Telecom Market Overview
United Arab Emirates Telecom Market is projected to grow from USD 10.90 billion in 2025 to USD 14.86 billion by 2034, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.50% during the forecast period (2025 - 2034). Additionally, the market size for United Arab Emirates Telecom Market was valued at USD 10.53 billion in 2024.
Due to market drivers like population growth, smartphone penetration, the expansion of digital infrastructure, and government initiatives to support digital transformation, the United Arab Emirates telecom market has seen significant growth in recent years.
Figure 1: United Arab Emirates Telecom Market Size, 2025-2034 (USD Billion)
Source: Secondary Research, Primary Research, MRFR Database and Analyst Review
Telecom Market Trends
Rising Internet Penetration to Boost the Market Growth
The United Arab Emirates telecom market CAGR is anticipated to grow faster in the future due to rising internet penetration. Internet penetration, also known as internet adoption rate or internet penetration rate, is a metric that indicates the proportion of the overall population within a given region, demographic, or organization that has access to and makes use of the internet. As more people use the internet, telecom companies have more and more options to grow their businesses, enhance their infrastructure, provide new services, and boost revenue, all while promoting social and economic advancement. For instance, a research states that the United Arab Emirates has the greatest percentage of active internet users worldwide—99% of the population.
Significant factors contributing to the market growth included rising replacement rates, rising average device usage per user, and consumers switching from feature phones to smartphones as a result of price reductions. The rollout of 5G has already occurred, and the faster mobile internet it offers is anticipated to further propel the expansion of the nation's mobile network market. Major operators, mostly government-owned Etisalat and Du, dominate the thriving mobile market in the United Arab Emirates. The mobile network is always evolving, and companies that operate in these countries are growing. Thus, driving the telecom market revenue.
Telecom Market Segment Insights
Telecom Service Type Insights
The United Arab Emirates Telecom market segmentation, based on service type, includes Fixed-Line Services, Mobile Services and Broadband Services. The mobile services segment dominated the market mostly. This is explained by the fact that consumers' use of cell phones is steadily increasing. Throughout the course of the projection period, the segment growth is anticipated to be further supported by the rapidly increasing demand for high-speed broadband mobile services for both business and household applications.
Telecom Network Type Insights
The United Arab Emirates Telecom market segmentation, based on network type, includes 2G, 3G, 4G/LTE and 5G. The 5G category generated the most income. With the introduction of next-generation high-speed networks, there is an increasing need for telecom services in corporate applications. In order to get faster data bandwidth and reduce network latency, businesses are deploying 5G small cell networks and private 5G networks.
Figure 1: United Arab Emirates Telecom Market, by Network Type, 2023 & 2032 (USD Billion)
Source: Secondary Research, Primary Research, MRFR Database and Analyst Review
Telecom End User Insights
The United Arab Emirates Telecom market segmentation, based on end user, includes Residential, Commercial and Industrial. The residential category generated the most income. The growing popularity of watching ultra-high-definition movies and playing online games is expected to propel the segment's growth. The need for high-speed Internet services has been rising quickly due to the rise in the number of persons working remotely. To efficiently do their everyday responsibilities, a large number of residential end users need access to fast, dependable, and reasonably priced Internet services.
Telecom Country Insights
The government's numerous initiatives to improve the nation's internet infrastructure and broadband connection, the rise in data consumption by individuals and businesses, the expansion of 5G deployments throughout the nation, and various innovations by the major telecom market vendors operating in the United Arab Emirates have all contributed to the significant transformation of the United Arab Emirates telecom market over the past few years. The World Bank reports that every person in the nation has access to the internet. The number of people utilizing the internet is predicted to rise due to factors such as the increasing percentage of people using smartphones, the improved service quality provided by operators, and advancements in infrastructure and technology. Moreover, the introduction of 6G and the growing use of 5G are also anticipated to propel market expansion. The region is seeing a steady increase in 5G adoption as 5G network coverage grows. The GSMA reports that there are signs of growing 5G coverage. 90% of the population in the United Arab Emirates have access to 5G by the end of 2021. Another important aspect driving the market's expansion is the rising cost of communication. The market has profited mostly from the rising number of people using smartphones and the increased demand for telecom services from both consumers and companies in recent years.
