11 Comments)UAE offers cheapest broadband in Gulf
by This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it on Monday, 12 January 2009
zoomCHEAP DEALS: Survey has found the UAE is the cheapest place in the Gulf for broadband. (Getty Images)
People living in the UAE enjoy one of the lowest ADSL broadband internet rates in the Gulf, a study by media and telecommunications analysts has found.
The latest report by Arab Advisors of 19 Middle East countries used the ADSL Affordability Measure (AAM) to calculate the total annual cost of ADSL in a country as a percentage of that country’s GDP per capital.
The higher the ratio the less affordable the service is in that country.
It found that the UAE registered at 1.3 percent, making it the lowest in the Gulf for broadband, closely followed by Kuwait at 1.8 percent, Bahrain at 2.3 percent and Saudi Arabia at 4.2 percent.
Iraq and Mauritania had the most expensive services in the Middle East, registering at 58.8 percent and 92 percent respectively for speeds of 256 Kbps.
For speeds of 512 Kbps, Qatar had the most affordable service registering at just 1.4 percent, followed closely by the UAE at 1.6 percent.
Other countries in the study included Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia and Yemen.
READERS' COMMENTS
Disclaimer: The views expressed here by our readers are not necessarily shared by ArabianBusiness.com or its employees.
What are they afraid of?
Posted by Brian C, Dubai, UAE on Monday 16 February 2009 at 19:43 UAE time
Why don't Etisalat and Du just sit together and finally give in to what their customers have been demanding this whole time... they KNOW people want MUCH higher speeds for MUCH less money... if they do the maths they can provide that, and since more people would be signing up they can make up for the lost revenue per user that way... otherwise they will be the sole result for corporations leaving Dubai just as they did the more affluent countries in Europe recently.
Posted by Brian C, Dubai, UAE on Monday 16 February 2009 at 19:43 UAE time
Why don't Etisalat and Du just sit together and finally give in to what their customers have been demanding this whole time... they KNOW people want MUCH higher speeds for MUCH less money... if they do the maths they can provide that, and since more people would be signing up they can make up for the lost revenue per user that way... otherwise they will be the sole result for corporations leaving Dubai just as they did the more affluent countries in Europe recently.
misleading headline
Posted by Mohammed, dxb on Tuesday 13 January 2009 at 13:26 UAE time
You are publishing a very misleading headline. Comparing the total cost of broadband with the GDP is absurd.
Just a few days back, Arabian Business had published that the Mid-east broadband prices are too high
Compare the prices here with the recently launched 50MB connection of Virgin in the UK starting at about Dhs. 175/-.
Low percentage compared to GDP is due to the low penetration of broadband and not due to low prices. If you want to compare the prices in GCC, publish the monthly rental of a 512K connection in the 6 countries.
Posted by Mohammed, dxb on Tuesday 13 January 2009 at 13:26 UAE time
You are publishing a very misleading headline. Comparing the total cost of broadband with the GDP is absurd.
Just a few days back, Arabian Business had published that the Mid-east broadband prices are too high
Compare the prices here with the recently launched 50MB connection of Virgin in the UK starting at about Dhs. 175/-.
Low percentage compared to GDP is due to the low penetration of broadband and not due to low prices. If you want to compare the prices in GCC, publish the monthly rental of a 512K connection in the 6 countries.
Socail responsibility
Posted by Luis, Dubai, UAE on Tuesday 13 January 2009 at 11:05 UAE time
Some people could argue that this is being generous with others people money.
Posted by Luis, Dubai, UAE on Tuesday 13 January 2009 at 11:05 UAE time
Some people could argue that this is being generous with others people money.
Social responsibilty
Posted by Martin on Tuesday 13 January 2009 at 08:57 UAE time
From a different viewpoint it must be noted that Etisalat has taken on large social responsibilities by investing large sums of its revenues into its workforce, which boasts the highest numbers of Emirati. As a customer you can decide to tell yourself part of your telcom bill can be seen as development aid.
Posted by Martin on Tuesday 13 January 2009 at 08:57 UAE time
From a different viewpoint it must be noted that Etisalat has taken on large social responsibilities by investing large sums of its revenues into its workforce, which boasts the highest numbers of Emirati. As a customer you can decide to tell yourself part of your telcom bill can be seen as development aid.
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