The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has undertaken the most intensive survey of ICT in the history of the UAE. The survey focuses primarily on ICT access (i.e. internet connections) and ICT use (i.e. utilization of internet). The survey was conducted over 6 months and covered 7 sectors: Households, Private Sector, Education Establishments, Higher Education Establishments, Government, ICT Business Sector, and Public Internet Access Center (PIAC) Establishments (e.g., internet cafes and public libraries).
4. Contents
General Overview and Key Findings .................................................................................. 8
Chapter 1:
Indicators Report for Households .................................................................................... 12
Chapter 2:
Indicators Report for the Private Sector ........................................................................... 18
Chapter 3:
Indicators Report for Educational Establishments ............................................................ 26
Chapter 4:
Indicators Report for Higher Educational Establishments ................................................ 36
Chapter 5:
Indicators Report for Public Sector Establishments .......................................................... 46
Chapter 6:
Indicators Report for the ICT Business Sector .................................................................. 52
Chapter 7:
Indicators Report for PIAC Establishments ....................................................................... 60
Chapter 8:
International Benchmarks ................................................................................................ 62
Chapter 9:
Methodology .................................................................................................................... 72
6. CONTENTS
GENERAL OVERVIEW AND KEY FINDINGS.........................................................................8
Overview ..............................................................................................................................................................................8
Key Findings ..........................................................................................................................................................................8
ICT in Households .................................................................................................................................................................8
ICT in the Private Sector ........................................................................................................................................................8
ICT in Educational Establishments .........................................................................................................................................8
ICT in Higher Educational Establishments ..............................................................................................................................8
ICT in the Government Sector ...............................................................................................................................................8
ICT in the ICT Business Sector ...............................................................................................................................................8
ICT in Public Internet Access Centers (PIACs) ........................................................................................................................8
CHAPTER 1: INDICATORS REPORT FOR HOUSEHOLDS .................................................12
Proportion of households with a mobile cellular telephone...................................................................................................12
Proportion of indivduals with use of a mobile phone ............................................................................................................12
Proportion of households with a fixed line telephone ..........................................................................................................12
Proportion of households with a computer ..........................................................................................................................12
Proportion of individuals aged between 15 and 74 who used a computer at home in the last 12 months ............................12
Proportion of individuals aged between 15 and 74 who used the Internet in the last 12 months ..........................................12
Locations where individuals users accessed the Internet in the last 12 months (multiple responses possible) .......................13
Internet activities undertaken by individuals in the last 12 months (multiple responses possible) .........................................13
Frequency of individual Internet use in the last 12 months (from any location) ....................................................................14
Proportion of households that are satisfied with telecommunication service operators’ customer service levels ...................14
Proportion of households that are satisfied with the quality of telecommunication and internet services in the UAE ............14
Proportion of households that have noticed any improvements in the telecommunication service operators’ prices over the
past year or two ...................................................................................................................................................................15
Proportion of households that are satisfied with the telecommunication service operators’ current prices............................15
Proportion of households that have noticed more choices, offers or options in the telecommunication service operators’ services
in the past year or two .........................................................................................................................................................15
Proportion of households that are satisfied with the telecommunication service operators’ current service offerings ............16
Proportion of households with electricity.............................................................................................................................16
Proportion of households with a radio .................................................................................................................................16
Proportion of households with a television ..........................................................................................................................16
CHAPTER 2: INDICATORS REPORT FOR THE PRIVATE SECTOR .......................................18
Proportion of Businesses with computers .............................................................................................................................18
Proportion of businesses with a website...............................................................................................................................18
Proportion of businesses with an intranet, local area network (LAN), or extranet (multiple responses possible) ....................19
Proportion of businesses receiving orders over the Internet ..................................................................................................20
Proportion of businesses placing orders over the Internet .....................................................................................................21
Proportion of businesses with Internet access ......................................................................................................................22
Business use of the Internet by type of activity (multiple responses possible) ........................................................................23
Proportion of Employees using computers ...........................................................................................................................24
CHAPTER 3: INDICATORS REPORT FOR EDUCATIONAL ESTABLISHMENTS...................26
Schools with computer laboratories .....................................................................................................................................26
Percentage of schools with basic telecommunication infrastructure or telephone access......................................................26
Percentage of schools with an Internet connection ..............................................................................................................26
Teachers and ICT training and use .......................................................................................................................................27
Percentage of teachers with mobile phone, use of Internet in school, E-mail, E-mail for communicating with students ........27
Ratio of Students to computers in laboratories .....................................................................................................................28
Percentage of students who use the Internet at school ..........................................................................................................29
Percentage of students using Internet regardless of location .................................................................................................29
Student use of the Internet by type of activity .......................................................................................................................29
Percentage of students with mobile phones, computers at home, E-mail ..............................................................................30
Percentage of students who can use computer, digital camera, design a webpage ...............................................................31
Location of computer learning (multiple responses possible) ...............................................................................................32
Looking at the same separated by public and private shows ................................................................................................33
Percentage of schools with electricity ..................................................................................................................................33
6 SUMMARY OF 2008 UAE ICT SURVEY RESULTS
7. Percentage of schools with a radio set used for educational purposes ..................................................................................33
CHAPTER 4: INDICATOR REPORT FOR HIGHER EDUCATIONAL ESTABLISHMENTS ......36
Percentage of schools with computer laboratories ...............................................................................................................36
Percentage of schools with basic telecommunication infrastructure or telephone access......................................................36
Teachers and ICT training and use .......................................................................................................................................37
Percentage of teachers with mobile phones, use of Internet in school, E-mail, E-mail for communicating with students .......37
Ratio of Students to computers in laboratories .....................................................................................................................39
Percentage of students who use the Internet at school ..........................................................................................................39
Percentage of students using Internet at school by frequency ...............................................................................................39
Student use of the Internet by type of activity (multiple responses possible) .........................................................................39
Percentage of students with mobile phones, computers at home, E-mail ..............................................................................40
Percentage of students who can use computer, digital camera, design a webpage ...............................................................41
