Qatar has highest average Internet connection speeds in MEA region: CRA

New research from global cloud delivery platform Akamai Technologies revealed that Qatar has the highest average Internet connection speeds in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region. In its first quarter (Q1) 2017 State of the Internet Report, Akamai Technologies said Qatar averaged connection speeds of 13.7 Mbps, an increase of 64% year-on-year.Qatar ranked seventh in the world and first in the MEA region with the highest average peak connection speed at 107.9 Mbps in the first quarter, surpassing the 100 Mbps threshold for the first time, representing a 21% year-on-year increase. In the mobile market, Qatar had the second highest average mobile connection speeds at 13.6 Mbps. About 99% of Qatar’s households are in areas covered by a fibre optic network and according to Qatar’s ICT Landscape 2015: Households and Individuals, 86% of the households have fixed wired broadband network.Qatar’s National Broadband Plan (NBP) was published by ictQatar in 2013 to support and promote broadband market development by providing guidelines and actions the nation needs to take in the next decade to ensure that the opportunities offered by broadband technology are realised. Qatar has already achieved the ambitious goals relating to Internet speeds and access set out in the NBP.“The CRA plays a key role in enabling growth of diverse areas in the communications sector, and ensuring the improvement of customer experience through the ubiquitous availability of smart, high quality services. Today the communications sector in Qatar is in good health as the numbers suggest. “We have a fixed line network that covers almost the entire country and, average Internet connection speeds is now the highest in the region. Service providers also play an important part by upgrading the overall telecommunications network, and by migrating to improved network and facilities,” said CRA president Mohamed Ali al-Mannai.The CRA is the communications regulator in the State of Qatar established by the Emiri Decree (42) in 2014. The CRA regulates the communications and information technology and postal sectors, and access to digital media. It uses its regulatory powers mandated by the Emiri decree to protect consumer rights, ensure competition, manage the resolution of disputes, and manage the electromagnetic spectrum. In all its activities, the CRA seeks to ensure the provision of advanced, innovative and reliable ICT and postal services across Qatar.