The UAE has extended the public telecom licenses of e& and du for an additional 20 years, creating a lasting regulatory structure for the nation's telecommunications industry through 2046.
The updated licences feature strengthened requirements regarding network resilience, backup capacity, and international connectivity, along with service quality, national roaming, and subscriber protection, as the UAE readies its telecommunications framework for increased incorporation of artificial intelligence.
The Board of Directors of the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) declared the renewal of the Public Telecommunications Licences for Emirates Telecommunications Group Company PJSC (e&) and Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company PJSC (du).
The licenses have been extended for an additional 20 years according to the amended Federal Decree-Law governing the Telecommunications Sector. They will take effect on August 9, 2026, and continue until August 8, 2046, superseding the licenses granted in 2006. TDRA states that the renewal offers the telecommunications industry a lasting regulatory framework designed to ensure the stability necessary for maintaining investment in digital infrastructure and upcoming technologies.
The updated licenses encompass increased responsibilities for the nation’s telecommunication networks.
TDRA stated it will keep overseeing adherence to the licence requirements, maintain a just and competitive atmosphere, safeguard subscriber rights, and improve service quality throughout the UAE. The renewal of the license follows 20 years during which the UAE telecommunications industry has transitioned from offering conventional services to facilitating digital transformation, governmental services, and smart city initiatives.
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Talal Belhoul, Chairman of TDRA says, “The infrastructure of the national economy relies on telecommunications networks across all vital sectors, including government services, financial services, healthcare, education, energy, transport, industry and digital commerce. The next phase takes on added importance in light of the Digital Economy Strategy, which aims to double the digital economy’s contribution to GDP from 9.7 percent in 2022 to 19.4 percent over the next ten years.“
As reported by TDRA, the UAE maintains its top global position for household fibre-optic network coverage for the tenth year in a row, achieving a penetration rate of 99.7 percent. The goal of the strategy is to raise the digital economy's share of GDP from 9.7 percent in 2022 to 19.4 percent within the next decade.
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Eng. Majed Sultan Al Mesmar, Director General of TDRA says, “The renewal of the two licences is a strategic decision that reflects the UAE’s confidence in a sector that has proven to be one of the pillars of national development. Together, TDRA and the licensees have built one of the world’s most advanced and future-ready digital infrastructures.
“Today, we are providing the sector with a long-term framework that lays the foundation for a new phase in which connectivity evolves into intelligence, and digital infrastructure becomes a national platform for innovation and sustainable growth.”
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TDRA stated that the renewal of the license demonstrates its collaboration with the two telecom firms, founded on transparency and dedication to the regulatory framework.
The regulator stated that the last two decades have solidified the UAE’s role in international digital infrastructure and connectivity, while the upcoming two decades aim to transition the nation from leadership in connectivity to leadership in AI and aid in the evolution of the future economy.