Percentage distribution of computer-literate students by sources of learning school, home, elsewhere (multiple responses
possible) ..............................................................................................................................................................................42
Percentage of schools with electricity ..................................................................................................................................43
Percentage of schools with a radio set used for educational purposes ..................................................................................43
Percentage of schools with a television set used for educational purposes ...........................................................................43
CHAPTER 5: INDICATOR REPORT FOR PUBLIC SECTOR ESTABLISHMENTS ...................46
Percentage of staff working in the ICT sector .......................................................................................................................46
Percentage of staff with ICT skills .........................................................................................................................................46
Staff to somputer ratio..........................................................................................................................................................46
Percentage of computers connected to the Internet ..............................................................................................................46
Percentage ministries/organizations with an Internet Connection .........................................................................................46
Looking at the same separated by federal and non federal shows.........................................................................................46
Percentage of ministries/organizations with an Intranet ........................................................................................................47
Percentage of ministries/organizations using E-mail for official internal and external communications.................................47
Percentage of ministries/organizations linked to other ministries/organizations ....................................................................47
Percentage of ministries/organizations with a website ..........................................................................................................47
Percentage of ministries/organizations collecting Statistics on customer satisfaction of their online services ........................48
CHAPTER 6: INDICATOR REPORT FOR THE ICT BUSINESS SECTOR ...............................52
Proportion of ICT Businesses with computers ......................................................................................................................52
Proportion of ICT businesses with a website ........................................................................................................................52
Proportion of ICT businesses with an intranet, local area network (LAN), or extranet (multiple responses possible)..............53
Proportion of ICT businesses receiving orders over the Internet............................................................................................54
Proportion of ICT businesses placing orders over the Internet ..............................................................................................55
Proportion of ICT businesses with Internet access ................................................................................................................56
ICT Business use of the Internet by type of activity (multiple responses possible) .................................................................57
Proportion of ICT business employees using the Internet at work .........................................................................................58
CHAPTER 7: INDICATOR REPORT FOR PIAC ESTABLISHMENTS .....................................60
Composition of PIACs ..........................................................................................................................................................60
Number of visiting customers per month .............................................................................................................................60
Average hours spent by customer in a PIAC per visit ............................................................................................................60
CHAPTER 8: INTERNATIONAL BENCHMARKS ..................................................................62
Benchmarking .....................................................................................................................................................................62
Results .................................................................................................................................................................................62
Other international benchmark study findings .....................................................................................................................67
CHAPTER 9: METHODOLOGY...........................................................................................72
Approach ............................................................................................................................................................................72
Indicators ............................................................................................................................................................................72
Survey Instrument ................................................................................................................................................................72
Sampling and Survey Methodology .....................................................................................................................................72
Field Research .....................................................................................................................................................................72
8. General Overview & Key Findings
Overview
The Telecommunications Regulatory Autheirty (TRA) has undertaken the most intensive survey of ICT in the history of the UAE.
The survey focuses primarily on ICT access (i.e. internet connections) and ICT use (i.e. utilization of internet). The survey was
conducted over 6 months and covered 7 sectors: Households, Private Sector, Education Establishments, Higher Education
Establishments, Government, ICT Business Sector, and Public Internet Access Center (PIAC) Establishments (e.g., internet cafes
and public libraries).
The survey targeted both household level and organizational level. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with call backs to
ensure the authenticity of the responses. A total of 1,350 households, 1,510 private sector establishments, 194 educational
establishments, 44 higher educational establishments, 154 public sector Establishments, 403 ICT sector establishments,
and 144 Public Internet Access Centers participated in this study.
One of the benefits of this survey is that it will allow TRA to measure the status of the UAE in terms of the 48 ICT “core in-
dicators” that have been developed and agreed to by international organizations including the ITU, the OECD, UNCTAD,
UNESCO Institute for Statistics, the World Bank, and a range of UN Regional Commissions. Of the 48 core indicators, 33 rely
on survey data and this survey has collected information on all 33 of these indicators. TRA has been collecting information
for the remaining core indicators in a separate exercise, and the only missing core indicators are macroeconomic items not
currently available from UAE sources.
To ensure consistency with the way the ITU defines the various indicators, the following parameters were applied throughout
this study:
• The household surveys were limited to people aged between 15 and 74 years; and
• The private sector and ICT business surveys were limited to those with 10 or more employees.
Key findings from the survey are as follows.
ICT in Households
Internet connection penetration in households has reached 66% overall, while penetration rates among nationals is 83%.
87% of household internet connections are broadband, with this rate increasing to 95% among national households. 74% of
households have at least one computer, and 72% of the UAE population aged between 15 and 74 used the Internet in the last
12 months, although not necessarily from the home.
65% of respondents have noticed reductions in prices of telecommunication services in the past year or two, and 71% have
noticed the availability of more choices, offers or options in the telecommunication service operators’ services.
ICT in the Private Sector
The private sector in the UAE makes intensive use of ICT in thier business operetions with 97% of private sector establishments
haveing computer, 81% of employees use a computer at work. 82% of establishments have a website. 26% of businesses
have made online sales, while 29% have made online purchases.
ICT in Educational Establishments
The vast majority of school students, 84%, use the Internet at their schools. On average, 99% of educational establishments
have a computer laboratory and each school has, on average, 38 laboratory computers.
93% of schools have an internet connection, with DSL being the most popular.
95% of teacher have undertaken some form of professional ICT qualification.
8 SUMMARY OF 2008 UAE ICT SURVEY RESULTS
9. ICT in Higher Educational Establishments
Every higher educational establishment surveyed has some form of Internet connection, with DSL being the most popular type
of connection. 98% have a computer laboratory. The average number of computers in laboratories in each establishment is
280. 97% of higher education students use the Internet at the establishment, and 98% of the teachers have been trained to
use ICT for instructional purposes.
ICT in the Government Sector
The Government has devoted considerable effort into enhancing levels of “e-government” in the UAE, and this appears to be
reflected in the results of the survey.
97% of government sector establishments have internet access and 89% have a website. 86% offer some form of online serv-
ices to the public.
41% of government employees work in ICT related jobs, of which 67% are occupied by UAE nationals. Overall, 63% of
employees have ICT skills.
ICT in the ICT Business Sector
The survey also examined ICT in the ICT-specific business sector. As would be expected, levels of ICT access and use in this
sector are higher than that of the overall private sector.
95% of the employees in ICT business establishments use a computer at work versus 81% in the overall private sector.
92% of ICT businesses have a website, a significantly higher figure than the overall private sector figure of 82%.
While in the overall private sector, dialup connections comprise 19% of total internet connections, in the ICT business sector
they make up only 9% of total connections.
ICT in Public Internet Access Centers (PIACs)
PIACs are proving to be a popular way of access the Internet. On average, PIACs have 57 customers per day with each visit
lasting around 1.7 hours.
11. Chapter 1
Household Sector Report
1,350 households were surveyed. For each household the head of household was
interviewed as well as one randomly chosen household individual between the
ages of 15 and 74. There were 690,964 households in the UAE in 2008 (latest
available data).
12. CHAPTER 1:
INDICATOR REPORT FOR HOUSEHOLDS
Proportion of households with a mobile cellular telephone
99% of the households in the UAE have at least one mobile phone in the household. The average UAE household has 4.3
mobiles. Based on TRA statistics, mobile penetration reached 200% by October 2009, highest rate worldwide, This penetra-
tion is measured by dividing active mobile subscriptions by the UAE total population.
