Gambia - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Executive summary

Gambia sets up a National Broadband Network

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. In late 2017 the government embarked on a National Broadband Network program, aimed at closing the digital divide affecting many parts of the country.

Key developments:

Africell launches LTE services, competing with QCell;
Gamtel takes control of 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, recent market developments.

Companies mentioned in this report:

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

1. Executive summary
2. Key statistics
3. Country overview
4. Telecommunications market
- 4.1 Historical overview
5. Regulatory environment
- 5.1 National Communications and Information Policy (NACIP)
- 5.2 Regulatory authority
- 5.3 2009 ICT Act
- 5.4 Interconnection
- 5.5 Universal Access Fund (UAF)
- 5.6 Telecom sector liberalisation
- 5.7 Privatisation
6. Fixed network operator
- 6.1 Gambia Telecommunications (Gamtel)
7. Telecommunications infrastructure
- 7.1 Overview of the national telecom network
  - 7.1.1 Wireless Local Loop (WLL), CDMA-2000
- 7.2 International infrastructure
  - 7.2.1 Submarine fibre
  - 7.2.2 Satellite
8. Fixed-line broadband market
- 8.1 Introduction and statistical overview
- 8.2 Market analysis
- 8.3 Broadband statistics
- 8.4 Internet Exchange Point (IXP)
- 8.5 Fixed-line broadband technologies
  - 8.5.1 Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks
  - 8.5.2 Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP) networks
  - 8.5.3 Other fixed broadband services
9. Digital economy
- 9.1 e-government
10. Mobile market
- 10.1 Market analysis
  - 10.1.1 Mobile statistics
- 10.2 Mobile data
  - 10.2.1 SMS and MMS
- 10.3 Mobile broadband
- 10.4 Regulatory issues
  - 10.4.1 SIM card registration
- 10.5 Mobile infrastructure
  - 10.5.1 Digital networks
- 10.6 Major mobile operators
  - 10.6.1 Gamcel
  - 10.6.2 Africell
  - 10.6.3 Comium
  - 10.6.4 QCell
- 10.7 Mobile content and applications
  - 10.7.1 M-banking
11. Related reports

Table 1 – Country statistics – Gambia – 2017 (e)
Table 2 – Fixed-line network statistics – 2017 (e)
Table 3 – Internet provider statistics – 2017
Table 4 – Internet and social media user statistics – 2017 (e)
Table 5 – Mobile statistics – 2017 (e)
Table 6 – Gamtel financial data – 2012 – 2014
Table 7 – Historic - Fixed lines in service and teledensity in Gambia – 1999 - 2009
Table 8 – Fixed lines in service and teledensity in Gambia – 2010 - 2018
Table 9 – International internet bandwidth – 2002 - 2016
Table 10 – Historic - Internet users and penetration rate in Gambia – 1999 - 2009
Table 11 – Internet users and penetration rate in Gambia – 2010 - 2018
Table 12 – Fixed-line broadband subscribers – 2004 - 2017
Table 13 – Historic - Mobile subscribers and penetration rate in Gambia – 1999 - 2009
Table 14 – Mobile subscribers and penetration rate in Gambia – 2010 - 2018
Table 15 – Mobile broadband subscribers and penetration in Gambia – 2009 - 2017
Table 16 – Gamcel mobile subscribers – 2012 - 2017
Table 17 – Africell mobile subscribers – 2013 - 2017
Table 18 – Comium mobile subscribers – 2012 - 2017
Table 19 – QCell mobile subscribers – 2012 - 2017

Chart 1 – Fixed lines in service and teledensity in Gambia – 2005 – 2018
Chart 2 – Internet users and penetration rate in Gambia – 2005 – 2018
Chart 3 – Mobile subscribers and penetration rate in Gambia – 20025 - 2018

Exhibit 1 – Map of Gambia

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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 27

Status Current

Last updated 14 Feb 2018
Update History

Lead Analyst: Henry Lancaster

Contributing Analysts:

Peter Lange

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