Selected Arab countries ranking according to some ICT indices IDI NRI EGDI E-participation IPB 2012 2011 2013 2012 2012 2010 2012 2010 2012 2011 Bahrain 39 42 29 27 36 13 8 11 34 15 Qatar 31 30 23 28 48 62 9 86 2 4 UAE 33 45 25 30 28 49 6 86 7 6 Saudi Arabia 50 48 31 34 41 58 9 102 50 41 Oman 54 58 40 40 64 82 16 76 24 30 Jordan 76 77 47 47 98 51 28 42 87 91 Lebanon 52 61 94 95 87 93 20 45 60 64 Tunisia 91 92 NA 50 103 66 18 39 64 66 Egypt 86 87 80 79 107 86 7 42 70 75 Morocco 89 89 89 91 120 126 17 86 106 100 Syria NA 96 NA 129 128 133 31 157 NA 109 Yemen 127 129 139 141 167 164 32 135 122 119 The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector comprises many different things. A recent report by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UNESCWA) mentioned that “ICT encompasses networks that only offer voice telephony services for fixed and mobile subscribers along with networks that support a wide range of communication services including next generation Internet Protocol (IP). ICT also encompasses narrowband to broadband access where end users are essentially always connected.” Development of ICT was impressive throughout the past decade but contains stark differences between developed and developing countries, including Arab countries. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) database shows that mobile subscriptions in developed countries fell from 5 times that of developing countries in 2001 to only 1.6 times in 2011. Internet users also fell by more than two third from 10:1 in 2001 to 3:1 in 2011. Finally mobile broadband went down the most in just 4 years from 22:1 in 2007 to 6:1 in 2011. Development in Arab countries shows a similar trend to that of developing ones. During the past 5 years, Lebanon realized some major improvements on many ICT indicators as it is starting from a low base but it still has a long way to go in order to be placed with developed countries or even to catch up with many Arab countries. Mobile penetration surged from 35% in 2008 to more than 90% in 2013. Prices of fixed broadband have been slashed by more than 70% in 2011 with internet usage reaching 38% at the end of 2012 compared to 32% in the previous year. However, Lebanon still has several problems when it comes to the quality of the services provided. For example “a survey by Ookla, a US-based broadband tester, placed Lebanon 151st for download speeds, averaging 2.52Mbps”. Several indicators have been put in place by different international organizations in order to be able to measure and compare the development of the ICT sector across countries. The ITU produces two indices: 1- the ICT Development Index (IDI) that is based on eight indicators related to ICT infrastructure and use; 2- the ICT Price Basket (IPB) that “is a unique global benchmarking tool that provides insightful information on the cost and affordability of telecommunication and information and communication technology (ICT) services. The IPB is composed of three distinct prices – for fixed-telephone, mobile-cellular and fixed-broadband services – and computed as a percentage of countries ‘average gross national income (GNI) per capita”.
Selected Arab countries ranking according to some ICT indices
IDI
NRI
EGDI
E-participation
IPB
2012
2011
2013
2010
Bahrain
39
42
29
27
36
13
8
11
34
15
Qatar
31
30
23
28
48
62
9
86
2
4
UAE
33
45
25
49
6
7
Saudi Arabia
50
41
58
102
Oman
54
40
64
82
16
76
24
Jordan
77
47
98
51
87
91
Lebanon
52
61
94
95
93
20
60
Tunisia
92
NA
103
66
18
Egypt
80
79
107
70
75
Morocco
89
120
126
17
106
100
Syria
96
129
128
133
157
109
Yemen
127
139
141
167
164
32
135
122
119
The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector comprises many different things. A recent report by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UNESCWA) mentioned that “ICT encompasses networks that only offer voice telephony services for fixed and mobile subscribers along with networks that support a wide range of communication services including next generation Internet Protocol (IP). ICT also encompasses narrowband to broadband access where end users are essentially always connected.”
Development of ICT was impressive throughout the past decade but contains stark differences between developed and developing countries, including Arab countries. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) database shows that mobile subscriptions in developed countries fell from 5 times that of developing countries in 2001 to only 1.6 times in 2011. Internet users also fell by more than two third from 10:1 in 2001 to 3:1 in 2011. Finally mobile broadband went down the most in just 4 years from 22:1 in 2007 to 6:1 in 2011. Development in Arab countries shows a similar trend to that of developing ones.
During the past 5 years, Lebanon realized some major improvements on many ICT indicators as it is starting from a low base but it still has a long way to go in order to be placed with developed countries or even to catch up with many Arab countries. Mobile penetration surged from 35% in 2008 to more than 90% in 2013. Prices of fixed broadband have been slashed by more than 70% in 2011 with internet usage reaching 38% at the end of 2012 compared to 32% in the previous year. However, Lebanon still has several problems when it comes to the quality of the services provided. For example “a survey by Ookla, a US-based broadband tester, placed Lebanon 151st for download speeds, averaging 2.52Mbps”.
Several indicators have been put in place by different international organizations in order to be able to measure and compare the development of the ICT sector across countries. The ITU produces two indices: 1- the ICT Development Index (IDI) that is based on eight indicators related to ICT infrastructure and use; 2- the ICT Price Basket (IPB) that “is a unique global benchmarking tool that provides insightful information on the cost and affordability of telecommunication and information and communication technology (ICT) services. The IPB is composed of three distinct prices – for fixed-telephone, mobile-cellular and fixed-broadband services – and computed as a percentage of countries ‘average gross national income (GNI) per capita”.