Proportion of indivduals with use of a mobile phone
96% percent of respondents surveyed had access to a mobile phone which may be owned by the respondent or another party
Proportion of households with a fixed line telephone
57% of the households in the UAE have a fixed line telephone connection.
Proportion of households with a computer
From the survey, 74% of the households have at least one computer in the household. The desktop was the most popular type
of computer (60%) while the laptops were the next most popular (52%). The average UAE household has 1.7 computers.
For the purposes of this survey, a computer includes: a desktop, portable or handheld computer (e.g. a personal digital assistant).
It does not include equipment with some embedded computing abilities such as mobile phones or TV sets.
Proportion of individuals aged between 15 and 74 who used a computer at home in the last
12 months
74% of survey respondents aged between 15 and 74 have used a computer at their home in the last 12 months.
Proportion of households with Internet access at home
66% of households have Internet access at home (i.e. the household has an internet connection). For households with Internet
connections 87% have broadband, while 13% have dial-up.
Figure 1: Type of Internet Connection
Among UAE nationals, households 83% have Internet connections and of those with Internet 95% use broadband.
12 SUMMARY OF 2008 UAE ICT SURVEY RESULTS
13. Proportion of individuals aged between 15 and 74 who used the Internet in the last 12 months
72% of individuals have accessed the Internet in the last 12 months, although not necessarily from the home.
Locations where individuals users accessed the Internet in the last 12 months (multiple
responses possible)
Of the individuals that use the Internet, 87% accessed it from home while 41% of respondents accessed it from work.
Figure 2: Locations
Internet activities undertaken by individuals in the last 12 months (multiple responses
possible)
Individuals were asked to select from a list of Internet activities: use of the Internet as a sourse of information, communicating,
online shopping and services, Internet banking, education or learning activities, dealing with government organizations and
leisure activities. Note that these activities are restricted to private purposes and therefore exclude activities such as purchasing over
the Internet undertaken as part of a person’s job or undertaking online courses as part of a job. Respondents could respond in respect
of more than one activity and activities are not mutually exclusive.
Email (87%), information search (78%), and entertainment (67%) are among the most popular uses of the Internet.
Figure 3: Internet Activities by Respondent
14. Frequency of individual Internet use in the last 12 months (from any location)
Of individuals who use the Internet, 78% use it on a daily basis and 18% use the Internet at least once a week but not daily.
Figure 4: Frequency of Internet Use
Proportion of households that are satisfied with telecommunication service operators’
customer service levels
92% of households have indicated that they are satisfied with customer service levels provided by the
telecommunication service operators.
Figure 5: Proportion of Satisfied Households
Proportion of households that are satisfied with the quality of telecommunication and internet
services in the UAE
89% of households indicated that they are satisfied with the quality of telecommunication services.
Figure 6: Proportion of Satisfied Households
14 SUMMARY OF 2008 UAE ICT SURVEY RESULTS
15. Proportion of households that have noticed any improvements in the telecommunication
service operators’ prices over the past year or two
65% of households have noticed improvements in prices of telecommunication services in the past year or two.
Figure 7: Proportion of Households
Proportion of households that are satisfied with the telecommunication service operators’
current prices
91% of households are satisfied with the current level of prices offered by telecommunication service providers.
Figure 8: Proportion of Satisfied Households
Proportion of households that have noticed more choices, offers or options in the telecom-
munication service operators’ services in the past year or two
71% of households have noticed increases in the availability of more services and offers over the past year or two.
Figure 9: Proportion of Households
16. Proportion of households that are satisfied with the telecommunication service operators’
current service offerings
96% of households are satisfied with the telecommunication service operators’ current service offerings.
Figure 10: Proportion of Satisfied Households
Proportion of households with electricity
Based on respondent answers, it was found that 99.6% of the households had electricity. 98.6% of the households in rural
areas had electricity while 99.9% of the houses in urban areas had electricity.
Proportion of households with a radio
From the survey, 43% of the households in the UAE have at least one radio unit that belongs to the household.
A radio is a device capable of receiving broadcast radio signals using popular frequencies such as FM, AM, LW and SW.
Radios also include: those combined with other equipment such as cassette players/recorders, portable radios such as transistor
radios, and radios in motor vehicles.
Proportion of households with a television
94% of households in the UAE have at least one television unit that belongs to the household. The average UAE household has
1.7 television sets .
16 SUMMARY OF 2008 UAE ICT SURVEY RESULTS
17. Chapter 2
Indicators Report for the Private Sector
1,510 Private Sector establishments were surveyed. These establishment include as well ICT
related businesses. The sample was taken from businesses having 10 or more employees.
For each business, the responsible administrator was interviewed as well as four randomly
chosen employees.
18. CHAPTER 2:
INDICATORS REPORT FOR THE PRIVATE SECTOR
Private sector information is reported for the sector as a whole and also disaggregated by company size. The size classification
used is number of employees. Small business is defined as those with 10 to 49 employees (36% of all businesses), medium
business 50 to 249 employees (28% of all businesses), large business 250 or more employees (36% of all businesses). These
classifications were chosen to be consistent with the standards established by the international organizations responsible for
defining ICT Indicators. Businesses with fewer than 10 employees were not surveyed in accordance with those classification
standards.
Proportion of businesses with computers
97% of the private establishments have at least one computer.
For large businesses 100% had at least one computer, for medium businesses 100% and for small business 92%.
For the purposes of this survey, a computer does not include equipment with some embedded computing abilities: such as
mobile phones or TV sets, nor does it include computer-controlled machinery or electronic input/output systems.
Proportion of businesses with a website
83% of private sector businesses have their own website, with 43% of businesses using the “.ae” domain.
Figure 11: Type of Website
18 SUMMARY OF 2008 UAE ICT SURVEY RESULTS
19. Looking at the same separated by small, media and large business shows:
Figure 12: Type of Website
Proportion of business with an intraent , local area network ( LAN) , or extranet
(multiple responses possible)
These indicators show the use of networking technology in private establishments.
Figure 14: Use of Network Technology
20. Looking at the same separated by small, medium and large business shows:
Figure 14: Use of Network Technology
5
Proportion of businesses receiving orders over the Internet
26% of businesses have made online sales. Of these organizations receiving orders over the Internet, 81% received their sales
orders using their own websites, 60% through use of specialized Internet market places, and 50% through Electronic Data
Interchanges (EDIs).
Figure15: Methods of Receiving Orders via Internet (multiple responses possible)
E d
M P
P
20 SUMMARY OF 2008 UAE ICT SURVEY RESULTS
21. Looking at the same separated by small, medium and large business shows:
Figure 16: Methods of Receiving Orders via Internet (multiple responses possible)
I
E d
M P
P
Proportion of businesses placing orders over the Internet
29% of private establishments have made online purchases. Of those ,79% conducted the transaction via websites
and 55% via specialized Internet market places.
