Research and Markets: Algeria Telecoms, Mobile, Broadband and Forecasts 2010 Report

Algeria is one of the most penetrated mobile and fixed-line markets in Africa. This annual report provides a comprehensive overview and analysis of trends and developments in Algeria's telecommunications market, including forecasts. Subjects covered include:

Mobile penetration of close to 90%

With a mobile penetration of close to 90% and fixed-line penetration of around 10% in early 2010, Algeria has one of the highest teledensities in Africa. It's relatively well developed infrastructure includes a national fibre backbone and one of Africa's first fibre-to-the-home (FttH) deployments. The country's oil and gas reserves have made it one of the wealthiest nations in Africa. However, the market has been affected by the global economic crisis, and its recovery will depend on a combination of regulatory and economic factors, as well as choice of business models.

As the mobile voice market approaches saturation, subscriber growth has begun to flatten and the attention is shifting to maintaining or improving average revenue per user (ARPU) which has continued to decline under intensifying price competition between the three networks: Algerie Telecoms Mobilis, Orascoms Djezzy, and Wataniyas Nedjma. The operators have entered the underdeveloped Internet market by launching basic mobile data services, but the licensing of third generation (3G) spectrum is being delayed, which makes it difficult for them to fully compete in the broadband sector.

The meantime

In the meantime, fixed-line incumbent Algerie Telecom (AT) is rapidly expanding its ADSL and WiMAX networks and upgrading its CDMA wireless local loop network with broadband capabilities. ADSL prices are among the lowest in Africa. Several of the country's ISPs are rolling out their own WiMAX wireless broadband infrastructure. The full liberalisation of VoIP Internet telephony is enabling them to become players in the fixed voice market as well, and converged triple-play services (voice, data and video) have been introduced.

This report contains an overview of Algeria's telecommunications sector, analysis and key statistics, profiles of the major players, and scenario forecasts for the fixed-line, Internet and mobile market to 2012 and 2015.