Etisalat, the largest telecoms firm in Mena, plans to invest Dh7 billion ($1.91 billion) on expanding its fibre optic network over the next three years, a senior official said on Thursday.

The telecoms operator, which is majority owned by the government, is bidding to make the UAE capital Abu Dhabi fully connected through fibre optic cable this year.

'Etisalat has invested Dh7 billion so far.  We will invest a similar amount in the next three years,' Ahmad Abdulkarim Julfar, Etisalat's chief operating officer, told a conference.

Etisalat, whose $12 billion bid for a controlling stake in Zain stalled this week after it missed a due diligence deadline, said on Wednesday it was still interested in the Kuwaiti firm. – Reuters