Figure 17: Methods of Making Purchases over the Internet
E
M P
P
22. Looking at the same separated by small, medium and large business shows:
Figure 18: Methods of Making Purchases over the Internet
M P
P
Proportion of businesses with Internet access
92% of the businesses surveyed have some form of Internet connection.
Of the different types of Internet connection, Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) was the most popular (48%).
Figure 19: Type of Internet Connection
48%
33%
19%
22 SUMMARY OF 2008 UAE ICT SURVEY RESULTS
23. Looking at the same separated by small, medium and large business shows:
Figure 20: Type of Internet Connection
50%
48%
44%
37%
29%
29%
21% 21%
14%
Business use of the Internet by type of activity (multiple responses possible)
Email and search activities ranked at the top of the list of the activities that were undertaken by private establishments on the
Internet. It was also observed that the private sector has an interest in communicating and conducting their transactions with
governmental organization in the UAE via the Internet.
Figure 21: Type of Internet Activities
24. Looking at the same separated by small, medium and large business shows:
Figure 22: Type of Internet Activities
Proportion of Employees using Computers
81% of the employees in the private sector used a computer at work at least once a day in the last 12 months. Among large busi-
nesses the percentage is 88, for medium 86 and for small 69.
24 SUMMARY OF 2008 UAE ICT SURVEY RESULTS
25. Chapter 3
Indicators Report for Educational Establishments
194 UAE educational establishments were surveyed. These establishments are
primary and secondary schools, both public and private. The administrator in
charge was interviewed as well as two randomly chosen teachers. In addition,
four students, randomly chosen from all ages, were interviewed.
26. CHAPTER 3:
INDICATORS REPORT FOR EDUCATIONAL
ESTABLISHMENTS
Results for educational establishments are reported for primary and secondary schools. In addition, the results are separated
to show public and private school results.
Schools with computer laboratories
98% of the educational establishments have a computer laboratory. The average number of laboratory computers in each
educational establishment is 38.
For public schools, 100% have computer labs with an average of 40 computer lab computers at the school. For private schools,
96% have computer labs with an average of 36 computer lab computers at the school.
Percentage of schools with basic telecommunication infrastructure or telephone access
All schools have some form of telecommunication infrastructure.
Percentage of schools with an Internet connection
93% of schools have some form of Internet connection with DSL connection being the most popular type of connection.
99% of public schools and 82% of private schools have an Internet connection.
Figure 23: Type of Internet Connection
i
26 SUMMARY OF 2008 UAE ICT SURVEY RESULTS
27. Looking at the same separated by public and private shows:
Figure 24: Type of Internet Connection
i
Teachers and ICT training and use
95% of the teachers had taken some form of professional ICT qualification either through training programs as part of the
job, previous employment training programs, or other external courses. For the purposes of this survey, ICT qualification is
defined as any professional certification from a recognized certification body, e.g. private institution, higher education institu-
tion, or professional certification body. For public schools the percentage was 97%, and 91% for private schools.
90% of teachers had been trained to use ICT for instructional purposes. For public schools the percentage was 95%, for
private schools 81%.
89% of teachers use ICT tools for instructional purposes. For public schools the percentage was 96%, for private schools 78%.
92% of the teachers use computers for administrative purposes within educational establishments. For public schools the
percentage was 93%, for private schools 90%.
Percentage of teachers with mobile phone, use Internet in school, have E-mail, have E-mail
address for communicating with students
98% of teachers have a mobile phone and 71% use the Internet in school. 85% of teachers have a private email address while
25% have a school email address for communicating with students.
28. Figure 25: Teacher Usage of ICT
Have Use Have Use Email to
Mobile Internet E-mail communicate
Phone in School with students
Looking at the same separated by public and private shows:
Figure 26: Teacher Usage of ICT
Use Email to
M communicate
P with students
Students to computers in laboratory ratio
There are 17 students for every computer at school computer labs. For public schools, there are 12 students for every
computer, and for private schools there are 28 students for every computer.
28 SUMMARY OF 2008 UAE ICT SURVEY RESULTS
29. Percentage of students who use the Internet at school
83% of students use the Internet at school. For public schools the percentage was 87%, for private schools 80%.
Percentage of students using Internet at school by frequency
43% of students use the Internet at least once a day. 32% use it at least once a week, 7% use it at least once a month, and 1%
use it less than once a month. It was observed that 17% do not use the Internet in school.
Figure 27: Frequency of Internet Usage at School
Looking at the same separated by public and private shows:
Figure 28: Frequency of Internet Usage at School
Percentage of students using Internet regardless of location
98% of students use the internet either at home, school or other locations. The most popular location is home with 86%.
School is second most popular with 83%.
For public school students internet usage (from any location) was 97% for private school students 99%.
Student use of the Internet by type of activity
Entertainment (86%) and information search (79%) rank among the most popular purposes of using the Internet. 59% of
students use the Internet for receiving and sending emails.
30. Looking at the same separated by public and private shows:
Figure 29: Student Use of Internet by Activity
Top 3 Activities Public Private
1st 88% Entertainment 85% Information search
2nd 72% Information search 84% Entertainment
3rd 52% Sending and receiving emails 66% Sending and receiving emails
Percentage of students with mobile phones, computer at home, E-mail
98% of the students have a computer at home. 67% have at least 1 mobile phone, and 59% have an E-mail address.
Figure 30: Technology Percentage
Figure 31: Technology Percentage
30 SUMMARY OF 2008 UAE ICT SURVEY RESULTS
31. Looking at the same separated by public and private shows:
Computer Mobile
at home phone
Percentage of students who can use computer, digital camera, design a webpage
97% of students can use a computer, 87% of students can use a mobile phone, and 57% can use a digital camera. 10 % of
students are able to design a webpage.
Figure 32: Student Capability of Use
Design
webpage
32. Looking at the same separated by public and private shows:
Figure 33: Student Capability of Use
Location of computer learning (multiple responses possible)
87% of students learned how to use the computer in school, 41% learned it at home, and 9% learned it elsewhere.
Figure 34: Location of Computer Learning
use
32 SUMMARY OF 2008 UAE ICT SURVEY RESULTS
33. Looking at the same separated by public and private shows:
Figure 35: Location of Computer Learning
use
Percentage of schools with electricity
Based on information provided by the Ministry of Education, 100% of the schools in the UAE were connected with electricity
in 2008.
Percentage of schools with a radio set used for educational purposes
56% of the schools have at least one radio set that is used for educational purposes. For public schools the Percentage was
62%, for private schools 47%.
Percentage of schools with a television set used for educational purposes
91% of the schools have at least one television set that is used for educational purposes. For public schools the Percentage
was 93%, for private schools 86%.
