Fiber-based broadband growing in the Middle East

The deployment of fiber-based broadband infrastructure has attracted increased interest in many markets of the Middle East due to the rising demands on data from consumers and enterprises alike. Many countries are also recognizing that high-speed fixed broadband infrastructure will be required to underpin the current 5G evolution and provide the backbone for smart cities overall.
While broadband access based on DSL technology has been prevalent in many Middle Eastern countries, this is slowly changing in some markets, with fiber-based deployments increasing. In Saudi Arabia, for example, DSL subscriptions still accounted for the largest proportion of fixed broadband subscriptions in 2019, but fiber-based broadband subscriptions are growing faster. A similar situation is underway in Bahrain where DSL subscriptions still hold the majority market share – but have been declining since 2013 in favor of fiber broadband.
Overall, fixed broadband in the Middle East is becoming a more dynamic and progressive sector with countries like the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar leading the way - and other countries like Iran and Turkey offering potential growth opportunities.