Abu Dhabi, May 18 (IANS/WAM) The UAE is striving to be the first country in the world to achieve 100 percent broadband penetration, by 2012, United Arab Emirates's Minister for Economy Sultan Al Mansoori has said.

"The UAE telecom market is now seen as matured but that hasn't stopped our telecom companies from investing in expanding their coverage and product portfolio, while also generating substantial profits," said Al Mansoori while speaking during the Abu Dhabi Telecoms CEO Summit Monday.

"Mobile penetration rate in the UAE has crossed 200 per cent and broadband penetration among households stood at 40 per cent in 2010," he added.

A study by Cisco last year, Al Mansoori noted, rated broadband quality in the UAE in the top 10 in the world, ahead of most of the developed countries.

An ambitious fibre-to-home technology currently being implemented by Etisalat is said to be capable of making the UAE the first country in the world to have 100 per cent broadband penetration by 2012.