34. Chapter 4
Indicators Report for Higher Educational Establishments
44 Higher Educational establishments were surveyed. The administrator in charge
was interviewed as well as two randomly chosen teachers. In addition, four
students, randomly chosen from all ages, were interviewed.
36. CHAPTER 4:
INDICATORS REPORT FOR HIGHER EDUCATIONAL
ESTABLISHMENTS
Results for higher education establishments are reported overall and separately for public and private institutions.
Percentage of schools with computer laboratories
100% of higher educational establishments have a computer laboratory, and the average number of laboratory computers in each
establishment is 280.
For public institutions, 100% have computer labs, with an average of 1,398 lab computer at the institution. For private institu-
tions, 100% have computer labs, with an average of 161 computers at the school.
Percentage of schools with basic telecommunication infrastructure or telephone access
Based on the survey, all higher educational institutions have some form of telecommunication infrastructure.
Percentage of schools with an Internet connection
100% of higher educational institutions have some form of Internet connection, with DSL connection being the most popular
type of connection
Figure 36: Type of Internet Connection
i
36 SUMMARY OF 2008 UAE ICT SURVEY RESULTS
37. Looking at the same separated by public and private shows:
Figure 37: Type of Internet Connection
Teachers and ICT training and use
98% of teachers in higher educational establishments had been trained to use ICT for instructional purposes. For public
institutions the percentage was 100%, for private 98 %.
98 % of teachers in higher educational establishments use ICT tools for instructional purposes. For public institutions the
percentage was 100%, for private 98%.
99% of teachers in higher educational establishments use computers for administrative purposes. For public institutions the
percentage was 100%, for private 99%.
Percentage of teachers with mobile phone, use of Internet in school, have E-mail, have E-mail
address for communicating with students
92% of teachers in higher educational establishments have a mobile phone and 94% use the Internet at work. 90% have a
private email address and 72% of the teachers have a work email address for communicating with students.
38. Figure 38: Teacher’s Usage of ICT
Use Email to
communicate
with students
Looking at the same separated by public and private shows:
Figure 39: Teachers’ Usage of ICT
Use Email to
communicate
with students
38 SUMMARY OF 2008 UAE ICT SURVEY RESULTS
39. Ratio of Students to computers in laboratory
There are 3 students to every computer in a computer laboratory in a higher educational establishment. For public institutions
the ratio was 4 students for every 3 computers, while in the private sector the ratio was 5 to 1.
Percentage of students who use the Internet at school
86% of students use the Internet at their higher educational institutions. For public institutions the Percentage was 75%, for
private 100%.
Percentage of students using Internet at school by frequency
88% of students who use the Internet in higher educational establishments use the Internet at least once a day. 12% use it once
a week, and less than 1% use it once it month.
For public institutions the Percentage was 92% for at least once a day, for private 83%. For public institutions the Percentage
was 8% for once a week, for private 16%. For public institutions the Percentage was 0% for once a month, for private 1%.
Percentage of students using Internet regardless of location (multiple responses possible)
100% of the students surveyed reported that they use the Internet either at home, school or other locations. The most popular
location is home with 98%. School is second most popular with 86%.
Looking at the same separated by public and private shows:
Figure 40: Student Usage of Internet
Top 3 Activities Public Private
Students who use the Internet at 100% 95%
home
Students who use the Internet at 75% 100%
school
Student use of the Internet by type of activity (multiple responses possible)
94% of students in higher educational establishments use the Internet to receive and send emails. Entertainment (86%) followed
by Information Search (84%) rank among the other most popular purposes of using the Internet.
Looking at the same separated by public and private shows:
Figure 41: Student Use of Internet by Type of Activity
Top 3 Activities Public Private
1st 100% Entertainment 87% Information Search
2nd 100% Sending and Receiving 86% Sending and Receiving Emails
Emails
3rd 81% Information Search 69% Enterainment
40. Percentage of students with mobile phones, computer at home, E-mail
100% of the students in higher educational establishments have at least 1 mobile phone. 100% have a computer at home, and
94% have an e-mail address.
Figure 42: Technology Percentage
Looking at the same separated by public and private shows:
Figure 43: Technology Percentage
- -
40 SUMMARY OF 2008 UAE ICT SURVEY RESULTS
41. Percentage of students who can use computer, digital camera, design a webpage
100% of students can use a mobile phone and a computer. 74% can use a digital camera, and 36% are able to design a
webpage.
Figure 44: Student Capability of Use
Looking at the same separated by public and private shows:
Figure 45: Student Capability of Use
-
Digital
camera
42. Percentage distribution of computer-literate students by sources of learning school, home,
elsewhere (multiple responses possible)
80% of the students learned how to use the computer in school, and 68% learned it themselves. 14% learned to use the
computer through specialized courses.
Figure 46: Location of Computer Literacy
Looking at the same separated by public and private shows:
Figure 47: Location of Computer Learning
42 SUMMARY OF 2008 UAE ICT SURVEY RESULTS
43. Percentage of students enrolled by gender at the higher education level in an ICT-related field
41% of students at the higher education level are enrolled in an ICT related field (e.g. Electronics/Electrical Engineering,
Computer Science, Information Technology, etc.). Of these, 66% are male and 34% female. Computer and information
systems are the most popular field of study making up about 45% of the total students in ICT-related fields.
For public institutions 35% of students are enrolled in ICT related fields, with 70% of them being male and 30% female. For
private institutions 49% of students are enrolled in ICT related fields, with 61% of them being male and 39% female.
Percentage of schools with electricity
Based on information provided by the Ministry of Higher Education, 100% of the higher institutions in the UAE were connected
with electricity in 2008.
Percentage of schools with a radio set used for educational purposes
12% of schools in higher educational establishments have at least 1 radio set that is used for educational purposes. For public
institutions the percentage was 0%, for private 13%.
Percentage of schools with a television set used for educational purposes
83% of schools have at least one television set that is used for educational purposes. For public institutions the percentage
was 75%, for private 84%.
44. Chapter 5
Indicators Report for Public
Sector Establishment
154 Public Sector establishments
were surveyed. For each
establishment, the responsible
administrator was interviewed
as well as six randomly chosen
employees.
44 SUMMARY OF 2008 UAE ICT SURVEY RESULTS
46. CHAPTER 5:
INDICATOR REPORT FOR PUBLIC SECTOR
ESTABLISHMENTS
Public sector information is reported for the sector as a whole and also disaggregated to show results by federal and non fed-
eral establishments.
Percentage of staff working in ICT jobs
41% of government employees work in ICT related jobs, of which 65% are nationals. More males than females have ICT
related jobs.
For federal establishments, 22% work in ICT related jobs, of which 65% are nationals. For non federal establishments, 44% work in
ICT related jobs, of which 59% are nationals.
