Subject: CSS news June 1999
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Internet Users in Arab World Close to One Million (Middle East/Arabia)
A DIT survey shows that the number of surfers has increased to more
than 920,000 by the end of last month, April. Growth rate - highest
in Saudi Arabia and Lebanon - is expected to spur the development of
e-business and other online services in the region.
By Fawaz Jarrah, DIT Online Editor
Dubai: 30th May 1999
http://www.ditnet.co.ae/itnews/newsmay99/newsmay77.htmlulator.htmlores
Following an unprecedented high demand on Internet connection over
the last few months, the number of Internet users in the Arab world
will soon reach the one million mark.
The number of subscribers with Internet providers in Arab countries
increased from 236,000 to 338,200 during the four-month period
ending April 30. The average rate of users to each account holder in
the region is 2.5, except Egypt where it stand at 4, according to
estimates made by the research unit of Internet Al-Alam Al-Arabi
(IAW) magazine, which is published by the Dabbagh Information
Technology Group.
This leads to a total number of more than 920,000 users by the end
of April. However, the number now should be nearing one million,
according to Abdul Kader Kamli, editor-in-chief of IAW and PC
Magazine Arabic edition.
Mr. Kamli attributed the unusually high growth rate, which stood at
a pan Arab average of 43 percent, mainly to the Saudi Arabian market
where Internet connection became locally available only at the
beginning of this year.
Internet access last year became mainly available in the eastern
parts of the kingdom through ISPs in Bahrain. Local access, however,
attracted more than 26,000 subscribers in four months, which
enlarged the online community to 45,000 accounts - an impressive
growth of about 140 percent for the period.
Internet access in Lebanon grew by more than 60 percent. Lebanese
ISPs also provide access to neighboring Syria, where connection is
limited to government departments, universities and selected
institutions until a reported multi-staged plan to provide wider
access materialize by the end of this year. Lebanese access to the
small number of Syrian users, however, is often limited to e-mail
service or limited access. The combined growth in Internet access in
Syria and Lebanon is estimated at 72 percent during the four-month
period.
Internet access in Egypt, the most populated Arab country, grew by
42 percent to reach about 52,000 subscribers, or more than 200,000
users.
The United Arab Emirates ranked fourth in the growth rate - 34
percent - but it remained ahead of all Arab countries in hosting the
highest number of Internet accounts; about 82,000. Meanwhile, the
number of account holders in Kuwait surged to 25,000; 14 percent
growth, followed by Jordan; 20,000 accounts, 21 percent growth.
Growth rate in Qatar was estimated at 29, followed by Oman, 26;
Morocco, 26; Tunisia, 28; Yemen, 14.
Mr. Kamli said the big growth in Internet use in the Arab world
would offer more incentive for businesses, telecommunication
companies and governments to develop electronic business. Dubai has
already taken the initiative to work out e-commerce solutions.
In conducting the survey the DIT research unit met a host of
problems. The main difficulty was to arrive at the most realistic
estimates when some of the ISPs tended to inflate the size of their
clients to save face with the competition. Various techniques were
used to take all variables into account, and the result of the survey
still offer the most accurate statistics in the Arab Internet market,
with an error margin of (5 percent).
RANK Country Subscribers Subscribers Users %Growth in 4 months
- - Dec 1998 April 1999 April Dec'98-April'99
1999
1 UAE 61,200 81,700 204,300 33.5 %
2 Lebanon & Syria* 30,700 52,900 132,200 72.3 %
3 Egypt 36,400 51,800 207,200 42.3 %
4 Saudi Arabia** 18,700 45,000 112,500 140.6 %
5 Kuwait 22,000 25,100 62,800 14.1 %
6 Jordan 16,600 20,100 50,300 21.1 %
7 Oman 12,700 16,000 40,000 26.0 %
8 Tunisia 4,700 6,000 15,000 27.7 %
9 Morocco 11,200 14,100 32,500 25.9 %
10 Bahrain** 11,700 13,000 32,500 11.1 %
11 Qatar 8,500 11,000 27,500 29.4 %
12 Yemen 2,200 2,500 6,300 13.6 %
Total . 236,000 338,200 923,100 .
Statistics were rounded to the nearest 100. Margin of error: ± 5
* Syrian subscribers form a small portion of the combined statistic.
They mostly have only e-mail connection.
** Saudi statistics are conservative and could rank much higher.
Bahrain statistics include Saudi subscribers - excluded from Saudi
statistics.
Links:
http://www.iawmag.com/e/itnews/newsmay99/newsmay77.htmlulator.htmlores
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Also in this issue:
- Kiwi ISPs asked to self-police (NZ)
AFTER three years of procrastination, a code of practice to regulate
access to pornography on the Net and ensure fair play among Internet
access providers may be within reach.
- Police lag as NZ's criminals go online (NZ)
THE Mr Bigs of New Zealand's criminal underworld are using powerful
computers, databases and the Internet to manage growing illegal
activities.
- A case of clerical error (Israel)
Today I am a priest.
The Universal Life Church didn't seem to have a problem ordaining an
observant Jew; perhaps my Irish-Catholic last name fooled them. Come
to think of it, it had to be the name, because that's pretty much
all they asked for before endowing me with my virtual collar.
- Netscape 4.6 vs. IE5 (Israel)
More exciting than a high-speed police chase, with more
action than the Rumble in the Jungle, more litigation than Kramer
vs. Kramer, but with less taste than the Cola Wars - it's the Browser
Wars!
- Internet Users in Arab World Close to One Million (Middle East/Arabia)
A DIT survey shows that the number of surfers has increased to more
than 920,000 by the end of last month, April. Growth rate - highest
in Saudi Arabia and Lebanon - is expected to spur the development of
e-business and other online services in the region.
- They're more net savvy (Asia)
A typical Mr Internet logs on about four times a week, for about 46
minutes a day, is usually male and has at least A levels, says an
SPH survey
- What slows down the Web? There's more than you think (US)
We all know the Internet doesn't run fast enough. What we often
don't know is why.
- New Java Technology Available Now (US)
Sun Microsystems yesterday said JavaServer Pages is available
immediately for building interactive, viewer-specific Web pages.
- Consult these Web sites for business, career tips (US)
Careerbuilder, Globe Investor, Real Estate Toolbox, Canadian
Investor, Worx from Home, Online Business Sources and Resources,
Small Biz Manager, Intellifact Business Research Portal,
Fundamental Facts about U.S. Money, Economics Education.
- Linux software vendor announces public offering (US)
Red Hat Inc., which sells Microsoft rival Linux software, said
Friday it will go public with a $96.6 million stock offering.
- Week in Review
The Internet's top newsmakers of the week.
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