West & Central Africa Telecommunications Report Q3 2013 - New Market Study Published

Our Q313 West and Central Africa report analyses latest industry, regulatory and macroeconomic developments in the telecoms markets of seven countries: Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Gabon, Mali, Mauritania and Senegal. In addition to analysis of the latest market data, the report contains updated five-year forecasts, through to 2017, for the mobile, fixedline and internet sectors.

Key Data

* The average mobile market growth for the seven countries in our coverage in 2012 was 20.4%. Mali recorded the highest growth at 35%, while Cote d'Ivoire recorded the lowest at just 0.9%.
* The average mobile penetration rate in the seven countries was 90.5% at the end 2012.
* Gabon had the highest internet penetration at 32.0%, while DRC had the lowest at 2.4%.

Key Trends & Developments

On May 3 2013, Airtel launched its 3.75G network in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Airtel's 3.75G network uses HSPA+ technology and has a maximum download speed of 21mbps, making it the fastest data network in the DRC. Airtel's launch of 3.75G in DRC is one of the strategic 'corrections' Bharti Airtel founder Sunil Mittar Bharti says will curb the operator's poor financial performance in the first quarter of 2013.

Full Report Details at
- http://www.fastmr.com/prod/617018_west_central_africa_telecommunications_report_q3.aspx?afid=301

Gabon's telecoms operator Gabon Telecom and Mahindra Comviva teamed up in March 2013 to roll out Mobi Cash mobile money services and mobiquity mobile financial applications. The service will allow the operator's subscribers to make over-the-counter payments at shops and restaurants. Subscribers will also be able to make domestic remittances, salary disbursements and last-mile financial services, including cash in and cash out. The mobiquity applications will offer mobile wallet, payment and banking services. The operator will also implement USSD FLARES, a messaging solution by Mahindra.

France Telecom-Orange signed a leasing agreement with African mobile infrastructure operator IHS for the operation of over 2,000 tower sites in Cote d'Ivoire and Cameroon, in a move that is expected to improve mobile networks in both countries. Under the terms of the agreement, the towers will remain the property of the French firm's subsidiaries, Orange Cote d'Ivoire and Orange Cameroon, with IHS operating the towers for a term of 15 years to enable and accelerate further network modernisation, particularly in the areas of efficient grid and diesel utilisation and the growing use of renewable energy to power the network. The particular conditions in emerging markets such as the cost of energy and accessibility of sites.

About Fast Market Research

Fast Market Research is an online aggregator and distributor of market research and business information. We represent the world's top research publishers and analysts and provide quick and easy access to the best competitive intelligence available.

For more information about these or related research reports, please visit our website at http://www.fastmr.com or call us at 1.800.844.8156.

You may also be interested in these related reports:

- Central America Telecommunications Report Q3 2013
- South Africa Telecommunications Report Q3 2013
- Czech Republic Telecommunications Report Q3 2013
- Uganda Telecommunications Report Q3 2013
- Kenya Telecommunications Report Q3 2013