Percentage of staff with ICT skills
The survey indicates that around 63% of government employees have ICT skills.
For federal establishments 59% of employees have ICT skills. For non federal establishments 64% of employees have ICT
skills.
Staff to computer ratio
In the public sector, for every 3 employees, there are 2 computers available for use.
In the federal sector, for every 1 employee, there is 1 computer available for use. In the non federal sector, for every 3 employees,
there are 2 computers available for use.
Percentage of computers connected to the Internet
Results of the survey show that 41% of the computers in public establishments are connected to the Internet.
In the federal sector 66% of the computers are connected to the Internet. In the non federal sector 34% of the computers are
connected to the Internet.
Percentage ministries/organizations with an Internet connection
97% of the sampled public sector establishments reported having Internet access.
In the federal sector 98% reported having Internet access. In the non federal sector 97% reported having Internet access.
Figure 48: Type of Internet Connection
i
46 SUMMARY OF 2008 UAE ICT SURVEY RESULTS
47. Looking at the same separated by federal and non federal shows:
Figure 49: Type of Internet Connection
Federal Non-Federal
Percentage of ministries/organizations with an Intranet
52% of public sector establishments have intranets within their organization and 40% have extranets.
In the federal sector 63% intranets within their organization and 61% have extranets. In the non federal sector 48% intranets
within their organization and 32% have extranets.
Percentage of ministries/organizations using E-mail for official internal and external com-
munications
79% of public sector establishments use email for official internal communication while 78% also use email for official external
communication.
In the federal sector 84% use email for official internal communication while 81% also use email for official external
communication. In the non federal sector 78% use email for official internal communication while 77% also use email for
official external communication.
Percentage of ministries/organizations linked to other ministries/organizations
50% of public sector establishments have links to other ministries/organizations through the Internet web environment.
In the federal sector 63% have links to other Ministries/organizations through the Internet web environment. In the non federal
sector 45% have links to other ministries/organizations through the Internet web environment.
Percentage of ministries/organizations providing online services at different levels
86% of public sector establishments offer online services: 46% offer basic informational online services; 16% allow for
downloading of forms; and 14% offer online transactions.
In the federal sector 95% offer online services: 42% offer basic informational online services; 21% allow for downloading of forms;
and 21% offer online transactions. In the non federal sector: 82% offer online services; 47% offer basic informational online
services; 14% allow for downloading of forms; and 11% offer online transactions.
Percentage of ministries/organizations with a website
84% of public sector establishments have a web-site with a ‘.ae’ domain. Another 5% have a website in another domain. An
additional 5% are on a third party website. Only 6% of public sector establishments do not have a website.
48. Figure 50: Type of Website
W W
Looking at the same separated by federal and non federal shows:
Figure 51: Type of Website
W W
Federal Non-Federal
Percentage of ministries/organizations collecting statistics on sustomer satisfaction of their
online services
66% of public sector establishments collect information on customer satisfaction levels of their online services.
In the federal sector 74% collect information on customer satisfaction levels of their online services. In the non federal sector
62% collect information on customer satisfaction levels of their online services.
48 SUMMARY OF 2008 UAE ICT SURVEY RESULTS
49. Percentage of Employees Using Computer Within the Last Year at Work
93% of employees used a computer at work within the last year.
In the federal sector 93% of employees used a computer at work within the last year. In the non federal sector 94% of
employees used a computer at work within the last year.
Percentage of Employees who use the Internet in 0ffice
89% of public sector establishment employees use the Internet in the office and 80% use it on a daily basis.
Figure 52: Frequency of Staff Internet Use
Looking at the same separated by federal and non federal shows:
Figure 53: Frequency of Staff Internet Use
Federal Non-Federal
51. Chapter 6
Indicators Report for the ICT Business Sector
403 ICT related businesses were interviewed. For each business, the
responsible administrator was interviewed as well as four randomly
chosen employees. The survey used the ICT sector definition as
developed by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and
Development (OECD). OECD defines the ICT sector as businesses
with the following International Standard Industry Classification (ISIC
Rev 3.1) codes:
6420 Telecommunications
7123 Renting of office machinery and equipment (including
computers)
72 Computer and related activities
3000 Manufacture of office, accounting and computing machinery
3130 Manufacture of insulated wire and cable
3210 Manufacture of electronic valves and tubes and other electronic
components
3220 Manufacture of television and radio transmitters and apparatus
for line
telephony and line telegraphy
3230 Manufacture of television and radio receivers, sound or video
recording or
reproducing apparatus, and associated goods
3312 Manufacture of instruments and appliances for measuring,
checking,
testing, navigating and other purposes, except industrial
process control
equipment
3313 Manufacture of industrial process control equipment
5151 Wholesale of computers, computer peripheral equipment &
software
5152 Wholesale of electronic and telecommunications parts &
equipment
52. CHAPTER 6:
INDICATORS REPORT FOR THE ICT BUSINESS SECTOR
ICT business sector information is reported for the sector as a whole and also disaggregated by company size. The clas-
sification was based on number of employees. Small ICT business is defined as those with 10 to 49 employees (73% of all
ICT businesses), medium ICT business 50 to 249 employees (21% of all ICT businesses), large ICT business 250 or more em-
ployees (6% of all ICT businesses). These classifications were chosen to be consistent with the standards established by the
international organizations responsible for defining ICT Indicators. ICT businesses with fewer than 10 employees were not
surveyed in accordance with those classification standards.
Proportion of ICT businesses with computers
99% of the ICT business establishments have at least one computer.
For large ICT businesses 100% had at least one computer, for medium ICT businesses 99% and for small ICT business 99%.
For the purposes of this survey, a computer does not include equipment with some embedded computing abilities such as
mobile phones or TV sets, nor does it include computer-controlled machinery or electronic tills.
Proportion of ICT businesses with a website
92% of ICT businesses have their own website site; a significantly higher figure than the overall private sector figure of 83%.
For large ICT businesses 92% had a website, for medium ICT businesses 100% and for small ICT business 89%.
Figure 54: Type of Website
52 SUMMARY OF 2008 UAE ICT SURVEY RESULTS
53. Looking at the same separated by small, medium and large ICT business shows:
Figure 55: Type of Website
Proportion of ICT businesses with an intranet, local area network (LAN), or extranet (multi-
ple responses possible)
55% of ICT businesses make use of a Local Area Network (LAN). This is followed by Intranet (36%). 26% of ICT businesses
use Extranets.
Figure 56: Use of Network Technology
3
54. Figure 57: Use of Network Technology
Proportion of ICT businesses receiving orders over the Internet
16% of ICT businesses have made online sales. Of these organizations receiving orders over the Internet, 85% received their
sales orders using their own websites, 37% through Electronic Data Interchanges (EDIs), and 11% through use of specialized
Internet market places.
