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Executive Summary
South Sudan's mobile players scale back operations in face of civil unrest
Following a referendum, oil-rich South Sudan seceded from Sudan in 2011and became an independent nation. Having been deprived of investment for decades, it inherited one of the least developed telecommunications and internet markets in the world, while other infrastructure is also lamentably poor. Although this potentially can create investment opportunities for infrastructure and service providers, such developments largely depend on a negotiated end to the protracted civil war which erupted in December 2013, and which has caused considerable mayhem and bloodshed, particularly in the oil-producing areas. While the struggle continues, and many international workers have sought sanctuary in UN bases across the country, investors in all economic sectors have been discouraged.
There was once investment activity among mobile network operators who sought to expand their networks in some areas of the country, but by late 2016 both Zain South Sudan and MTN South Sudan had cut back their workforces in a bid to save on operating costs, while their falling subscriber bases have strained revenue, with Zain South Sudan in particular recording dire financial losses in 2015 and for the first half of 2016. Operators in the telecom sector, as in other markets, are placing themselves in survival mode and hoping for a political settlement and a return to some degree of social stability.
At only around 23% penetration, one of the lowest in Africa, South Sudan's mobile market has many years of strong growth ahead of it. The virtually untapped internet and broadband market will kick off once the country gains access to international fibre optic cables and a national backbone network is put in place. Sophisticated infrastructure solutions are needed to reach the 80% of the population that live outside of the main urban centres. With a negligible rate of bank account ownership, mobile payment and banking solutions are set to dominate the country's financial services sector as well.
The limits to growth are currently defined by widespread poverty and a low literacy rate, but the government recognises the positive feedback loop on development that access to information and communication technologies (ICT) can have and is providing a range of investment incentives. The international community has provided USD 4 billion in aid to strengthen governance and institutions in the young nation.
Key developments:
MTN South Sudan adjusts to deteriorating market conditions; Zain South Sudan reports significant losses into 2016, reduces workforce; South Sudan joins the One Network Area scheme, removing international roaming charges for calls between Uganda; construction of a USD 25 million fibre link between Kenya and South Sudan gets under way, with completion expected in early 2017; government revisits plan to build 1,600km fibre network to connect to submarine cables via Uganda and Tanzania; Kenyan telecom regulator helping South Sudan develop ICT regulation; Kenya and South Sudan begin work on new World Bank-funded terrestrial fibre cable; government forms national committee to speed up designing and building the national backbone, considers setting up the National Communications Authority (NCA) to oversee the telecoms sector; mobile banking solutions set to revolutionise the largely cash-based economy.
Market penetration rates in South Sudan's telecoms sector 2016 (e)
Penetration of telecoms services: | Penetration
Fixed-line telephony
Fixed internet
Mobile SIM (population) | 23%
(Source: BuddeComm)
Companies mentioned in this report:
Zain, Vivacell (Network of the World; NOW); MTN; Gemtel Green Network (G Telecom; LAP Green); Sudatel; Sudani; Canar Telecom (Canartel, Etisalat); fastNet; RCS Communication; iBurst; Thuraya; Yahsat; O3b Networks; Fujairah Media Group (FMG); Equity Bank.
