The UAE has ranked among top 20 countries globally in the fixed broadband index with the fastest average download speeds in May 2021, according to the latest data from Ookla , a global leader in fixed broadband and mobile network testing applications, data and analysis.

“This global achievement is a testimony to UAE leadership’s vision and commitment in bringing the country to the forefront taking a lead in the ICT sector while being the most advanced country in digital transformation. With the joint efforts of both operators we aim to bring the UAE among the top 10 globally in the Speed test Global Index from Ookla,” Majed Sultan Al Mesmar, Director-General of the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), said.

“This will uplift the national performance, enabling the ICT aspirations of the leadership. I hereby thank telecom service providers in the UAE for their relentless efforts towards this achievement, which is part of UAE’s preparations for the age of Fourth Industrial Revolution and the Artificial Intelligence,” he added.

UAE reached an average download speed of 180 Mbps in May 2021, from the January 2021 average of 125Mbps in the fixed broadband SpeedtestTM results. This massive increase was mainly due to the corporate programme and initiatives taken by Etisalat and du in 2021 to boost UAE’s fixed broadband ranking.

This led to a significant rise in the country’s broadband ranking, thrusting the UAE by 12 positions from 28th rank in January 2021 to 16th in the global index in May 2021, to be among the top 20 countries globally, whilst UAE was ranked first on the index in the wider Middle East and Africa (MEA) region.

The high speeds on the fixed broadband network are a prerequisite to delivering the best and most advanced services in the UAE as it enters the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT) and the fourth industrial revolution. This is also a major contributing factor to the well-being, economic wealth and social prosperity of a nation. Etisalat and du have worked towards continuously providing the best customer experience with the highest penetration of fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) connectivity in the world, and modernising the network to offer the best in class telecom services.

Both operators launched specialised packages and promotions giving customers an opportunity to enjoy higher speeds in their home. There were further improvements and upgrades made on the network capacity while also boosting international data capacity to enable consumers with the best experience when they, learn, work and get entertained from home.

The Speedtest Global index, which assesses over 135 countries, compares internet speed data from around the world on a monthly basis. Data for the index comes from the hundreds of millions of tests taken by real people using the speed test every month.