Figure 58: Methods of Receiving Orders via Internet (multiple responses possible)
54 SUMMARY OF 2008 UAE ICT SURVEY RESULTS
55. Looking at the same separated by small, medium and large ICT business shows:
Figure 59: Methods of Receiving Orders via Internet (multiple responses possible)
Proportion of ICT businesses placing orders over the Internet
25% of ICT businesses have made online purchases. Of those organizations that made purchases over the Internet, 82%
conducted the transaction via websites and 31% via EDI.
Figure 60: Methods of Placing Orders via Internet (multiple responses possible)
56. Looking at the same separated by small, medium and large ICT business shows:
Figure 61: Methods of Placing Orders via Internet (multiple responses possible)
Proportion of ICT businesses with Internet access
99% of ICT businesses have some form of Internet connection. Of the different types of Internet connection, Digital Subscriber
Line (DSL) was the most popular (70%).
Figure 62: Type of Internet Connection
56 SUMMARY OF 2008 UAE ICT SURVEY RESULTS
57. Looking at the same separated by small, medium and large ICT business shows:
Figure 63: Type of Internet Connection
ICT Business use of the Internet by type of activity (multiple responses possible)
Sending and receiving emails (94%), and getting information on products and services (85%) ranked at the top of the list of the
activities that were undertaken by ICT businesses on the Internet.
Figure 64: Type of Internet Activities
58. Looking at the same separated by small, medium and large ICT business shows:
Figure 65: Type of Internet Activities
g
g
Proportion of ICT business employees using the Internet at work
97% of ICT Business employees routinely use the Internet at work.
Among large ICT businesses the percentage is 98%, for medium 97% and for small 97%.
58 SUMMARY OF 2008 UAE ICT SURVEY RESULTS
59. Chapter 7
Indicators Report for PIAC Establishments
144 out of over 1400 Public Internet Access Centers (PIACs)
that existed in 2008 were surveyed. The great majority of
PIACs are internet cafes. For each PIAC, the responsible
administrator was interviewed, as well as two employees.
60. CHAPTER 7:
INDICATORS REPORT FOR PIAC ESTABLISHMENTS
Composition of PIACs
86% of PIACs are Internet cafes.
Figure 66: Composition of PIACs
Number of visiting customers per month
Results from the survey show that each PIAC has approximately 57 customers daily, or about 1,700 customers per month.
Average hours spent by customer in a PIAC Per Visit
On average each customer spends about 1.7 hours per visit.
60 SUMMARY OF 2008 UAE ICT SURVEY RESULTS
62. CHAPTER 8:
INTERNATIONAL BENCHMARKS
Benchmarking
The ICT survey data, combined with other data TRA has collected from the industry in the UAE, has been benchmarked against
a range of countries and used as a basis for analyzing the relative position of the UAE in the ICT sector.
In order to select the countries for inclusion in the benchmarking exercise, TRA chose a number of regions across the world
for analysis. The regions selected included the Arab states, Europe, North America, and Asia.
Within each of those regions, an assessment was undertaken of the availability of indicator data across the countries within the
region. This was necessary as many countries do not ,at this point in time ,collect data relating to all of the ICT “core indica-
tors”. Countries selected were those with publicly available data sets that can be described as comprehensive compared to
other countries within each region in relation to the indicators selected for benchmarking. Note, however, that some of the
countries included in the exercise do not have data available for every indicator, and have accordingly been omitted from the
analysis of those specific benchmarks.
Results
The information available suggests that:
• The UAE is the top performing country in ICT among the Arab states.
• While the UAE compares relatively favorably on an international scale, there is still some progress needed to be equiva-
lent to the leading ICT countries such as those in Western Europe.
Nevertheless, the significant rate of growth experienced by the UAE in ICT development in recent years is very encouraging
and suggests that the UAE may be well on the way to achieving ICT levels comparable with those achieved by the currently
top ranking countries.
The charts below illustrate the UAE’s position relative to other Arab states and a range of countries in Europe, North America,
and Asia across 10 commonly available ICT indicators. The UAE ranks the first among the benchmarked Arab states in all 10
of these indicators, and first across all of the benchmarked countries in mobile subscribers per 100 inhabitants, the proportion
of households with mobile telephony, and is one of several countries with ubiquitous mobile coverage. The UAE also performs
well in the percentage of homes with Internet, and the percentage of homes with a personal computer.
Figure 67: Internet Subscribers (Total Fixed Broadband) per 100 Inhabitants
United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
Malaysia
i
62 SUMMARY OF 2008 UAE ICT SURVEY RESULTS
63. Figure 68: Internet Subscribers (Total Fixed Including Dial-up) per 100 Inhabitants
Malaysia
Figure 69: Main Fixed Telephone Lines per 100 Inhabitants
United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
64. Figure 70: Mobile Subscribers per 100 Inhabitants
United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
Figure 71: International Internet Bandwidth per Inhabitant (bits/s)
64 SUMMARY OF 2008 UAE ICT SURVEY RESULTS
65. Figure 72: Percentage of Homes with a Personal Computer
Figure 73: Percentage of Homes with Internet
66. Figure 74 Coverage of Mobile Cellular Network Percentage of Population
Figure 75: Propostion of Households with Fixed Line Telephone.
Figure 76: Households with Mobile Phones
66 SUMMARY OF 2008 UAE ICT SURVEY RESULTS
67. Other international benchmark study findings
A number of other recently published international studies emphasize the UAE’s favorable performance from an international
perspective across various ICT indicators. The UAE ranked the first of all the Arab states in the 2007-2008 Network Readi-
ness Index (NRI) study conducted by the World Economic Forum and INSEAD, and 29th among all 127 countries assessed.
The NRI measures the capacity of an economy to fully leverage ICT for increased competitiveness and development. The NRI
study was published in The Global Information Technology Report 2007-2008 and is based on data collected by organizations
such as the ITU, the World Bank, and the United Nations.
In terms of the individual indicators analyzed, the UAE ranked first among the Arab states on: internet user rates, international
internet bandwidth capacity, the importance of ICT to government vision of the future, personal computers rates, ICT use and
government efficiency, e-government readiness index, government prioritization of ICT, laws relating to ICT, and the number
of telephone lines.
Internationally, the UAE was found to have the lowest residential monthly fixed telephone subscription charges and the lowest
cost of mobile telephone calls (along with Egypt, Italy and Hong Kong).
In another study, Measuring the Information Economy, the ITU developed an ICT Development Index (IDI) which combines 11
indicators into a single measure to assess the level of ICT development within a country. The overall measure is also divided
into three sub-indices relating to ICT access, use and skills which provide a further level of insight.
