Internet speeds boost UAE’s position as a preferred place to live and work

The UAE’s ICT sector continues to achieve qualitative achievements in terms of internet, mobile and fixed phone speeds, which has led to it achieving top positions globally in many global competitiveness indicators that measure the development and quality of communications infrastructure around the world, at a time when two global reports revealed that high internet speeds in the UAE were among the main factors in classifying Dubai and Abu Dhabi as preferred places to live and work.

Advanced telecommunications services and digital readiness have been key factors in the UAE’s comprehensive development journey and in enhancing its efforts to complete the transformation system to a knowledge economy. The sector is the gateway to the Fourth Industrial Revolution era, with its new developments such as the Internet of Things, fifth generation, technologies supported by artificial intelligence, and smart transportation.

According to international institutions, the UAE ranks first globally in many indicators and reports that monitor the quality of life and appropriate digital infrastructure, including super-fast mobile internet speeds, broadband and fixed, making it the preferred place to live over many other countries.

In a recent report by global financial technology services company SumUp, Dubai was ranked the third best city in the world for entrepreneurs to live and work in. The speed of mobile and fixed internet was one of the most important factors that contributed to this ranking, as the average internet speed for fixed broadband reached 235 megabytes per second, and the average internet speed for mobile phones was 269 megabytes per second.

Dubai and Abu Dhabi have been ranked as the best destinations for hybrid work and living, according to a recent study by Savills Plc, which confirmed that the UAE’s high internet speeds were among the main factors in topping the rankings of the two cities. The UAE also achieved a historic precedent after becoming the only country to be crowned the world’s top in network speed for both fixed and mobile broadband, according to the latest ranking from the global Ookla Speedtest Index.

The UAE ranked first globally in the percentage of fiber optic network penetration to homes, at 99.3%, according to the annual report issued by the FTTH Council.

The UAE outperformed Singapore, which recorded a rate of 97.1%, followed by Hong Kong with 95.3%, China with 92.9%, and South Korea with 91.5%.