Telecom Key Market Players & Competitive Insights
Leading market players are investing heavily in research and development in order to expand their product lines, which will help the telecom market, grow even more. Market participants are also undertaking a variety of strategic activities to expand their footprint, with important market developments including new product launches, contractual agreements, mergers and acquisitions, higher investments, and collaboration with other organizations. To expand and survive in a more competitive and rising market climate, telecom industry must offer cost-effective items.
Major players in the telecom market are attempting to increase market demand by investing in research and development operations, including Etisalat Group, Thuraya Telecommunications Company, du (Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company), Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Inmarsat plc, Virgin Mobile United Arab Emirates, Yahsat (Al Yah Satellite Communications Company), Ericsson, Nokia Corporation, and Cisco Systems, Inc.
Key companies in the telecom market include
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Etisalat Group
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Thuraya Telecommunications Company
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du (Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company)
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Inmarsat plc
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Virgin Mobile United Arab Emirates
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Yahsat (Al Yah Satellite Communications Company)
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Telecom Industry Developments
In April 2023, Etisalat by E& introduced enhanced business mobile plans – with higher data and other features with no extra charges – to support the changing needs of their clients in the competitive business landscape. Business First Plus and Business Xtreme will seek to offer more data allowances to clients to meet the increased data service needs of businesses.
In April 2023, the Internet of Things ("IoT") came up with an investment arrangement with Astrocast, a leading Low Earth Orbit network operator company, in collaboration with Thuraya Telecommunications Company. In order to assist with Thuraya's market expansion in the telecommunication industry, this deal hopes to extend the four-year technical partnership agreement that the two companies originally agreed to four years ago.
In the year 2023, the United Arab Emirates adopted the fifth-generation technology. Its implementation in the country was thought to provide better mobile broadband as well as better Internet of Things systems interconnectivity while also enabling new and creative applications and services to be developed and supported.
In 2023, Nokia announced that Du, from Emirates Integrated Telecommunication Company, has deployed Nokia's MAG to furnish broadband services for business and residential purposes over 4G/5G FWA in addition to mobile services. The telecom company is using the Nokia FastMile 5G gateways, MAG, and Nokia professional services.
In October 2023, Nedaa, which is a professional communication corporation based in the Middle East, collaborated with Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (du) and announced that they signed an MoU intended to improve collaboration in the telecommunication sector. This collaboration aimed to implement several of Du's IoT project initiatives within the alliance's network, enhancing national roaming coverage across the UAE.
In April 2023, for instance, in April 2023, Etisalat by E& stated that it would be restructuring its mobile plans, offering wider data and other features than ever at no additional cost to meet client's expectations in the evolving business arena. Depending on the growth of data usage among companies, Business First Plus and Business Xtreme plan to offer subscribers even larger volumes of data.Telecom Market Segmentation
Telecom Service Type Outlook
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Fixed-Line Services
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Mobile Services
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Broadband Services
Telecom Network Type Outlook
Telecom End User Outlook
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Residential
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Commercial
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Industrial
Report Attribute/Metric |
Details |
Market Size 2024
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10.53 (USD Billion)
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Market Size 2025
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10.90 (USD Billion)
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Market Size 2034
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14.86 (USD Billion)
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Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
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3.50% (2025 - 2034)
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Report Coverage
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Revenue Forecast, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors, and Trends
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Base Year
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2024
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Market Forecast Period
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2025 - 2034
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Historical Data
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2019 - 2023
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Market Forecast Units
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USD Billion
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Segments Covered |
Service Type, Network Type, End User, and Region |
Countries Covered |
United Arab Emirates |
Key Companies Profiled |
Etisalat Group, Thuraya Telecommunications Company, du (Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company), Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Inmarsat plc, Virgin Mobile United Arab Emirates, Yahsat (Al Yah Satellite Communications Company), Ericsson, Nokia Corporation, and Cisco Systems, Inc. |
Key Market Opportunities |
Growing Industry Digital Transformation |
Key Market Dynamics |
Increased Smartphone Penetration Rising Policies of the Government and PPP Projects |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) :
The United Arab Emirates Telecom market size was valued at USD 10.53 Billion in 2024.
The market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 3.50% during the forecast period, 2025-2034.
The key players in the market are Etisalat Group, Thuraya Telecommunications Company, du (Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company), Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Inmarsat plc, Virgin Mobile United Arab Emirates, Yahsat (Al Yah Satellite Communications Company), Ericsson, Nokia Corporation, and Cisco Systems, Inc.
The mobile services category dominated the market in 2023.
The 5G category had the largest share of the market.