Developments in Oman’s telecoms sector in 2017 were centred on the announcement of a third mobile network operator licence and an increase in royalty rates from January 1, which led to a 35-40% drop in net profits that year for the two existing operators, Omantel and Ooredoo. With market penetration in the mobile sector at close to 150%, the sultanate’s third licence is expected to...
The Middle East ICT
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The effects of lower oil prices continue to be felt in Oman, with budget cuts and spending rationalisation still in evidence across the board. However, higher commodity prices in late 2017 and into early 2018 should provide a welcome boost to state revenues.
Like the UAE as a whole, Dubai has one of the most advanced telecoms and IT markets in the Middle East, boasting high levels of smartphone and internet penetration, fast mobile internet speeds and a rapidly growing start-up scene. While prices in the sector – and the fixed-line market in particular – are relatively high, both the fixed-line and mobile segments are expected to see increasing...
Dubai saw steady GDP growth of 2.8% in 2017 and this is expected to reach 3.2% in 2018, with an increased drive towards consolidating its position as a knowledge-based economy. The emirate is among the most diversified in the region, thanks to factors such as a highly attractive business environment that has brought in large amounts of foreign investment.
Accounting for 6% of GDP and 10% of non-oil GDP in 2016, according to the Communications and Information Technology Commission, Saudi Arabia’s ICT sector plays an important part in the Kingdom’s economy. Spending in the sector exceeded SR130bn ($34.7bn) in 2016, and in 2017 it was expected to reach SR138bn ($36.8bn) despite economic headwinds. The government’s recently finalised economic...
2017 proved a momentous year for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as the various strategies related to the country’s Vision 2030 and National Transformation Plan 2020 started to take shape.