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Research and Markets: Southern Africa Telecommunications Report Q1 2012 - President Sata Forms A Committee to Investigate the Sale of A Majority Stake In Incumbent Operator Zamtel to Libya's LAP Green Networks
(M2 PressWIRE Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Dublin - Research and Markets(http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/85d1cf/southern_africa_te) has announced the addition of the "Southern Africa Telecommunications Report Q1 2012" report to their offering.
BMI's Q112 report on the telecommunications market for Southern Africa contains updates to the region's mobile, fixed-line and internet markets. Their five-year forecasts for the three sectors, which have been extended to 2016, have been updated to reflect recent regulatory and industry developments as well as subscriber growth trends during the first nine months of 2011. BMIs mobile forecasts are based on 9M11 data published by a number of regional operators, including Portugal Telecom, South Africa's Vodacom and MTN, France's Orange and Luxembourg's Millicom International Cellular.
In this quarter's update, BMI revised BMIs mobile forecast for some markets based on 9M11 market data published by some operators. Zambia, Angola and Mozambique are among markets where BMI downgraded BMIs forecast following the publication of market data by the countries' leading operators that show slower subscriber growth than previously anticipated.
Meanwhile, BMI upgraded their mobile forecast for Zimbabwe in this quarter's update following impressive subscriber growth in the six months to September 2011 after the completion of the mandatory SIM registration exercise in March.
Some notable developments in the region's telecoms markets in the last few months include the launch of limited services by Mozambique's third mobile operator Movicel with the launch of full commercial services expected in January 2012, the rollout of mobile money services by Econet Wireless in Zimbabwe, the completion of the Liquid Telecom-CEC fibre-optic network rollout in Zambia and the expansion of Orange Botswana's 3G network.
Meanwhile, with fewer subscriber growth opportunities in increasingly saturated urban areas, the trend towards rural rollout appears to be taking off in the region with some operators announcing significant network investment plans during 2012. Some operators that have outlined their investments include mcel and Vodacom in Mozambique, Zamtel in Zambia and Telecel in Zimbabwe. BMI notes that successful network expansion to underserved areas, as well as continued downward pressure on mobile tariffs and devices, poses an upside risk to their subscriber growth forecasts.
On the regulatory front, Zambia's new president, Michael Sata, who took office in late September 2011, started implementing some pre-election campaign promises, including investigating the sale of government assets under the previous administration. In October 2011, President Sata formed a committee to investigate the sale of a majority stake in incumbent operator Zamtel to Libya's LAP Green Networks. The committee submitted a report in November that faulted the privatisation process.
However, the president was yet to make a decision on the committee's findings at the time of writing.
Companies Mentioned:
- Unitel Angola
- Mascom Botswana
- Mauritius Telecom/Orange
- mcel Mozambique
- MTC Namibia
- Airtel (Zain Zambia)
- Econet Zimbabwe
For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/85d1cf/southern_africa_te
CONTACT:
Research and Markets,
Laura Wood,
Senior Manager.
press@researchandmarkets.com
Fax from USA: 646-607-1907
Fax from rest of the world: +353-1-481-1716
((M2 Communications disclaims all liability for information provided within M2 PressWIRE. Data supplied by named party/parties. Further information on M2 PressWIRE can be obtained at http://www.presswire.net on the world wide web. Inquiries to info@m2.com)).
(c) 2012 M2 COMMUNICATIONS
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