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| Gambia Telecommunications Research |
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 Gambia - Telecoms, Mobile, Broadband and Forecasts
Executive summary
Fifth mobile network entering at close to 100% market penetration.
Gambia's political stability has led to consistent healthy GDP growth which was barely affected by the global economic crisis. The country's telecoms sector is characterised by four mobile networks with a fifth network (Globacom) licensed in July 2010. Gamtel is the sole fixed-line provider. Although the incumbent has a relatively well-developed national backbone network including fibre, fixed-line penetration has remained low, which has also hindered Internet usage.
With only three Internet service providers, the sector is not very competitive. Wireless offerings are competing with Gamtel's ADSL broadband service. However, for international fibre bandwidth the country depends on neighbouring Senegal which has led to high prices. Gambia's own direct access to new submarine fibre-optic cable systems from 2011 will dramatically lower the cost of international bandwidth.
Mobile market penetration is well above the African average. Gamtel competes in this sector through its subsidiary (Gamcel) against Africell and Comium, both with Lebanese backing, and QCell which is affiliated with one of the country's leading ISPs, QantumNet. QCell introduced third generation (3G) mobile services to the country in 2009, including a mobile broadband service.
A new Telecommunications/ICT Bill is expected to create a regulatory environment under which more competition will be introduced to more sectors of the telecommunications market. In view of convergence, the new law will be technology-neutral, which will also liberalise the use of VoIP Internet telephony.
The partial privatisation of Gamtel and Gamcel in 2007 was revoked a year later due to non-performance of the new owners and is likely to be repeated in the near future.
Market highlights:
Forecasts to end-2011 for mobile, fixed-line and Internet market;
Profiles of major players in all market sectors;
Fifth mobile network licensed;
New ICT Bill to support fixed-mobile/voice-data convergence;
International fibre optic submarine cable to arrive in 2011;
National fibre backbone expansion;
Broadband pricing trends 2009/10.Estimated market penetration rates in Gambia's telecoms sector - end-2010
MarketPenetration rate
Mobile93%
Fixed3%
Internet8%
(Source: BuddeComm based on various sources)
This annual report provides a comprehensive overview of trends and developments in Gambia's telecommunications market. Subjects covered include:
Key statistics;
Market and industry overviews;
The impact of the global economic crisis;
Regulatory environment and structural reform;
Major players (fixed, mobile and broadband);
Infrastructure development;
Mobile voice and data markets, including 3G;
Internet and broadband development and pricing;
Convergence (voice/data, fixed/wireless/mobile).For those needing high level strategic information and objective analysis on the telecommunications sector in Gambia, this report is essential reading and gives further information on:
One of the most penetrated mobile markets in the region;
Government policies affecting the telecoms industry;
Market liberalisation and regulatory issues;
The impact of the global economic crisis;
Telecoms operators - privatisation, acquisitions, new licences;
Internet and broadband development and growth;
Broadband and mobile data services and pricing trends.
Last Update: 6 Oct 2010 Number of Pages: 24
Single User: USD $410.00 ex-GST View Table of Contents
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