1. Executive summary
2. Key statistics
3. Country overview
4. Telecommunications market
4.1 Market analysis
5. Regulatory environment
5.1 Historical overview
5.2 Regulatory authorities
5.3 ICT Policy
5.4 Universal access
5.5 International gateway
5.6 SIM card registration
5.7 Investment protection
5.8 Foreign ownership restrictions
6. Fixed network operators
6.1 Sudatel
6.1.1 Fixed-line infrastructure
6.1.2 Wireless Local Loop (WLL)
6.1.3 Very Small Aperture Terminals (VSAT)
6.1.4 National fibre backbone
6.2 Canartel (Canar Telecom)
7. Telecommunications infrastructure
7.1 Overview of the national telecom network
7.2 International infrastructure
7.2.1 Satellite
7.2.2 Submarine and terrestrial fibre
7.2.3 The Central African Backbone (CAB)
8. Fixed-line broadband market
8.1 Introduction and statistical overview
8.2 Broadband statistics
8.3 Broadband infrastructure
8.3.1 FastNet
8.3.2 RCS
8.3.3 iBurst
8.3.4 EV-DO
8.3.5 WiMAX and Wi-Fi
8.3.6 Broadband via satellite
9. Mobile market
9.1 Market analysis
9.2 Mobile statistics
9.3 Mobile data SMS and MMS
9.4 Mobile broadband
9.5 Forecasts mobile subscribers 2016; 2018; 2021
9.6 Mobile infrastructure
9.6.1 Digital networks
9.6.2 Other infrastructure developments
9.7 Major mobile operators
9.7.1 Vivacell
9.7.2 Gemtel
9.7.3 Zain South Sudan
9.7.4 MTN South Sudan
9.7.5 Sudani (Sudatel)
9.8 Mobile content and applications
9.8.1 Mobile banking
10. Related reports
Under the copyright laws you may install and use a copy of the research data on the intended user’s computer. The information may be used for the exclusive use of this single user. You must treat the electronic version of our research data as any other copyright material. Furthermore you cannot make the information commercially available. Under no circumstances should other data be copied into our research information, nor may parts be cut out of it into other reports, without our written permission.
The information is strictly for use by the authorized staff of the company purchasing the report in the country in which the company operates and must not be published on the internet. You must treat the electronic version of our research data as any other copyright material. Furthermore you cannot make the information commercially available. Under no circumstances should other data be copied into our research information, nor may parts be cut out of it into other reports, without our written permission.
Chart 1 Mobile subscribers and penetration rate in South Sudan 2010 2017
Exhibit 1 Maps of Sudan and South Sudan
Table 1 Country statistics South Sudan 2016 (e)
Table 2 Fixed-line network statistics 2016 (e)
Table 3 Internet provider statistics 2016
Table 4 Internet and broadband statistics 2016 (e)
Table 5 Mobile statistics 2016 (e)
Table 6 National telecommunications authority
Table 7 Fixed lines in service and teledensity in South Sudan 2010-2016
Table 8 International internet bandwidth 2010-2015
Table 9 Broadband subscriptions, fixed and wireless 2010-2017
Table 10 Cell towers in South Sudan by operator and state 2010
Table 11 Mobile subscribers and penetration rate in South Sudan 2010-2017
Table 12 Mobile market share by operator 2015
Table 13 SMS traffic 2010-2016
Table 14 Active mobile broadband subscribers 2010-2016
Table 15 Forecast mobile subscribers in South Sudan 2016; 2018; 2021
Table 16 Vivacell South Sudan subscribers and ARPU 2013-2015
Table 17 Zain South Sudan subscribers and ARPU 2012-2016
Table 18 Zain South Sudan financial data 2012-2015
Table 19 MTN South Sudan revenue 2012-2014
Table 20 MTN South Sudan subscribers 2012-2016
Table 21 MTN South Sudan ARPU 2014-2016
Under the copyright laws you may install and use a copy of the research data on the intended user's computer. The information may be used for the exclusive use of this single user. You must treat the electronic version of our research data as any other copyright material. Furthermore you cannot make the information commercially available. Under no circumstances should other data be copied into our research information, nor may parts be cut out of it into other reports, without our written permission.
The information is strictly for use by the authorized staff of the company purchasing the report in the country in which the company operates and must not be published on the internet. You must treat the electronic version of our research data as any other copyright material. Furthermore you cannot make the information commercially available. Under no circumstances should other data be copied into our research information, nor may parts be cut out of it into other reports, without our written permission.
Zain, Vivacell (Network of the World, NOW), MTN, Gemtel Green Network (G Telecom, LAP Green), Sudatel, Sudani, Canar Telecom (Canartel, Etisalat), fastNet, RCS Communication, iBurst, Thuraya, Yahsat, O3b Networks, Fujairah Media Group (FMG), Equity Bank.
paul budde communication, buddecomm, telecomunications research, country profile, forcast, forcasting, estimates, emerging market, Broadband Fixed, Broadcasting, Companies (Major Players), Digital Economy, Digital Media, Internet, Mobile & Wireless Broadband and Media, Mobile Communications (voice and infrastructure), Regulations & Government Policies, Strategies & Analyses (Industry & Markets), Telecoms Infrastructure, Africa, South Sudan, Sudan
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