09/02/2024 | Press release | Archived content
Washington, DC, 23 September 2024-The Internet Society (ISOC), a global charitable organization advocating for an open, globally connected, and secure Internet, released a comprehensive report on the state of Internet connectivity across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
The report underscores Internet connectivity as a catalyst for economic growth and social development and how an increase in fixed broadband access has a direct impact on growing gross domestic product (GDP).
1.Growth in Mobile and Fixed Broadband: Both mobile and fixed broadband connections have grown substantially from 2015 to 2021, particularly in Gulf States with advanced fiber-optic and 5G networks. However, deployment has been slower in other parts of the region, primarily due to infrastructure challenges and affordability issues.
2. Infrastructure Challenges: There is a heavy reliance on European Internet Exchange Points for international Internet traffic, which results in slower speeds due to additional data hops.
3.Emerging Technologies: The report emphasizes the role of emerging technologies such as High-Throughput Satellites (HTS) and Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites in bridging the connectivity gap. These technologies are crucial for expanding access to underserved rural areas.
4. Impact of COVID-19: The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected network performance and digital transformation plans, causing delays and disruptions in connectivity improvements.
1.Policy and Regulation: The Internet Society advocates revising regulatory frameworks to accelerate infrastructure deployment. Key recommendations include enhancing spectrum policies, removing regulatory barriers, and fostering public-private partnerships to drive investment, competition, and support for small and medium enterprises.
2. Collaboration and Investment: Promote public-private partnerships and update national broadband plans to improve infrastructure and connectivity.
3. Digital Skills and Literacy: Addressing digital skills and literacy is crucial for maximizing the benefits of Internet connectivity. The report calls for more affordable, relevant, and inclusive education and training programs to build a digital workforce.
4. Local Internet Exchange Points (IXPs): The report stresses the importance of establishing and upgrading IXPs to enhance local Internet traffic, reduce costs, and improve service quality. Governments are encouraged to support IXPs by providing resources and facilitating network interconnections.
Founded by Internet pioneers, the Internet Society (ISOC) is a global charitable organization dedicated to ensuring the open development, evolution, and use of the Internet. Through a global community of chapters and members, the Internet Society collaborates with a wide range of groups to promote the technologies that keep the Internet safe and secure and advocates for policies that enable universal access. The Internet Society is also the organizational home of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).
Find French and Arabic versions of the report.
Allesandra deSantillana
Internet Society Foundation
[email protected]