The study includes 154 countries which enables benchmarking globally, regionally, and at the country level. Indices are
provided for both 2002 and 2007 to enable progress to be measured over time.
Key findings from this study include the following:
• Mobile penetration rates in the UAE, at 167 per 100 inhabitants in 2007, were the highest in the world.
• The UAE ranked the highest of all the GCC and Arab states in the ICT Development Index.
• The UAE ranked the highest of all the GCC and Arab states in the IDI infrastructure and access sub-index. This sub-index
is based on five indicators: fixed line penetration, mobile penetration, international Internet bandwidth per Internet user,
the proportion of households with computers, and the proportion of households with Internet access.
• The UAE also ranked the highest of all the GCC and Arab states in the IDI use sub-index. This sub-index is based on the
following three indicators: Internet user penetration, fixed broadband penetration, and mobile broadband penetration.
• The UAE recorded the fourth highest growth in ICT between 2002 and 2007 of all 154 countries examined in the report.
• The report categorizes each of the 154 countries into one of four groups used to describe the level of ICT within the
economy: higher, upper, medium and low. The UAE was one of the 33 countries placed in the highest category, and was
the only GCC/ Arab state to be included in this group. The other GCC countries were distributed between the medium
and upper categories.
• The UAE ranked 6th in the world in the ICT Price Basket measure. The ICT Price Basket measures the sum of the 2008
prices of fixed telephony, mobile telephony and fixed broadband Internet as a % of a country’s monthly Gross National
Income (GNI) per capita. The lower the price as a % of GNI per capita, the better the ranking.
• The UAE ranked 3rd in the world in the fixed telephony sub-basket, which measures the 2008 prices of fixed telephony
as a % of GNI per capita, and 6th in the world for the mobile telephony sub-basket.
• In another study, the United Nations e-Government Survey 2008, the UAE is:
• The top ranking Arab state in terms of e-readiness.
• The top Arab state in the web-measure index which assesses the extent to which governments are providing e-government
policies, applications and tools, and the 12th in the world.
• The fifth highest ranking country in the world in terms of transactional services.
According to data from Internet World Stats(1), Internet penetration rates in the UAE are high when compared against many
regions of the world, and are very similar to that of Europe, as illustrated in the table below :
(1) Source: www.internetworldstats.com. Internet usage information was obtained from data published by Nielsen Online, the ITU, GfK, local regulators and other reliable sources.
Population figures are based on data from the US Census Bureau.
68. Figure 77: Internet Penetration by Region
World Region Population(2008 Est.) Internet Penetration
(% Population)
UAE 4,621,399 48.9%
Africa 975,330,899 5.6%
Asia 3,780,819,792 17.4%
Europe 803,903,540 48.9%
Middle East 196,767,614 23.3%
North America 337,572,949 74.4%
Latin America/Caribbean 581,249,892 29.9%
Oceania/Australia 34,384,384 60.4%
Data from the same source shows that overall Internet penetration rates (comprising dial-up plus broadband) in the UAE are
the highest in the region:
Figure 78: Internet Penetration by Arab Country
Country Population(2008 Est.) Internet Penetration
(% Population)
UAE 4,621,399 48.9%
Bahrain 718,306 34.8%
Iraq 28,221,181 1.0%
Jordan 6,198,677 18.2%
Kuwait 2,596,799 34.7%
Lebanon 3,971,941 39.5%
Oman 3,311,640 10.3%
Palstine (West BK) 2,407,681 14.8%
Qatar 824,789 42.6%
Saudi Arabia 28,146,657 22.7%
Yemen 23,013,376 1.4%
68 SUMMARY OF 2008 UAE ICT SURVEY RESULTS
69. The UK conducted a household survey in 2008 comparable to the one undertaken in the UAE. Assessment of the results reveals
that many similarities exist in terms of levels of access and use of the Internet within the two countries.
Figure 79: Comparison of Internet Indicators, UAE and UK
UAE UK
Households with Internet 66% 65%
Households with Broadband 57% 56%
Frequency of Internet Use Eve-
78% 69%
ryday
Frequency of Internet Use Once
18% 22%
a Week (but not every day)
72. CHAPTER 9:
METHODOLOGY
Figure 80: Approach for the Survey
Design Develop Conduct Collect Surveys
the the surveys and report
survey’s detailed results
approach surveys findings
Indicators
This survey primarily looked into the ICT indicators for the signs of the accessibility and usage of the ICT in UAE. The list of
indicators selected was closely aligned to the various international ICT-related regulatory agencies.
Survey Instrument
Considerable attention and effonts were given and some efforts were taken to develop the survey questionnaires as the value
of the data would largely depend upon the wording and meaning of the survey questions. The questionnaires were developed
with full appreciation of the specific respondents of the various sectors and the need to keep the phrasing simple and short.
Sampling and Survey Methodology
The population universe and sample frames for each survey were drawn from the census framework and jointly worked out
between the TRA and the Ministry of Economy (MoE).
The sample sizes were estimated using proportional allocation, an error margin of 3%, and a confidence level of 95%.
Random samples were then generated based on the frame supplied by the MoE. The best survey practices (e.g. strict monitoring
and cross checking) were used to minimize the impact of measurement errors. However, non-sampling error cannot be
completely removed. The sample errors associated with each proportion were calculated using equal-tailed Jefferey’s prior
interval method. Errors in total number estimates were calculated similarly.
The sample frames were provided by MoE, according to the Master Sampling Plan (updated in May 2008). The basic information
collected was stratified at the Emirate level.
The Private Sector and ICT Sector sampling populations were based on several characteristics such as Ownership and
Establishment Size. The Establishment Size is classified according to MoE’s guidelines and in line with UNCTAD guidelines,
namely: small sized establishments (10-49 employees), medium sized establishments (50-249 employees) and large sized
establishments (more than 249 employees). Private and ICT establishments with less than 10 employees were therefore excluded
from the study. The data collected allow further analysis according to various factors such as Nationality, Age, Gender, etc.
Field Research
Face-to-face interview was the primary mode used in the survey. Telephone interviews were used as part of the data validation
process, for example, to clarify data collected earlier during the face-to-face interviews and to confirm that the field research-
ers had indeed conducted the survey with the right respondents. In addition, the following steps were also taken to ensure
the field researchers understood the purpose and rationale of the surveys and questionnaires and the appropriate manner in
which the survey should be conducted:
• Survey fieldwork was preceded by training.
• The first 20 interviews in each survey were used as a pilot to check the survey length, to identify any potential problems,
and to ensure field researchers carried out the survey appropriately.
• With the exception of the household establishments, interviews were conducted mainly during business hours. In most
cases, appointments were made and interviews were completed at the convenience of the respondents.
72 SUMMARY OF 2008 UAE ICT SURVEY RESULTS