Rwanda - Telecoms Market Overview & Statistics

Synopsis

The aftermath of the 1994 genocide and a monopolistic market structure until 2006 have weighed on the Rwandan telecommunications sector, but the country is now catching up with other markets in Africa. The privatised incumbent telco is more innovative than most of its African counterparts in the provision of market-driven, affordable services, and it is competing in the mobile sector as well. The country has one of the most developed national fibre infrastructures in the region and is preparing to connect to the new high-bandwidth submarine cables that are being planned along the east cost of Africa.

Table of Contents

• 1. Synopsis
  
• 2. Key statistics
  
• 3. Country overview
  
• 4. Overview of Rwanda’s telecom market
  
• 5. Regulatory environment
  
  • 5.1 Regulatory authority
    
    • 5.1.1 Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Agency (RURA)
      
    • 5.1.2 RITA and NICT
      
  • 5.2 Market liberalisation
    
    • 5.2.1 Third national operator licence
      
  • 5.3 Interconnection
    
  • 5.4 Universal Access Fund
    
• 6. Fixed network operators in Rwanda
  
  • 6.1 Rwandatel/Terracom
    
    • 6.1.1 Privatisation
      
  • 6.2 Artel Communications
    
• 7. Telecommunications infrastructure
  
  • 7.1 Fixed-line statistics
    
  • 7.2 Fixed-line network
    
  • 7.3 Wireless local loop (WLL)
    
  • 7.4 National backbone network
    
  • 7.5 International infrastructure
    
    • 7.5.1 Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT)
      
    • 7.5.2 The proposed EASSy submarine cable
      
    • 7.5.3 The East African Marine System (TEAMS)
      
    • 7.5.4 The Eastern Africa Backhaul System (EABS)
      
    • 7.5.5 Service provision to the DRC
      
• 8. Internet market
  
  • 8.1 Overview
    
    • 8.1.1 Internet statistics
      
  • 8.2 ISP market
    
  • 8.3 Rwanda Internet Exchange Point (RIXP)
    
  • 8.4 Cybercafes and telecentres
    
  • 8.5 One Laptop per Child (OLPC)
    
  • 8.6 Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
    
  • 8.7 E-government
    
• 9. Broadband market
  
  • 9.1 Overview
    
  • 9.2 Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL)
    
  • 9.3 WiMAX
    
• 10. Mobile communications
  
  • 10.1 Overview of Rwanda’s mobile market
    
    • 10.1.1 Mobile statistics
      
  • 10.2 Mobile technologies
    
    • 10.2.1 3G
      
  • 10.3 Major mobile operators
    
    • 10.3.1 MTN Rwanda
      
    • 10.3.2 Terracom Mobile/Rwandatel
      
  • 10.4 Mobile content and applications
    
    • 10.4.1 Mobile banking
      
    • 10.4.2 M-payment
      
• 11. Related reports
  

• Table 1 – Country statistics – 2008
• Table 2 – Telephone network statistics – 2008
• Table 3 – Internet provider statistics – 2008
• Table 4 – Internet user statistics – 2008
• Table 5 – Mobile statistics – September 2008
• Table 6 – National telecommunications authority
• Table 7 – Fixed-lines in service and teledensity – 1999 - 2008
• Table 8 – Internet users and penetration rate – 1999 - 2008
• Table 9 – Mobile operators, subscribers and annual change – September 2008
• Table 10 – Mobile subscribers and penetration rate – 1999 - 2008