Lesotho - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses
Vodacom Lesotho early to start 3.5GHz 5G trials
Telecom services in Lesotho are managed by a privatised national operator, Econet Telecom Lesotho (ETL). The mobile sector is a duopoly between South Africa-based Vodacom and ETL, though competition is insufficient to promote effective price reductions for consumers. Mobile penetration remains below the regional average, while the small size of the market provides little incentive for new entrants.
Fixed-line teledensity is also low, but the fixed network has gained value since DSL services were launched in 2007. In parallel, ETL has rolled out a fixed-wireless network. In addition, the company has introduced a fixed-mobile convergence product and is capitalising on its multi-platform capabilities.
Vodacom was the first operator to introduce mobile broadband services in the country, supplemented with a WiMAX network. In late 2014 the company launched commercial services based on LTE technology. This was followed by fixed-wireless 5G trials in early 2019 based on a trial 3.5GHz licence. Vodacom Lesotho was among the first network operators in the region to conduct such trials.
Although landlocked, Lesotho has benefited from connectivity to the several submarine fibre optic cables which land on African east and west coasts. These have considerably improved international bandwidth, though access prices for the two ISPs remain high and as a consequence internet take-up among consumers has been stymied.
Key developments:
Vodacom Lesotho starts 5G trials;
ETL expands FttP network;
Vodacom Foundation launches m-health service facilitated by M-Pesa;
Improved internet connectivity following landing of international cables;
Universal Service Agency expanding base tower infrastructure in remote areas;
Report update includes ITU statistics, regulator’s 2017 ICT market report, Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, operator data to Q4 2018, recent market developments.
Companies mentioned in this report:
Telecom Lesotho, Econet a, Vodacom Lesotho, Eskom, Comnet.
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
Telecommunication Policy of 1999
ICT policy 2005
Communications Policy 2008
National Master Plan
Telecommunications Act of 2000
Communications Act of 2012
National Strategic Development Plan (NSDP)
Regulatory authority
Telecom sector liberalisation
Privatisation
Licence fees
SIM card registration
Universal Service Fund (USF)
Fixed network operator
Econet Telecom Lesotho (ETL)
Telecommunications infrastructure
Overview of the national telecom network
International infrastructure
Satellite
Terrestrial and submarine fibre
Fixed-line broadband market
Introduction and statistical overview
Broadband statistics
Fixed-line broadband technologies
Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks
Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP) networks
Other fixed broadband services
Mobile market
Market analysis
Mobile statistics
Mobile broadband
Mobile infrastructure
5G
4G (LTE)
3G
Other infrastructure developments
Major mobile operators
Vodacom Lesotho
ETL
Mobile content and applications
m-payment
m-learning
Related reports
List of Tables
Table 1 – Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities – Lesotho – 2018 (e)
Table 2 – Historic - Fixed lines in service and teledensity in Lesotho – 1999 – 2009
Table 3 – Fixed lines in service and teledensity in Lesotho – 2010 – 2018
Table 4 – International bandwidth – 2001 – 2016
Table 5 – Historic - Internet users and penetration rate in Lesotho – 1999 – 2009
Table 6 – Internet users and penetration rate in Lesotho – 2010 – 2018
Table 7 – Proportion of households with internet access in Lesotho – 2007 – 2018
Table 8 – Fixed-line internet subscribers – 2002 – 2018
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