DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/xkpv3q/liberia_telecoms) has announced the addition of the "Liberia - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband" report to their offering.
New international fibre link expected to boost Internet and broadband market. This annual report provides a comprehensive overview of trends and developments in Liberia's telecommunications market.
Eight years into peace, following more than a decade of civil war which destroyed much of its infrastructure, Liberia became a prime example of an almost entirely wireless telecommunications market. Four GSM mobile operators are competing for customers - LoneStar (majority owned by South Africa's MTN), Comium, Cellcom and LiberCell.
Internet services are available from a number of wireless ISPs and the mobile networks using GPRS, EDGE and WiMAX technology. The high cost and limited bandwidth of existing satellite connections means that most service offerings are still expensive and below broadband speed. Dramatic improvements can be expected from the recent landing of the first ever international fibre optic submarine cable in the country.
In the mobile sector, competition has led to some of the lowest call prices in Africa despite the expensive operating environment due to the lack of basic infrastructure in the country. However, the harmonisation of the disorderly licensing and spectrum allocation regime inherited from previous governments is proving difficult. Market penetration is still below the African average but growing faster than in most other countries in the region.
An attempt at privatising the dysfunctional fixed network operator, the Liberia Telecommunications Corporation (now Libtelco) failed in 2005. Since then, efforts to resuscitate the previously neglected incumbent have continued successfully with a wireless 3G system based on CDMA EV-DO technology enabling it to enter the mobile market as a fifth player and to provide wireless broadband services. There are also plans for a national fibre backbone network. These assets would create an attractive opportunity to a strategic investor in a likely renewed privatisation in the near future.
Market highlights:
- First ever international submarine fibre optic cable reaches the country;
- Privatisation of Libtelco expected;
- Profiles of major players in all market sectors;
- Estimates to end-2012 for mobile, fixed-line and Internet market.Estimated market penetration rates in Liberia's telecoms sector - end-2011
Companies covered in this report: Liberia Telecommunications Corporation (LTC, Libtelco), MTN Liberia (LoneStar), Cellcom, Comium, LiberCell, Globacom, West Africa Telecom (WAT).
Key Topics Covered:
1. Executive summary
2. Key statistics
2.1 Country overview
3. Telecommunications market
4. Regulatory environment
4.1 Background
4.2 Liberia Telecommunications Act of 2007
4.3 Regulatory authority
4.4 New ICT Policy and ICT Bill
4.5 International gateways
4.6 Future regulatory direction
5. Fixed-line operators in Liberia
6. International infrastructure
6.1 Satellite
6.2 Submarine fibre
7. Internet market
7.1 Overview
7.2 ISP market
7.3 Internet banking
8. Broadband market
8.1 Overview
8.2 EV-DO
8.3 WiMAX
9. Mobile communications
9.1 Overview of Liberia's mobile market
9.2 Regulatory issues
9.3 Major mobile operators
9.4 Additional licences
9.5 Mobile data services
9.6 Mobile content and applications
For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/xkpv3q/liberia_telecoms