The UAE is the most connected country in the Arab World, says a study.

The Arab Advisors Group’s annual Total Country Connectivity Measure (TCCM) also found that Bahrain lead the region in Internet broadband penetration
 
The Arab Advisors Group (AAG), a member of the Arab Jordan Investment Bank Group, calculates the TCCM by adding the household mainlines penetration, cellular penetration, and Internet user penetration rates in each country.

These results were released on the first day of the Fourth Annual Media and Telecommunications Convergence Conference, which was inaugurated in Amman today (June 4) by Jordanian Minister of ICT Eng Basem Rousan.

“Convergence presents us with a great opportunity that the media and telecom business can greatly benefit from, as new sources of revenue are emerging,” said Rousan.

The conference is taking place at the Four Seasons Hotel in Amman today and tomorrow with the backing of 10 regional and global operators and companies and the participation of 400 delegates from over 18 countries representing leading regional and global media and telecommunications companies.

UAE’s TCCM score of 261.4 per cent availed the country the first rank in the Arab World. Qatar followed at 255.6 per cent, followed by Bahrain (233.9 per cent), Saudi Arabia (173.5 per cent),  Kuwait (161.8 per cent), Oman (137.5 per cent), Libya (131.3 per cent), Jordan (130.3 per cent), Lebanon (113.1 per cent), Algeria (110.4 per cent), Tunisia (110 per cent), Syria (106.4 per cent), Egypt (92.7 per cent), Palestine (74.5 per cent), Morocco (73.2 per cent), Iraq (64.2 per cent), Yemen (42.9 per cent), Mauritania (41 per cent) and Sudan (21.7 per cent). 

The TCCM shows the extent of connectivity of individuals in a certain country whether via fixed lines, cellular lines and/or Internet. There will be an overlap since many individuals will be using these three communications technologies at the same time. However, the measure still yields an accurate and informative picture on the level of ICT services penetration in each country, AAG said. For example, if a country has a TCCM measure of 60 per cent, this means that at least 40 per cent of the population are not users of any of the three services constituting the measure. While a TCCM score of more than 100 per cent is very positive. It nonetheless, does not mean that all the population uses the services due to overlap of usage, it said.

“As usual, the main driver in the increasing TCCM scores by end of 2006 in the Arab World was cellular subscribers’ growth with Internet services contributing a much lower portion of the increase. The Arab World still lags behind developed countries in the penetration and use of broadband Internet –and Internet access at large,” the report said.

Bahrain leads the Arab World with a 5.79 per cent Internet broadband penetration (total broadband accounts by total population). Still this is much lower than Denmark’s 32 per cent, South Korea’s 29 per cent or the United States’ 20 per cent,” Commented Arab Advisors Group’s founder and general manager Jawad Jalal Abbassi.

“While unleashing the cellular boom was relatively easy, effecting a similar boom in the Arab Internet markets –a prerequisite for any knowledge-based economy- will require coordinated and intensive policies and initiatives. This fourth annual media and telecoms convergence conference is a chance for operators, vendors and regulators to further enhance the growth in the regional markets for the benefit of all stakeholders (consumers and companies alike). The continued success of this regional event in Amman is a particular source of pride to us at Arab Advisors Group.” Abbassi added. – TradeArabia News Service