Has Etisalat Hijacked
a National Asset?
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While digging deep into its Internet customers' pockets, Etisalat was also busy blocking the entrance to a mine that could have been a National Asset for the UAE. With Internet access unaffordable for so long, the UAE has fallen behind in terms of Internet know-how, instead of becoming the region's internet "super-power" as it had rightly deserved.

Becoming such a super-power wouldn't have been difficult. The country's telecoms and, more specifically, internet infrastructure is by far the best in the region. The country's multi-lingual populace was well suited to jump on the Internet bandwagon early. But while Americans, for instance, were tinkering to their hearts' content with this emerging medium, we in the UAE were still worrying about our monthly bills. The learning process was slow, not to mention painfully costly.

Even on a corporate level, our business community is still lagging in terms of Internet awareness. Only recently do we have online shopping. By contrast, e-commerce in the US now amounts to billions of dollars. Even for simple web pages, how many local companies have trusted Etisalat with hosting their sites?

Etisalat's charges aren't high ­ they are EXCESSIVE. When a minor Internet Server Provider in Denmark can offer *home* users cable connections for $50 per month, why do our *universities and colleges* have to pay AED 120,000 for a meager 1 MB connection?!! (The rate has now been "slashed" to AED 57,000 ­ aren't we the lucky ones!)

True, Etisalat is committed to make profits for its shareholders. But, as a National establishment given the favor of a monopoly, it also has a duty to contribute to the country's progress. Unfortunately, we are just sitting and watching the world incorporate the internet into every aspect of life. Etisalat, however, isn't. Etisalat is busy recovering its investments in new equipment. Overnight. From the first batch of customers!