Muscat – Oman has climbed four spots in the global Network Readiness Index (NRI) for 2024, reaching 50th place, according to the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA). The NRI, published by the Portulans Institute and Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford, evaluates how countries use communications and information technology to enhance global competitiveness.
TRA highlighted Oman’s significant achievements across several key sub-indicators. Notably, the sultanate ranked first globally for ‘population covered by at least a 3G mobile network’, ninth for ‘government promotion of investment in emerging technologies’, tenth for ‘use of virtual social networks’, and eleventh for ‘gender gap in internet use’. These achievements reflect Oman’s progress in improving its digital infrastructure and fostering inclusivity in internet access.
Among the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, the UAE holds the highest rank at 28th, followed by Saudi Arabia at 35th, Qatar at 38th, Bahrain at 51st, and Kuwait at 67th.
For the third consecutive year, the United States leads the NRI, with Singapore in second place and Finland in third. Sweden, South Korea, and the United Kingdom saw significant improvements, moving up to fourth, fifth, and eighth places, respectively. The top ten also includes the Netherlands (6th), Switzerland (7th), Germany (9th), and Denmark (10th).
The NRI report, titled “Building a Digital Tomorrow: Public-Private Investments and Global Collaboration for Digital Readiness,” assesses the application and impact of ICT in economies worldwide and maps the network readiness landscape of 133 economies.
