Guinea in West Africa has vast mineral resources and is yet one of the poorest countries in the world. Penetration rates in its telecommunications and Internet market are well below African averages. The mobile sector now has five players competing for customers and is showing very healthy growth, while the fixed-line and Internet markets are virtually untapped. A new strategic investor may soon be sought for the country’s incumbent telco, Sotelgui. The recent entry of two world-class international operators, MTN and Orange, with investments of hundreds of millions of US$, is expected to drive the market forward through convergence between fixed and mobile, voice and data services. The planned arrival of two international submarine cable systems to the country’s shores in 2008/09 promises to bring fibre-based bandwidth to Guinea for the first time which should help to lower prices and stimulate the market.
Guinea - Telecoms Market Overview & Statistics
Table of Contents
Guinea in West Africa has vast mineral resources and is yet one of the poorest countries in the world. Penetration rates in its telecommunications and Internet market are well below African averages. The mobile sector now has five players competing for customers and is showing very healthy growth, while the fixed-line and Internet markets are virtually untapped. A new strategic investor may soon be sought for the country’s incumbent telco, Sotelgui. The recent entry of two world-class international operators, MTN and Orange, with investments of hundreds of millions of US$, is expected to drive the market forward through convergence between fixed and mobile, voice and data services. The planned arrival of two international submarine cable systems to the country’s shores in 2008/09 promises to bring fibre-based bandwidth to Guinea for the first time which should help to lower prices and stimulate the market.
- 1. Synopsis
- 2. Key statistics
- 3. Country overview
- 4. Overview of Guinea’s telecom market
- 5. Regulatory environment
- 5.1 Background
- 5.2 West African common regulatory framework 2005
- 5.3 Regulatory authority
- 5.3.1 Direction Nationale des Postes et des Télécommunications (DNPT)
- 6. Fixed network operators in Guinea
- 6.1 Société des Télécommunications de Guinée (Sotelgui)
- 7. Telecommunications infrastructure
- 7.1 National telecom network
- 7.1.1 Wireless Local Loop (WLL)
- 7.1.2 Public payphones
- 7.1.3 Telecentres
- 7.2 International infrastructure
- 7.2.1 New submarine fibre optic cables
- 8. Internet market
- 8.1 Overview
- 8.2 ISP market
- 8.2.1 Sotelgui
- 8.2.2 MiriNet
- 8.2.3 ETI (Biasy)
- 8.2.4 Universal Communication, Ristel
- 8.3 VoIP Internet telephony
- 9. Broadband market
- 9.1 Overview
- 9.2 SchoolWeb WiFi Network
- 10. Mobile communications
- 10.1 Overview of Guinea’s mobile market
- 10.2 Regulatory issues
- 10.2.1 Interconnection
- 10.2.2 Per-second billing
- 10.3 Major mobile operators
- 10.3.1 MTN Guinea (Areeba)
- 10.3.2 Sotelgui (Lagui)
- 10.3.3 Orange Guinea (formerly Spacetel Guinee)
- 10.3.4 Intercel Guinea (formerly Télécel Guinea)
- 10.3.5 Cellcom Guinee
- 10.4 Mobile voice services
- 10.5 Mobile data services
- 11. Related reports
- Table 1 – Country statistics – 2008
- Table 2 – Telephone network statistics – 2007
- Table 3 – Internet user statistics – 2007
- Table 4 – Mobile statistics – 2007
- Table 5 – National telecommunications authority
- Table 6 – Fixed-lines in service and teledensity – 1999 - 2007
- Table 7 – Internet users and penetration – 1999 - 2007
- Table 8 – Mobile subscribers, annual change and penetration – 1999 - 2007
- Table 9 – MTN Guinea monthly ARPU – 2006 - 2008