Mobile market in the UAE set for 'high-value phase'

Average monthly mobile data usage estimated to reach 35GB in 2030.  

Telcos in the United Arab Emirates are witnessing a shift towards premium, data-centric consumer behaviour, according to analysis by GlobalData.

"The average monthly mobile data usage in the UAE is expected to increase from 12.9GB in 2025 to 35GB in 2030, led by the growing consumption of online video and social media content over smartphones," noted GlobalData Telecom Analyst Srikanth Vaidya.

"The UAE's mobile market is entering a high-value phase where escalating 5G adoption, rising data intensity, and expanding IoT (Internet of Things) ecosystems will collectively redefine operator revenue models."

In Vaidya's view, the next wave of sustainable growth will be captured by telecom operators that prioritise advanced networks and enterprise digitalisation.

According to estimates by GlobalData, 5G subscriptions will likely account for an 80% share of the total mobile subscriptions in 2030 whilst machine-to-machine/IoT subscriptions are forecast to reach 6.7 million in 2030.

Mobile data service revenue is projected to rise at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.4% over 2025-2030, offsetting the estimated decline (at a CAGR of 4.1%) in mobile voice service revenue.

GlobalData cited the increasing adoption of higher average revenue per user 5G services and premium high-volume data-centric plans.