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Gambia - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Gambia’s National Broadband Network facing financial hurdles

Gambia’s telecom market is dominated by the incumbent telco Gamtel, which retains a monopoly on fixed-line telephony services. There are four mobile networks providing effective competition. The market’s leader is Africell, with about 65% market share, while Comium and QCell compete closely for second and third place. Gamtel’s mobile unit Gamcel is by far the smallest operator, with about 10% share. Mobile penetration is well above the African average, itself a testament to the poor condition of the fixed-line infrastructure and the lack of availability of fixed services in many rural areas of the country.

Although the incumbent has a relatively well-developed national fibre backbone network, low fixed-line penetration has hindered internet usage. There are only three licensed ISPs, which are small operators serving local areas, and so competition is minimal. The government has embarked on a National Broadband Network program aimed at closing the digital divide affecting many parts of the country, though in mid-2018 the terms of a loan required to continue work on the network were rejected by Parliament.

Key developments:

  • Government agrees to splitting off Gamcel from Gamtel;
  • Africell launches LTE services, competing with QCell;
  • Government announces liberalisation of the international gateway;
  • QCell launched its Qodoo Mobile Money service, follows with LTE;
  • Gamtel reports further declines in revenue;
  • Legislation prepared to create a new National ICT Agency;
  • Government launches National Broadband Network project;
  • International Network Management Center (IINMC) opens, facilitating traffic on ACE cable;
  • Africell contracts Alepo for Data Solutions;
  • Gamtel contracts Huawei for fibre backbone project;
  • Report update includes Gamtel financial data, ITU data for 2017, Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, recent market developments.

Companies mentioned in this report:

Gambia Telecommunications (Gamtel), Gamcel, Africell, Comium, QCell, Globacom, Thuraya, GamNet, QuantumNet, Netpage, Airtip.

Table of Contents

  • Key statistics

  • Country overview

  • Telecommunications market

    • Historical overview

  • Regional Africa Market Comparison

    • TMI vs GDP
    • Mobile and mobile broadband
    • Fixed and mobile broadband

  • Regulatory environment

    • National Communications and Information Policy (NACIP)
    • Regulatory authority
    • 2009 ICT Act
    • Interconnection
    • Universal Access Fund (UAF)
    • Telecom sector liberalisation
    • Privatisation

  • Fixed network operator

    • Gambia Telecommunications (Gamtel)

  • Telecommunications infrastructure

    • Overview of the national telecom network
    • International infrastructure
      • Submarine fibre
      • Satellite

  • Fixed-line broadband market

    • Introduction and statistical overview
    • Market analysis
    • Broadband statistics
    • Internet Exchange Point (IXP)
    • Fixed-line broadband technologies
      • Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks
      • Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP) networks
      • Other fixed broadband services

  • Digital economy

    • e-government

  • Mobile market

    • Market analysis
      • Mobile statistics
    • Mobile data
      • SMS and MMS
    • Mobile broadband
    • Regulatory issues
      • SIM card registration
    • Mobile infrastructure
      • 4G (LTE)
      • 3G
    • Major mobile operators
      • Gamcel
      • Africell
      • Comium
      • QCell
    • Mobile content and applications
      • M-banking

  • Related reports


List of Tables

  • Table 1 – Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities – Gambia – 2018 (e)
  • Table 2 – Gamtel financial data – 2012 – 2014
  • Table 3 – Historic - Fixed lines in service and teledensity in Gambia – 1999 – 2009
  • Table 4 – Fixed lines in service and teledensity in Gambia – 2010 – 2018
  • Table 5 – International internet bandwidth – 2002 – 2016
  • Table 6 – Historic - Internet users and penetration rate in Gambia – 1999 – 2009
  • Table 7 – Internet users and penetration rate in Gambia – 2010 – 2018
  • Table 8 – Fixed-line broadband subscribers – 2004 – 2018
  • Table 9 – Historic - Mobile subscribers and penetration rate in Gambia – 1999 – 2009
  • Table 10 – Mobile subscribers and penetration rate in Gambia – 2010 – 2018
  • Table 11 – Mobile broadband subscribers and penetration in Gambia – 2009 – 2018
  • Table 12 – Gamcel mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2018
  • Table 13 – Africell mobile subscribers – 2013 – 2018
  • Table 14 – Comium mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2018
  • Table 15 – QCell mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2018

List of Charts

  • Chart 1 – Overall Africa view - Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per Capita – 2018
  • Chart 2 – West Africa - Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per Capita – 2018
  • Chart 3 – Africa – Middle-tier Telecoms Maturity Index (Market Challengers) – 2018
  • Chart 4 – West Africa –Telecoms Maturity Index by country – 2018
  • Chart 5 – West Africa mobile subscriber penetration versus mobile broadband penetration – 2018
  • Chart 6 – West Africa fixed and mobile penetration rates – 2018
  • Chart 7 – Fixed lines in service and teledensity in Gambia – 2005 – 2018
  • Chart 8 – Internet users and penetration rate in Gambia – 2005 – 2018
  • Chart 9 – Mobile subscribers and penetration rate in Gambia – 2005 – 2018
  • Chart 10 – Mobile broadband subscribers and penetration in Gambia – 2009 – 2018

List of Exhibits

  • Exhibit 1 – Map of Gambia
  • Exhibit 2 – Generalised Market Characteristics by Market Segment
  • Exhibit 3 – West Africa - Key Characteristics of Telecoms Markets by Country

Related Reports

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Focus Report Profile

Technologies

Broadband Fixed
Companies (Major Players)
Digital Media
Internet
Mobile & Wireless Broadband and Media
Mobile Communications (voice and infrastructure)
Regulations & Government Policies
Strategies & Analyses (Industry & Markets)
Telecoms Infrastructure

Number of pages 58

Status Current

Last updated 30 Mar 2019
Update History

Lead Analyst: Henry Lancaster

Contributing Analysts:

Peter Lange

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